Federal Office Ergonomics regulations

Federal

Office Ergonomics – Ergonomie du bureau

This material has been extracted from the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, SOR/86-304 to help students understand the subject. It is not an official source of information and must not be used for any other purpose.

It was obtained from the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII – www.canlii.org).

Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations SOR/86-304
Canada Labour Code

DIVISION III

MANUAL HANDLING OF MATERIALS

14.46 (1) Where, because of the weight, size, shape, toxicity or other characteristic of materials, goods or things, the manual handling of materials, goods or things may be hazardous to the health or safety of an employee, the employer shall issue instructions that the materials, goods or things shall, where reasonably practicable, not be handled manually.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the employer shall take into account the frequency and duration of manual lifting and the distances and terrain over which an object is to be manually lifted or carried in deciding whether the manual handling of the materials, goods or things may be hazardous to the health or safety of an employee.

SOR/96-400, s. 1; SOR/2002-208, ss. 29(E), 39.

14.47 No employer shall require an employee who is an office worker and whose primary tasks do not include manual lifting or carrying to manually lift or carry materials, goods or things in excess of 23 kg.

SOR/96-400, s. 1.

14.48 Where an employee is required manually to lift or carry loads weighing in excess of 10 kg, the employer shall instruct and train the employee

(a) in a safe method of lifting and carrying the loads that will minimize the stress on the body; and

(b) in a work procedure appropriate to the employee’s physical condition and the conditions of the work place.

SOR/96-400, s. 1.

14.49 Where an employee is required manually to lift or carry loads weighing in excess of 45 kg, the employer shall give instructions to the employee in accordance with section 14.48 that are

(a) set out in writing;

(b) readily available to the employee; and

(c) kept by the employer for a period of two years after they cease to apply.

SOR/88-632, s. 69(F); SOR/96-400, s. 1.

PART XIX

HAZARD PREVENTION PROGRAM

 

19.1 (1) The employer shall, in consultation with and with the participation of the policy committee, or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative, develop, implement and monitor a program for the prevention of hazards, including ergonomics-related hazards, in the work place that is appropriate to the size of the work place and the nature of the hazards and that includes the following components:

(a) an implementation plan;

(b) a hazard identification and assessment methodology;

(c) hazard identification and assessment;

(d) preventive measures;

(e) employee education; and

(f) a program evaluation.

(2) [Repealed, SOR/2009-84, s. 2]

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 1; SOR/2009-84, s. 2.

Implementation Plan

19.2 (1) The employer shall

(a) develop an implementation plan that specifies the time frame for each phase of the development and implementation of the prevention program;

(b) monitor the progress of the implementation of the preventive measures; and

(c) review the time frame of the implementation plan regularly and, as necessary, revise it.

(2) In implementing the prevention program, the employer shall ensure that ergonomics-related hazards are identified and assessed and that they are eliminated or reduced, as required by subsection 19.5(1), as much as is reasonably possible and that any person assigned to identify and assess ergonomics-related hazards has the necessary instruction and training.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 2.

Hazard Identification and Assessment Methodology

 

19.3 (1) The employer shall develop a hazard identification and assessment methodology, including an identification and assessment methodology for ergonomics-related hazards, taking into account the following documents and information:

(a) any hazardous occurrence investigation reports;

(b) first aid records and minor injury records;

(c) work place health protection programs;

(d) any results of work place inspections;

(e) any employee reports made under paragraph 126(1)(g) or (h) of the Act or under section 15.3;

(f) any government or employer reports, studies and tests concerning the health and safety of employees;

(g) any reports made under the Safety and Health Committees and Representatives Regulations;

(h) the record of hazardous substances; and

(i) any other relevant information, including ergonomics-related information.

(2) The hazard identification and assessment methodology shall include

(a) the steps and time frame for identifying and assessing the hazards;

(b) the keeping of a record of the hazards; and

(c) a time frame for reviewing and, if necessary, revising the methodology.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 3.

Hazard Identification and Assessment

 

19.4 The employer shall identify and assess the hazards in the work place, including ergonomics-related hazards, in accordance with the methodology developed under section 19.3 taking into account

(a) the nature of the hazard;

(a.1) in the case of ergonomics-related hazards, all ergonomics-related factors such as

(i) the physical demands of the work activities, the work environment, the work procedures, the organization of the work and the circumstances in which the work activities are performed, and

(ii) the characteristics of materials, goods, persons, animals, things and work spaces and the features of tools and equipment;

(b) the employees’ level of exposure to the hazard;

(c) the frequency and duration of employees’ exposure to the hazard;

(d) the effects, real or apprehended, of the exposure on the health and safety of employees;

(e) the preventive measures in place to address the hazard;

(f) any employee reports made under paragraph 126(1)(g) or (h) of the Act or under section 15.3; and

(g) any other relevant information.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 4.

