Where the government had not updated a regulation to require compliance with a newer version of an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard, the law still required compliance with the old version, a federal tribunal has decided.
Section 2.9 of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations required that "A fixed ladder installed after the day of the coming into force of this section shall be designed, constructed and installed in accordance with the requirements of ANSI Standard A14.3-1984 entitled American National Standard for Ladders — Fixed — Safety Requirements, as amended from time to time, other than section 7 of that Standard."
That 1984 ANSI standard was replaced by new versions in 1992 and 2008.
The Occupational Health and Safety Tribunal Canada decided that the 1984 ANSI continued to govern – not the 1992 and 2008 versions – because the 1984 standard was the one referred to in the regulation. The 1992 and 2008 versions were "replacement" versions, not "amended" versions of the 1984 standard. The 1984 ANSI standard did not require that "swing gates" be installed at the openings of rest platforms on fixed ladders, and therefore the Direction issued by a federal safety officer was rescinded.
Richardson Pioneer Limited, 2016 OHSTC 16 (CanLII)
For more information, visit our Occupational Health & Safety Law blog at www.occupationalhealthandsafetylaw.com
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