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OHS Program Audit Requirements

For more information on this topic, see “COMPLIANCE: What You Should Know about Auditing Your OHS Program

KNOW THE LAWS: OHS Program Audit Requirements

Here’s what the OHS laws in your jurisdiction say about OHS program audits or reviews:

FED Canada OHS Regs.:

1. The employer must evaluate the effectiveness of the hazard prevention program, including its ergonomics-related components, and, if necessary, revise it:

a. at least every three years;

b. whenever there’s a change in conditions in respect of the hazards; and

c. whenever new hazard information in respect of a hazard in the work place becomes available to the employer [Sec. 19.7(1)].

2. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the prevention program must be based on the following documents and information:

a. conditions related to the workplace and the activities of the employees;

b. any workplace inspection reports;

c. any hazardous occurrence investigation reports;

d. any safety audits;

e. first aid records and any injury statistics, including records and statistics relating to ergonomics-related first aid and injuries;

f. any observations of the policy and workplace committees, or the health and safety representative, on the effectiveness of the prevention program; and

g. any other relevant information [Sec. 19.7(2)].

3. If a program evaluation has been conducted under Sec. 19.7, the employer must prepare a program evaluation report [Sec. 19.8(1)].

4. The employer must keep readily available every program evaluation report for six years after the date of the report [Sec. 19.8(2)].

AB OHS laws don’t require audits of health and safety plans.
BC OHS laws don’t require audits of OHS programs.
MB Workplace Safety and Health Act:

A workplace safety and health program must include a procedure for reviewing and revising such program every three years or more often if circumstances at a workplace change in a way that poses a risk to the safety or health of workers at the workplace [Sec. 7.4(5)(k)].

NB OHS Act:

The employer must review its health and safety program at least once each year, in consultation with the JHSC or the health and safety representative, and must update the program as required [Sec. 8.1(2)].

NL OHS Regs., 2012:

An employer that’s required to establish and maintain an OHS program under Sec. 36.1 of the Act must review and, where necessary, revise such program as follows:

a. at least every 3 years;

b. where there’s a change of circumstances that may affect the health and safety of workers; and

c. where an officer requests a review [Sec. 12(2)(b)].

NS OHS Act:

An employer’s written OHS program must include provision for monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of the program [Sec. 28(2)(i)].

NT OHS Regs.:

An OHS program for a work site must include a procedure to review and, if necessary, revise such program not less than once every three years or whenever there’s a change of circumstances that could affect the health or safety of workers [Sec. 21(2)(k)].

NU OHS Regs.:

An OHS program for a work site must include a procedure to review and, if necessary, revise such program not less than once every three years or whenever there’s a change of circumstances that could affect the health or safety of workers [Sec. 21(2)(k)].

ON OHS laws don’t require audits of OHS programs.
PE OHS Act:

An OHS program must include provisions for monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of the program [Sec. 23(3)(i)].

QC Regulation respecting prevention programs:

An annual updating of a prevention program must be transmitted to the Commission not later than one year after the day on which the prevention program was initially transmitted. [Sec. 8].

SK OHS Regs.:

An OHS program required by Sec. 13 of the Act must include a procedure to review and, where necessary, revise such program at specified intervals that are not greater than three years and whenever there’s a change of circumstances that may affect the health or safety of workers [Sec. 22(1)(j)].

YT OHS laws don’t require audits of OHS programs.