What You Need to Know About OHS Requirements in Canada

In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government body that deals with the regulation of occupational health and safety. It's a division of the greater Department of Labor.

If you've ever wondered about OSHA requirements in Canada, there's a lot to learn, and many key differences from regulations that exist in the United States. For one, Canada doesn't adhere to OSHA but instead to the regulations laid out by two different government arms: CanOSH and OHS.

What are the Canadian standards that you'll need to be aware of if you want to do business in the broader North American market? Read on and we'll walk you through what you need to know.

What are CanOSH and OHS?

The name CanOSH might make it sound like this is equivalent to the American OSHA, but this actually isn't the case. The CanOSH is a health and safety resource - a collection of services and information, as opposed to a regulatory body.

It's easier to think of CanOSH as a public library, providing Canadian citizens with a list of potentially helpful resources.

These are provided through the OHS, or Occupational Health and Safety, which is the real equivalent of the OSHA in Canada.

This is a government body that provides legislation and enforcement of labor standards and provides resources to employers who are looking to stay compliant.

Via CanOSH, employers can search a vast library of resources and narrow things down to specific regulations that might apply to their own businesses. It's also a very useful tool for businesses that operate across many different provinces in Canada.

What Kind of Work is Covered Federally?

The federal government of Canada has some labor regulations that apply across all provinces and jurisdictions. About 6% of the Canadian workforce falls under this kind of federal jurisdiction.

There are a great many businesses that have to live up to standards set by OHS at the federal level. These include but are not limited to:

• banks and even foreign-run banks
• telephone companies
• shipping companies
• railway and train cargo companies
• radio and broadcasting
• marine shipping and construction of any sort
• airline companies
• farming and food servicing plants
• pipeline construction

Again, this is a great many industries, but they only represent 6% of the modern Canadian workforce. The other 94% of Canadian workers adhere to the laws set at the provincial level.

Understanding OSHA Requirements in Canada

The regulations and standards you'll need to be aware of when working and running a business in Canada will vary depending on the industry you're working in.

Just like in the United States, there are different regulations in place for the different kinds of work that laborers may be participating in.

If you want to get a proper sense of what to expect when operating in Canada, you'll need to utilize the CanOSH library to look up regulations related to the areas you'll be setting up shop and the kind of work you'll be doing.

Let's look at an example so you can get a sense of what to expect.

Workers Operating at a High Heights

If your work required you to have your team working high up in the air, there would be a number of OHS regulations that you would need to adhere to.

Most of these regulations would be similar across provinces, but you'd want to look into the province in which you're doing business to ensure you are remaining compliant with all aspects of the law.

Most provinces have regulations for specific fall protection measures. For example, fixed barriers such as handrails or guardrails must be installed, and fall or travel restraint systems need to be employed in the work.

Personal protective equipment that lives up to regulatory standards must also be employed.

If you were an employer who required workers to work high up, you'd need to do a deep dive into all of these laws and regulations and ensure you were compliant.

Understanding CSA Standards

If the above acronyms weren't enough to remember, you'll also want to take the time to get familiar with the Canadian Standards Association, or the CSA.

The federal, provincial, and territorial regulations set down by the CCOHS generally are built off standards originally published by the CSA. The CSA workplace safety standards are a bit broader than what is included in most OHS regulations, but they're important to get familiar with too.

The CSA covers a wide range of workplace topics such as personnel protective equipment, construction, electrical safety, mental health, and much more.

Navigating all of these various rules and regulations can be challenging, which is why you may want to seek out assistance from a provider who is familiar with the ins and outs of all these many rules.

Getting The Help You Need

There's a lot to stay on top of when it comes to OSHA requirements in Canada or at least the Canadian equivalent of these requirements. The above is all the basic information that you'll need to navigate the Canadian world of labor regulations.

If it's your first time doing business in Canada, it might take some time to get used to these new regulations. Need assistance in getting your footing? Have more questions that need answering?

Give us a call anytime for extra help - we'd love to hear from you.