Manual Lifting

General Regulations
EC180/87

Part 43 HANDLING & STORAGE OF MATERIALS

Section 43.8 Handling materials

43.8 The employer shall ensure that

(a) where practicable, mechanical appliances shall be provided and used for lightening and carrying materials and articles;

(b) workers assigned to handle material shall be instructed how to lift and carry material on an individual basis, the overriding factor being the physical condition of each worker including sex and age when relevant;

(c) where heavy objects are lifted or carried by two or more workers, the raising and lowering of the loads shall be governed by well understood signals in order to ensure unity of action;

(d) where heavy objects, such as loaded drums or tanks, are handled on inclines in either direction

(i) ropes or other tackle shall be used to control their motion, in addition to the necessary chocks or wedges, and

(ii) workers shall be prohibited from standing between the skids on the downhill side;

(e) where heavy objects are moved by means of rollers, bars or sledges shall be used instead of hands or feet for changing the direction of the rollers while in motion;

(f) workers handling objects with sharp edges, fins, slivers, splinters or similar dangerous projecting parts, or handling hot, caustic or corrosive material, shall be provided with and shall use suitable protective clothing and equipment;

(g) unless specific instructions are given to the contrary, loaded boxes and crates shall be piled on the sides having largest area;

(h) the piles shall be effectively cross-tied by suitable means;

(i) loaded cartons shall not be piled to such a height as to cause collapse of the lower cartons in the pile and shall be protected against moisture;

(j) lumber stored in yards shall be piled on supports above the grounds, the horizontal or slightly inclined layers separated by tie pieces, the ends of which will not project into walkways;

(k) pipe and bar stock shall, where practicable, be piled on stable storage racks so located that the withdrawal of the material does not create a hazard;

(l) where empty barrels or drums, large pipe, rolls of paper or other cylindrical objects are piled on their sides, the piles shall be symmetrical and stable; and every unit in the bottom row shall be carefully wedged;

(m) where storage racks are not provided for pipe and bar stock, the stock shall be piled on layers resting on wood strips with stock blocks fixed on the ends or on metal bars with unturned end;

(n) where loaded barrels, drums or keys are piled on their ends, the piles should be low and two planks should be laid side by side on top of each row before another row is started;

(o) equipment or objects, such as foundry flasks, forging dies, foundry castings and the like, shall be piled in a stable, orderly way on level and substantial foundation and arranged in order of size and type.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Part 44 STORAGE BATTERY ROOMS

Section 44.2 Safety equipment

44.2 The employer shall provide and shall instruct the worker to wear acid resistant gloves, aprons, goggles or face shields and straps for carrying car or truck batteries when handling storage batteries or electrolyte.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Section 44.3 Safety equipment

44.3 The worker shall wear acid resistant gloves, aprons, and goggles or face shields and use appropriate carrying straps when handling storage batteries or electrolyte.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Part 45 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Section 45.13 Hands

45.13 The employer shall ensure that all persons handling materials likely to puncture, abrade or irritate hands or arms, shall wear personal protective equipment to prevent such injuries, except when the use of this equipment introduces equal or greater hazards.

Section 45.14 Handling acids, etc.

45.14 The employer shall ensure that workers handling or using acids, caustics, steam, abrasives, hot fluid jets, or similar harmful substances, shall use suitable personal protective equipment, or other means shall be adopted that will provide protection against these hazards.

[EC2021-126, s. 3]

Section 45.15 Footwear

45.15 The employer shall ensure that a worker on a worksite or at any place of employment who is exposed to a hazard which could injure the foot wears footwear which meets the standards and specifications of CSA Standard Z195-14 Protective Footwear or a standard offering equivalent protection.

[EC2021-126, ss. 3, 43]

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT
R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. O-1.01

Section 12 Duties of employers

12. (1) An employer shall ensure

(a) that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect the occupational health and safety of persons at or near the workplace;

(b) that any item, device, material, equipment or machinery provided for the use of workers at a workplace is properly maintained, and is properly equipped with the safety features or devices, as recommended by the manufacturer or required by the regulations;

(c) that such information, instruction, training, supervision and facilities are provided as are necessary to ensure the occupational health and safety of the workers;

(d) that workers and supervisors are familiar with occupational health or safety hazards at the workplace;

(e) that workers are made familiar with the proper use of all safety features or devices, equipment and clothing required for their protection; and

(f) that the employer's undertaking is conducted so that workers are not exposed to occupational health or safety hazards as a result of the undertaking.

(2) An employer shall

(a) consult and cooperate with the joint occupational health and safety committee or the representative, as applicable;

(b) cooperate with any person performing a duty or exercising a power conferred by this Act or the regulations;

(c) provide such additional training of committee members as may be prescribed by the regulations;

(d) comply with this Act and the regulations and ensure that workers at the workplace comply with this Act and the regulations; and

(e) where an occupational health and safety policy or occupational health and safety program is required under this Act, establish the policy or program.

(3) An employer shall establish and implement as a policy, in accordance with the regulations, measures to prevent and investigate occurrences of harassment in the workplace.

[S.P.E.I. 2018, c. 45, s. 3]