Understanding Ontario’s Health and Safety Requirements

As an employer, you play an important role in preventing workplace injuries and promoting a safe and healthy workplace. In fact, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), you have a legal obligation to properly inform, instruct and supervise your employees and to do everything you reasonably can to protect them.

I have 1 or more employees, but less than 6:

Understand / Identify:

• Your general duties as an employer and other persons.
• Any occupational hazards and health hazards.
• Any hazardous products used in the workplace and obtain current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) as per WHIMS regulation.
• How to report workplace incidents, occupational illness, critical injury and death.

Develop and review once a year:

• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must put in place processes to control these hazards.
• Prepare and review yearly, a workplace violence policy and program. If fewer than six workers are regularly employed at the workplace, the policy does not necessarily have to be written but a Ministry of Labour, inspector can order the policy to be in writing.

Post:

• The health and safety at work poster in the workplace must be displayed in English and the majority language of the workplace.
• A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• The Workplace Safety Insurance Board poster (if your workplace is covered by WSIB).
• A list of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous product that are used in the workplace as per WHIMS regulation.

Share:

• A First Aid kit and the appropriate materials based on your number of employees.

Train:

• All workers and supervisor on the basic occupational health and safety awareness  and make sure to keep records of completion.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must train your staff accordingly.
• For workplaces that are registered with WSIB, the First Aid regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA) mandates you to have a worker trained with the Emergency First Aid CPR.
• Ensure that a worker who is exposed or likely to be exposed to a hazardous product receives instruction and training as per WHIMS regulation and review it yearly. You can access FREE WHIMS training with your CFIB membership through our partner Vubiz.
• Provide workers with instructions and information on preventing violence and harassment in the workplace.

Not mandatory but recommended:

• Every employer in Ontario must prepare and review yearly, a policy on workplace violence and provide workers with instructions and information on preventing violence in the workplace. If fewer than six workers are regularly employed at the workplace, the policy does not necessarily have to be written. That said, a Ministry of Labour, inspector can order the policy to be in writing.

Additional resources:

• Your guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

I have 6 or more employees, but less than 20:

Understand / Identify:

• Your general duties as an employers  and other persons.
• Any occupational hazards and health hazards.
• Any hazardous products used in the workplace and obtain current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) as per WHIMS regulation.
• How to report workplace incidents, occupational illness, critical injury and death.
• Assess the risk of workplace violence that may arise from the nature of the workplace, type of work or conditions of work and develop measures and procedures to control any identified risks that may expose a worker to physical injury.
  • You must advise the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative of the assessment results.
  • These measures and procedures must be part of the workplace violence program.
• Workers must select a Health and Safety Representative who do not exercise managerial functions.
  • Their duties will be to inspect the workplace at least once a month identifying actual and potential workplace hazards and make recommendations to the employer, participate in investigation of work refusals and be consulted with any health and safety-related testing in the workplace.

Develop and review at least once a year:

• An occupational health and safety policy and program.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must put in place processes to control these hazards which you can outline in your health and safety program.
• A workplace violence policy and program.
• A workplace harassment policy and program.

Post:

• The health and safety at work poster in the workplace must be displayed in English and the majority language of the workplace.
• A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• The  Workplace Safety Insurance Board poster (if your workplace is covered by WSIB).
• A list of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous product that are used in the workplace as per WHIMS regulation.
• Your health and safety policy.
• Your workplace violence policy.
• Your workplace harassment policy.

Share:

• A copy of health and safety policy.
• A copy of your workplace violence policy.
• A copy of your workplace harassment policy.
• A First Aid kit and the appropriate materials based on your number of employees.
• A list of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous product as per WHIMS regulation.

Train:

• All workers and supervisor must complete training on the basic occupational health and safety awareness and make sure to keep records of completion.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must train your staff accordingly.
• For workplaces that are registered with WSIB, the First Aid regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA) always mandates you to have a first aid trained worker available.
  • If you have less than 5 employees on any one shift a worker trained with the Emergency First Aid CPR which is 6.5 hours in length.
  • If you have more than 6 employees on any one shift a worker trained in the Standard Emergency First Aid  which is 13 hours in length.
• Ensure that a worker who is exposed or likely to be exposed to a hazardous product receives instruction and training as per WHIMS regulation and review it yearly. You can access FREE WHIMS training with your CFIB membership through our partner Vubiz.
• Provide workers with instructions and information on preventing violence and harassment in the workplace.

Additional resources:

• Your guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

I have 20 or more employees but less than 50 employees:

Understand/ Identify:

• Your general duties as an employers  and other persons.
• Occupational hazards and health hazards.
• Any hazardous products used in the workplace and obtain current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) as per WHIMS regulation.
• How to report workplace incidents, occupational illness, critical injury and death.
• Assess the risk of workplace violence that may arise from the nature of the workplace, type of work or conditions of work and develop measures and procedures to control any identified risks that may expose a worker to physical injury.
  • You must advise the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative of the assessment results.
  • These measures and procedures must be part of the workplace violence program.
• Must have a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) with at least one worker and one management member represented.
  • Their role is to hold regular meetings and conduct regular workplace inspections, identify workplace risks  and makes written recommendations to you to address these risks so that together you can improve the health and safety of workers.
  • If your JHSC makes recommendation to you regarding health and safety, you must respond to it in writing within 21 days.

