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Albertan legislators were busy right into the holidays and released a new OHS act in December 2021. Don\u2019t worry, there weren\u2019t many drastic changes, but we\u2019ll summarize the ones employers and employees should be aware of. The act thankfully was simplified and much of the repetitive requirements were axed. Basically, they rolled out clearer language and implemented changes to sites with multiple contractors. <\/strong><\/p>\n The new Alberta OHS Act<\/a> is easier to follow, yet still maintains its core goals. The required safety and worker rights remain the same, but compliance is simpler for companies. As you might expect, the new OHS Act still prioritizes the three basic rights of workers:<\/p>\n Since the new OHS Act has eliminated repetition<\/strong>, it\u2019s much shorter than the previous version. Likewise, the language has been changed to prevent confusion with other regulations.<\/p>\n The new OHS Act has also absorbed the Radiation Protection Act, which means it now includes radiation equipment laws. Dosimetry, or personal exposure monitoring for ionizing radiation<\/a> can now be found within the OHS act. Again, cutting confusion and simplifying OHS legislation.<\/p>\n In addition, the requirements for health and safety committees (HSC) and representatives (HSR) are organized better:<\/p>\n Health and safety committees and representatives are still mandatory for employers under the new Alberta OHS Act, depending on their number of workers. Like in the previous version, an HSC is mandatory for organizations with at least 20 employees, while an HSR is mandatory for organizations with 5 to 19 employees.<\/p>\n However, there is an important change in how employees are counted. In the new OHS Act, only regular employees count when deciding if you need an HSC or HSR<\/a>. In other words, the new calculation doesn\u2019t include volunteers, and persons who don\u2019t receive financial compensation in general.<\/p>\n The training requirements for committees have also become more flexible, which means companies can adapt the training process according to the needs of their workplace. Training requirements only apply for co-chairs and representatives in the case of farms and ranches, but they apply for all committee members in other types of organizations.<\/p>\n Alberta\u2019s new OHS Act also changes the requirements for H&S committees and representatives in workplaces with multiple employers. Below we\u2019ve compiled some of the most important changes:<\/p>\n If there is no prime contractor<\/strong>, the person who controls the site can appoint one under the new OHS Act. This cuts the requirement to have an HSC or HSR, and employees can communicate with the internal committee or representative of each subcontractor. However, OHS directors still have the authority to request a dedicated HSC or HSR, even in worksites that would be exempt. More on prime contractors roles and duties<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another important change is that the previous OHS Act only recognized prime contractors in the two industry sectors where they are mandatory: oil and gas, and construction. Under the new OHS Act, prime contractors can be established in any worksite<\/strong> regardless of the industry. The prime contractor becomes responsible for managing health and safety, avoiding the need for a dedicated committee or representative.<\/p>\n The new OHS Act introduced by Alberta is strongly focused on H&S committees and representatives. However, there are changes that affect other areas, including:<\/p>\n All you need to know about the 2021 OHS legislation changes. The OHS act is simpler than ever and we’ve simplified it more with this concise list of changes.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1445],"tags":[1473,1454],"class_list":["post-66523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-health-and-safety","tag-workplace-safety"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n
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Changes for Health and Safety Committees and Representatives<\/h2>\n
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Managing Health and Safety in Workplaces with Multiple Employers<\/h2>\n
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Additional Changes in Alberta\u2019s New OHS Act<\/h2>\n
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More Resources<\/h3>\n
OHS Facts and Answers<\/a><\/h5>\n
Changes to OHS December 2021<\/a><\/h5>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"