Question

What event was the turning point in occupational health and safety that resulted in establishing fundamental rights for workers and eventually the Occupational Health & Safety Act of 1979 as we know it today?

Question 1 options:

	A) Passing of Bill C-45 (Amendment of Criminal Code of Canada)
	B) Passing of Bill C-70
	C) Passing of Bill 160 (Resulting from the Tony Dean Report)
	D) The Ham Commission Report

Answer 1

Answer: D, THE HAM COMMISSION REPORT

. A turning point came in 1974. Uranium miners in Elliot Lake became alarmed about the high incidence of lung cancer and silicosis, and they went on strike over health and safety conditions. The government appointed a Royal Commission to investigate health and safety in mines. Chaired by Dr. James Ham, it became known as the Ham Commission.

The Ham Commission Report included more than 100 recommendations concerning mine health and safety. Ham also introduced the idea of an internal responsibility system, which would require government, employers and workers to work together to improve health and safety. To implement this system, he advocated for the creation of joint labour-management health and safety committees. This was the starting point for Joint Health & Safety Committees (JHSC) and a turning point for workers as they would now have the right to participate in health and safety recommendations.