Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

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.