Introduction

We all share the goal of making Ontario's workplaces safe and healthy.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act ^{[ 1 ]} provides us with the framework and the tools to achieve this goal. It sets out the rights and duties of all parties in the workplace. It establishes procedures for dealing with workplace hazards, and it provides for enforcement of the law where compliance has not been achieved voluntarily.

Changes to the Act in 1990 and subsequent years continued the evolution of occupational health and safety legislation in Ontario. These changes build on our combined experience since the Act came into force in 1979. They reinforce the structures, in particular the joint health and safety committees, that have proven to be effective. They extend the rights, duties and accountability of all who have a role in workplace health and safety.

Every improvement in occupational health and safety benefits all of us. Through cooperation and commitment, we can make Ontario a safer and healthier place in which to work. It's worth working for.