Federal PPE and Fall-Protection Update

Summary#

This is a set of proposed amendments called Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Canada Labour Code (Personal Protective Equipment and Other Preventive Measures), published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on June 13, 2026. If adopted, the changes would make federal rules on personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall protection more consistent across several federal workplace regulations, and add clearer requirements about proper fit and fall-protection planning. The proposal is open for public comment for 30 days from the publication date.

What it does#

• Aligns PPE rules and technical standards across five federal occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations:
  • Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (COHSR)
  • On Board Trains Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OTOHSR)
  • Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations (OGOSHR)
  • Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (MOHSR)
  • Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (AOHSR)
• Requires that PPE be safely and properly fitted to each user by a qualified person, and explicitly says fit must consider factors such as body dimensions (to better accommodate diverse body sizes).
• Updates many references to modern technical standards (for example, newer CSA and ASTM standards) so employers must follow the most recent editions where the rules “incorporate” a standard.
• Introduces or clarifies fall-protection requirements in some regulations, including:
  • a requirement to create a written fall-protection plan,
  • use of a hierarchy of fall-protection measures (prefer passive barriers first, then restraint, then arrest, then controlled zones),
  • new definitions (for example, fall-restraint, fall-arrest, fall hazard zone system).
• Changes the definition of an oxygen‑deficient atmosphere in several regs to 19.5% oxygen by volume (matching COHSR).
• Adds a formal option to consult a policy committee, workplace committee, or health and safety representative when prescribed PPE is unsuitable.
• Updates training rules so PPE instruction and some training must be provided by a qualified person, and requires employers to keep a written summary of that training.
• Adjusts enforcement entries in the Administrative Monetary Penalties (Canada Labour Code) Regulations (AMPs) to add, remove or reclassify designated violations tied to the new or changed requirements.

Who's affected#

• Employers and workers in federally regulated workplaces. Examples include workplaces in air, rail, road, and marine transportation, pipelines, banking, telecommunications, broadcasting, postal and courier services, grain elevators, feed and seed mills, uranium mining, Crown corporations, Parliament, the federal public service — and First Nations band councils when they act as employers under the Code.
• Small federally regulated employers are specifically noted; the government estimates about 18,500 small employers would be affected.
• Workers who use PPE — including many women and people with body sizes that current PPE does not fit well — are likely to notice better-fitting equipment and fit checks.
• Employers in the marine and oil & gas sectors will be affected by new fall-protection plan and system requirements.
• This is a proposal. It is not law yet. The government says the final rules would come into force about six months after they are registered (registration date not yet set).

Why it matters#

• Simpler and more consistent rules: Employers that operate across different federal sectors (or move between federal and provincial jurisdictions) should find it easier to know which PPE rules apply. That can cut confusion and duplication.
• Better fit, better safety: Requiring qualified fit checks that consider body dimensions aims to reduce injuries and discomfort from poorly fitting PPE, which public surveys have shown disproportionately affects women and people outside the historic sizing norms.
• New fall-protection planning could reduce fall-related injuries in marine and oil-and-gas workplaces by forcing employers to assess hazards and use safer controls first.
• Costs and penalties: The government estimates the proposal would cost employers about $2.7 million in present value over 10 years — including roughly $1.9 million for updated standards and about $700,000 for fall-protection plan development and implementation. The AMPs schedule would also be updated, which affects how non-compliance is penalized.
• Next steps: This is a consultation-stage item. Interested people and organizations have 30 days from June 13, 2026 to comment on the proposal before the government decides whether to finalize it.