Alert First Aid
PEI Legislation
Prince Edward Island H2S
Hydrogen Sulphide (also called ‘sour gas’, ‘sewer gas’)
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The following material is © Government of Prince Edward Island
CHAPTER O-1.1
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Pursuant to section 34 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act
R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. O-1.1, Council made the following regulations:
PART 1
DEFINITIONS AND APPLICATION
1.1 All definitions presently in the Occupational Health and Safety Act
R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. O-1.01 apply in these regulations. (EC180/87; 43/06)
1.2 Unless otherwise indicated the employer shall ensure compliance with these regulations. (EC180/87)
1.3 The values given in International Metric (S.I.) units are to be considered the standard. The values in parenthesis are for information only. (EC180/87)
1.4 In these regulations
(a) “A.C.G.I.H.” means the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists;
(b) “Act” means the Occupational Health and Safety Act R.S.P.E.I.
1988, Cap. O-1.01;
(c) “A.N.S.I.” means American National Standard Institute;
(d) “approved” means any recognized standard or level which is acceptable to the Director;
(e) “C.S.A.” means the Canadian Standards Association;
(f) “competent person” means a person who
(i) is qualified because of that person’s knowledge, training and experience to do the assigned work in a manner that will ensure the health and safety of persons in the workplace, and
(ii) is knowledgeable about the provisions of the Act and the regulations that apply to the assigned work, and about potential or actual danger to health or safety associated with the assigned work. (EC180/87; 43/06)
1.5 A copy of all indices, standards, codes, Acts and regulations referred to in these regulations is available for inspection at the office of the Workers Compensation Board, Employer Services Division. (EC180/87; 639/93; 504/96)
1.6 The Director may waive the application of these regulations to a particular workplace if he is satisfied that acceptable safety standards will be observed at that workplace. (EC180/87)
1.8 A duty or requirement that is imposed on an employer or a worker under these regulations applies to a self-employed person, with such modifications as the circumstances require. (EC632/04)
PART 9
FIRST AID
9.1 At every workplace the employer shall provide first aid supplies and services as required by this Part. (EC180/87)
9.2 First aid supplies and equipment shall be kept clean and dry.
(EC180/87)
9.3 Signs showing the location of first aid supplies and services shall be posted in conspicuous places in the working areas. (EC180/87)
9.4 An employee, upon sustaining an injury, shall immediately avail himself of the first aid services provided by the employer. (EC180/87)
9.5 Every employer employing less than five employees shall provide and maintain the following first aid supplies, easily accessible, defined as
Kit No.1:
(i) a first aid manual
(ii) a first aid record book
(iii) 1 pack safety pins
(iv) 1 splinter tweezers
(v) 1 pair scissors
(vi) approximately 30 band-aids, assorted sizes
(vii) 1 pkg. cotton tipped applicators
(viii) 2 triangular bandages
(ix) 1 roll adhesive tape
(x) 2 eye pads
(xi) 2 abdominal pads
(xii) 12 sterile individually wrapped guaze pads
(xiii) 1 pack alcohol swabs
(xiv) 1 bottle peroxide (EC180/87)
9.6 Every employer employing five to fifteen employees shall
(a) appoint an employee who is a holder of a current St. John Ambulance or Red Cross Emergency First Aid Certificate or higher, and a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate to be in charge of first aid service;
(b) provide first aid supplies, easily accessible, defined as Kit No.2 and made up of the following supplies:
(i) a first aid manual
(ii) a first aid record book
(iii) 1 pack safety pins
(iv) 1 splinter tweezers
(v) 1 pair scissors
(vi) approximately 50 band-aids, assorted sizes
(vii) 1 pkg cotton tipped applicators
(viii) 6 triangular bandages
(ix) 2 rolls adhesive tape
(x) 2 eye pads
(xi) 2 abdominal pads
(xii) 24 sterile individually wrapped gauze pads
(xiii) 1 pack alcohol swabs
(xiv) 1 bottle peroxide
(xv) 1 backboard
(xvi) 1 rescue blanket
(xvii) splints, assorted sizes (EC180/87)
9.7 Every employer employing sixteen to one hundred employees shall
(a) appoint an employee who is a holder of a current St. John Ambulance or Red Cross Standard First Aid Certificate or higher, and a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate to be in charge of first aid service;
(b) provide first aid supplies easily accessible, defined as Kit No.3 and made up of the following suppies:
(i) a first aid manual
(ii) a first aid record book
(iii) 1 pack safety pins
(iv) 1 splinter tweezers
(v) 1 pair scissors
(vi) approximately 50 band-aids, assorted sizes
(vii) 1 pkg. cotton tipped applicators
(viii) 10 triangular bandages
(ix) 2 rolls adhesive tape
(x) 2 eye pads
(xi) 6 abdominal pads
(xii) 36 sterile individually wrapped guaze pads
(xiii) 1 pack alcohol swabs
(xiv) 1 bottle peroxide
(xv) 1 backboard
(xvi) 1 rescue blanket
(xvii) splints assorted sizes (EC180/87)
9.8 Every employer employing more than one hundred employees at one time shall
(a) appoint an employee who is a holder of a current St. John Ambulance or Red Cross Advanced First Aid Certificate or higher, and a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate to be in charge of first aid service;
(b) provide in addition to Kit No. 3, a first aid room containing:
(i) hot and cold water
(ii) 1 refuse pail with cover
(iii) 1 chair with arm rests
(iv) 1 bed with pillow and blanket
(v) 1 cabinet suitable for storing dressings, instruments
(vi) 2 wash basins
(vii) 1 kidney basin
(viii) 1 portable first aid kit
(ix) 1 advanced first aid manual (EC180/87)
9.10 The employer shall ensure that all injuries shall be recorded in the first aid record book. (EC180/87)
9.11 (1) Requirements for the content of first aid kits may be increased by an officer but kits shall not contain less than the minimum quantity specified.
