Employers should be aware of recent changes and initiatives from the Ministry of Labour under the Occupational Health and Safety Act ("OHSA").
Changes to Diving Regulations
As of March 1, 2014 there are two new amendments to the Diving Regulations under the OHSA. Under Ontario Regulation 629/94 (Diving Operations) they include amendments dealing with the medical examination of Divers and the determination of their fitness to dive. As well there are changes to the Code for Cables, Slings and Rigging used in diving operations. They can be reviewed HERE.
Training
As mentioned in our previous blog – the health and safety training for workers and supervisors is mandatory as of July 1, 2014. Free resources for employers are available HERE.
Safety Inspections
In the Ministry of Labour's ongoing regional and provincial inspections the following areas will be the target of safety blitzes by the MOL inspectors:
In Construction – Excavation Hazards in May 2014 and Fall Protection Hazards in July and August 2014; and
In Industrial – New and Young worker training from May to August 2014, Material Handling from September 15 – October 26, 2014 and Machine Guarding November and December 2014.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.