Occupational Health and Safety Act

51

The Minister may enter into an agreement with any person, government, agency or organization for the purpose of

(a) carrying out research respecting the health and safety of workers,

(b) establishing and operating training programs respecting the health and safety of workers,

(c) establishing and operating programs to train persons in first aid and emergency medical services, and

(d) establishing and operating educational programs respecting the health and safety of workers.

52(1)

The Minister may engage the services of experts or persons having special technical or other knowledge to

(a) advise the Minister,

(b) inquire into and report to the Minister on matters respecting the health and safety of workers, or

(c) provide services in respect of a work site inspection or investigation.

52(2)

A person whose services are engaged under subsection (1) shall

(a) be paid any remuneration that the Minister prescribes, and

(b) be paid the person’s reasonable travelling and living expenses while absent from the person’s ordinary place of residence and in the course of providing the person’s services to the Minister.

53

The Minister may enter into agreements with The Workers’ Compensation Board, a government ministry, agency, board or commission or an organization governing the exchange between the Minister and the other party of

(a) any information or reports respecting any or all of the following:

(i) any injuries or incidents that occur at work sites;

(ii) any occupational illnesses or diseases;

(iii) any measures taken by prime contractors, contracting employers or employers to protect the health and safety of workers;

(iv) any matter concerning the operations of prime contractors, contracting employers or employers,

(b) any statistical information respecting any or all of the following:

(i) injuries or incidents occurring at work sites;

(ii) occupational illnesses or diseases;

(iii) assessments made by the Board under the Workers’ Compensation Act and the cost of claims made under that Act,

and

(c) any information specified by the regulations or the OHS Code.

54

The Minister shall publish at regular intervals documents and information arising from the administration of this Act, the regulations and the OHS Code, including

(a) any available data on disabling injury claims, disabling injury rates, person years of work, lost time claims, lost time claims rates, motor vehicle fatalities, work site incident fatalities and occupational disease fatalities of employers,

(b) any orders issued to prime contractors, contracting employers, suppliers, service providers, employers, owners, and temporary staffing agencies,

(c) administrative penalties issued to any person,

(d) tickets issued to employers, but not those issued to workers,

(e) subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, investigation reports completed by an officer,

(f) acceptances issued under section 20,

(g) allowances issued under section 21,

(h) approvals issued under section 22,

(i) inter‑jurisdictional recognitions issued under section 23,

(j) interpretation bulletins and other publications, and

(k) any other information that the Minister determines supports worker health and safety.

55(1)

An employer, owner or prime contractor shall post a copy of an order issued under this Act to that employer, owner or prime contractor that is relevant to the work site.

55(2)

The employer, owner or prime contractor referred to in subsection (1) shall post the copy in a conspicuous place at the work site as soon as the employer, owner or prime contractor receives it.

55(3)

The employer, owner or prime contractor referred to in subsection (1) shall keep an order referred to in subsection (1) posted for so long as the order remains in effect.

55(4)

Despite subsections (1) to (3), the employer, owner or prime contractor referred to in subsection (1) may provide the orders in electronic format providing workers, the joint health and safety committee, if there is one, or the health and safety representative, if there is one, are informed of the orders and have ready access to them.

55(5)

Despite subsections (1) to (3), if the work site is mobile and posting is impracticable, the employer, owner or prime contractor referred to in subsection (1) shall ensure that the information in the order is brought to the attention of all affected workers at the work site.

55(6)

If a person is required to make a report or plan under this Act, the regulations or the OHS Code, the person shall ensure that the report or plan is in writing and a paper or downloaded or stored electronic copy of the report or plan is readily available for reference by workers, the joint health and safety committee, if there is one, and the health and safety representative, if there is one, at the work site affected by the report or plan.

55(7)

If a person is required to develop procedures or to put procedures in place under this Act, the regulations or the OHS Code, the person shall ensure that they are in writing and a paper or downloaded or stored electronic copy of the current procedures is readily available for reference by workers, the joint health and safety committee, if there is one, and the health and safety representative, if there is one, at the work site affected by the procedures.

56

The Minister may establish, subject to the regulations, a program for the purposes of occupational health and safety surveillance, which includes

(a) monitoring trends in occupational diseases, injuries, exposures, fatalities and incidents, and

(b) any other elements specified in the regulations as being part of occupational health and safety surveillance.

57(1)

Organizations funded by grants issued under section 136 of the Workers’ Compensation Act shall, subject to the OHS Code, submit to the Minister a report in the form and containing the information required by the Minister.

57(2)

The Minister shall review the report submitted under subsection (1) and make recommendations to The Workers’ Compensation Board respecting the effectiveness of the grant in fulfilling its purpose under section 136(3) of the Workers’ Compensation Act.

57(3)

The Minister may establish criteria for the purposes of the evaluation of applications for grants issued under section 136(2) of the Workers’ Compensation Act.

58(1)

The Minister may, subject to the OHS Code, designate any person to further occupational health and safety or carry out a function, duty or obligation of a program established under section 59.

58(2)

The Minister may impose on a designation any terms, conditions and requirements that the Minister considers advisable.

58(3)

Any person designated under this section shall comply with the designation and any terms, conditions and requirements imposed by the Minister.

59

The Minister may, subject to the OHS Code, establish and carry out programs to further occupational health and safety, including

(a) imposing program terms and conditions;

(b) establishing program policy and delivery criteria.