Workplace Safety and Health Act Review

Consultation has concluded

At least once every five years, Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health undertakes a review of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the Administrative Penalty Regulation, the Operation of Mines Regulation and the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation to ensure Manitoba's workplaces are safe and healthy.

Healthy workplaces impact everyone, and efforts have been made to ensure employers and workers are engaged as part of this review. A Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee made up of worker, employer and technical representatives has been established to review submissions and provide recommendations to the Minister on issues of importance in Manitoba’s workplaces.

This year the review will be focused on:

  • ensuring strong protections are in place that meet the needs of today’s workplaces;
  • improving harmonization and consistency with other jurisdictions;
  • ensuring requirements are clear and reasonable; and,
  • helping Manitoba meet its obligations under The Regulatory Accountability Act.

We invite you to submit your feedback through an open proposal process before November 30th. All submissions will be provided to the committee for consideration.

If you have any questions, call at 204-957-SAFE (7233) or toll free at 1-855-957-SAFE (7233).

Submissions will also be accepted by email at WSHActReview@gov.mb.ca.

At least once every five years, Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health undertakes a review of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the Administrative Penalty Regulation, the Operation of Mines Regulation and the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation to ensure Manitoba's workplaces are safe and healthy.

Healthy workplaces impact everyone, and efforts have been made to ensure employers and workers are engaged as part of this review. A Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee made up of worker, employer and technical representatives has been established to review submissions and provide recommendations to the Minister on issues of importance in Manitoba’s workplaces.

This year the review will be focused on:

  • ensuring strong protections are in place that meet the needs of today’s workplaces;
  • improving harmonization and consistency with other jurisdictions;
  • ensuring requirements are clear and reasonable; and,
  • helping Manitoba meet its obligations under The Regulatory Accountability Act.

We invite you to submit your feedback through an open proposal process before November 30th. All submissions will be provided to the committee for consideration.

If you have any questions, call at 204-957-SAFE (7233) or toll free at 1-855-957-SAFE (7233).

Submissions will also be accepted by email at WSHActReview@gov.mb.ca.

Proposals

Thank you for sharing your story with us.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • Work-Related Disease

    by John Elias, MPH, CIH (Retired), ROH, faiha, almost 2 years ago

    John Elias, MPH, CIH(Retired), ROH, FAIHA

    In a previous review one of the areas emphasized was the use of the most up-to-date health and safety knowledge. The Manitoba Section AIHA submitted comments and recommendations on that review, a copy is attached as background information. This is a follow-up on that submission. Health is half of the Workplace Safety and Health Act and should be recognized in this review. The review should address the following points

    1. Worker health as a topic separate from safety.

    Often health statistics are presented as part of “safety and health” and not as a separate... Continue reading

  • Conformity to publications, codes and standards

    by Gary Rempel, almost 2 years ago

    In 2016, MB regulation, Part 1, Conformity to publications, codes, and standards, 1.3(2) stated work or services must be performed "in accordance with the requirements of the most recent edition of the publication, code or standard."

    The same section in 2022 states, work or services are to be performed in "accordance with the requirements of the edition or version of the publication, code or standard cited in the regulation."

    With an additional section of 1.3(2.1) which allows for the use of more recent standards, but does not require it.

    This leaves potential for CSA standards referenced in legislation to... Continue reading

  • Are we doing "asbestos" we can?

    by Josh Friesen, almost 2 years ago

    I find it shocking that WSH is content with basing decisions regarding asbestos exposure of workers on a study in 1984 from Ontario that claimed they didn't have any studies on effectiveness of wet demos.

    Current policy requires abatement before demo, but we don't have evidence on how effective a wet demo is. If a worker is in contact with asbestos every day for 15 days he would have to be over 95% effective at avoiding asbestos every day in order to be more effective than 50% at avoiding asbestos overall.

    Are wet demos 50% effective? I don't know, and... Continue reading

  • Large jobs & the economy projects vs the small entrepreneur

    by Bullied & harassed, almost 2 years ago
    Many do not know that Workplace Safety and Health oversees the apprenticeship ratios per journey person and that they appear to be seldomly enforced on the larger Jobs in economy projects, but are largely enforced on the smaller contractors.

    There’s a lot of money riding on jobs and the economy projects and the contractor is running them, better not slow them down. Small business is commonly the training facility for entry into larger projects small businesses should be receiving training dollars.

  • I agree with To much Grey by 50shadesofgrey

    by Bullied & harassed, almost 2 years ago

    I agree with To much Grey by 50shadesofgrey, there is too much interpretation left up to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), we are all reading from the same Policies, safe work procedures, By-laws and statutes, so the question is why are things interpreted so differently?

    And what could and should be done about these types of issues?

  • I agree Regulations in Manitoba are clear. Education and enforcement is the issue.

    by Bullied & harassed, almost 2 years ago

    I agree withLaws what laws by Carrie Hurteau,




    The following legislation is all needed in Manitoba
    Conflict of interest laws are drastic need of review and change, example if in and employee requires a lawyer they have to do a conflict of interest search with the legal firm supplying their name and the parties name that they want to litigate against and if one person in that large legal firm has done any legal work for the opposition (offender) party then the entire legal firm is tainted/compromised making it very difficult for an employee to obtain a good quality high-end... Continue reading

  • I agree Regulations in Manitoba are clear. Education and enforcement is the issue.

    by Bullied & harassed, almost 2 years ago

    I agree with Randy Pokrant – Safety Consultant
    To ad value, most people I speak with cant define or know the difference between working alone or working in isolation, they should be on a test and may need further clarification with pictorials. Example if a person is working in the winter time behind a locked fence 650 m away down a slope by a river and the driveway is snowbound and unkept for the winter, because the location is seasonal, the questions are:

    Why was this employee doing this? (duress), now that we are past this question.
    Will fire and... Continue reading

  • Business Partner

    by HL62, almost 2 years ago

    With in the WHS act, reporting a serious incident includes:

    "the failure of an atmosphere-supplying respirator"

    The act should clarify the situation.

    If for example the air tested through an atmosphere-supply respirator contains volatile hydro carbons nominally above acceptable levels, does this constitute a failure of the atmosphere-supplying respirator and trigger a report of a serious incident to WHS? or not?

  • 5.12(1) first aid kits

    by CS89, almost 2 years ago

    Section 5.12(1) on first aid kits needs to better define in the workplace, what constitutes needing a basic kit vs intermediate kit, defining what is "high risk" work vs not. Further, what type of kits are required for work vehicles (depending on the nature of the work/risk factors of the company?)

    Note: CSA has also changed the contents of the approved basic kit, thus the PN has changed since ~2019 according to our PPE supplier, however, many trades I communicate with were not made aware by CSA/provincially/by our PPE suppliers.

  • Health and Safety Bulletin Board

    by Bradwardine, about 2 years ago
    I know there are several areas in the regulations that indicate what we have to post on the employees safety/bulletin board.


    I think it would be ideal if there was a specific spot/section that indicates everything that needs to be posted on the employees safety/bulletin board. Rather than continually flipping through the pages and finding every reference.