(2) First aid training may be modified on the direction of the Director.
(EC180/87)
9.12 The employer shall ensure that first aid supplies be replaced immediately when used, misplaced or worn out and that a regular inventory and updating of all kit contents be carried out at least once a month. (EC180/87)
9.13 When an employee has been injured so seriously that he cannot continue at his regular work, the employer shall, as soon as reasonably possible, obtain necessary medical aid or convey the employee to a place where he may receive medical aid. (EC180/87)
VENTILATION
11.1 The employer shall ensure that the workplace is adequately ventilated by either natural or mechanical means such that the atmosphere does not endanger the health and safety of employees under normal working conditions. (EC180/87)
11.2 Where practical, contaminants shall be controlled at the source by means of hoods, ducts or such other means as may be necessary.
(EC180/87)
11.3 Where the air of working areas is contaminated by vapours, fumes, gases, mists or other impurities which constitute a hazard to the health or safety of employees, suitable means of ventilation shall be provided by the employer to reduce contamination in the atmosphere at or below the “Threshold Limit Values” or “TLVs” as prescribed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists in the publication Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices for 1985-86 (with annual update). (EC180/87)
11.4 The employer shall ensure that all parts of ventilation systems are maintained, cleaned and that ventilation openings are always free of any obstruction or source of contamination. (EC180/87)
11.5 The employer shall, upon request, submit drawings and specifications of the ventilation system or any modification of the ventilation system to an officer. (EC180/87)
11.6 The employer shall ensure that every workplace contains at least 8.5 m³ (300 ft³) of air space for each employee. (When calculating the cubic meter (foot) requirement, height above 3.1 m (10 ft.) is excluded.)
(EC180/87)
11.7 The employer shall ensure that every workplace shall be adequately ventilated by either
(a) natural ventilation provided by windows, shutters or louvres which can be opened, having a combined area equal to at least five per cent of the floor area; or
(b) mechanical ventilation, where the minimum amount of outside air introduced into any room is at least 0.45 m³/min. (15 c.f.m.) per person. (EC180/87)
11.8 The employer shall ensure that the discharge of air from anyexhaust system is in such a manner so as to prevent the return of contaminants to any workplace. (EC180/87)
12.6 (1) The employer shall ensure that every excavation and trench is kept reasonably free of water.
(2) The employer shall ensure that hazardous liquids or gases and explosives are not stored in excavations or trenches.
