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

Instructions and Training

• 17.6 (1) Every employee shall be instructed and trained in

  • (a) the procedures to be followed by him in the event of an emergency; and

  • (b) the location, use and operation of fire protection equipment and emergency equipment provided by the employer.

• (2) Notices that set out the details of the evacuation plans and procedures referred to in paragraphs 17.4(2)(c) and 17.5(2)(a) and (b) shall be posted at locations accessible to every employee at the work place.

Emergency Wardens

• 17.7 (1) Where an employer or employers have prepared an emergency evacuation plan for a building, the employer or employers shall appoint

  • (a) a chief emergency warden and a deputy chief emergency warden for that building;

  • (b) an emergency warden and a deputy emergency warden for each floor of the building that is occupied by employees of the employer or employers; and

  • (c) monitors for any employee who require special assistance in evacuating the building.

• (2) The chief emergency warden and deputy chief emergency warden appointed for a building shall be employees who are normally employed in the building.

• (3) The emergency warden and the deputy emergency warden appointed for a floor in a building shall be employees who are normally employed on that floor and monitors for an employee who requires special assistance shall be employees who are normally employed on the same floor as the employee requiring special assistance.

• 17.8 (1) Every emergency warden, deputy emergency warden and monitor appointed under section 17.7 shall be instructed and trained in

  • (a) his responsibilities under the emergency evacuation plan and the emergency procedures referred to in paragraph 17.5(1)(c); and

  • (b) the use of fire protection equipment.

• (2) A record of all instruction and training provided in accordance with subsection (1) shall be kept by the employer in the work place to which it applies for a period of two years from the date on which the instruction or training is provided.

Inspections

• 17.9 (1) In addition to the inspections carried out under section 17.3, a visual inspection of every building to which subsection 17.4(1) applies shall be carried out by a qualified person at least once every six months and shall include an inspection of all fire escapes, exits, stairways and fire protection equipment in the building in order to ensure that they are in serviceable condition and ready for use at all times.

• (2) A record of each inspection carried out in accordance with subsection (1) shall be dated and signed by the person who made the inspection and kept by the employer in the building to which it applies for a period of two years from the date on which it is signed.

Meetings of Emergency Wardens and Drills

• 17.10 (1) At least once every year and after any change is made in the emergency evacuation plan or the emergency procedures referred to in paragraph 17.5(1)(c) for a building,

  • (a) emergency wardens, deputy emergency wardens and monitors appointed under section 17.7 and employees requiring special assistance shall meet for the purpose of ensuring that they are familiar with the emergency evacuation plan and the emergency procedures and their responsibilities thereunder; and

  • (b) an evacuation or emergency drill shall be conducted for the employees in that building.

• (2) The employer or employers shall keep a record of each meeting and drill referred to in subsection (1) in the building referred to in that subsection for a period of two years from the date of the meeting or the drill.

• (3) The record referred to in subsection (2) shall contain

  • (a) in respect of each meeting,

    • (i) the date of the meeting,

    • (ii) the names and titles of those present, and

    • (iii) a summary of the matters discussed; and

  • (b) in respect of each drill,

    • (i) the date and time of the drill, and

    • (ii) where applicable, the length of time taken to evacuate the building.

• (4) The employer shall notify the local fire department for the building where an evacuation or emergency drill is to take place at least 24 hours in advance of the date and time of the drill.

Fire Hazard Areas

• 17.11 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall, in a fire hazard area,

  • (a) use any equipment, machinery or tool of a type that may provide a source of ignition; or

  • (b) smoke or use an open flame or other source of ignition.

