Workers to get right to refuse unsafe work as Alberta overhauls workplace rules

EDMONTON – Workers would have the right to refuse dangerous work under new job site rules proposed by the Alberta government.

Labour Minister Christina Gray is suggesting changes to workplace health and safety provisions and to workers’ compensation in a bill before the house.

Gray says workers need to be safe and have adequate support when they are hurt on the job.

One of the changes proposes that the family of a worker killed on the job receive a lump-sum payment of $90,000.

Employees would also get more say on the health and safety of their workplace, and those who were injured would get more input on how their claim was handled.

There are also to be new rules clarifying the definitions of workplace violence and harassment, and what supervisors must do to prevent such behaviour.