Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Area Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/2021-248)

Marginal note:Transit by vessel

• 51 (1) The information and instruction that every operator must, for the purpose of paragraph 210.014(1)(a) of the Act, ensure is provided to each of the employees and other passengers being transported on a vessel to or from any of its workplaces includes

  • (a) an overview of the vessel’s layout and features, including the location of muster stations and emergency exits and equipment, including lifeboats and life rafts;

  • (b) the meaning of alarms;

  • (c) instruction on precautionary measures to be taken when embarking and disembarking and while en route;

  • (d) the role of passengers during emergencies;

  • (e) a demonstration of the donning and doffing of the immersion suits provided in accordance with subsection (3); and

  • (f) instruction on escape and abandonment procedures, including the use of the lifeboats and life rafts referred to in paragraph (2)(b).

• Marginal note:Equipment

  (2) The equipment and devices with which every operator must, for the purpose of paragraph 210.014(2)(b) of the Act, ensure that any vessel going to or from any of its workplaces is equipped includes

  • (a) equipment that permits the vessel’s path to be tracked at all times; and

  • (b) lifeboats or life rafts, each of which is equipped with two position indicating devices, in sufficient numbers to accommodate all passengers on board, having regard to the passengers’ space requirements and weight while wearing immersion suits and the maximum weight capacity of the boats’ or rafts’ launching appliances.

• Marginal note:Personal protective equipment

  (3) The personal protective equipment that every operator must, for the purpose of paragraph 210.014(3)(a) of the Act, ensure is provided to each of the employees and other passengers on a vessel going to or from any of its workplaces includes a properly fitted immersion suit that conforms to paragraph 46(b).

• Marginal note:Training

  (4) The training that every operator must, for the purpose of paragraph 210.014(3)(b) of the Act, ensure is provided to each of the employees and other passengers on a vessel going to or from any of its workplaces includes practice in donning and doffing the immersion suit that is provided to them.

Marginal note:Safe entry and exit

• 52 (1) Every operator must establish procedures for safe entry to and exit from each of its workplaces that is a marine installation or structure, including procedures respecting the use of gangways and fast rescue boats to transfer persons between marine installations and structures.

• Marginal note:Swing rope not permitted

  (2) The procedures must not permit the use of swing ropes for entering to or exiting from a marine installation or structure.

PART 10Work Permits

Marginal note:Contents

• 53 (1) A work permit that is required by these Regulations must be issued, in either paper or electronic form, by a competent person designated by the employer with control over the workplace at which the activity to which the work permit relates is carried out, must be approved by a second competent person designated by that employer and must set out

  • (a) the name of the person who issued it and the person who approved it;

  • (b) the name of each person to whom it is issued;

  • (c) the periods during which the permit is valid;

  • (d) the activity to which the permit relates, the location at which the activity is to be carried out and any restrictions to which it is subject;

  • (e) any circumstances under which the activity is to be carried out that may have an effect on the health and safety risks associated with it, including

    • (i) environmental conditions,

    • (ii) impediments to the proper use of any equipment or other thing, and

    • (iii) other activities being carried out in the area, with reference to any permit or certificate associated with those activities;

  • (f) work procedures — including those that apply to a specific space, task, material, type of equipment or system — that are developed having regard to the circumstances referred to in paragraph (e) and are to be followed to minimize the health and safety risks associated with the activity, including

    • (i) any equipment, machine, device or system that must be locked out,

    • (ii) any tests that must be performed before, during and after the activity,

    • (iii) the particulars of any tags or signs to be used,

    • (iv) any protective equipment to be used,

    • (v) the procedures to be followed in the case of an emergency or any other change in the conditions in which the activity is carried out, the persons involved or the equipment being used, and

    • (vi) procedures for addressing any impediment to the proper use of any equipment or other thing;

  • (g) any other engineering and administrative control measures in relation to the activity that are necessary for the health and safety of persons at the workplace;

  • (h) the identification number of any lock used in a lockout referred to in subparagraph (f)(i);

  • (i) the results of any tests referred to in subparagraph (f)(ii), the date on which and time at which they were performed and the signature of the person who performed them; and

  • (j) any other information or documentation that is necessary to ensure that all persons involved in the activity are informed of the health and safety risks associated with it.

• Marginal note:Signatures

  (2) The work permit must be signed by the person who issued it, the person who approved it and every person involved in the activity to which it relates, to certify that they have read and understood its contents.

