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Special Report on Ontario OHS Reform

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What the New Bill 160 and Dean Commission Mean to Your OHS Program including Ergonomics
Ontario has just introduced Bill 160 – the first step in what will be a massive overhaul of the Ontario OHS system.
Bill 160 implements nearly all of the major Dean Commission proposals.  Other proposals are expected to be enacted through regulatory change – or even further legislative action.  
Make no mistake: OHS Reform is gathering speed, and the impact upon your Occupational Safety and Health programs including ERGONOMICS is enormous.
You face new OHS training requirements for both employees and supervisors … mandatory training and certification for members of JHSCs including ergonomic training … tougher enforcement … a new voluntary OHS compliance program for employers … new programs for small business … and that is just the start.    
If you are an OHS professional, HR Professional, Facility Manager, Designer, or BOMA member it is critical to understand the extent and full impact of this major new OHS overhaul on workplaces in Ontario.

To give you the help you need OPC Inc will be providing you with regular BLOG and Twitter updates as this moves along. You need to know all about the  Ontario OHS Reform and what Bill 160 and Other Dean Commission Proposals mean to your OHS Program. Some of the highlights include:

  • Proposed new compliance and ergonomic awareness training requirements for all new employees, including standardized training on workplace hazards … the rights and responsibilities of workers and their supervisors …employee rights to be informed of hazards … and more.      
  • Proposed new training requirements for all frontline supervisors, including proposals to define “supervisor” and other key roles … what training supervisors should receive … and obligations of supervisors to recognize, assess, control and eliminate hazards including ergonomic hazards and risks
  • Proposals for more targeted inspections and proactive enforcement of OHS laws against companies that employ “vulnerable workers”, including new employees, and employees who do not speak English and employers who have high rates of Musculoskeletal injuries occurring
  • The proposed requirement that employers post an OHS information poster outlining rights and responsibilities of workers
  • The new proposals that would make it easier for workers to file complaints if their employer retaliates against them for raising safety concerns
  • New proposals for mandatory training and certification of JHSC members … along with proposals for an expanded role for JHSCs in OHS program
  • The proposal to create a voluntary program for organizations who agree to more stringent safety standards — much like the VPPPA in the U.S.
  • The new proposals that would require the government to use safety performance as criterion in procurement and contracting
  • The proposal to clarify the responsibilities and obligations of those who provide temporary employees to also provide basic OHS training and awareness requirements
  • The new proposals for tougher enforcement for serious and willful OHS violations, including the use of administrative monetary penalties and expanded use of “tickets” to deter non-compliance including ergonomic related offences
  • The sweeping new proposals that would establish almost a parallel compliance system and set of rules for small businesses … along with the development of new affordable training and awareness resources for small businesses … and tax credits for spending on safety training to employees   
  • Plus, the creation of a new prevention organization … the development of a common OHS database … proposals to provide financial incentives to small businesses that successfully implement OHS systems

 Article Source: OHS Insider.com

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Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Reforms
High back chairs in the office?