New Occupational Safety and Health Directive, Occupational Health and Safety Committee, January 1, 2006

As announced on October 24, 2005, the new Occupational Safety and Health Directive is effective January 1, 2006.

The following thirteen standards have been simplified and amalgamated (no changes of substance other than the removal of the footwear allowance) to form the new directive, which contains enhancements of and additions to the CLC, or particularities to the Public Service not covered by the CLC and found in the current version of the Directives:

–   Use and Occupancy of Buildings Directive (Permanent Structures)

–   Elevated Work Structures Safety Standard

–   Elevating Devices Directive

–   Boilers and Pressure Vessels Directive

–   Noise Control and Hearing Preservation Standard

–   Electrical Safety and Health Standard

–   Sanitation Safety and Health Standard

–   Hazardous Substances Directive

–   Hazardous Confined Spaces Directive

–   Personal and Protective Equipment and Clothing Directive

–   Tools and Machinery Safety and Health Standard

–   Materials Handling Directive

–   First Aid Safety and Health Standard

The four following standards remain in force:

–   Committees and Representatives Standard

–   Motor Vehicle Operations Directive

–   Pesticides Directive

–   Refusal to Work Directive

Since the communiqué, a slight change has been made to the definition of "appropriate standard":

"appropriate standard" (norme appropriée) means a standard or standards, as amended from time to time,  which provides the highest level of safety. If more than one standard meets this criterion, the standard or standards shall be selected using the following order of precedence:

1. standard prescribed by the Canada Labour Code, Part II, and applicable regulations;
2. standard prescribed by provincial occupational health and safety legislation;
3. standard recognized by the Standards Council of Canada or by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO);
4. standard developed by a government organization with regard to a subject area within their jurisdiction (eg: Health Canada, Transport Canada, Environment Canada);
5. standard developed by an association recognized by a majority of qualified practitioners in the field to which the standard is addressed (eg American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers "ASHRAE");
6. standard universally accepted by a majority of qualified practitioners.