BILL NO. 164

(as introduced)

1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
71 Elizabeth II, 2022

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Occupational Health and Safety Act
(amended)

 

Kendra Coombes
Cape Breton Centre–Whitney Pier

First Reading: April 13, 2022

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Notes

Clause 1 adds a definition of "violence" to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Clauses 2 to 5 require employers, contractors, constructors and employees to prevent violence at the workplace.

An Act to Amend Chapter 7
of the Acts of 1996,
the Occupational Health and Safety Act,
Respecting Mental Health

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Section 3 of Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1996, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as amended by Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2000, Chapter 66 of the Acts of 2010, Chapter 24 of the Acts of 2011 and Chapter 14 of the Acts of 2016, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (ag) the following clause:

(aga) "violence" means behaviour that is intended to cause or should be known to cause, whether directly or indirectly, fear, intimidation, humiliation, exclusion, distress or other harm to another person's body, emotional well-being, self-esteem, reputation or property and includes
(i) threats, including a threatening statement or threatening behaviour that gives an employee reasonable cause to believe that the employee is at risk of physical injury,

(ii) conduct or attempted conduct of a person that endangers the physical health or physical safety of an employee,

(iii) bullying,

(iv) cyberbullying,

(v) psychological harassment,

(vi) racist behaviour,

(vii) sexual harassment,

(viii) verbal abuse, and

(ix) assisting or encouraging such behaviour in any way;

2 Subsection 13(1) of Chapter 7 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) prevent violence at the workplace;

3 Section 14 of Chapter 7 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) violence at the workplace is prevented;

4 Section 15 of Chapter 7 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) violence at the workplace is prevented;

5 Subsection 17(1) of Chapter 7 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) co-operate with the employer and the employee's fellow employees to prevent violence at the workplace;

 

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