Right To Refuse Unsafe Work, Procedure, And Provincial Guidelines During COVID-19

For the most part, all provinces within Canada follow a similar procedure relating to an employee's right to refuse unsafe work. The below list is a number of common steps required, country-wide:

1. Tell your supervisor about what is unsafe about your work. This is a required step and failure to do so before escalating the matter further may be detrimental and/or further complicate the resolution your complaint.
2. The supervisor must then respond to your concerns, and, if in agreement, must take corrective action(s) to resolve the matter. If your supervisor disagrees with you, they should explain why they disagree.
3. If you are not satisfied with your supervisor's action(s) and your workplace has a health and safety committee or representative, advise them of your concerns. They can conduct an investigation on your behalf and provide a decision on their findings. If they agree with you, they can make recommendations to your employer to take corrective measures