Workplace Safety

Staying compliant with the regulations and laws that govern occupational health and safety (OHS) matters requires a partner that can provide practical, strategic and tactical advice. Under provincial legislation, employers are required to take various steps to prevent their employees from suffering harm within their workplaces, to contribute to their care in the event of injury, and to respond reasonably to employee concerns regarding occupational safety or requests for accommodation.

WeirFoulds has extensive experience advising employers, senior executives, supervisors and health and safety committees on a range of workplace safety matters. We counsel clients on their compliance obligations under workplace safety legislation, employment standards acts and human rights codes. We also help clients prepare and update their workplace policies in accordance with health, safety and anti-harassment laws.

In the event that employees raise concerns regarding occupational safety, are injured within the workplace, or suffer from short or long-term disability, we advise employers on how to respond and, where appropriate, accommodate their employees’ needs. We also represent clients in hearings before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal.

Meet our lawyers and professionals in this area

Key Contact

Daniel Wong

Partner

Caroline Abela

Partner

Raj Anand

Partner

Albert Formosa

Partner

W. A. Derry Millar

Counsel

N. William C. Ross

Senior Counsel

Frank Walwyn

Partner

Areas of Expertise

Compliance
Compliance orders
Corporate social responsibility
Disability claims
Due diligence
Employment standards
Health and safety committees
Human rights
Insurance
Internal investigations
Prescribed hazardous materials
WSIB and WSIAT hearings

Representative Experience

Workers compensation

We act for major public and private corporations on their workplace safety and insurance issues involving the provincial regulator of workplace safety and workers’ benefits.
We represented Can-Ar Coach (a major charter bus company) in a successful appeal before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Appeals Branch in establishing that the bus drivers were independent contractors and not “workers”. Can-Ar Coach/Tokmakjian, (1998) 9 Managing Claims 25.
We acted on a significant WSIAT decision concerning limitation periods under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Decision No. 1571/00E, [2000] O.W.S.I.A.T.D. No. 1775 (Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal).
We represented a major drug store chain in a successful appeal before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal that opposed the worker’s claim for lost time benefits even though the worker suffered a disablement in the course of employment. Decision No. 1347/99, [2000] O.W.S.I.A.T.D. No. 2175 (Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal).