Work Refusal

Work Refusal Procedure

As a worker, you have the right to refuse dangerous work if you have reasonable grounds to believe that work poses a danger to your health and safety, or the health and safety of another worker, without the fear of reprisal.

How to Refuse Unsafe Work
  • Workers are to immediately notify their supervisor and the Health and Safety Department of the unsafe condition.
  • The supervisor, Health and Safety Department, and the Joint Health and Safety Committee will then take appropriate steps to determine if the work is unsafe and must take immediate action to eliminate or control the hazard.
  • If the unsafe condition cannot be rectified, the employer must implement corrective actions before the work can resume.
Investigating the Work Refusal
  • The supervisor, Health and Safety Department, and the Joint Health and Safety Committee that were notified of the work refusal, must investigate the work refusal and ensure that the unsafe condition is remedied.
  • The work refusal will have to be documented including the date, time, and details of the unsafe working conditions, using the incident investigation forms within your health and safety management system.
  • The investigation can include a review of the task being completed, the workers involved, the tools and equipment being utilized as well as the work conditions.
  • If the investigation confirms that the work is unsafe, corrective actions must be implemented. This may involve removing or addressing hazards, applying safe work practices or additional protective measures, and providing training on the new procedures.
  • If the work refusal involves serious concerns towards health and safety which cannot be resolved, then the employer must report the work refusal to the appropraite regulatory body.
  • If the unsafe condition cannot be resolved, the employee has the right to contact the appropriate regulatory body for further investigation.
  • All corrective actions need to be communicated to all individuals involved.

Note: Throughout the investigation, the supervisor, Health and Safety Department, and the Joint Health and Safety Committee must ensure that no retaliation occurs against the worker for refusing the unsafe work. 

Qualico follows the Work Refusal Procedural Flow Chart, summarized below:

In this section: