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General Guidelines

To the right you will find general guidelines on key points regarding Occupational Health and Safety, with links to some of the legislation. If you can't find the information you need or are wondering what your next step should be, we encourage you to visit our Get Help page.

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Please visit our Resources by Province or Resources by Internet pages for further resources.

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Canadian Occupational Health and Safety

Please note that due to significant changes in Provincial Employment Standards we are in the process of updating our website to reflect current standards.

Note: For free assistance fill out our get help form.

Occupational health and safety legislation in Canada provides fundamental rights to Canadian workers while they are performing their jobs. The three basic rights are:

  1. to be informed of any foreseeable health or safety risks in the workplace;
  2. to participate through health and safety committees in the prevention of workplace accidents and diseases;
  3. to refuse work that is dangerous or may cause harm or injury to the worker without fear of reprisal from their employer

All the provinces and federal jurisdiction have some form of Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations. Regulations set the specific standards and requirements that must be followed in the workplace to avoid injury or disease to workers.

Government Inspectors are hired to ensure that employers and employees are following proper safety guidelines to minimize the risk of injury. Employees who feel they must report a safety concern are protected by the law from dismissal or disciplinary action. Workers must follow the appropriate procedure for reporting a concern.

Joint Health and Safety Committees exist in many workplaces to ensure workers and their employers are cooperating in maintaining a safe workplace. Regular inspections are part of the duties of the committee.

Health and safety regulations vary between the different Canadian jurisdictions.

Determining your rights can be a difficult task. It requires careful reading of the appropriate section(s) of legislation and corresponding regulations. In addition there are numerous exceptions and exemptions that may need to be considered.

Visit our Mental Wellness in the Workplace page for a comprehensive list of resources to help you manage a stressful work environment.

Occupational Health and Safety Resources

Legislation

Worker's Compensation

Accidents can and do happen in any workplace. Workers’ Compensation programs across the country help injured workers from financial hardships that are associated with occupational disease and work-related injuries. Determining your rights to compensation can seem overwhelming at a time when you may be under enormous physical and mental stress due to injury.

Below are a few key resources.