What Newfoundland and Labrador requires
- The employer or its representative makes regular inspections of all buildings, excavations, structures, machinery, equipment, work practices and places of employment at intervals that keep working conditions safe, and unsafe conditions found are remedied without delayOccupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, NLR 5/12, s. 18 (1)
- Anyone who discovers an unsafe condition reports it as soon as practicable to a supervisor, who ensures action is taken without delay to prevent injury; in an emergency, only qualified, properly instructed workers needed to correct an immediate threat are exposed, and the hazard is controlled meanwhileOccupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, s. 18 (2), (3)
- Where 20 or more workers are employed, the written occupational health and safety program includes procedures and schedules for regular inspections by management and committee members, procedures for identifying, reporting and correcting hazards, and records of inspection reportsOccupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, s. 12 (1) (g), (k) ยท Occupational Health and Safety Act, RSNL 1990, c. O-3, s. 36.1
- The employer consults the committee, the worker health and safety representative or the designate about scheduling the inspections the regulations require, and ensures they take part; the committee must participate in those inspectionsOccupational Health and Safety Act, ss. 5 (f.3), 39 (a.1)
- The committee seeks to identify aspects of the workplace that may be unhealthy or unsafe and may make recommendations for workers' health, safety and welfareOccupational Health and Safety Act, s. 39 (a), (b)
- An occupational health and safety committee is required where 20 or more workers are employed; where fewer than 20, a worker health and safety representative is designatedOccupational Health and Safety Act, ss. 37, 41 (1)
- The employer responds in writing within 30 days to a recommendation of the committee, representative or designate, saying whether it is accepted or rejected (with a reason), and gives periodic written updates on an accepted recommendation until it is implementedOccupational Health and Safety Act, s. 5 (f.1), (f.2)
Regular inspections and remedying unsafe conditions
The employer or its representative makes regular inspections of all buildings, excavations, structures, machinery, equipment, work practices and places of employment, often enough to keep working conditions safe, and unsafe conditions found are remedied without delay.
Anyone who finds an unsafe condition reports it as soon as practicable to a supervisor, who acts without delay. When emergency action is needed for an immediate threat, only qualified, properly instructed workers needed for the correction are exposed, and the hazard is controlled while they work.
The committee's part
A committee is required where 20 or more workers are employed, and a worker health and safety representative where there are fewer. The employer consults them about scheduling the required inspections and ensures they take part, and the committee must participate and seek to identify anything unhealthy or unsafe.
Where 20 or more workers are employed, the written occupational health and safety program includes procedures and schedules for regular inspections by management and committee members, a way to report and correct hazards, and records of inspection reports.
The employer's 30-day response
The employer answers a recommendation of the committee, representative or designate in writing within 30 days, accepting it or rejecting it with a reason, and gives periodic written updates on an accepted recommendation until it is in place.
From walk-through notes to a Newfoundland and Labrador inspection report
Note the buildings, equipment and work practices you checked, who from the committee took part, each unsafe condition and where it was, and what was done on the spot. ReportDraft writes each condition with a recommendation to remedy it without delay, flags immediate threats with the instruction to keep everyone but the qualified workers away, and lists corrective actions with the person responsible and due date when your notes give them.
Common mistakes
- Scheduling inspections without consulting the committee or representative.
- Inspecting buildings and equipment but not work practices.
- Leaving an unsafe condition in place instead of remedying it without delay.
- Missing the 30-day written answer to a recommendation, or the updates until it is done.
- Not keeping inspection reports with the program's records.
Sources
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, NLR 5/12, s. 18 (1), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, s. 18 (2), (3), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, s. 12 (1) (g), (k), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, RSNL 1990, c. O-3, s. 36.1, checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, ss. 5 (f.3), 39 (a.1), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 39 (a), (b), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, ss. 37, 41 (1), checked October 11, 2026
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 5 (f.1), (f.2), checked October 11, 2026
Last reviewed October 11, 2026. Next review due January 11, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.