Bill 168 Ontario: Understanding The Requirements Of Bill 168 At Workplaces

By Author: lchresources
Total Articles: 2
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Most of the people are aware of bill 168, amending the occupational Health and Safety Act to impose new obligations on employers, with limited exceptions, starting from next month. Some you have come to us asking if you need to engage external HR service providers to handle the many obligations under Bill 168, as you work to become compliant. Certainly, there are many services providers trumpeting the onerous nature of these obligations and offering their services to assist you. The following few lines will provide you with an understanding of the scope of these new obligations, and how you can address these issues without necessarily engaging external HR service providers unfamiliar with your workplace.

The new definitions for workplace violence and harassment add an additional layer of protection for employees. Workplace violence now includes not only actual physical violence or the threat of physical violence but also verbal threats that could reasonably be interpreted as threats of physical violence. The current right of workers to refuse to work is extended to include instances where a worker reasonably believes ...
... that workplace violence is likely to endanger himself or her self.

A further protection from workplace violence is the additional protection from domestic violence crossing over in the workplace. Employers will also be obliged to protect workers from incidents of domestic violence crossing over into the workplace by taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances. The obligation is triggered when the employer either becomes aware of or ought reasonably to be aware of the potential for domestic violence that could cause physical injury in the workplace.

Once your legal obligations are understood, the new obligations implemented by Bill 168 to the OHSA become less daunting. Bill 168 puts the onus on employers to consider issues of workplace violence and harassment, and to put in place measures that will protect workers against those risks. Finally, there are some well established and experienced organizations are providing Workplace Violence and Harassment Program to their clients.

Bill 168 puts the onus on employers to consider issues of workplace violence and workplace harassment, and to put in place measures that will protect workers against those risks.