Effective February 1, 2011, significant amendments to The Workplace Safety and Health Regulation came into force.
These amendments will impact all provincially regulated employers in Manitoba.
Highlights of the amendments include:
- The definition of “harassment” has been amended and broadened to include:
- Protection of a worker’s psychological well-being;
- Protection against conduct that might reasonably cause a worker to be humiliated or intimidated. It covers comments, gestures and physical acts, so that acts such as bullying and humiliation now are covered by the Regulation.
- There is now a positive obligation on the employer to train its Workplace Safety and Health Committee representatives.
- Members of the Safety Committee now must inspect the premises not less than before each regularly scheduled meeting.
- Committee members now have the right to post materials on a bulletin board that is mandated under the Regulation.
A copy of the full Act is available here.
The Government of Manitoba issued a news release on January 31st announcing the new amendments.
These amendments should cause employers to review their existing policies to ensure they are compliant with both the pre-existing and newly amended requirements. We are available to review with you your new obligations under the amended legislation.
