Liaison Bulletin No. 80 – September 2009

Proposed amendments to the Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

Notification of pre-publication in Part I of the Canada Gazette on September 19, 2009.

Amendments are proposed to the Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations in order to ensure consistency with the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (COHSR) and the Canadian Aviation Regulations.  

The proposed amendments are made under Part II of the Canada Labour Code, and prescribe health and safety standards  for federally regulated employers in the aviation sector. While similar to the COHSR, the proposed amendments take into account the particular characteristics of the aircraft as a workplace to better protect the health and safety of employees (e.g., transport cabin crew members, which includes pilots and flight attendants).

The most significant amendments include the provision of more adequate sanitary conditions for employees working on board aircraft in operation; enhanced protection regarding noise reduction; electrical safety; materials handling and deficiency in reporting procedures.

Extensive amendments are also being proposed to the first aid requirements in order to make them more industry-specific. The proposed amendments would modify the provision of first-aid kits (i.e. a greater quantity of kits with fewer prescribed items in them would be required) and, requirements for first-aid training (i.e. a qualified first-aid attendant would only be required on board an aircraft operating with three or more employees, where at least one employee is not a flight crew member).

The proposed Regulations are pre-published in the September 19, 2009 edition of the Canada Gazette Part I. Members of the public have 75 days to submit comments.

Notice

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