Newfoundland And Labrador Provinces Unveil New Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OHS) Regulations
New OHA regulations recently unveiled are reported to improve the regulatory conditions under which employers and employees work. The new regulations replace 30-year-old regulations and take effect on September 1, 2009, according to the Provincial Government.
“This is an important day for workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said the Kevin O’Brien, minister of Government Services. “These new regulations will support the safety culture in all workplaces and will reflect and, in fact, complement the safe work practices that many safety-minded employers already have in place. We wanted to ensure that we have the best possible set of regulations that meet the needs of both employers and employees of the province. I think we have achieved that and have produced a first-rate set of regulations.”
In drafting these new regulations, the department consulted with industry, labor, employers, Provincial Government departments and anyone interested in safe work procedures. The feedback received was positive with all groups agreeing the current regulations were outdated and did not reflect current safety practices. The consultations also highlighted the need to improve regulations related to high-risk activities. The department engaged the Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Council during the consultation process on issues where new policy is being set.
Regulations Highlights
1. Recent Codes and Standards – Requirements to comply with the most recent version of a named code or standard as opposed to a specific version of that code or standard which could be outdated;
2. Confined Space Entry – Procedures to enter an enclosed or partially enclosed space having restricted access and egress;
3. Fall Protection – Addition of general requirements as well as identification of fall arrest systems and construction of guardrails;
4. De-energization and lockout – Proper procedures for de-energizing and locking out equipment prior to performing work on that equipment;
5. Noise Hazards – Requirements to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program where noise exposures exceed permissible levels;
6. Blasting – Clarification of blaster responsibilities and industry-accepted safe blasting practices;
7. Ergonomic Requirements – Requirements to identify and assess risks and provide education and training to workers who may be exposed to musculoskeletal injuries;
8. Working Alone – Requirements to develop a written procedure for checking the well-being of employees who work alone;
9. Crane Operators – New requirements to certify operators who must have the appropriate trade qualification as determined by the Department of Education;
10. Violence Prevention – New requirements to have employers conduct a risk assessment, establish procedures to control the risk and communicate those procedures to the workers.
“The NL Employers’ Council organized a committee of safety professionals that consulted on the development of these regulations,” said NL Employers’ Council Executive Director Richard Alexander. “A number of concerns put forward by the committee were addressed and the position of employers was well represented and well considered. Overall we are pleased with these new OH&S regulations and believe they are a step in the right direction, clarifying a number of grey areas in the previous regulations.” (workersxzcompxzkit)
It is important to note workers’ compensation costs are obviously reduced when employers, employees and government protection agencies work together to design and implement the best possible workplace safety standards.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or 860-786-8286.
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