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Legislative Priorities (2019-2020)

Annual Report 2019: Ryerson campus shot over Lake Devo

Health and safety, environmental, and Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) legislative requirements are constantly changing. Through the Council of Environmental Health and Safety Officers (CEHSO) and the Council of Senior Administrative Officers (CSAO) subgroup we continue to engage in consultations with:

On an ongoing basis, regulatory changes are monitored and their impacts on the sector analyzed.

Legislative changes that impacted Ryerson in 2019 and 2020

Critical injuries reporting

In November 2019, the MOL provided additional clarification on its website about how to decide if a workplace hazard caused the critical injury or death and therefore must be reported to the ministry.

According to the update, employers need to assess if the hazard that caused injury or death could pose an ongoing risk to worker health and safety. If there is no reasonable connection, the employer does not need to report it. 

Based on this clarification and the examples provided by the MOL, Ryerson would not have to notify the MOL on some types of injuries. For example, a sports injury that occurred on campus or an injury that was the result of an underlying medical condition would not need to be reported. This is because these injuries do not pose an ongoing risk to workers.

Two students about to use a ladder. One is climbing the first step while the other is providing support, both are wearing hard hats.

Alternative materials for emergency treatment 

A June 2019 amendment  to the Ontario Regulation 851 Industrial Establishment (external link)  under the Occupational Health and Safety Act allows antidotes, flushing fluids or washes as alternative materials for emergency treatment to eye and skin injuries resulting from exposure to hazardous chemical or biological agents. 

For Ryerson, this will provide alternate design options to eyewash and/or safety showers for operations with low chemical/biological hazards.

An inspector testing an eye wash station.