Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

Clearances

2.4 A window awning or canopy or any part of a building that projects over an exterior passageway shall be installed or constructed in a manner that allows a clearance of not less than 2.2 m between the passageway surface and the lowest projection of the awning or canopy or projecting part of the building.

Floor and Wall Openings

• 2.5 (1) Where an employee has access to a wall opening from which there is a drop of more than 1.2 m or to a floor opening, highly visible guardrails shall be fitted around the wall opening or floor opening or it shall be covered with material capable of supporting all loads that may be brought to bear on it.

• (2) The material shall be securely fastened to and supported by structural members.

• (3) Subsection (1) does not apply to vehicle maintenance pits or to the loading and unloading areas of truck, railroad or marine docks the edges of which are marked in a highly visible manner.

• (4) Where a pit is used for the maintenance of vehicles, including railway rolling stock, the hazard it represents shall be clearly identified and its perimeter shall be delineated by highly visible markings.

Open-top Bins, Hoppers, Vats and Pits

• 2.6 (1) Where an employee has access to an open-top bin, hopper, vat, pit or other open-top enclosure from a point directly above the enclosure, the enclosure shall be

  • (a) covered with a grating, screen or other covering that will prevent the employee from falling into the enclosure; or

  • (b) provided with a walkway that is not less than 500 mm wide and is fitted with highly visible guardrails.

• (2) The grating, screen, covering or walkway shall be designed, constructed and maintained so that it will support a load that is not less than the greater of

  • (a) the maximum load that may be brought to bear on it, and

  • (b) a live load of 6 kPa.

• (3) Where an employee is working above an open-top bin, hopper, vat, pit or other open-top enclosure that is not covered with a grating, screen or other covering, the inside wall of the enclosure shall be fitted with a fixed ladder, except where the operations carried on in the enclosure make such a fitting impracticable.

• (4) Every enclosure referred to in subsection (1) whose walls extend less than 1.1 m above an adjacent floor or platform used by employees shall be

  • (a) covered with a grating, screen or other covering;

  • (b) fitted with a highly visible guardrail; or

  • (c) guarded by a person in order to prevent employees from falling into the enclosure.

Ladders, Stairways and Ramps

2.7 Where an employee is required to move from one level to another that is more than 450 mm higher or lower than the first level, the employer shall install a fixed ladder, stairway or ramp between the levels.

2.8 Where one end of a stairway is so close to a traffic route used by vehicles, to a machine or to any other hazard as to be hazardous to the safety of an employee using the stairway, the employer shall, at that end of the stairway,

• (a) post a sign to warn employees of the hazard; and

• (b) if feasible, install a highly visible barricade that will protect employees using the stairway from the hazard.

• 2.9 (1) A fixed ladder installed after the day of the coming into force of this section shall be designed, constructed and installed in accordance with the requirements of ANSI Standard A14.3-1984 entitled American National Standard for Ladders — Fixed — Safety Requirements, as amended from time to time, other than section 7 of that Standard.

• (2) A fixed ladder that is installed before the day of the coming into force of this section shall, if feasible, meet the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (3) While ascending or descending a fixed ladder, an employee shall

  • (a) maintain a three-point contact with the ladder; and

  • (b) carry any tools, equipment or materials in a pouch or holster or in any other secure manner.

• (4) A fixed ladder shall be highly visible or its presence otherwise brought to the attention of any employee in the area.

• 2.10 (1) Every grain-handling facility that has a manlift or ladder that provides access to a floor or roof over a grain bin or silo shall, in addition to its primary exit, have a secondary exit from the floor or roof that consists of an exterior fixed ladder constructed in accordance with the requirements referred to in subsection 2.9(1).

• (2) A fixed ladder that is installed in a grain-handling facility before the day of the coming into force of this section shall, if feasible, meet the requirements referred to in subsection 2.9(1).

• (3) A fixed ladder that is installed adjacent to a manlift and that is intended for emergency exit from the manlift shall meet the requirements of section 5.1.9 of CSA Standard B 311-M1979, entitled Safety Code for Manlifts, the English version of which is dated October 1979 and the French version of which is dated July 1984.

Docks, Ramps and Dock Plates

• 2.11 (1) Every loading and unloading dock and ramp shall be

  • (a) of sufficient strength to support the maximum load that may be brought to bear on it;

  • (b) free of surface irregularities that may interfere with the safe operation of mobile equipment; and

  • (c) fitted around its sides that are not used for loading or unloading with side rails, curbs or rolled edges of sufficient height and strength to prevent mobile equipment from running over the edge.

• (2) Cross-traffic on dock levellers shall be limited to the portion of the dock leveller where there is no danger of tipping the materials handling equipment.

• (3) Every portable ramp and every dock plate shall be

  • (a) clearly marked or tagged to indicate the maximum safe load that it is capable of supporting; and

  • (b) installed so that it cannot slide, move or otherwise be displaced under the load that may be brought to bear on it.