(3) When hazardous liquids or gases or internal combustion engines are used in or near excavations or trenches, or where hazardous liquid or gases may enter or be present in an excavation or trench, the employer shall ensure that adequate ventilation precautions are taken to prevent the accumulation of hazardous gases in the excavation or trench. (EC180/87)
12.8 When work is carried on in an excavation or trench the employer shall ensure that an employee is working on surface where he can observe the employees working in the excavation or trench. (EC180/87)
PART 13
CONFINED SPACE
13.1 In this Part, “confined space” means an enclosed or partially enclosed space
(a) not designed or intended for human occupancy;
(b) with restricted access or exit; and
(c) that is or may become hazardous to a person entering it because of its design, construction, location, atmosphere or the materials or substances in it or other conditions, and includes any bin, tank, tanker, tunnel, silo, sewer, vault, chamber, pipeline, pit, vessel, vat and flue. (EC180/87; 652/07)
13.2 The employer shall ensure that an employee enters a confined space only where
(a) there is a safe method of access and egress from all parts of the confined space;
(b) mechanical equipment in the confined space is
(i) disconnected from its power source, and
(ii) locked out;
(c) prior to entry
(i) piping containing hazardous substances or substances under pressure or so located as to allow hazardous substances to enter such space is disconnected, blanked or blinded off, or
(ii) where it is impossible to employ blanks or blinds, as in welded piping systems, written work procedures are developed in consultation with (the Division, committee, or representative) and implemented to ensure equivalent protection to all employees exposed to the hazard but the closing of a valve on any line is not an acceptable substitute for blanking or blinding;
(d) the confined space is tested and evaluated by a competent person, properly equipped with personal protective equipment, who
(i) used an approved calibrated instrument that has been functionally tested,
(ii) records the results of each test in a permanent record which is available to an officer,
(iii) certifies in writing in a permanent record that the confined space is free from hazard, and
(iv) specifies the procedures to be followed to ensure that the space remains free of hazard;
(e) ground fault circuit interrupters are used for electrical equipment taken into wet or solidly grounded confined spaces unless battery operated or safety low voltage equipment is used; and
(f) training in emergency procedures is provided for employees assigned to a confined space entry job including the employee stationed outside the confined space. (EC180/87)
13.3 The employer shall ensure that a confined space in which there exists or is likely to exist
(a) a hazardous accumulation of gas, vapour, dust, mist, smoke or fumes; or
(b) an oxygen content of less than 19.5% or more than 23% at atmospheric pressure is entered only when
(c) the requirements of sections 13.2 and 13.5(a) are complied with;
(d) the space is purged and ventilated to provide a safe atmosphere; and
(e) provisions for continuous or periodic monitoring have been established to ensure that the hazardous condition does not recur;
(f) another employee is stationed outside the confined space;
(g) the employee entering the space is using such other equipment as is necessary to ensure his safety;
(h) suitable arrangements have been made to remove the employee from the confined space should it be required;
(i) a person adequately trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation is conveniently available;
(j) the employee entering is using a CSA approved breathing apparatus;
(k) the employee entering the space is wearing an approved safety harness with attached life line that will permit that employee to be removed from the space; if more than one employee is working in the space, steps have been taken to ensure that the life lines do not become entangled;
(l) another employee is stationed outside the confined space and in addition, equipment and persons are available to ensure immediate removal of employees within the space;
(m) all safety equipment to be used in the confined space has been inspected by a competent person and is in good working order.
(EC180/87)
13.4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where the gas or vapour in a confined space is or is likely to be explosive or flammable, the employer shall ensure that a confined space is entered only where
(a) the concentration of the gas or vapour in a confined space does not or is not likely to exceed 50% of the lower explosive limit of the gas or vapour; and
(b) the only work to be performed is that of cleaning or inspecting and of such a nature that it does not create any sources of ignition.
(2) Cold work may be performed in a confined space which contains or is likely to contain an explosive or flammable gas or vapour where the concentration does not and is not likely to exceed 10% of the lower explosive limit of the gas or vapour. (EC180/87)
13.5 The employer shall ensure that when an employee enters a confined space, another employee
(a) remains in attendance outside the space at all times whenever the space is occupied and visually checks or is in constant voice communication with the employee in the confined space;
(b) is capable of raising an alarm in order to summon additional assistance;
(c) does not enter the space unless relieved by another employee;
(d) ensures that appropriate equipment is stationed outside the space to enable quick and safe entry to the space, should such an entry be required; and
(e) is knowledgeable in the correct use of the emergency retrieval system procedures. (EC180/87)
13.6 The employer shall ensure that warning signs and barricades are installed to protect employees in a confined space where a hazard from any form of traffic exists. (EC180/87)
13.7 An employee shall not enter a confined space unless the requirements of this Part have been complied with. (EC180/87)
PART 45
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
45.1 The employer shall ensure that the personal wearing apparel of an employee shall be of a type and condition that will not expose the employee to any unnecessary and avoidable hazards. (EC180/87)
45.2 The employer shall ensure that personal protective equipment is maintained in good condition. (EC180/87)
45.3 Every employer shall ensure that every employee who is required to use personal protective equipment shall be given pre-job instruction by the employer to understand its use, its limitations, and its maintenance requirements, as far as these relate to its correct use by the employee.
(EC180/87)
45.4 An employee wearing or using personal protective equipment shall test the equipment before each use and shall not wear or use any equipment he has reason to believe is defective. (EC180/87)
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
45.17 (1) Every employer shall ensure that when employees are or may be exposed to an oxygen deficient atmosphere or harmful concentrations of air contaminants, mechanical means of engineering design shall be utilized to prevent or to eliminate such hazardous conditions of exposure.