Develop and review at least once a year:

• An occupational health and safety policy and program.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must put in place processes to control these hazards which you can outline in your health and safety program.
• A workplace violence policy and program.
• A workplace harassment policy and program.
• An emergency response information, if you have an employee with a disability.

Post:

• The health and safety at work poster in the workplace must be displayed in English and the majority language of the workplace.
• A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Names and locations of your workplace joint health and safety committee members.
• The Workplace Safety Insurance Board poster (if your workplace is covered by WSIB).
• The No-Smoking No-Vaping signs at each entrance, exits and washrooms as per Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 and Ontario Regulation 268/18.
• Your health and safety policy.
• Your workplace violence policy.
• Your workplace harassment policy.

Share:

• A copy of health and safety policy.
• A copy of your workplace violence policy.
• A copy of your workplace harassment policy.
• A First Aid kit and the appropriate materials based on your number of employees.
• A list of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous product as per WHIMS regulation.

Train:

• All workers and supervisor must complete training on the basic occupational health and safety awareness and make sure to keep records of completion.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must train your staff accordingly.
• Your Joint Health and Safety Committee members must complete the Parts 1 and 2 of mandatory training: Basic Certification and Workplace-Specific Hazard Training and a refresher training is required every three (3) years to maintain certification.
  • The Marketplace lists approved joint health and safety training providers and available classes. You can browse and register for a course in your area.
  • Keep proof of your workers' JHSC certification.
• For workplaces that are registered with WSIB, the First Aid regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA) always mandates you to have a first aid trained worker available.
  • If you have less than 5 employees on any one shift a worker trained with the Emergency First Aid CPR which is 6.5 hours in length.
  • If you have more than 6 employees on any one shift a worker trained in the Standard Emergency First Aid  which is 13 hours in length.
• Ensure that a worker who is exposed or likely to be exposed to a hazardous product receives instruction and training as per WHIMS regulation and review it yearly. You can access FREE WHIMS training with your CFIB membership through our partner Vubiz.
• Provide workers with instructions and information on preventing violence and harassment in the workplace.

Additional resources:

• Your guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

I have more than 50 employees:

Understand/ Identify:

• Your general duties as an employers  and other persons.
• Any occupational hazards and health hazards.
• Any hazardous products used in the workplace and obtain current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) as per WHIMS regulation.
• How to report workplace incidents, occupational illness, critical injury and death.
• Assess the risk of workplace violence that may arise from the nature of the workplace, type of work or conditions of work and develop measures and procedures to control any identified risks that may expose a worker to physical injury.
  • You must advise the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative of the assessment results.
  • These measures and procedures must be part of the workplace violence program.
• Joint Health and Safety Committee : must be at least 4 employees on the committee and half must be represented by employees who do not exercise managerial functions.
  • Their role is to hold regular meetings and conduct regular workplace inspections, identify workplace risks and makes written recommendations to you to address these risks so that together you can improve the health and safety of workers.
  • If your JHSC makes recommendation to you regarding health and safety, you must respond to it in writing within 21 days.

Develop and review at least once a year:

• An occupational health and safety policy and program.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must put in place processes to control these hazards which you can outline in your health and safety program.
• A workplace violence policy and program.
• A workplace harassment policy and program.

Post:

• The health and safety at work poster in the workplace must be displayed in English and the majority language of the workplace.
• A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Names and locations of your workplace joint health and safety committee members.
• The Workplace Safety Insurance Board poster (if your workplace is covered by WSIB).
• Your health and safety policy.
• Your workplace violence policy.
• Your workplace harassment policy.

Share:

• A copy of health and safety policy.
• A copy of your workplace violence policy.
• A copy of your workplace harassment policy.
• A First Aid kit and the appropriate materials based on your number of employees.
• A list of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous product as per WHIMS regulation.

Train:

• All workers and supervisor must complete training on the basic occupational health and safety awareness and make sure to keep records of completion.
• If you have identified Occupational hazards and health hazards in the workplace, you must train your staff accordingly.
• Your Joint Health and Safety Committee members must complete the Parts 1 and 2 of mandatory training: Basic Certification and Workplace-Specific Hazard Training and a refresher training is required every three (3) years to maintain certification.
  • The Marketplace lists approved joint health and safety training providers and available classes. You can browse and register for a course in your area.
  • Keep proof of your workers' JHSC certification.
• For workplaces that are registered with WSIB, the First Aid regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA) always mandates you to have a first aid trained worker available.
  • If you have less than 5 employees on any one shift a worker trained with the Emergency First Aid CPR which is 6.5 hours in length.
  • If you have more than 6 employees on any one shift a worker trained in the Standard Emergency First Aid  which is 13 hours in length.
• Ensure that a worker who is exposed or likely to be exposed to a hazardous product receives instruction and training as per WHIMS regulation and review it yearly. You can access FREE WHIMS training with your CFIB membership through our partner Vubiz.
• Provide workers with instructions and information on preventing violence and harassment in the workplace.

Additional resources:

• Your guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

CFIB is here to help you!

In addition to health and safety requirements, there are several other compliance measures your business should be considering. You can always contact Business Resources for further information, examples of a Health and Safety Policy, Emergency Communication Procedure, or for more details on any Occupational Health and Safety issues at 1-833-568-2342 or email us at cfib@cfib.ca