Suspend Access Equipment - Proposals come into force January 1, 2017

Amendments to the Construction Projects Regulation (O. Reg. 213/91)Amendments to the Construction Projects Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to strengthen and clarify existing requirements relating to the use of suspended access equipment have been approved. The amendments are consistent with the changes proposed by the Ministry of Labour in the Summary of Proposal document that was posted on the government’s Regulatory Registry for a 90-day public consultation from March 20 to June 22, 2015. Key amendments include:

• Introducing a requirement for notifying the Ministry of Labour prior to putting suspended access equipment into service for the first time at a project;
• Introducing requirements for roof plans and site-specific work plans;
• Introducing training requirements for workers who may use or inspect suspended access equipment;
• Enhancing existing design, operational, technical and engineering requirements
• Strengthening and enhancing existing inspection, testing and maintenance requirements by prescribing more prescriptive provisions for the regulated party; and,
• Miscellaneous amendments to clarify certain requirements.

Amendments relating to the use of suspended access equipment will come into force on January 1, 2017. For more information on the amendments including the coming into force dates for the miscellaneous amendments, please visit the Source Law section of the e-Laws website.

• Amendments to O. Reg. 213/91: O. Reg. 242/16

It is expected that the amendments will be consolidated into the e-Laws version of the official regulation in the near future.