
Actual/Proposed Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act
Below you will find a timeline of changes to the OH&S Act and its Regulations. We will keep this timeline current as more amendments are made available to us.

May 2014OH&S Act, Section 9
The Ministry of Labour released the 2014 JHSC Certification Training Standard and the 2014 JHSC Certification Training Provider Standard. It is anticipated that these new standards will come into effect in late 2015...MORE INFO
Date May 2014 State Proposed Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act, Section 9 Summary of Change Workplaces under the OH&S Act that have 20 or more regularly employed workers must have a Joint Health and Safety Committee, with at least one certified worker member and one certified management member. The certification process involves completing Part One (Basic Training) and Part Two (Workplace-Specific Hazard Training). The current training standard is from 1996 (with a 2007 update).
In May 2014, the Ministry of Labour released the 2014 JHSC Certification Training Standard and the 2014 JHSC Certification Training Provider Standard. It is anticipated that these new standards will come into effect in late 2015.
LINK Ministry of Labour October 28, 2014OH&S Act and Associated Regulations
The Ministry of Labour is proposing to extend noise protection requirements to all Ontario workplaces under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that are not currently covered by noise requirements in the industrial, mining and oil and gas-offshore sector regulations...MORE INFO
Date October 28, 2014 State Proposed Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act and Associated Regulations Summary of Change The Ministry of Labour is proposing to extend noise protection requirements to all Ontario workplaces under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that are not currently covered by noise requirements in the industrial, mining and oil and gas-offshore sector regulations.
Examples of workplaces affected by this proposal include: health care facilities, schools, farming operations, fire services, police services and amusement parks.
LINK Ontario Regulatory Registry October 28, 2014OH&S ActO.Reg. 213/91 and Reg. 833
The Ministry of Labour is proposing to improve health and safety protections for Ontario construction workers under the OH&S Act...MORE INFO
Date October 28, 2014 State Proposed Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act
Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91)
Control of Exposure to Biological and Chemical Agents Regulation (Reg. 833)
Summary of Change The Ministry of Labour is proposing to improve health and safety protections for Ontario construction workers under the OH&S Act:
- Adding new requirements to the Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91) to enhance health and safety protection of workers during the operation of rotary foundation drill rigs.
- Improving construction worker protection from hazardous exposures to:
- Noise (i.e. adding noise protection requirements to O. Reg. 213/91, Construction Projects Regulation);
- Biological and chemical agents (i.e. expanding application of Reg. 833, Control of Exposure to Biological and Chemical Agents Regulation); and,
- Carbon monoxide released from internal combustion engines (i.e. improve protections provided by section 47 of the O. Reg. 213/91, Construction Projects Regulation).
- Amending the Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91) to correct errors, omissions, and inconsistencies and to update outdated references.
LINK Ontario Regulatory Registry October 31, 2014OH&S Act and WHMIS Regulation (Reg. 860)
The Ministry of Labour is proposing changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the WHMIS Regulation...MORE INFO
Date October 31, 2014 State Proposed Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act
WHMIS Regulation (Reg. 860)
Summary of Change The Ministry of Labour is proposing changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the WHMIS Regulation to implement the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling Chemicals (GHS) in Ontario. (Comment period was Nov 3 – Dec 19, 2014).
LINK Ontario Regulatory Registry November 20, 2014OH&S Act, Section 1(1)
Expanded definition of "worker" to ensure protection under the OH&S Act extends to unpaid workers (e.g. students, interns, volunteers)...MORE INFO
Date November 20, 2014 State Actual Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act, Section 1(1) Summary of Change Expanded definition of “worker” to ensure protection under the OH&S Act extends to unpaid workers (e.g. students, interns, volunteers), including the right to know about workplace hazards and the right to refuse unsafe work.
LINK December 5, 2014OH&S ActO.Reg. 213/91 and O.Reg. 297/13
Amendments to the new Working at Heights Training Standard became mandatory as of April 1, 2015...MORE INFO
Date December 5, 2014 State Actual Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91)OH&S Awareness and Training Regulation (O. Reg. 297/13) Summary of Change The Construction Project Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91) was amended on Dec 5, 2014 to add the requirement that a worker who uses a fall protection system must meet the working at heights training requirements of the OH&S Awareness and Training Regulation (O. Reg. 297/13).
The OH&S Awareness and Training Regulation (O. Reg. 297/13) was amended on Dec 5, 2014 to include the section on “Working at Heights Training – Construction Projects.”
The new Working at Heights Training Standard became mandatory as of April 1, 2015.LINK Ontario Gazette (Vol. 147 Issue 51; Dec 20, 2014) Ministry of Labour - Working at Heights Training Standard December 16, 2014OH&S Act and Mines and Mining Plans (Reg. 854)
The Ministry of Labour is proposing various amendments to Regulation 854 (Mines and Mining Plants) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act...MORE INFO
Date December 16, 2014 State Proposed Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act
Mines and Mining Plants (Reg. 854)
Summary of Change The Ministry of Labour is proposing various amendments to Regulation 854 (Mines and Mining Plants) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Proposed amendments would involve:
- Changing requirements for working on energized equipment and electrical locking and tagging;
- Changing requirements for conveyors and hoisting provisions;
- Improving requirements for high visibility safety apparel;
- Updating references to standards, legislation or agencies; updating terminology; clarifying certain requirements; and
- Gradually changing the fees payable for rope testing, performed by Materials Testing Laboratory.
LINK Ontario Regulatory Registry December 16, 2014Control of Exposure to Biological and Chemical Agents Regulation (Reg. 833)
Reg. 833 was amended on Dec. 16, 2014 to update Occupational Exposure Limits (Table 1), based on 2013 and 2014 consultation proposals...MORE INFO
Date December 16, 2014 State Actual Act or Regulation(s) OH&S Act
Control of Exposure to Biological and Chemical Agents Regulation (Reg. 833)
Summary of Change Occupational Exposure Limits restrict the amount and length of time a worker can be exposed to an airborne concentration of hazardous biological or chemical agents. Reg. 833 was amended on Dec. 16, 2014 to update Occupational Exposure Limits (Table 1), based on 2013 and 2014 consultation proposals.
All OEL proposals were adopted with the exception of nitrogen dioxide, manganese and aliphatic hydrocarbon gases, which are still being considered. Changes will come into effect on July 1, 2015.
LINK Ontario Gazette (Vol. 148 Issue 01; Jan 3, 2015)