Bill 44 2003

An Act to amend the
Occupational Health and Safety Act
to require the appointment of a
workplace carcinoma committee

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1. The Occupational Health and Safety Act is amended by adding the following section:

Workplace carcinoma committee

21.1 (1) The Minister shall appoint a workplace carcinoma committee, which is not a committee as defined in subsection 1 (1), to advise the Minister, to investigate and to report to the Minister on matters relating to factors in the workplace that cause or may cause cancer.

Membership of committee

(2) The Minister shall appoint such members to the committee as he or she considers advisable but the members shall include individuals with appropriate expertise from the health care sector, representatives from employers and from trade unions and members of the public who are interested in or knowledgeable about cancer.

Term of members

(3) The Minister may appoint the members of the committee for a length of time not exceeding three years that he or she specifies and the Minister may reappoint any member to the committee.

Vacancies

(4) Vacancies in the membership of the committee may be filled by the Minister.

Mandate of committee

(5) The committee shall,

(a) investigate industrial and other factors that are or may be associated with the development of cancer related to workplace exposure;

(b) monitor the level of substances that cause or may cause cancer in workplaces and the levels of exposure to such substances; and

(c) undertake such other activities as the Minister may require.

Reports

(6) The committee shall annually report to the Minister on its activities and shall advise the Minister of steps that can be taken to reduce the incidence of workplace associated cancers.

Special reports

(7) In addition to its annual report, the committee may provide the Minister with a special report where it is of the opinion that workplace heath and safety requires such a report or where the Minister requests a special report from the committee.

Remuneration and expenses

(8) Any person appointed under subsection (2) who is not an officer in the public service in the Province of Ontario may be paid such remuneration and expenses as may be from time to time fixed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Commencement

2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3. The short title of this Act is the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Workplace Carcinoma Committee), 2003.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Occupational Health and Safety Act to require the Minister to appoint a workplace carcinoma committee responsible for advising, investigating and reporting on matters concerning workplace cancers.