Reading Time: 6 minutes The Law Commission of Ontario defines vulnerable workers as “those engaged in precarious work”. “Precarious work” includes: those jobs where one has low wages and at least two of these other features; no pension; no union; and/or small firm size. Precarious work includes temporary foreign labour, service industry jobs, food services and accommodation jobs, temporary […]
The Right to Refuse Dangerous Work
Reading Time: 6 minutes There may, undoubtedly, be cases justifying a wilful disobedience of such an order; as where the servant apprehends danger to her life, or violence to her person, from the master; or where, from an infectious disorder raging in the house, she must go out for the preservation of her life. But the general rule is […]
Viewpoint 39-3: Canada’s Asbestos Policy: Economics trump global health concerns
Reading Time: 6 minutes Asbestos was once considered so safe it was used as an ingredient in toothpaste. Today asbestos is recognized as a potent carcinogen by health experts and scientists worldwide. Despite this, in Canada it seems economic concerns take precedence over health when it comes to the international trade of asbestos. History of asbestos The history of […]
Update: Ticket Offences at Work
Reading Time: < 1 minute In the Nov/Dec 2013 issue of LawNow, the column Ticket Offences at Work explained a new workplace ticket system. As of January 1, 2014, Occupational Health and Safety officers in Alberta can use this tool to obtain better compliance with OHS legislation. As an appendix to the column, the authors prepared a table listing the […]
Occupational Health and Safety 3: Ticket Offences at Work
Reading Time: 4 minutes Introduction Most Canadians are familiar with “tickets” for minor offences. If we have personal experience at all with the legal system, it is most likely through receiving the occasional ticket for parking, seat belts, rolling through a stop sign, speeding or some other traffic offence. There are several other regulatory subjects that are enforced by […]
Occupational Health and Safety
Reading Time: 5 minutes Introduction This article is the first in a series of columns on the topic of safety at work. Canadians spend most of their economically-productive years in the workforce. Most are spared a serious injury or worse. But there is always danger at work, particularly in the heavy industries that contribute to the Alberta economy. The […]