Preventive Measures

 

19.5 (1) The employer shall, in order to address identified and assessed hazards, including ergonomics-related hazards, take preventive measures to address the assessed hazard in the following order of priority:

(a) the elimination of the hazard, including by way of engineering controls which may involve mechanical aids, equipment design or redesign that take into account the physical attributes of the employee;

(b) the reduction of the hazard, including isolating it;

(c) the provision of personal protective equipment, clothing, devices or materials; and

(d) administrative procedures, such as the management of hazard exposure and recovery periods and the management of work patterns and methods.

(2) As part of the preventive measures, the employer shall develop and implement a preventive maintenance program in order to avoid failures that could result in a hazard to employees.

(3) The employer shall ensure that any preventive measure shall not in itself create a hazard and shall take into account the effects on the work place.

(4) The preventive measures shall include steps to address

(a) newly identified hazards in an expeditious manner; and

(b) ergonomics-related hazards that are identified when planning implementation of change to the work environment or to work duties, equipment, practices or processes.

(5) The employer shall ensure that any person assigned to implement ergonomics-related prevention measures has the necessary instruction and training.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 5; SOR/2009-84, s. 3(F).

Employee Education

 

19.6 (1) The employer shall provide health and safety education, including education relating to ergonomics, to each employee which shall include the following:

(a) the hazard prevention program implemented in accordance with this Part to prevent hazards applicable to the employee, including the hazard identification and assessment methodology and the preventive measures taken by the employer;

(b) the nature of the work place and the hazards associated with it;

(c) the employee’s duty to report under paragraphs 126(1)(g) and (h) of the Act and under section 15.3; and

(d) an overview of the Act and these Regulations.

(2) The employer shall provide education to an employee

(a) whenever new hazard information in respect of a hazard in the work place becomes available to the employer; and

(b) shortly before the employee is assigned a new activity or exposed to a new hazard.

(3) The employer shall review the employee education program, and, if necessary, revise it

(a) at least every three years;

(b) whenever there is a change in conditions in respect of the hazards; and

(c) whenever new hazard information in respect of a hazard in the work place becomes available to the employer.

(4) Each time education is provided to an employee, the employee shall acknowledge in writing that they received it, and the employer shall acknowledge in writing that they provided it.

(5) The employer shall keep, in paper or computerized form, records of the education provided to each employee, which shall be kept for a period of two years after the employee ceases to be exposed to a hazard.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 6.

Program Evaluation

 

19.7 (1) The employer shall evaluate the effectiveness of the hazard prevention program, including its ergonomics-related components, and, if necessary, revise it

(a) at least every three years;

(b) whenever there is a change in conditions in respect of the hazards; and

(c) whenever new hazard information in respect of a hazard in the work place becomes available to the employer.

(2) The evaluation of the effectiveness of the prevention program shall be based on the following documents and information:

(a) conditions related to the work place and the activities of the employees;

(b) any work place inspection reports;

(c) any hazardous occurrence investigation reports;

(d) any safety audits;

(e) first aid records and any injury statistics, including records and statistics relating to ergonomics-related first aid and injuries;

(f) any observations of the policy and work place committees, or the health and safety representative, on the effectiveness of the prevention program; and

(g) any other relevant information.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2007-271, s. 7.

Reports

 

19.8 (1) If a program evaluation has been conducted under section 19.7, the employer shall prepare a program evaluation report.

(2) The employer shall keep readily available every program evaluation report for six years after the date of the report.

SOR/2005-401, s. 2; SOR/2009-84, s. 4.

PART VI

LIGHTING

Interpretation

6.1 (1) In this Part,
“task position” means a position at which a visual task is performed; (poste de travail)

“VDT” means a visual display terminal. (TEV)

(2) For the purposes of this Part, 1 lx is equal to .0929 fc.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.
Application

6.2 This Part does not apply in respect of lighting in any underground portion of a coal mine.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Measurement of Average Levels of Lighting

 

6.3 For the purposes of sections 6.4 to 6.10, the average level of lighting at a task position or in an area shall be determined

(a) by making four measurements at different places representative of the level of lighting at the task position or, in an area, representative of the level of lighting 1 m above the floor of the area; and

(b) by dividing the aggregate of the results of those measurements by four.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — Office Areas

 

6.4 The average level of lighting at a task position or in an area set out in Column I of an item of Schedule I, other than a task position or area referred to in section 6.7 or 6.9, shall not be less than the level set out in Column II of that item.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — Industrial Areas

 

6.5 The average level of lighting in an area set out in Column I of an item of Schedule II, other than an area referred to in section 6.7 or 6.9, shall not be less than the level set out in Column II of that item.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — General Areas

 

6.6 The average level of lighting in an area set out in Column I of an item of Schedule III, other than an area referred to in section 6.7 or 6.9, shall not be less than the level set out in Column II of that item.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — VDT

 

6.7 (1) The average level of lighting at a task position or in an area set out in Column I of an item of Schedule IV shall not be more than the level set out in Column II of that item.

