Ontario proposing new regulations to protect workers from heat-related illnesses

Ontario is proposing regulations to protect workers in the province from heat-related illnesses amid a rise in extreme heat events across Canada due to climate change.

The proposed bill would introduce a "stand-alone" heat stress regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act with various requirements for all workplaces where OHSA applies.

The proposal would require workplaces to comply with heat stress exposure limits for light to very heavy workloads in accordance with methods used to determine heat exposures.

Employers would also be required to implement measures to control heat exposures and provide workers with information and instructions on how to recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses.

The proposal from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development says an analysis to assess the impact of such regulations is underway.

The ministry says that extreme heat events are "a growing health risk to workers in Ontario" and that heat waves and heat-related illnesses are "projected to become more frequent."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2023.