Designated
Substance Compliance Program
Program:
Designated Substances are those substances designated as hazardous
by the Ministry of Labour under the Occupational Health and Safety
Act, Section 70 (2) 23.
The Act defines a designated substance as:
a biological, chemical or physical
agent or combination thereof prescribed as a designated substance
to which the exposure of a worker is prohibited, regulated, restricted,
limited or controlled.
A regulation specifies procedures for
control of the substance. The following substances have been designated:
Acrylonitrile (1984)
Arsenic (1986)
Asbestos (1982)
Asbestos - Construction, Building & Repair (1985)
Benzene (1984)
Coke Oven Emissions (1982)
Ethylene Oxide (1987)
Isocyanates (1983)
Lead (1981)
Mercury (1982)
Silica (1983)
Vinyl Chloride (1982)
When a designated substance is present in the workplace, the Occupational
Health and Safety Act requires the employer to review the work methods
and assess the likelihood of worker exposure. When there is likelihood
of worker exposure, a control program must be instituted that includes
engineering controls, work practices, hygiene practices, record keeping
and medical surveillance, if applicable.
The Joint
Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) must be consulted with regard
to both the assessment and the control program.
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
in the Department of University Safety coordinates the Designated
Substances Compliance Program.
Implementation:
When a designated substance is present
in the workplace, the supervisor must complete an assessment of the
use of the substance. This assessment is to determine if a health
hazard exists for workers and whether or not a control program is
required. The assessment will include the following:
- information regarding the use, handling,
storage and disposal of the designated substance,
- actual and potential exposure of workers
to the substance, and
- methods and procedures required to
control that exposure.
Assessment forms and copies of the Regulations
for each substance are available from EHS.
The completed document will be sent to
EHS for consultation with the JHSC.
In some cases, further evaluation of
the assessment and establishment of a control program may be required.
The supervisor and department head will develop the control program.
The control program includes action taken to protect workers from
exposure to the designated substance and procedures to monitor exposure.
Documentation of the control program will be provided to EHS.
September 2003