Marginal note:Occupational health and safety program

54 Every occupational health and safety program must address the issuance and use of work permits, including

• (a) activities that require a work permit;

• (b) the work permit issuance process, including roles and responsibilities in obtaining or issuing a work permit, having regard to the nature of the activity to which the permit relates;

• (c) methods of assessing hazards;

• (d) methods of communicating information about work permits to affected employees;

• (e) the instruction and training to be given to employees with respect to work permits; and

• (f) record-keeping requirements in relation to work permits.

Marginal note:Employer obligations

• 55 (1) Every employer must ensure that

  • (a) every activity that requires a work permit and is carried out at a workplace under its control is carried out in accordance with a work permit; and

  • (b) every work permit issued at a workplace under its control is made readily available to employees for the duration of the activity to which it relates.

• Marginal note:Retention of copy

  (2) Every employer must retain a copy of each work permit issued at a workplace under its control for at least three years after the day on which the activity to which it relates is completed.

PART 11Facilities

Marginal note:Application

56 This Part applies in respect of a workplace that is a marine installation or structure.

Marginal note:Accommodations area

• 57 (1) Every employer must ensure that the accommodations area at each workplace under its control

  • (a) is constructed in a manner that allows it to be easily cleaned and disinfected;

  • (b) is constructed so that sleeping quarters are not exposed to sound levels in excess of 70 dB;

  • (c) is equipped with adequate water and sewage systems;

  • (d) is equipped with adequate heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems that ensure that

    • (i) its thermal conditions conform to ANSI/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, and

    • (ii) its ventilation rate conforms to ANSI/ASHRAE standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality; and

  • (e) is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair.

• Marginal note:Storage of equipment

  (2) The employer must ensure that no equipment is stored in an accommodations area unless the equipment

  • (a) is intended to be used in the accommodations area; and

  • (b) is stored in a closet that is provided for that purpose and fitted with a door.

Marginal note:Washrooms

• 58 (1) Every employer must make available a sufficient number of washrooms for use by persons of all gender identities at each workplace under its control, in locations conveniently accessible from all work areas.

• Marginal note:Multiple toilets

  (2) If there are multiple toilets within a washroom, the employer must ensure that

  • (a) each toilet is partitioned in a separate stall with a solid, properly closing door and fastener to ensure privacy; and

  • (b) if the washroom is for use by persons of more than one gender identity, the partitions and doors extend from floor to ceiling.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (3) The employer must ensure that all washrooms

  • (a) contain handwashing facilities as described in subsection 60(2);

  • (b) are, on their floors and the lower 15 cm of their walls and partitions, watertight, except for drains, and impervious to moisture;

  • (c) are adequately heated;

  • (d) are adequately ventilated;

  • (e) are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair;

  • (f) are provided with a sufficient supply of toilet paper; and

  • (g) are provided with a waste receptacle with a lid.

Marginal note:Portable toilet units

• 59 (1) If the number of washrooms at a workplace is not sufficient to accommodate the number of persons at that workplace during its commissioning or decommissioning, the employer with control over the workplace may satisfy its obligations under subsection 58(1) by supplementing the available washrooms with portable toilet units.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (2) The employer must ensure that all portable toilet units

  • (a) are supplied with

    • (i) soap in a dispenser, clean water and disposable towels, or

    • (ii) hand sanitizer;

  • (b) are emptied and serviced at regular intervals in accordance with good hygiene practice; and

  • (c) satisfy the requirements set out in paragraphs 58(3)(d) to (g).

Marginal note:Handwashing facilities

• 60 (1) Every employer must make available a sufficient number of handwashing facilities for use by persons at each workplace under its control, in locations conveniently accessible from all work areas.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (2) The employer must ensure that all handwashing facilities

  • (a) have a supply of either clean hot and cold or clean warm water;

  • (b) are supplied with soap in a dispenser;

  • (c) are supplied with individual clean and sanitary towels or another suitable means of drying hands; and

  • (d) are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair.

Marginal note:Showers

• 61 (1) Every employer must make available a sufficient number of showers for use by persons at each workplace under its control.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (2) The employer must ensure that all showers

  • (a) are designed for use by one person at a time, with walls, partitions or curtains in place as necessary to ensure privacy;

  • (b) have floors and walls that are watertight, except for drains, and impervious to moisture;

  • (c) have a supply of clean hot and cold water;

  • (d) are supplied with individual clean and sanitary towels; and

  • (e) are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair.