(Montreal) Part of the occupational health and safety reform came into effect on Wednesday, in particular that which provides for an interim plan for prevention and participation.
Posted at 12:24 p.m.
And this applies to unionized and non-unionized companies.
This interim regime will apply to all establishments that do not already have prevention and participation mechanisms. Those who already have them will see these continue to apply.
The obligations of the interim regime vary according to the number of workers, i.e. at least 20 or less than 20 workers.
In workplaces where there are at least 20 workers, a health and safety committee must be set up by employers and workers. Also, workers must designate at least one health and safety representative.
Similarly, the employer must document in writing the identification and analysis of the risks to the health of workers, specifies the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST).
In workplaces with less than 20 workers, the employer must also identify the risks in writing. Also, the workers must designate a health and safety liaison officer this time.
In an interview on Wednesday, the president of the FTQ, Daniel Boyer, said he was “absolutely certain that it will have an effect on the workplaces”.
“That’s what we’ve been calling for for a very long time: community support, worker involvement in prevention in the workplace,” commented Mr. Boyer.
He would have liked more extensive measures, in particular more hours of release to take care of health and safety, but these measures are moving in the right direction. “We need to put more energy, more effort into taking charge of the environment. »
The Minister of Labor and Employment, Jean Boulet, specifies that thus, “94% of workplaces will be covered by preventive mechanisms” in occupational health and safety, which he describes as “historic progress “.
The CNESST has made available on its website a number of useful information for employers and workers dealing with this interim plan.