Know your responsibilities as an employer
Make sure you understand and comply with all requirements under the:
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, the health and safety rights and duties of everyone in the workplace
- Employment Standards Act, minimum standards of employment including job-protected leaves
- Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA), public health measures and restrictions
Develop a workplace safety plan
It’s important that employers have a plan for how they will protect against COVID-19 transmission in their workplace. This will help all businesses across Ontario to stay open and open and safe. The workplace safety plan builder will lead you through an easy three-step process to help you develop a customized plan for your business. It will help you think through some of the risks in your workplace and choose the actions you are taking to make your workplace safer.
Public health restrictions and guidance
Recent guidance documents related to screening, testing and self-isolation:
Public health updates:
- Ontario Ministry of Health - Province of Ontario's outbreak status, policies, recommendations, and resources
- Public Health Agency of Canada - Government of Canada’s status updates, links to health resources, prevention and risk information, and policies
- World Health Organization - Global information and updates on the pandemic
Screening
Employers are required to actively screen every worker before they enter the workplace at the start of their shift. A worker and employee screening tool is available. Learn more about workplace screening for COVID-19covid 19 and how rapid antigen screening can fit into your screening program.
General resources and guidance
Sector-specific resources and guidance
- Forestry guidance during COVID-19: English French
- Forest products infographic: Enhanced safety measures for preventing pandemic
- Mining guidance during COVID-19: English French
- Mining sector infographic: Enhanced safety measures for preventing pandemic
- Mining sector Ontario COVID-19 controls report - Ontario Mining Association
- Work Camps guidance during COVID-19
Workplace mental health resources
- Workplace mental health
- Access free Workplace Mental Health Safety Talk videos and get unlimited access to a set of seven pre-recorded 15-minute talks on the topics of stress, stigma, anxiety and youth, the importance of having mental health conversations, and general overviews of mental health, mental illness, and mental harm
- COVID-19: Support for People - information about free Ontario mental health services and supports