Governing Regulations
There are 14 jurisdictions in Canada - 1 federal, 10 provincial, and 3 territorial. Each jurisdiction has its own health and safety legislation. The Canada Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulations are the federal legislation enabled by the Canada Labour Code. Lead exposure is covered in Section 10 of Canada's Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, which states that workers have the right to know about hazardous materials in the workplace. Legislation and regulations regarding hazardous materials are also implemented through the national hazard communication system, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).
OHS has also created the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act), which is a document that outlines workers' rights and responsibilities, including the right to stop work that is deemed hazardous or unsafe. OHS also lists the penalties and enforcement techniques to be used if these guidelines are not followed.
To supplement the overarching regulations created by OHS, individual provinces and territories often set their own regulations (in accordance with federal bodies) specific to their needs. Before implementing a lead abatement training, ensure that you are familiar with the regulations specific to your province or territory.
