As announced on January 2, 2007, Regulations 565/06 and 566/06, will be amending the existing Noise Requirements in the Industrial Establishments, O. Reg 851 and the Oil and Gas-Offshore, O. Reg. 855, effective July 1, 2007.
The new Regulations revoke the current noise provisions in both regulations and replace them with an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure limit of 85 dBA, Lex,8 (based on a 3 dB exchange rate). Protective measures to protect worker’s hearing, as well as warning signs, are also required.
A guideline is being developed by the Ministry of Labour to assist industry to prepare for these changes and be in compliance with the new provisions by July 1, 2007.
The purpose of the Guideline is to provide workplace parties with guidance on the new requirements. The Guideline will not prescribe how an employer must develop and implement specific components, however, it answers common questions about the regulatory provisions.
The Ministry of Labour (MOL) has provided OSSA with a draft version of the Guideline (please see the download at the bottom of this page) at this time for review and comment to ensure that the information provided is clear, concise, and complete. If you have any comments, or concerns regarding the draft Guideline, the Ministry of Labour would like to hear from you by February 23, 2007.
The period for feedback on the Guidelines closed on February 24th, 2007.
The Ministry is now moving ahead with the finalization and posting of the Guideline.
Link to Stakeholder Noise Consultation Letter
Link to Noise Regulation Draft Guidelines
You should label all containers in your workplace, even water. There has been several accidents due to mistaken contents!