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

Notification and Investigation

• 20.9 (1) In this section, competent person means a person who

  • (a) is impartial and is seen by the parties to be impartial;

  • (b) has knowledge, training and experience in issues relating to work place violence; and

  • (c) has knowledge of relevant legislation.

• (2) If an employer becomes aware of work place violence or alleged work place violence, the employer shall try to resolve the matter with the employee as soon as feasible.

• (3) If the matter is unresolved, the employer shall appoint a competent person to investigate the work place violence and provide that person with any relevant information whose disclosure is not prohibited by law and that would not reveal the identity of persons involved without their consent.

• (4) The competent person shall investigate the work place violence and at the completion of the investigation provide to the employer a written report with conclusions and recommendations.

• (5) The employer shall, on completion of the investigation into the work place violence,

  • (a) keep a record of the report from the competent person;

  • (b) provide the work place committee or the health and safety representative, as the case may be, with the report of the competent person, providing information whose disclosure is not prohibited by law and that would not reveal the identity of persons involved without their consent; and

  • (c) adapt or implement, as the case may be, controls referred to in subsection 20.6(1) to prevent a recurrence of the work place violence.

• (6) Subsections (3) to (5) do not apply if

  • (a) the work place violence was caused by a person other than an employee;

  • (b) it is reasonable to consider that engaging in the violent situation is a normal condition of employment; and

  • (c) the employer has effective procedures and controls in place, involving employees to address work place violence.

Training

• 20.10 (1) The employer shall provide information, instruction and training on the factors that contribute to work place violence that are appropriate to the work place of each employee exposed to work place violence or a risk of work place violence.

• (2) The employer shall provide information, instruction and training

  • (a) before assigning to an employee any new activity for which a risk of work place violence has been identified;

  • (b) when new information on work place violence becomes available; and

  • (c) at least every three years.

• (3) The information, instruction and training shall include the following:

  • (a) the nature and extent of work place violence and how employees may be exposed to it;

  • (b) the communication system established by the employer to inform employees about work place violence;

  • (c) information on what constitutes work place violence and on the means of identifying the factors that contribute to work place violence;

  • (d) the work place violence prevention measures that have been developed under sections 20.3 to 20.6; and

  • (e) the employer’s procedures for reporting on work place violence or the risk of work place violence.

• (4) At least once every three years and in either of the following circumstances, the employer shall review and update, if necessary, the information, instruction and training provided:

  • (a) when there is a change in respect of the risk of work place violence; or

  • (b) when new information on the risk of work place violence becomes available.

• (5) The employer shall keep signed records, in paper or electronic form, of the information, instructions and training provided to each employee for a period of two years after the day on which an employee ceases to perform an activity that has a risk of work place violence associated with it.