B.C. health-care workers must get flu shot or wear mask: Arbitrator; Ontario introducing mandatory OHS awareness training; Saskatchewan first province to require mandatory asbestos reporting
British Columbia
B.C. health-care workers must get flu shot or wear mask: Arbitrator
A British Columbia arbitrator has upheld a provincial government policy requiring health-care workers in the province to get a flu shot or wear a mask while caring for patients during flu season.
The policy is a valid exercise of the employer’s management rights, according to the ruling from the arbitrator.
Arbitrator Robert Diebolt dismissed the grievance brought by the B.C. Health Sciences Association, which represents about 16,000 health-care workers.
The disputed policy requires health-care workers to be vaccinated against flu each year, or to wear masks while caring for patients during flu season.
Diebolt writes in his decision that given the seriousness of influenza, a program that increases immunization rates in the health-care setting is a reasonable policy.
There is a rational connection between the policy and patient safety, he says.
Ontario
Ontario introducing mandatory OHS awareness training
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has introduced a regulation requiring employers to ensure all workers and supervisors have completed a basic occupational health and safety awareness training program.
Developed in partnership with labour groups, businesses and municipalities, the training will be mandatory for all workers and supervisors in the province who are covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The new training requirement becomes mandatory on July 1, 2014.
One way to complete the new health and safety awareness training will be for workers and supervisors to take part in a one-hour tutorial either individually or in groups using free, online elearning tools or hard copy workbooks.
The training is designed to help prevent workplace incidents and injuries by making workers and supervisors aware of their roles, rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
Once the elearning training module is complete, an employee will receive a certificate that is valid for the remainder of his career.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan first province to require mandatory asbestos reporting
Saskatchewan has proclaimed The Public Health (Howard’s Law) Amendment Act, which makes the web-based Saskatchewan Asbestos Registry mandatory for crown corporations, school districts, health regions and facilities and provincial government buildings.
The mandatory registry was created due to the efforts of Howard Willems, who passed away one year ago after being diagnosed with cancer as a result of inhaling asbestos fibers.
To construct an effective registry, the government held consultations over the summer regarding asbestos and the requirements for the registry.
