You have health and safety rights at work. These rights are protected by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

You have the right to know about dangerous materials or equipment used in your work. You can also say no to work that is not safe.

If your work is covered under this Act, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development now requires that you get basic health and safety awareness training by your employer.

As a worker, you have the right to:

• Know about dangerous materials or equipment used in your work. Your employer has to give you this information.
• Say no to work that is not safe. You do not have to do that work until it is safe. You must tell your boss right away. You cannot be suspended, fired, or not get paid for saying no to work that is not safe.

You have the responsibility to:

• Work safely. Don’t take risks. You might hurt yourself or another worker.
• Tell your boss right away about anything you see that looks unsafe.
• Wear the right safety equipment for the job.
• Talk to your boss first. Your boss needs to know your concerns about health and safety. That will give them a chance to fix the problem before anyone gets hurt.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) information service OSH Answers lists dangers that might be in your workplace:

• Biological hazards (AIDS, common cold, hepatitis)
• Chemicals and materials (compressed gases, corrosive materials, organic peroxides)
• Diseases, disorders and injuries (farmer’s lung, latex allergy, tennis elbow)
• Ergonomics – Human factors (lifting, computer mouse, back belts)
• Physical agents (noise, radiation, lasers)
• Psychological issues (violence in the workplace)
• Safety (forklifts, ladders, powered hand tools)
• Work schedules (rotational shift work, long work day)

You can contact the Health & Safety Contact Centre, at 1-877-202-0008, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to report a workplace health and safety incident, critical injury, fatality or work refusal. You can also call that number for general inquiries.

If You Get Hurt

If you get hurt at work, you need to:

• See a doctor right away. It is your employer’s job to get you somewhere where you can get medical help.
• Tell your boss about the injury.

How Workplace Insurance Can Help You

Your employer has insurance that can help you if you get hurt while you are at work.

To get this help, you have to file a claim with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) first. Once you do that, you can get help from the insurance company.

Workers’ Compensation: Making a Claim tells you how to make a claim and what happens after you make a claim.

What You Can Do if Your Claim is Not Accepted

If you do not agree with the WSIB’s decision, you can appeal. That means you ask for your claim to be looked at again. You can get the forms you need to do this, online.

If this does not work, you can appeal to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal is the last place you can go for help with workplace safety and insurance matters in Ontario.

For More Information

• WSIB Fact Sheets – Information for workers and employers, about occupational diseases and how to create a safe workplace.
• Office of the Worker Adviser – Fact sheets about workplace insurance, workers’ compensation, benefits, and how to file claims.
• The Workers Health & Safety Centre – Resources to help workers see hazards and find answers to workplace health and safety concerns.
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) – The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is the workplace hazard communication standard in Canada. 
• Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps – Mandatory training on health and safety rights and responsibilities for workers. This training is available in English or French online or with a workbook. From the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
• Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness in 5 Steps – Mandatory training on health and safety rights and responsibilities for supervisors. This training is available in English or French online or with a workbook. From the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.