If you run a Canadian workplace, the most useful OHS news from September 14 to 28, 2026 is this: federal inspections are about to scale up, B.C.'s psychological health and safety rules are paused but not dead, and an Alberta court has again shown what a machine guarding failure costs. None of it needs panic, but each item gives you something practical to check this month.
This digest pulls the points that matter to employers and safety managers, explains what they mean in plain language, and links to the sources so you can read them yourself. One caution up front: coverage in this period was incomplete for several jurisdictions, and Quebec could not be covered at all, so treat this as a snapshot, not a full national survey.
Federal: 100 new health and safety officers and Canada Labour Code Part II inspections
On September 21, 2026, the Government of Canada said it will add 100 new federal health and safety officers, which it says will raise Labour Program inspection capacity by about 70 percent. The same release commits to 26 new staff at the Canada Industrial Relations Board to clear its complaint backlog, and to more inspectors targeting worker misclassification.
The announcement came alongside Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, but the hiring itself is a separate, non-legislative measure. It is not a change to Part II of the Canada Labour Code, the part that holds the federal occupational health and safety rules. According to Emond Harnden's summary, the package also covers more inspections, prevention work, enforcement and return-to-work support.
No start date or hiring schedule has been announced. Officers take time to recruit and train, so this is a trend to prepare for rather than a knock on the door next week.
What federally regulated employers should do now
More officers means more Part II inspections over time. The practical response is to make sure your paperwork would stand up if an officer asked for it tomorrow:
- Hazard prevention program. Confirm it is current, that it reflects the work you actually do today, and that you can show how hazards were identified and controlled.
- Committee records. Pull the last year of workplace committee or representative minutes. Check that meetings happened, that concerns were recorded and that each one has a documented response.
- Training records. Check that every worker's training is recorded, dated and matched to the hazards of their job, including supervisors.
- Follow-through. For every inspection finding or committee item, be able to show who fixed it and when.
If any of those take more than an afternoon to find, that is the gap to close first.
Bill C-39: big Canada Labour Code changes, but not to the safety rules
Bill C-39 was introduced at first reading on September 21, 2026. Part 3 of the omnibus bill proposes major amendments to Parts I and III of the Canada Labour Code. It does not amend the Part II safety rules.
Part I (labour relations) changes proposed
- A duty to start bargaining earlier in some cases, moving from 200 to 180 days before a collective agreement expires.
- A conciliation period extended from 60 to 90 days.
- A new special mediation process.
- A narrower test for the minister to intervene under section 107.
- Broader successor rights for contractors, starting at airports.
- Broader sectoral bargaining.
Part III (employment standards) changes proposed
- Stronger wage recovery tools.
- An exemption from paid medical leave for unionized workplaces whose collective agreements give benefits at least as good.
The bill would also allow penalty regulations for breaches of the duty to bargain in good faith and of the freeze on changing working conditions.
What it means for your safety program
Nothing changes in federal OHS compliance yet, and the bill still has to pass Parliament. Unionized federal employers should follow it closely, though, because it would change bargaining timelines and some leave obligations. Keep your HR and labour relations people in the loop; your safety obligations under Part II stay where they are.
British Columbia: psychological health and safety consultation paused, not withdrawn
WorkSafeBC has paused its consultations on proposed new OHS Regulation rules for psychological health and safety, harassment and violence (a proposed new Part 4.1) because a provincial election has been called. Its Engagement Hub page marks the psychological health and safety consultation "On hold" until further notice.
WorkSafeBC says consultations are generally paused during an election, that the pause is procedural and does not mean a decision has been made, and that feedback already received will still be considered. The Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC and SafeCare BC reported the pause on September 25, 2026. They also say it applies to the harassment and violence consultation, although that was not confirmed on its own Engagement Hub page.
Elections BC has set general voting day for October 24, 2026.
What the proposed Part 4.1 would require
According to SafeCare BC, the proposals would require three things:
- A psychological health and safety program to identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards such as workload, work pace and how work is organized.
- Separate harassment and violence prevention programs.
- Rules covering conduct by non-workers, such as clients and visitors.
What B.C. employers should do during the pause
There is no active comment deadline for now, and the proposals have not been withdrawn. Use the time rather than parking the file:
- Start or update psychosocial hazard assessments, looking at workload, pace and how work is organized.
- Review your harassment and violence programs, including how you handle conduct by clients, visitors and other non-workers.