(2) Reflection glare on a VDT screen shall be reduced to the point where an employee at a task position is able to

(a) read every portion of any text displayed on the screen; and

(b) see every portion of the visual display on the screen.

(3) Where VDT work requires the reading of a document, supplementary lighting shall be provided where necessary to give a level of lighting of at least 500 lx on the document.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — Aerodrome Aprons and Aircraft Stands

 

6.8 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the average level of lighting at a task position on an aerodrome apron shall not be less than 10 lx.

(2) The average level of lighting at a task position on an aircraft stand shall not be less than 20 lx.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Lighting — Artefactual Exhibits and Archival Materials

 

6.9 The average level of lighting in an area in which artefactual exhibits or archival materials are handled or stored shall not be less than 50 lx.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Emergency Lighting

6.10 (1) Emergency lighting shall be provided to illuminate the following areas within buildings:

(a) exits and corridors;

(b) principal routes providing access to exits in open floor areas; and

(c) floor areas where employees normally congregate.

(2) Except in the case of a primary grain elevator in which hand-held lamps are used for emergency lighting, all emergency lighting provided in accordance with subsection (1) shall

(a) operate automatically in the event that the regular power supply to the building is interrupted;

(b) provide an average level of lighting of not less than 10 lx; and

(c) be independent of the regular power source.

(3) Where a generator is used as a power source for emergency lighting, the inspection, testing and maintenance of the generator shall be in accordance with the requirements referred to in section 6.7 of the National Fire Code, as amended from time to time.

(4) Where a central storage battery system is used as a power source for emergency lighting or where emergency lighting is provided by a self-contained emergency lighting unit, the battery system or the unit shall be tested

(a) monthly by hand; and

(b) annually under simulated power failure or electrical fault conditions.

(5) Where a battery, other than a hermetically sealed battery, is tested in accordance with paragraph (4)(a), the electrolyte level of the battery shall be checked and, if necessary, adjusted to the proper level.

(6) Where a self-contained emergency lighting unit is tested in accordance with paragraph (4)(b), all lamps forming part of the unit shall be operated for the time period set out in Sentence 3.2.7.3(2) of the National Building Code, as amended from time to time, that is applicable to the class of buildings to which the building in which the unit is installed belongs.

(7) Every employer shall make a record of the results of each test performed in accordance with subsection (3) or (4) and keep the record for two years after the test.

SOR/89-515, s. 1.

Minimum Levels of Lighting

 

6.11 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), the level of lighting at any place at a task position or in an area that may be measured for the purposes of section 6.3 shall not be less than one third of the level of lighting prescribed by this Part for that task position or area.

(2) The level of lighting at any place at a task position or in an area set out in Column I of item 8 or 9 of Schedule III or Column I of item 1 of Schedule IV that may be measured for the purposes of section 6.3 shall not be less than one tenth of the level of lighting prescribed by this Part for that task position or area.

(3) The level of lighting at any place at a task position referred to in section 6.8 that may be measured for the purposes of section 6.3 shall not be less than one quarter of the level of lighting prescribed by this Part for that task position.

	Column I		Column II
Item	Task position or area		Level in lx
1.	DESK WORK
	(a)	Task positions at which cartography, designing, drafting, plan­reading or other very difficult visual tasks are performed	1 000
	(b)	Task positions at which business machines are operated or stenography, accounting, typing, filing, clerking, billing, continuous reading or writing or other difficult visual tasks are performed	500
2.	OTHER OFFICE WORK
	Conference and interview rooms, file storage areas, switchboard or reception areas or other areas where ordinary visual tasks are performed		300
3.	SERVICE AREAS
	(a)	Stairways and corridors that are
		(i)  used frequently	100
		(ii)  used infrequently	50
	(b)	Stairways that are used only in emergencies	30

	Column I		Column II
Item	Task position or area		Level in lx
1.	VDT WORK
	(a)	Task positions at which data entry and retrieval work are performed intermittently	500
	(b)	Task positions at which data entry work is performed exclusively	750
	(c)	[Repealed, SOR/2008­276, s. 1]
	(d)	Telephone operator areas	300