LO1 - Federal and Provincial Safety Regulations

• In the 1900s, the thinking and attitudes of employers and employees toward accident prevention were quite different from today.
• Assumption of risk 


  was a legal expression used by the courts
• three fundamental employee rights:

  1. The right to know about hazards in the workplace

  2. The right to participate in correcting those hazards

  3. The right to refuse dangerous work
• BEFORE

  • Workers accepted customary risks of the occupation ​
  • Workers were instructed to protect themselves from special hazards (e.g., extreme heat, sharp metal)​
  • Scars were accepted as badges of honour
• Careless Worker


  Early approach to safety in the workplace which assumed accidents were due to workers’ carelessness​
• Shared Responsibility​


  A newer approach to workplace safety that relies on the cooperation of the employer and employees​.
• Workplace accidents and occupation-related illnesses:​

  •  $8B annually  in direct compensation​
  •  More than $19B including indirect expenses
• Direct cost of injuries:​


  • Lost wages, medical treatment, rehabilitation, etc.
• Indirect costs:​


  • Lost production, recruiting, training, etc.
• On average, 2.5 employees die each day of the year from workplace accidents (925 each year)
• Health Hazards​

  • Physical ​Agents​
  • Biological Agents
  • Ergonomic Related
• Physical Agents


  Exposure to physical elements (e.g. noise)
• Biological Agents


  Exposure to natural organisms (e.g. viruses)
• Ergonomic related


  Caused by the work environment (e.g. repetitive strain)
• Younger Workers​


  Growing emphasis on the health and safety of young workers​

  • 1 in 7 young workers is injured on the job​
  • One-fourth of all workplace injuries involve workers aged 15 – 29 years​
  • Among injured workers under 25, 50% of injuries occurred in first 6 months on the job, and 20% of injuries and fatalities were in the first month​
• • Most common types of injuries are electrocution and machine injuries
• Workplace Health and Safety Committee​

  • Expeditiously deal with health and safety complaints​
  • Participate in inquiries, investigations, studies etc.​
  • Ensure adequate records are kelp​
  • Inspecting all parts of the workplace at least annually
• Hazardous Products Act​


  • Protects consumers by regulating the sale of dangerous products
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act


  makes Transport Canada, a federal government agency, responsible for handling and transporting dangerous

  materials by federally regulated shipping and transportation companies.
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Act


  established a public corporation
• Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS)​


  • Requires that employers provide training to enable employees to understand and recognize hazards​
  • Now includes Hazardous Products Act