Nova Scotia has rolled out a series of new occupational health and safety rules. The rules, which went into effect June 12, require companies whose employees work at a height greater than three metres to train employees on fall protection and companies whose employees work on highways, roads or public parking lots to conduct a hazard assessment of the worksite and adopt a written safe-work procedure.
The new laws will strengthen regulations, increase accountability through better public reporting, make consequences for law-breakers harsher and target more surprise inspections, according to Labour and Advanced Education Minister Frank Corbett.
In addition to the new laws Nova Scotia is making information on workplace convictions — such as the guilty parties, the offence and punishment — easier to find on the department’s website and working to ensure that information is updated quarterly.
The province is also working to pursue harsher penalties for employers with serious and repeat offenses.