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.
