Every employer in BC is required to provide new hires with an orientation. This gives new employees an opportunity to understand hazards in the workplace before they carry out their work activity. Orientations are great, especially if you go beyond the legal requirements listed in BC’s OHS Regulation, Young or new worker orientation and training.
One of the important topics to cover during an orientation is employee rights and responsibilities. The responsibilities are listed in the Workers Compensation Act under General duties of workers. However, employee rights are listed in regulations and are further explained in the OHS Regulation Guidelines (G23).
To summarize, employee rights include:
- To be informed about workplace hazards
- To refuse unsafe work
- To participate in workplace health and safety activities
The right to refuse unsafe work is not only a legal requirement in BC, but also applies to federally regulated employers. Employers who fall under federal jurisdiction will find their obligations listed under the Canada Labour Code, Part 2.
You can find the obligation to enable employees to refuse unsafe work under Section 128 of the Code, Right to refuse work. You can also find more information in the Managers Handbook.
To determine if you are provincially or federally regulated, contact a Safety Advisor at SafetyDriven.ca.
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