Hazardous Substances

Employers have a general duty to ensure the health and safety of all of their employees while they are working.

If employees are likely to be exposed to a hazardous substance in the workplace, the employer is required to:

• assign a qualified person to investigate the risks;
• notify the health and safety committee or representative about the investigation;
• maintain a record of all hazardous substances used or stored in the workplace;
• ensure that each employee is made aware of every known or foreseeable health or safety hazard in the area where the employee works;
• develop and implement an employee training program for the prevention and control of hazards in the workplace; and
• ensure that employees in a supervisory or managerial role receive adequate health and safety training and are informed of the responsibilities they have under this part of the Code.

For their part, employees are required to notify their employers of any object or circumstance in the workplace that presents a danger to their health or safety or to that of their colleagues or of any other person whom the employer may authorize on the work site.

Employee Training Program

The employer is responsible for ensuring that employees have the necessary information, training, and supervision to perform their work safely. This includes:

• an appropriate understanding of overall work safety procedures;
• knowledge of the safe use of workplace tools and equipment;
• awareness of known or foreseeable workplace hazards;
• informing them of their duty to report under paragraphs 126(1)(g) and (h) of the Act and under section 15.3; and
• informing them of their right to refuse dangerous work.

For more information see:

• Guide to the Management of Hazardous Substances
• Guide to the Investigation and Reporting of Hazardous Occurrences
• Hazardous Occurrence Investigation Recording and Reporting – Pamphlet 7
• Hazard Prevention Program Guide
• Hazard Prevention Program Pamphlet
• Internal Complaint Resolution Process – Pamphlet 3
• Job Safety Analysis Made Simple
• Managers and Supervisors Training – Pamphlet 2B
• Overview – Canada Labour Code, Part II
• Right to Refuse Dangerous Work – Pamphlet 4