The government proposed changes to the OHS Act to provide additional tools and authority to enforce safety requirements for those who repeatedly commit safety violations. If passed, Bill 165 will:
- Define “serious injury” as an injury that endangers life or causes permanent injury and “repeatedly” as occurring more than once in the previous three years
- Let the court grant an injunction to stop an employer with repeat violations that put workers at risk of serious injury or death from working in an industry
- Require an employer with repeat violations that put workers at risk of serious injury or death to advise the department of future work locations
- Allow stop-work orders to be issued at more than one site operated by the same employer where the same serious risks are believed to be present
- Provide a list of reportable injuries and allow email or phone reporting.