OHS Code changes
This is a special edition of eNews to inform you of changes to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code. The OHS Code is a regulation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and contains the detailed technical requirements for controlling health and safety hazards at workplaces.
An updated and easier-to-understand OHS Code will help employers keep workers safe, build workplaces that support jobs, attract investment and grow Alberta’s economy.
On December 4, 2024, Alberta’s government updated Part 27: Violence and Harassment, Part 33: Explosives, and Part 37: Oil and Gas Wells, and also made miscellaneous editorial amendments across the OHS Code. During a transitional period between December 4, 2024 and March 30, 2025, work site parties can comply with either the updated provisions or the prior provisions. Starting on March 31, 2025, work site parties will need to comply with the updated provisions.
Most of the updates reflect best practices, standards and equipment that industry was already using. The updates also help align Alberta with other Canadian jurisdictions, which promotes labour mobility and inter-provincial trade. Where it makes sense, the changes focus on health and safety outcomes rather than prescriptive requirements to give employers and workers the flexibility in how health and safety outcomes are achieved. Other updates to the OHS Code also include editorial changes to improve clarity, remove duplication and correct errors.
The updates received strong support from workers, employers and health and safety professionals and we appreciate their valuable input. If you would like to learn more about the input we received on these changes, you can read the “what we heard” report here.
The regulations amending the OHS Code, which contain the details of the changes, can be found here and here. Informational resources will be available in the coming months.
To provide stakeholders with information on future work that is planned for the OHS Code, the three-year plan and timelines have been updated. For more information on the 2023-2026 plan, please see OHS Code Review Plan. If you have questions about the changes or the OHS Code review process, they can be submitted at any time to lbr.ohsreview@gov.ab.ca.