Employee Rights & Responsibilities

Safety level

As an employee, you are expected to take every reasonable precaution to protect your own health and safety, and that of other people at or near the workplace. This includes:

  • Doing everything possible to protect the safety of yourself and others at the workplace
  • Reporting anything that might be dangerous to a supervisor
  • Co-operating with your employer and fellow employees to protect your health and safety
  • Using safety devices, equipment and clothing required by the employer and safety law
  • Talking to and working with the JOHSC, safety reps and with provincial OHS officers
  • Following the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and Regulations

Your employer is responsible for making sure you fully understand your health and safety responsibilities and rights

Under the OHS Act, the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) gives workers three key rights that empower them to ensure health and safety for themselves and others at the workplace.

As an employee, your rights are:

  • To know about workplace hazards and how to keep yourself and others safe 
  • To take part in making the workplace safe
  • To refuse work that is not safe for you or another worker

Make the right call. Call 1-800-9Labour for workplace and public space safety issues, concerns and regulations. 1-800-952-2687 safetybranch@novascotia.ca