Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

Occupational Health and Safety in Saskatchewan

In Saskatchewan, workplace health and safety is governed by The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996. The Act and Regulations apply to employers, supervisors, workers, self-employed persons, contractors, suppliers and owners.

N.B. Employers whose business crosses provincial boundaries, such as transportation, telecommunications and banking companies, fall under federal jurisdiction.

OHS News, Notices and Upcoming Events:

Events: April 28 - National Day of Mourning - Hosted by the Canadian Labour Council.
See a full description of this important day to commemorate people who lost their lives or became injured or ill while on the job, and see our list of special events happening throughout Saskatchewan.

Notice: The Occupational Health and Safety Division of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Labour and Workplace Safety does not recognize, certify, or endorse any third party training beyond the qualified instructor and approved training agency status processes in place for OHC training. For information on how to become a qualified instructor or approved training agency, contact OHS. Training you take and pay for with any external third party will be done at your own risk. Doing research and performing reference checks for any training you require is recommended.

Protection of Worker's Rights

Workers are legally protected from disciplinary action or other sanction by the employer for fulfilling their responsibilities or exercising their rights under the Act. Discriminatory action could mean anything from a verbal warning, written warning, suspension, firing, demotion, loss of wages,

Section 27 of the OHS Act prohibits the employer from taking discriminatory action if the worker:

Acts in compliance with the Act and Regulations or a Notice of Contravention;
Seeks to have the Act or Regulations; or
Assists with the acitivities of the occupational health committee or representative; or
Seeks to establish an occupational health committee or representative; or
Performs the functions of an occupational health committee member or representative; or
Refuses to work pursuant to section 23 of the Act; or
Gives information to an occupational health committee or represesentative.

More about OHS:

		Consultations on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Legislative Amendments A review of proposed amendments to The Occupational Health and Safety Act occurred in Fall 2011. A report on findings and recommendations is forthcoming.

		Employers and Employees - Responsibility for Workplace Health and Safety

		Enforcement, Accountability and Performance Measures Information on prosecutions, convictions and acquittals under Saskatchewan's Labour Standards Act and Regulations and The Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.

		Farm Safety Program To protect Saskatchewan's farmers, their families and employees, our Farm Safety Program works with many partners to prevent injuries and to promote safe work practices on the farm.

		Harassment Everyone has the right to healthy and safe work environments free from harassment. Herein are resources to assist workers and employers in preventing and stopping personal harassment in Saskatchewan workplaces.

		National Day of Mourning Each year, Saskatchewan recognizes April 28th as the Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on-the-job.

		Occupational Health Committees and OHS Representatives All workers under Saskatchewan law have the right to participate in workplace health and safety decisions. Employers must either establish an Occupational Health Committee or an Occupational Health and Safety Representative, depending on certain criteria.

		OHS Appeals Process Our Ministry has an impartial appeals process in place for appealing an Occupational Health Officer's (OHO’s) decision.

		OHS Division Overview

		OHS Information for Immigrants and Temporary Foreign Workers The documents provided here are available in a number of different languages and cover a variety of topics, including fairness, health and safety and temporary work regulations.

		OHS Publications and Forms An index of all our OHS hazard alerts, information bulletins, safety notices, booklets, brochures, guides, and forms.

		Online Training Courses - OHS A series of online training courses to enhance accessibility to learning opportunities for our workplaces. This training is aimed at people who are responsible for conducting inspections and investigations related to health and safety in the workplace.

		Radiation The Radiation Safety Unit works to ensure that owners and operators of radiation devices and the public are not exposed unnecessarily to radiation.

		WHMIS - Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System WHMIS is a system of resources designed to reduce the risk from hazardous products in the workplace.

		Youth at Work Our Youth at Work information includes the YWRCC and Ready for Work programs, and a variety of resources to help young people successful transition into the workforce. We also offer resources for educators, employers and parents.

Contact Us

For more information on OHS legislation and regulations or our ministry programs and services, please contact our OHS office toll-free at 1.800.567.7233.

Head Office:
6th Floor, 1870 Albert Street
REGINA SK S4P 4W1
Tel: 306.787.4496 (in Regina)
Fax: 306.787.2208