Guardrails

• 2.12 (1) Every guardrail shall be highly visible and consist of

  • (a) a horizontal top rail not less than 900 mm but not more than 1 100 mm above the base of the guardrail;

  • (b) a horizontal intermediate rail spaced midway between the top rail and the base; and

  • (c) supporting posts spaced not more than 3 m apart at their centres.

• (2) Every guardrail shall be designed to withstand a static load of 890 N applied in any direction at any point on the top rail.

Toe Boards

2.13 If there is a risk that tools or other objects could fall onto a person from a platform or other raised area, or through a floor opening or floor hole,

• (a) a toe board that extends from the floor of the platform or other raised area to a height of not less than 125 mm shall be installed; or

• (b) if the tools or other objects are piled to such a height that a toe board would not prevent the tools or other objects from falling, a solid or mesh panel shall be installed from the floor to a height of not less than 450 mm.

Housekeeping and Maintenance

• 2.14 (1) Every exterior stairway, walkway, ramp and passageway that may be used by employees shall be kept free of accumulations of ice and snow or other slipping or tripping hazards.

• (2) All dust, dirt, waste and scrap material in every work place in a building shall be removed as often as is necessary to protect the health and safety of employees and shall be disposed of in such a manner that the health and safety of employees is not endangered.

• (3) Every travelled surface in a work place shall be

  • (a) slip resistant; and

  • (b) kept free of splinters, holes, loose boards and tiles and similar defects.

2.15 Where a floor in a work place is normally wet and employees in the work place do not use non-slip waterproof footwear, the floor shall be covered with a dry false floor or platform or treated with a non-slip material or substance.

• 2.16 (1) The cleaning of a window on any level above the ground floor level of a building the construction of which begins on or after the day of the coming into force of this subsection shall be done in accordance with the requirements of CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z91-M90, entitled Safety Code for Window Cleaning Operations, as amended from time to time.

• (2) To the extent reasonably practicable, the cleaning of a window on any level above the ground floor level of a building the construction of which began before the day of the coming into force of this subsection shall be done in accordance with the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (3) Subsections (4) to (8) apply to buildings whose owners are employers as defined in subsection 122(1) of the Act.

• (4) The employer shall, in respect of buildings the construction of which begins on or after the day of the coming into force of this subsection, ensure that a qualified person inspects the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms used for window cleaning and that they meet the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (5) The employer shall, in respect of buildings the construction of which began before the day of the coming into force of this subsection, ensure that a qualified person inspects the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms used for window cleaning and that they meet the requirements of CSA Standard Z91-M1980, entitled Safety Code for Window Cleaning Operations, the English version of which is dated May 1980 and the French version of which is dated November 1983.

• (6) The inspection of anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms shall be done

  • (a) before they are used for the first time;

  • (b) as often as necessary, but at least as often as recommended by their manufacturer;

  • (c) whenever they are reported as being defective; and

  • (d) in every case, at least once a year.

• (7) Immediately on completion of an inspection, the qualified person shall, in a written, signed and dated report, inform the employer of any defects or hazardous conditions detected in the anchor points or permanently installed suspended platforms.

• (8) The employer shall

  • (a) ensure that any reported defect in the anchor points or permanently installed suspended platforms is repaired before they are used;

  • (b) ensure that any maintenance and repairs are performed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations;

  • (c) keep, for a period of two years, a record of any inspection and maintenance, including the date the inspection or maintenance was carried out and the name of the person who did it; and

  • (d) keep, for as long as the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms are used, a record of the modifications or repairs made to them, including the day the work was done and the name of the person who did it.

Temporary Heating

• 2.17 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where a high-capacity portable open-flame heating device is used in an enclosed work place, the heating device shall

  • (a) be located, protected and used so that there is no hazard of igniting tarpaulins, wood or other combustible materials near the heating device;

  • (b) be used only when there is ventilation provided;

  • (c) be located so as to be protected from accidental contact, damage or overturning; and

  • (d) not restrict a means of exit.

• (2) Where the heating device does not provide complete combustion of the fuel used in connection with it, it shall be equipped with an exhaust system that discharges the products of combustion outside the enclosed work place.

DIVISION IITowers, Antennas and Antenna-Supporting Structures

• 2.18 (1) No employee shall climb a tower, an antenna or an antenna-supporting structure unless

  • (a) the employer has authorized the employee to do so;

  • (b) the employee has been trained and instructed in a safe method of climbing; and

  • (c) the employer has provided a personal fall-protection system in accordance with Part XII.

• (2) No employee shall climb or work on a tower, an antenna or an antenna-supporting structure

  • (a) when weather conditions are likely to be hazardous to the health or safety of the employee, except when the work is required to remove a hazard or to rescue an employee; or

  • (b) if the physical condition of the tower, antenna or antenna-supporting structure is likely to be hazardous to the health or safety of the employee.

2.19 Where reasonably practicable, the design and construction of every tower, antenna and antenna-supporting structure the construction of which begins on or after the day of the coming into force of this section shall meet the requirements of CSA Standard CAN/CSA-S37-94, entitled Antennas, Towers, and Antenna-Supporting Structures, as amended from time to time.