On April 30, 2020, the Ontario government, in collaboration with provincial health and safety associations, released the Health and Safety Association Guidance Documents for Workplaces During the COVID-19 Outbreak.
These guidance documents follow the government's announcement of the development of a framework for reopening the economy following the COVID-19 outbreak emergency closure measures. The framework, which does not include any commitment to a formal timeline, provides an incremental outline for relaxing the emergency measures currently in place.
In preparation for the reopening of workplaces, the guidance documents provide sector-specific best practices to support employers in ensuring workers remain safe in the workplace during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The sectors included in the guidance documents are:
- Construction
- Transportation
- Utilities
- Healthcare
- Hospitality
- Office
- Transit
- Police and fire services
- Retail
- Food retail
- Funeral
- Manufacturing
- Auto
- Film/TV
- Tourism
- Agriculture
Employers may want to take the guidance documents into consideration when creating return-to-work policies once the emergency measures are relaxed.
Ogletree Deakins will continue to monitor and report on developments with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and will post updates in the firm's Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center as additional information becomes available. Critical information for employers is also available via the firm's webinar programs.
Originally published by Ogletree Deakins, May 2020
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
