Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

• 2.12 (1) Every guardrail shall be highly visible and consist of

  • (a) a horizontal top rail not less than 900 mm but not more than 1 100 mm above the base of the guardrail;

  • (b) a horizontal intermediate rail spaced midway between the top rail and the base; and

  • (c) supporting posts spaced not more than 3 m apart at their centres.

• (2) Every guardrail shall be designed to withstand a static load of 890 N applied in any direction at any point on the top rail.

2.13 Where there is a hazard that tools or other objects may fall onto a person from a platform or other raised area, or through a floor opening or floor hole,

• (a) a toe board that extends from the floor of the platform or other raised area to a height of not less than 125 mm shall be installed; or

• (b) if the tools or other objects are piled to such a height that a toe board would not prevent the tools or other objects from falling, a solid or mesh panel shall be installed from the floor to a height of not less than 450 mm.

• 2.14 (1) Every exterior stairway, walkway, ramp and passageway that may be used by employees shall be kept free of accumulations of ice and snow or other slipping or tripping hazards.

• (2) All dust, dirt, waste and scrap material in every work place in a building shall be removed as often as is necessary to protect the health and safety of employees and shall be disposed of in such a manner that the health and safety of employees is not endangered.

• (3) Every travelled surface in a work place shall be

  • (a) slip resistant; and

  • (b) kept free of splinters, holes, loose boards and tiles and similar defects.

2.15 Where a floor in a work place is normally wet and employees in the work place do not use non-slip waterproof footwear, the floor shall be covered with a dry false floor or platform or treated with a non-slip material or substance.

• 2.16 (1) The cleaning of a window on any level above the ground floor level of a building the construction of which begins on or after the day of the coming into force of this subsection shall be done in accordance with the requirements of CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z91-M90, entitled Safety Code for Window Cleaning Operations, as amended from time to time.

• (2) To the extent reasonably practicable, the cleaning of a window on any level above the ground floor level of a building the construction of which began before the day of the coming into force of this subsection shall be done in accordance with the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (3) Subsections (4) to (8) apply to buildings whose owners are employers as defined in subsection 122(1) of the Act.

• (4) The employer shall, in respect of buildings the construction of which begins on or after the day of the coming into force of this subsection, ensure that a qualified person inspects the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms used for window cleaning and that they meet the requirements referred to in subsection (1).

• (5) The employer shall, in respect of buildings the construction of which began before the day of the coming into force of this subsection, ensure that a qualified person inspects the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms used for window cleaning and that they meet the requirements of CSA Standard Z91-M1980, entitled Safety Code for Window Cleaning Operations, the English version of which is dated May 1980 and the French version of which is dated November 1983.

• (6) The inspection of anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms shall be done

  • (a) before they are used for the first time;

  • (b) as often as necessary, but at least as often as recommended by their manufacturer;

  • (c) whenever they are reported as being defective; and

  • (d) in every case, at least once a year.

• (7) Immediately on completion of an inspection, the qualified person shall, in a written, signed and dated report, inform the employer of any defects or hazardous conditions detected in the anchor points or permanently installed suspended platforms.

• (8) The employer shall

  • (a) ensure that any reported defect in the anchor points or permanently installed suspended platforms is repaired before they are used;

  • (b) ensure that any maintenance and repairs are performed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations;

  • (c) keep, for a period of two years, a record of any inspection and maintenance, including the date the inspection or maintenance was carried out and the name of the person who did it; and

  • (d) keep, for as long as the anchor points and permanently installed suspended platforms are used, a record of the modifications or repairs made to them, including the day the work was done and the name of the person who did it.