OHS Code Updates – Effective March 31, 2023

Overview

On December 2022, the Alberta Government announced upcoming changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Code (OHS Code). These changes take effect on March 31, 2023, and have been reviewed by Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) for potential impacts on both the University of Alberta’s Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS) and individual units.

Key Updates

The majority of updates to the OHS Code relate to:

• Working in Confined Spaces

• First Aid Equipment, Personnel, and Training

• Managing the Control of Hazardous Energy

• Noise Exposure

Additionally, several miscellaneous changes were introduced that may affect university faculty and staff:

• Updated Definitions:
  HSE is developing a consolidated list of safety definitions under the Culture of Care Initiative, which will reflect the current terminology used in the OHS Code.

• CSA Standard Revisions:
  Multiple sections have been updated to align with the latest CSA Standards, including those covering:

  • Eye protection

  • Headwear

  • Footwear

  If your work involves CSA Standards, you are encouraged to review the updated OHS Code to ensure compliance with the latest versions.

HSE Support Resources

To assist units affected by these changes, HSE has created the following resources:

• OHS Code Changes 2023 – General and miscellaneous changes

• Part 5 – Confined Spaces

• Part 11 – First Aid

• Part 15 – Managing the Control of Hazardous Energy

• Part 16 – Noise Exposure

Additional Reference Materials

Until the new OHS Code is officially published (expected late March 2023), you may refer to the following resources from Alberta OHS:

• Alberta Regulation 242/2022 – Full details on the amendments

• Change Highlights – Miscellaneous Amendments

• Change Highlights – Part 11: First Aid

• Change Highlights – Part 16: Noise