CONTENTS SEXUAL HARASSMENT SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCES
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THE ONTARIO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT Q. What about health and safety legislation? This act is most often used to protect people who may work with dangerous or damaged equipment, or harmful chemicals. It protects workers’ physical safety. Some women claim that being harassed is just as dangerous and damaging to their health as poison or a loose sawblade. In fact, in certain circumstances where people need to work as teams in the field or in labs, physical danger can be the direct result of sexual harassment. In other circumstances it is the physical manifestations of the stress of a harassing environment that are dangerous to health. In 1996, labor board panel ruled that cases of sexual harassment could be brought forward under this act. A labor board hearing brings about a faster resolution than most other external remedies, because some cases are heard within weeks of lodging a complaint. The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act is there to promote safety on the job. It gives workers the right to refuse unsafe work. If you think your health or safety are in danger, you can take steps by the virtue of this Act. The Act protects workers from being fired or disciplined if they use it to exercise their rights. If you have medical symptoms, and a doctor writes a note to explain why the environment is dangerous for you, you may have a case that you can take forward.
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