Simplifying Compliance and What Employers Need To Know: Alberta’s Updated Occupational Health and Safety Code

Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Code is undergoing changes to streamline workplace violence and harassment prevention requirements for employers.

Starting March 31, 2025, employers must create and implement a unified violence and harassment prevention plan. This plan should include the following:

·         Measures to eliminate or control the hazards of violence and harassment

·         Procedures to inform workers about these hazards

·         Methods for reporting and investigating complaints

·         Provisions to maintain confidentiality wherever possible

Previously, employers were required to develop separate plans for violence and harassment prevention with their own policy and procedures.

Under the new legislation, employers must review the consolidated violence and harassment prevention plan every three years or when an incident indicates a review is necessary. Reviews are also required if there are changes to the work or work site that could affect the potential for violence or harassment.

Darcy Michaud, an expert at HR Covered says that “These changes have the potential to positively affect the number and effect of workplace violence in harassment in the workplace. Rather than the traditional reactive approach policy intent, the amendments to the legislation require a proactive approach to the identification, control and hopefully, elimination of workplace violence and harassment in the world”.

Failure to comply with the new regulations by March 31st could result in legal consequences under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. OSH officers can investigate complaints and will ask them to review documents and policies. Non-compliance can lead to stop-work orders and administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per incident.

If you or your organization need help with drafting a policy and develop workplace training, please reach out to Darcy Michaud darcy@hrcovered.com or www.hrcovered.com.