• (2) If it is not feasible to avoid performing work involving the use of any equipment, machinery or tool that may provide a source of ignition in an area that has an atmosphere that contains or is likely to contain explosive concentrations of combustible dust or in an area where combustible dust has accumulated in a sufficient quantity to be a fire hazard, the following shall apply:

  • (a) the atmosphere and surfaces in the area where the work is to be performed and within that portion of the surrounding area that is accessible to sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work shall be substantially free of combustible dust;

  • (b) where any equipment, machinery or tool produces combustible dust that may reach the areas referred to in paragraph (a), the equipment, machinery or tool shall be made inoperative prior to and during the time the work is being performed;

  • (c) if feasible, the area where the work is to be performed shall be enclosed to prevent the escape of sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work;

  • (d) all openings in floors and walls through which sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work may pass shall be sealed or covered to prevent such passage;

  • (e) any combustible materials within the areas referred to in paragraph (a) shall be removed or, if it is not feasible, shall be covered with a non-combustible protective covering;

  • (f) floors and walls of combustible material within the areas referred to in paragraph (a) shall be protected from the fire hazard by

    • (i) drenching the surfaces of the floors and walls with water, or

    • (ii) covering the floors and walls with a non-combustible protective covering;

  • (g) the work shall be performed under the supervision of a qualified person, who shall remain in the work area while the work is performed and for 30 minutes thereafter; and

  • (h) there shall be readily available in the work area at least one hand-held portable fire extinguisher and

    • (i) a water hose at least 25 mm in diameter that is connected to a water supply line, or

    • (ii) a supply of not less than 200 L of water and a bucket.

17.12 Signs shall be posted in conspicuous places at all entrances to a fire hazard area

• (a) identifying the area as a fire hazard area; and

• (b) prohibiting the use of an open flame or other source of ignition in the area.

PART XVIIIDiving Operations

Definitions

18.1 The definitions in this section apply in this Part.

contaminated environment

contaminated environment means

• (a) a point of discharge of effluent from a sewer, a water or sewage treatment plant or an industrial plant;

• (b) a site where chemical or biological effluent has accumulated; or

• (c) the site of an oil or radioactive spill. (environnement contaminé)

decompression table

decompression table means a table or set of tables that shows a schedule of rates for the safe ascent of a diver from depth in order to minimize the risk of decompression sickness. (table de décompression)

dive supervisor

dive supervisor means a qualified person who has been designated by the employer to be in charge of a diving operation at the dive site, including the health and safety of its divers. (chef de plongée)

diver

diver means a qualified person who performs work under water. (plongeur)

diver’s flag

diver’s flag means the rectangular red flag set out in Schedule I, each side of which is not less than 50 cm in length, that has a white diagonal stripe extending from the tip of the hoist to the bottom of the flag. (pavillon du plongeur)

diver’s tender

diver’s tender means a qualified person who attends to a diver for the duration of a dive. (assistant du plongeur)

hyperbaric chamber

hyperbaric chamber means a pressure vessel and associated equipment designed to subject humans to greater-than-atmospheric pressures. (caisson hyperbare)

International Code Flag A

International Code Flag A means the white and dark blue flag set out in Schedule II, which is not less than 1 m in height. (pavillon A du code international)

liveboating

liveboating means the support of a diving operation from a vessel that is not at anchor, made fast to the shore or a fixed structure, or aground. (plongée avec bateau-soutien)

no-decompression limit

no-decompression limit means the maximum time that can be spent at a depth without requiring a decompression stop. (limite de remontée sans palier)

surface supply dive

surface supply dive means a diving operation where a diver is supplied with breathing mixtures by a life support umbilical from the surface. (plongée non autonome)

therapeutic recompression

therapeutic recompression means the treatment of a diver in a hyperbaric chamber in accordance with generally accepted tables and practices. (recompression thérapeutique)

type 1 dives

type 1 dives means diving operations

• (a) the primary purpose of which is

  • (i) to conduct scientific, archaeological or other research operations, or

  • (ii) to gather evidence or information relating to a crime;

• (b) that

  • (i) do not require decompression,

  • (ii) do not involve diving in the vicinity of underwater pressure differentials,

  • (iii) are not related to the search, construction, repair or inspection of ships, bridge piers, wharves, dry docks, underwater tunnels, or water control and water intake facilities, and

  • (iv) do not involve using underwater welding or cutting equipment; and

• (c) the depth of which does not exceed 40 m. (plongées de type 1)

type 2 dives

type 2 dives means diving operations other than type 1 dives. (plongées de type 2)