- Watch for the consultation to restart after the election.
Employers outside B.C. can take the hint too. Psychosocial hazards are showing up on regulators' agendas, and a hazard assessment that already covers them is easier to defend than one that does not.
Ergonomics Day on October 22
Separately, on September 14, 2026, WorkSafeBC announced an Ergonomics Day on October 22, 2026, as part of Ergonomics Month in October. It is an awareness and education event, not a regulatory change, and a free chance for supervisors, joint committee members and safety staff to update their musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk assessment and control practices.
Alberta: machine guarding fatality leads to a $216,000 creative sentence
On September 14, 2026, Rylex Machine & Supply Ltd. pleaded guilty to breaching section 310(2) of the Alberta OHS Code. That section requires safeguards wherever a worker could accidentally, or through the work process, contact moving or otherwise hazardous parts of machinery.
The charge followed a March 4, 2024 incident at the company's Edmonton shop, where a worker running a manual lathe was pulled onto the spinning work piece and killed. According to Alberta's convictions list, the court imposed:
- A $1,000 fine, including the 20 percent victim fine surcharge.
- Two years of enhanced regulatory supervision.
- An order under OHS Act section 49 to pay $216,000 to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), designated toward a dual-spindle CNC lathe and education that promotes a strong workplace safety culture among future trades professionals.
All other charges were withdrawn. CBC News reported that the company had initially faced 12 counts.
What creative sentencing means
Alberta explains that creative sentencing diverts money that would otherwise be paid as fines to third parties that promote occupational health and safety. The headline fine can look small; the real penalty sits in the order.
A machine guarding checklist for your shop
A court case is a poor way to learn what a guard is worth. Walk your shop this week with these questions:
- Can any worker reach a rotating part, chuck, work piece or drive, either by accident or because the job requires it?
- Is every guard in place, fit for the machine and working, including interlocks?
- Have you assessed entanglement risks on manual machines like lathes, including loose clothing, gloves, hair and jewellery?
- Do workers know the hazard assessment for their machine, and has it been reviewed since the last change to the job?
- Are guard defects reported, tagged and fixed, with a record of who fixed them and when?
If you are not sure a safeguard meets section 310(2), get a competent person to look at it before someone gets hurt.
Other updates: Yukon, Manitoba and Ontario
- Yukon: the Workers' Safety and Compensation Board (WSCB) announced lower 2027 assessment rates in every rate group.
- Manitoba: the province plans legislative changes to widen presumptive workers' compensation coverage for firefighters, expanding the scope of recognized occupational illnesses.
- Ontario: new WSIB independent living and quality of life policies took effect on September 21, 2026. If you manage claims or return to work in Ontario, check how the updated policies affect injured workers you support.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bill C-39 change federal OHS rules under Part II of the Canada Labour Code?
No. Bill C-39 proposes amendments to Parts I and III of the Canada Labour Code, not Part II. The 100 new health and safety officers were announced with the bill but are a separate, non-legislative measure.
When will the new federal health and safety officers start inspecting?
No start date or hiring schedule has been announced. Federally regulated employers should expect more Part II inspections over time and get hazard prevention programs, committee records and training records ready now.
Are WorkSafeBC's psychological health and safety rules cancelled?
No. WorkSafeBC says the pause is procedural, no decision has been made and feedback already received will still be considered. Watch for the consultation to restart after the October 24, 2026 election.
What is a creative sentence in Alberta OHS?
It is a court order, made under section 49 of the OHS Act, that sends money that would otherwise be a fine to a third party that promotes health and safety. In the Rylex case, $216,000 went to NAIT.
What does section 310(2) of the Alberta OHS Code require?
Safeguards wherever a worker could accidentally, or through the work process, contact moving or otherwise hazardous parts of machinery or equipment.
How TruStar can help
Most of this month's news comes down to the same question: could you prove your safety program works if someone asked today? TruStar Safety helps Alberta and Canadian employers answer yes. We build and update safety programs, run hazard assessments and audits, support COR and SECOR, deliver training, and provide fractional safety managers when you need the expertise without a full-time hire. If you want a second set of eyes on your machine guarding, your psychosocial hazard assessment or your inspection readiness, talk to us.
When the records are the problem, TruStar Connect keeps inspections, forms, equipment and corrective actions in one app, so the paperwork an officer asks for is already there. Start a free trial and see how much of your program is already inspection-ready.