It is important for all employers to fulfil their legislated posting obligations at all times. Failure to do so may invite enforcement action, such as penalties and fines.
While posting requirements differ slightly across provinces, workplace signage in all jurisdictions is similar.
It generally relates to either employment standards legislation, health and safety legislation, or workers’ compensation laws.
This blog details the posting requirements in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Employers can use it as a checklist to ensure they are compliant with provincial laws.
Please note that this list is intended to provide general guidance; some workplaces may require additional posting requirements such as an employment standards or health and safety-related compliance order and subsequent remedial report, inspection reports, etc.
The signage as discussed below should be posted in a prominent and visible place in the workplace. This will ensure the information is easily accessible by employees.
Ontario
Employers covered by provincial employment legislation must provide each employee with a copy of the most recent employment standards poster within 30 days of their start date. They must also post:
- a health and safety at work poster which outlines the rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors, and employers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
- a copy of the OHSA
- the names and locations of the workplace’s joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members, if the business is required to have a JHSC (typically employers with 20 or more employees are required to have a JHSC, and employers with more than 5 but less than 20 employees must have a workplace health and safety representative)
- a copy of the business’ health and safety policy, workplace violence policy and workplace harassment policy if the business employs more than five workers
- the “in case of injury” poster (Form 82) if the employer is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
- signs that prohibit the use of smoking/e-cigarettes in the workplace and any surrounding area
Alberta
The posting requirements for Alberta employers are quite similar to those in Ontario. In Alberta, employers must post:
- the time that work starts and ends
- a copy of the OHS Act, Regulation and Code
- information about hazards at the work site, hazard controls and work practices and procedures
- the names and contact information of health and safety committee members (employers with 20 or more employees must have a committee) or the name and contact information of the health and safety representative (employers with 5 to 19 employees must have a representative)
- minutes from the health and safety committee meetings within seven days after the meeting took place (can also be provided to employees electronically)
- signs that prohibit the use of smoking/e-cigarettes in the workplace and any surrounding area
British Columbia
Employers must provide a copy of the Working in B.C. poster to all employees. BC workplaces must post:
- a notice telling employees where the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation are available for review
- names and work locations of the JHSC members, as well as the reports of the three most recent JHSC meetings and copies of any applicable orders for the preceding 12 months (employers with 20 or more employees require a JHSC and employers with more than nine but fewer than 20 employees require a health and safety representative)
- written first aid procedures
- an occupational health and safety information summary from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB)
- any placard issued by the WCB entitled “Notice to Workers”
Manitoba
Employers covered by The Workplace Safety and Health Act must post:
- names of the Workplace Safety and Health committee (WSHC) members (employers with 20 or more employees require a WSHC) or name of the worker representative (employers with more than four but fewer than 20 workers must have a worker representative)
- names of each WSHC member and the date their term of office expires
- scheduled dates of all WSHC meetings, agenda for each meeting and copies of the meeting minutes
- if the workplace has a safety and health representative, employers must post the name of the representative, dates of meetings scheduled and the agenda for all meetings
- if the workplace does not have a WSHC or a worker safety and health representative, you must post reports of compliance with improvement orders
- any improvement order, report, or other documentation relating to the workplace, issued by, or recommended to be posted by a safety and health officer
- any order made by the director of employment standards under Section 21 or 40 of The Workplace Safety and Health Act
- list of the names and work locations of each first aider in the workplace
- safe work procedures for employees working alone
- the workplace harassment prevention policy
- the workplace violence prevention policy
- a written report on a noise exposure assessment if certain workplace conditions warrant it
Saskatchewan
Employers covered by The Saskatchewan Employment Act and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 must post:
- notice of the change to work schedule
- notice of the written authorization from the director of employment standards regarding overtime
- notice of the cancellation of the authorization regarding overtime
- any prescribed notice
- a portion or entirety of the Act, regulations made under the Act, or other documentation considered appropriate
- names of the Occupational Health Committee (OHC) members (employers with 10 or more employees must have a committee) or the occupational health and safety representative (employers with fewer than 10 workers must have a representative)
- compliance undertaking or notice of contravention if there is no OHC or a health and safety representative
- the written report on the progress made towards addressing a contravention of the Act or regulations
- occupationally related injury and illness statistics for the workplace
- notices of exemptions granted by the director
- any decision by the director and written reasons for it
- notice of any stay by the director or an adjudicator of all or any portion of a decision pursuant to Sec.3-57 of the Act
- a copy of The Saskatchewan Employment Act and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020
- a copy of the workplace harassment prevention policy
- a copy of the OHC meeting minutes
- signs stating smoking is prohibited in every enclosed place of employment
- sign declaring the harmful characteristics of a substance and storage precautions
- placard prominently indicating the presence and location of asbestos containing materials
- the fire safety plan
- a warning sign next to high-voltage switchgear or transformers stating the highest voltage in use, and that access is restricted to authorized persons only
