Province makes changes to the OHS legislation to align it with court rulings
Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act will require labour safety investigators in Nova Scotia to acquire search warrants or a business's permission before seizing workplace equipment, according to the Canadian Press.
The revised legislation better reflects current practices and precedents set in the courts, according to a release from the Department of Labour and Workforce Development.
Until a court ruling four years ago, labour safety investigators did not require search warrants or a business's permission to make seizures during their workplace probes. With the changes, investigators will no longer be able to seize any workplace equipment or documents needed for an investigation on sight.
Other changes to the act update the legislation by correcting outdated references and clarifying definitions, streamlining processes for submitting documents and for establishing appeal panels from a designated pool of candidates.
"These amendments were developed after consultation with our partners and based on the experiences and expertise of our staff,” said Labour and Workforce Development Minister Marilyn More. “They reflect the current practices of industry and changes that have occurred over past several years.”
The amendments also enhance privacy protections for employees when safety monitoring is allowed to be observed by others.
