Other Standards and Regulations

The Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations are intertwined with other standards and regulations with which farm owners should be familiar.  Below are resources and links to access the standards and regulations referenced in the Occupational Health and Safety Legislation.

The Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and Regulations references the following Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards:

The CSA standards mentioned in the OHS legislation are available for review for free on the CSA Communities website.  For printed copies of the CSA Standards, you may purchase the CSA Standard on the website.  Once purchased, it can be downloaded and printed or mailed to the address you provide.

Compliance with National Fire Protection codes (NFPA) and standards is voluntary.  However, if the Nova Scotia Occupational Safety and Health Act & Regulations make reference to them, then complying with the codes and standards is mandatory.  For example, the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety General Regulations reference the fire protection codes in Part 4: Ventilation, Lighting, Sanitation and Accommodation, Section 25: Fire Protection & Escape.

Almost every building, process, service, design, and installation is affected by NFPA’s more than 275 codes and standards. The codes and standards, are available online for free.  They reflect changing industry needs and evolving technologies, supported by research and development, and practical experience.  They are designed to minimize the risk and effects of fire by establishing criteria for building, processing, design, service, and installation around the world.

One of the National Fire Protection Codes you may be familiar with is NFPA 10.  This is a National Fire Protection Code for portable fire extinguishers, one of the basic fire fighting requirements for buildings and equipment.

Canadian Fire Safety Association (CFSA)

NS Fire Safety

The purpose of the Technical Safety Act and Regulations is to apply the principles of technical safety or the safety of technological systems involving regulated work and products including but not limited to pressure systems (air compressors), boiler systems and boiler plants (found in barns and greenhouses), electrical work, and refrigeration systems and refrigeration plants (sorting, processing, packaging, and storage of fruits and vegetables).

Regulated work means the assembly or manufacture of, installation, operation, testing, maintenance, service or repair of regulated products such as those listed above.

An example of a pressure system is the air compressor that may be found on farm in maintenance shops.  As part of the Technical Safety Act, Boiler and Pressure Equipment Regulations are included that outlines the requirements for air compressors.  See the information and links below.

Read the Technical Safety Act here and the Regulations here

Most air compressors found in maintenance and repair shops on farm are mounted on an air receiver, which is a pressure vessel, and pressure vessels are regulated under the Boiler and Pressure Equipment regulations.

Pressure vessels are required to be licensed in Nova Scotia and an inspection is mandatory for licensing. Inspections are periodic which means subsequent inspections within a 3-to-5-year period are required to maintain the license. Find more information here