Blog
Practical insights on health and safety for Ontario construction employers and supervisors — from COR certification to policy writing.
Workplace Mental Health: The Legal Requirements in Ontario
Ontario employers have real legal duties around mental health, but they are scattered across three different laws. Here is the full map: what OHSA requires, what WSIB now covers, and where the Human Rights Code comes in.
The 13 Psychosocial Factors of a Healthy Workplace
The 13 psychosocial factors are the backbone of Canada's psychological health and safety standard. Here is what each one means in plain language, and how to use them to find the parts of your workplace that are quietly draining your people.
What a COR Pre-Audit Actually Checks
A pre-audit is not a practice run of the paperwork. It is a dress rehearsal of your whole safety system, and it checks the things your binder cannot show. Here is what a good one actually looks at.
CSA Z1003 Explained for Ontario Employers
CSA Z1003 is the national standard for psychological health and safety at work. It is not law in Ontario. Here is what the standard actually asks of you, how it lines up with what OHSA requires, and where it fits once your legal minimum is covered.
The Safety Documentation Gap That Fails Most COR Audits
It is not the documents you are missing that sink a COR audit. It is the gap between the documents you have and the work your crew actually does. Here is how to spot it before the auditor does.
Does Ontario Law Require a Psychological Health and Safety Program?
Employers assume CSA Z1003 or a general duty of care means Ontario law mandates a psychological health and safety program. It doesn't. Here's exactly what OHSA requires, what it doesn't, and where employers get this wrong.
The Contractor You Hired Could Be Your Biggest Liability — Here's How to Change That
When you bring a contractor onto your worksite, you don't just bring their crew — you bring their risks. Here's how to manage procurement and contractor relationships the right way.
How to Write a Health and Safety Policy That Actually Means Something
Most health and safety policies I've seen over my 20+ years of auditing Ontario job sites have one thing in common — they're written for the filing cabinet, not the worker.
Why Most COR Programs Fail — And It's Not the Paperwork
The gap between what's written and what's actually happening on site — that's what gets you.
Understanding Employer Duties Under OHSA: A Plain-Language Overview
The Ontario OHSA places specific, non-delegable duties on employers. This overview covers what sections 25 and 26 require, the Internal Responsibility System, and what due diligence looks like in practice.
Building a Monthly Workplace Inspection Routine That Actually Works
Monthly inspections are an OHSA requirement — but a routine that generates real findings and completed corrective actions takes more than a checklist and a walk-through.
What the Right to Refuse Means in Practice
Ontario's OHSA gives every worker the right to refuse unsafe work — but the process has specific steps that both workers and supervisors must follow. This guide explains it in plain language.
From Incident to Prevention: How to Write Corrective Actions That Stick
Most corrective actions fail because they address behaviour rather than the system that allowed the incident to happen. This guide shows how to write actions that actually prevent recurrence.
How to Run a Workplace Inspection That Actually Finds Risk
Most inspections follow the same route and find the same items. This guide shows how to prepare, observe, and report in ways that identify real hazards before someone is injured.
Supervisor Due Diligence in Plain Language
Due diligence is the legal standard supervisors must meet under the OHSA. This guide explains what it means, what it looks like in practice, and what to document.
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