Workplace Safety — Ontario
Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Canadian occupational health and safety law rests on three fundamental rights — the same trio you'll see written on the posters in any federally regulated breakroom:
- The right to know what hazards exist in your workplace.
- The right to participate in health and safety decisions.
- The right to refuse dangerous work under section 128, if you have reasonable cause to believe the work puts you or another worker in danger.
The employer carries the legal duty to keep the place safe. Workplaces with 20 or more employees must have a joint health and safety committee, and reprisal — firing or disciplining you for raising a safety issue — is its own violation.
When does it apply?
- All federally regulated workplaces.
- Caveat: the right to refuse doesn't apply if the danger is a normal condition of the job — a firefighter can't refuse to face fire, a paramedic can't refuse to face blood.
What to Do If Your Canadian Workplace Is Unsafe
Use the process. Walking off the job before you've reported the hazard hands the employer a discipline argument.
- Report the hazard to your supervisor the moment you spot it.
- If it's not fixed, escalate to the joint health and safety committee.
- Still nothing? Call the Labour Program at 1-800-641-4049.
- If you're punished for raising the concern, file a section 147 reprisal complaint within 90 days. The clock is short.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't just walk out without invoking the refusal process — that's the difference between a protected refusal and a disciplinable absence.
- Don't assume someone else flagged it. Your safety report can be the one that triggers the inspection.
- Don't sign "safety waivers." You can't contract out of statutory safety rights, no matter what the form says.
How Ontario differs from federal law
Ontario's workplace health and safety is governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1, which is enforced by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
- Every Ontario worker has three fundamental rights: the right to know about hazards, the right to participate in keeping the workplace safe, and the right to refuse unsafe work (section 43, OHSA).
- Workplaces with 20 or more workers must have a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). Workplaces with 6 to 19 workers must have a health and safety representative.
- Employers must report critical injuries or fatalities to the Ministry of Labour immediately (by phone) and in writing within 48 hours.
- The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) provides no-fault workplace injury insurance. Injured workers receive benefits regardless of who was at fault. Most Ontario employers must have WSIB coverage.
- If you are hurt at work, you must report the injury to your employer and file a WSIB claim within 6 months of the injury (or learning of the illness).
Additional Steps in Ontario
To report unsafe work conditions, call the Ministry of Labour's Health and Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008. If you are injured, report to your employer immediately and file a WSIB Form 6 (Worker's Report of Injury/Disease). You can also file a work refusal under section 43 of the OHSA — your employer cannot penalize you for exercising this right (section 50, OHSA).
Relevant Law: Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1; Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c. 16, Sched. A
Common Questions
What is the workplace safety right in Canada?
Canadian occupational health and safety law rests on three fundamental rights — the same trio you'll see written on the posters in any federally regulated breakroom:The right to know what hazards exist in your workplace.The right to participate in health and safety decisions.The right to refuse dangerous work under section 128, if you have reasonable cause to believe the work puts you or another worker in danger.The employer carries the legal duty to keep the place safe. Workplaces with 20 or more employees must have a joint health and safety committee, and reprisal — firing or disciplining yo...
When does workplace safety apply?
All federally regulated workplaces.Caveat: the right to refuse doesn't apply if the danger is a normal condition of the job — a firefighter can't refuse to face fire, a paramedic can't refuse to face blood.
What should I do if my workplace in Canada is dangerous or unsafe?
Use the process. Walking off the job before you've reported the hazard hands the employer a discipline argument.Report the hazard to your supervisor the moment you spot it.If it's not fixed, escalate to the joint health and safety committee.Still nothing? Call the Labour Program at 1-800-641-4049.If you're punished for raising the concern, file a section 147 reprisal complaint within 90 days. The clock is short.
What mistakes should I avoid with workplace safety?
Don't just walk out without invoking the refusal process — that's the difference between a protected refusal and a disciplinable absence.Don't assume someone else flagged it. Your safety report can be the one that triggers the inspection.Don't sign "safety waivers." You can't contract out of statutory safety rights, no matter what the form says.
Workplace Safety in other states
Same topic, different jurisdiction. Pick the one that applies to you.