What happens when there is a refusal for unsafe work?
A. Each of the 10 provinces, three territories and federal government have occupational health and safety legislation providing the right for a worker to refuse dangerous work. An employee can refuse work if he/she believes that the situation is unsafe to either himself/herself or his/her co-workers. When a worker believes that a work refusal should be initiated, then – the employee must report to his/her supervisor that he/she is refusing to work and state why he/she believes the situation is unsafe – the employee, supervisor, and a Joint Health and Safety Committee member or employee representative will investigate – the employee returns to work if the problem is resolved with mutual agreement – if the problem is not resolved, a government health and safety inspector is called – inspector investigates and gives decision in writing. If you have specific concerns about what is required by the legislation governing your workplace, you should consult local authorities in your jurisdictio
