Constructors have enhanced safety obligations

Cathy Chandler | Canadian Occupational Safety magazine

Constructors, also known as prime contractors or contractors, have significant legal obligations under occupational health and safety legislation. From a practical perspective, these terms refer to a general contractor or the party that has agreed with the owner of a work site to accept the responsibility of managing health and safety issues at the site.

In this context, the general duty on all prime contractors is to ensure the health and safety of workers and to comply with the relevant OHS legislation. Case law has confirmed that constructors and prime contractors are held to a high standard in meeting these obligations.