REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF JULY 11, 2019

• The Government of Canada wants to hear from you on Regulatory Modernization

The Government of Canada is pursuing a number of initiatives to modernize the Canadian regulatory system and improve its performance for both Canadians and businesses. To inform the direction of these initiatives, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) is inviting input from all interested stakeholders on the following four initiatives related to its regulatory modernization agenda:

1. Targeted Regulatory Reviews (Round 2)
2. Review of the Red Tape Reduction Act
3. Legislating changes to regulator mandates
4. Suggestions for the next annual Regulatory Modernization Bill

• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Small Containers Safety Standard Survey

Transport Canada (TC) has amended the transportation safety standard, Small Containers for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Classes 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8 and 9 to TP 14850-2018 (3rd edition) . New regulatory requirements have been added or revised in various sections. These changes necessitate updates to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR).

For each proposed regulatory amendment, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Streamlining Regulation, TC must present a cost-benefit analysis that reflects the impacts it will have on various industry stakeholders, economic sectors and regions of Canada.

To help us better assess these impacts, TC is looking for your input through this short 10 minute survey. All responses are anonymous and will be grouped together for reporting purposes.

• Invitation for Stakeholders Comments on the draft revised Guidance Document

Health Canada is announcing a 60-day consultation on the draft revised guidance document: The Distinction Between Promotional and Non-promotional Messages and Activities for Health Products, formerly known as the policy entitled The Distinction Between Advertising and Other Activities. The purpose of this consultation is to obtain input on the draft revised guidance document from all relevant stakeholders.

• Publication of a proposed regulatory approach for the Clean Fuel Standard

The Government of Canada is developing a Clean Fuel Standard to make fuels used in buildings, vehicles, and industries cleaner. This reduces air pollution, fights climate change, and drives clean growth. By setting performance standards for various types of fuels, the Clean Fuel Standard will encourage the production of clean fuels, drive innovation in the oil and gas sector, and create an incentive to use less-polluting fuels. Interested parties may submit comments by email or mail, on or before August 26, 2019.

• Final report issued for 11 substances in the lactones, ketones, ionones and cyclohexanone group

On the basis of the information presented in this screening assessment, it is concluded that the 11 substances in the Macrocyclic Lactones and Ketones, Ionones and Cyclohexanone Group do not meet the criteria under paragraph 64(c) of CEPA as they are not entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.

• Proposed Volatile Organic Compounds Concentration Limits for Certain Products Regulations published

The proposed Volatile Organic Compound Concentration Limits for Certain Products Regulations (the proposed Regulations) would apply to Canadian manufacturers and importers and would establish VOC concentration limits for approximately 130 product categories and subcategories. This would include personal care products; automotive and household maintenance products; adhesives, adhesive removers, sealants and caulks; and other miscellaneous products.

• Webinar – Introducing the 2019-2022 Federal Sustainability Development Strategy

You’re invited to participate in a free webinar on the 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, tabled in Parliament on June 19th. Find out what we heard from Canadians, how it strengthened our strategy, and what we’ll do for a greener Canada over the next three years.

When: Monday, July 15, 2019 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm (EDT)

• Health Canada amends the List of Permitted Food Additives and Enzymes

Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of four food additive submissions seeking approval for the use of acesulfame potassium, sucralose, steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni as sweeteners and potassium phosphate, dibasic as a stabilizer, in certain standardized flavoured milks.

Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of powdered cellulose as a bulking and texturizing agent in horseradish and mustard powder (wasabi-like powder).

Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of lipase from Trichoderma reesei Morph Lip3 in bread, flour, whole wheat flour, unstandardized bakery products, and pasta.

• British Columbia provides guidance on conducting employer investigations

Employers are responsible for investigating certain incidents or near-misses that take place in the workplace and submitting an investigation report to WorkSafeBC. These investigations help employers and WorkSafeBC determine why an incident happened and what can be done to prevent similar situations in the future.

• Ontario provides new workplace violence prevention tools

New workplace violence prevention resources are available for hospitals, community care and long-term care facilities. The resources are offered by the Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).

• Ontario spotlights fall protection

This site-specific Fall Protection Work Plan is a step-by-step guide for controlling fall hazards on your jobsite. It is intended to offer guidance and instruction for workers using fall protection. It’s easy to follow and will help supervisors choose the best method of fall protection that is available to them under the circumstances. Contractors or supervisors can customize the plan to suit their site-specific needs and protect their workers from fall-related hazards.

• New Brunswick issues warning on misleading sales calls for employee training

WorkSafeNB has learned that firms are making misleading and sometimes aggressive sales calls to New Brunswick employers suggesting that their “employees must be trained immediately” because of the new legislation on workplace violence and harassment, as well as on the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). The representatives also state that an employer may be “shut down” if they do not incorporate this training. These organizations are not working on behalf of WorkSafeNB.

Employers can file a complaint on the tactics of a company soliciting products and training services by contacting the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1 888 495-8501.

• Significant New Use Rules for 3 substances

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 3 chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs).

• American Chemistry Council issues rebuttal to adding List 4 to China tariffs

ACC’s analysis indicates that the Section 301 additional tariffs severely undercut the benefits

of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB), not just for chemicals and plastics, but all products in the MTB that U.S. companies import from China. Seventy-six percent of the chemicals and plastics covered by the MTB are also on the China Section 301 tariff lists in effect.

• Major update to Europe’s chemicals database

Several new features and improvements are now publicly available in the information on chemicals database. These include new information in substance Infocards, quick links to deeper datasets for each substance and more visibility on nanomaterials.

• IARC Monographs evaluation of the carcinogenicity of night shift work

The results of the recent International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs evaluation of the carcinogenicity of night shift work have now been published in The Lancet Oncology. This summary article presents the conclusions of the IARC Monographs Meeting 124.

Shift work involving circadian disruption was previously evaluated by the IARC Monographs, in 2007. In this updated evaluation, the Working Group chose the name “night shift work” to better describe the exposure circumstances and to reflect the main evidence base for the studies of cancer in humans. The re-evaluation was motivated by the large number of new, high-quality epidemiological studies including additional cancer sites.

The full scientific assessment will be published as Volume 124 of the IARC Monographs.

Safety Share

• Five things you should know about cyber risk

Our increased dependence on technology has resulted in vulnerability and a rise in the frequency and severity of cyber breaches. Computers are used for everything from storing staff employment records to customer phone numbers to company strategic planning. Any data gathering network used by you or your firm could be a target.

• Spot the warning signs of workplace violence

Spot the warning signs of workplace violence Workplace injuries caused by violence are on the rise in Saskatchewan. In 2018, there were 16 per cent more of these injuries than in 2017. It’s safe to say that some of these injuries could have been prevented if employers and workers had paid attention to, and acted on, the warning signs of aggressive behaviour. So how can you spot the potential for violence at work? First, it’s important to know that workplace violence encompasses any situation in which an employee is abused, assaulted, threatened or harassed by a co-worker, supervisor, client, patient or a member of the general public. It includes physical attacks, such as hitting, biting and pushing, as well as verbal and psychological abuse, such as demeaning remarks and intimidation.