What health and safety rules apply to my job?
You have the right to be safe at work. Almost every worker, employer, and workplace in Ontario has to follow the safety rules in the Ontario Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
The OHSA applies to employees, employers, and independent contractors.
There are some jobs where the OHSA does not apply or it applies along with other rules. These types of workplaces are described below.
Working at home
The OHSA does not apply to work that you do in your home or your employer's home.
But if your employer pays you to work in someone else's home, then the safety rules of the OHSA probably apply to you.
For example, if you work for a cleaning company and you clean other people's homes, then the OHSA applies to your job. But, if someone hires you personally to clean their home, then the OHSA does not apply.
Canada Labour Code
Some industries are covered by federal laws. These are laws made by the Government of Canada and they apply throughout the country.
These industries follow the health and safety rules which come from the Canada Labour Code instead of the OHSA.
Examples of workplaces covered by the Canada Labour Code include:
- post offices
- airlines and airports
- banks
- telecommunication companies, including radio or television
- federal government offices
- grain elevators and some feed mills
- trains, ferries, tunnels, bridges, and canals
- shipping or transportation companies that go to more than one province
Special industries
Some industries that have special dangers also have their own rules. These workplaces have extra safety rules that employees and employers have to follow. They also have to follow the OHSA or the Canada Labour Code.
These types of industries include:
