Regulatory
REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF JUNE 23, 2020
Canadian Federal News
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has released the Safety Data Sheet Compliance Tool to help suppliers and employers identify common non-compliance issues with the information appearing on SDS’s. Useful tips are also provided to help suppliers correct common non-compliances.
The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) comes into force on July 1, 2020. RDC sponsored a webinar last week with the Association of International Customs & Border Agencies (CBSA) that featured guest speakers from the Canada Border Services Agency and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). There is no extension or transition to the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) it ceases to exist on July 1st, 2020. Importers will be able to claim preferential tariff treatment for goods released on and after July 1, 2020 that meet the rules of origin requirements. There is no prescriptive form to be used as a declaration, importers must meet the minimum data elements set out in Annex 5-A of Chapter 5 of CUSMA.
The heads of federal departments and agencies have received guidance, developed in close collaboration between the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Health Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada, to support planning for eventual increased access to federal worksites as health restrictions ease.
Re-opening access to federal worksites will be gradual and will vary from organization to organization, each according to their own operational circumstances. As plans unfold, the health and safety of employees will be our priority.
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of polysorbate 80 as an emulsifying agent in wheat-based ready-to-eat cereals. As no safety concerns were raised through Health Canada’s assessment, the Department has enabled the food additive use described in the information document by updating the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, effective June 15, 2020.
Health Canada is providing information for consumers that fermented non-alcoholic beverages, such as kombucha, can contain low levels of ethanol.
The President of the Treasury Board Secretariat announced the launch of the first review of Canada’s access to information process. The review will seek the input of Canadians on the changes brought in through Bill C-58 last year to ensure the access to information regime is responsive to our ever-changing digital world.
Targeted changes made to the Access to Information Act in 2019 represented the most significant amendments to the Act since 1983. These changes included:
- the elimination of all fees apart from the $5 application fee,
- a stronger role for the Information Commissioner, and
- new requirements for proactive publication of government documents that have provided Canadians with unprecedented insight into the government’s priorities, decision-making and operations.
Canadian Provincial News
Prevention Policy Item R5.48-1 has been amended to maintain the current B.C. exposure limits for substances listed on the 2020 new or revised Threshold Limit Values from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
Extreme summer temperatures can cause reactions ranging from discomfort to serious illness in most people. For workers who are exposed to the heat over the course of a workday, taking safety precautions is an important part of staying healthy and comfortable. Take these steps to prevent heat stress:
- Monitor yourself and your co-workers.
- Take breaks and remember to drink when you’re thirsty.
- Work in the shade, away from heat sources.
- Build up tolerance to high temperatures.
Follow these measures to treat someone who is experiencing heat stress:
- Move the person to a cool, shaded area.
- Loosen or remove heavy clothing.
- Provide cool drinking water.
- Call 911 immediately.
The Ontario government has done a good job for Ontarians. There are lots of great (free) resources available for bringing employees back to work. The Ministry of Labour has more than 100 documents on their site for your use. “Ontario releases how to get back to work”
US News
Each year, certain industrial facilities submit Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data to EPA. The data are due by July 1 and cover waste management activities that occurred during the previous calendar year. EPA makes these data publicly available.
Offerors and transporters of certain quantities and types of hazardous materials, including hazardous wastes, are required to file an annual registration statement with the U.S. Department of Transportation and to pay a fee (see Title 49 CFR Part 107, Subpart G (107.601 – 107.620). The fee provides funds for grants distributed to States and Indian tribes for hazardous materials emergency response planning and training and to certain professional organizations for training purposes. This program began in 1992 and is administered by the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
The final risk evaluation for methylene chloride (dicloromethane) shows that there are unreasonable risks to workers, occupational non-users, consumers, and bystanders under 47 out of 53 conditions of use. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not find unreasonable risk to the environment.
The next step in the process required by TSCA is addressing these risks. There are several actions EPA could take to address these risks, including regulations to prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in the marketplace, use, or disposal of this chemical substance, as applicable. EPA will now begin the process of developing ways to address the unreasonable risks identified and has up to one year to propose and take public comments on any risk management actions.
The Environmental Protection Agency, for the first time ever, is beginning the process of adding a new substance to the list of hazardous air pollutants it regulates. 1-bromopropane (1-BP or n-propyl bromide) will be added to the list.
International News
Europe’s Member State Committee did not agree to identify resorcinol as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) due to its endocrine-disrupting properties. The Commission’s REACH Committee will make a final decision.
Other Relevant Information
Safety Share
McGill – Office for Science and Society – A recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has highlighted a frightening truth about the general public: A surprising number of people do not know how to handle cleaning products properly.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create unique challenges for businesses and individuals around the world. As a result, the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services is offering a series of Virtual WSPS Safety Connection sessions. These energizing virtual forums provides you with an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and share best practices in workplace health and safety from the comfort of your own home.
Wearing a non-medical mask or face covering is recommended when it may not be possible to physical distance from others, particularly in crowded public settings, such as:
- Stores.
- Shopping areas.
- Public transportation.
Wearing a mask alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. Continue to wash your hands frequently and keep your distance from others.
Drawing on a recent WSPS webinar, “How Warehouses are Overcoming COVID-19 Challenges: Sharing Best Practices and Solutions,” Workplace Safety & Prevention Services has listed below 12 practices implemented by leading Ontario warehouse and distribution centres – essential industries that have been operating at full capacity throughout the pandemic.
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