(2) Every employer shall ensure that where the prevention or elimination of such hazardous conditions is not reasonably practicable, or where the exposure results from temporary or emergency conditions only, every employee exposed shall wear approved protective respiratory equipment. (EC180/87)
45.18 (1) The employer shall ensure that the selection, care and use of respirators meet the applicable standards and specifications set out and referred to in the CSA Standard Z94.4 “Selection, Care and Use of Respirators”, including amendments, or an approved standard offering equivalent protection.
(2) The employer shall ensure that where air is provided for the purpose of any respiratory protective equipment, the air meets the applicable standards and specifications set out and referred to in the CSA Standard Z180.1 “Compressed Breathing Air”. (EC180/87)
45.19 Every employer shall ensure that employees required to use a respirator shall be clean shaven where the respirator seals with the face.
(EC180/87
45.20 (1) Every employer shall ensure that access routes to work areas where employees may be exposed to oxygen deficient atmosphere or harmful concentrations of air contaminants shall be posted with signs and specifying
(a) the required personal protective equipment; and
(b) the areas and hazards involved.
(2) The employer shall ensure that sufficient employees who are trained in rescue procedures are immediately available whenever employees are working in areas where an oxygen deficient atmosphere or harmful concentrations of air contaminants exists or is likely to develop. The rescue employees shall have immediate access to appropriate breathing apparatus or other aids necessary to effect a rescue.
(3) The employer shall ensure that where an employee is wearing an approved air-line or approved air-hose type respirator in an atmosphere immediately harmful to the employee
(a) the air supply source shall be attended by another employee who shall be equipped to effect rescue or render assistance if the employee is rendered unconscious or otherwise incapacitated; and
(b) the employee shall be provided with and carry an auxiliary supply of compressed respirable air of sufficient capacity to enable the employee to escape from the area in an emergency or until rescue is effected. (EC180/87)
CHAPTER E-9
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT
AIR QUALITY REGULATIONS
1. In these regulations
(a) “Act” means the Environmental Protection Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988,
Cap. E-9;
(b) “air” means the air surrounding the earth, but does not include air contained within a building or pressurized containers, or confined under the surface of the earth;
(e) “ground level” means all that portion of the atmosphere beginning at one metre above the surface of the earth and extending vertically upwards for a distance of ten metres;
(f) “hazardous substance” means any material that may pose a substantial threat or potential hazard to human health or the environment and includes those substances named in the Priority Substances List made under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act R.S.C. 1985 (4th Supp.), c. 16;
2. (1) Subject to subsection 3(1), no person shall discharge a contaminant into the air from any industrial source, incinerator or fuelburning equipment without a permit.
(2) Subject to subsection 3(1), no person shall discharge a contaminant into the air from an industrial source, incinerator or fuel-burning equipment which causes a concentration in the ambient air which is greater than the maximum concentration specified in a permit.
(3) Maximum ambient air contaminant levels will be determined
(a) based on ground level concentration standards set out in Schedule A; or
(b) based on such factors as may be determined by the Minister.
7. Where any accidental, emergency or unauthorized release or discharge of a contaminant into the air occurs the person in charge of the undertaking which caused the release or discharge shall immediately inform the Canadian Coast Guard at telephone number 1-800-565-1633, or such other number as may be listed, and within seven calendar days of the occurrence, submit a written report to the Minister specifying
(a) the date and time of the release or discharge;
(b) the duration of the release or discharge;
(c) the composition of the release or discharge showing
(i) the concentration of air contaminants,
(ii) the emission rate, and
(iii) the total amount, by weight;
(d) a description of the circumstances leading to the release or discharge;
(e) the steps and procedures taken to control the release or discharge, as well as those taken to prevent similar releases or discharges in the future; and
(f) the steps and procedures taken to clean up the release or discharge.
9. (1) No person shall, without a permit, store, handle, use or transport any solid, liquid or gaseous material or substance in such a manner that a contaminant is discharged into the air.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the storage, handling or use of any solid, liquid or gaseous material or substance for domestic or transportation purposes
SCHEDULE A
AMBIENT AIR CONTAMINANT GROUND
LEVEL CONCENTRATION STANDARDS
Contaminant (1) Maximum Allowable Average
Concentrations For Applicable Time Period (2)
1 Hour 8 Hours
Hydrogen Sulphide 15 µg/m3 5 µg/m3
(1) Sampling will be in a manner and location specified by the Minister
(2) The values shown in this Schedule are the highest air contaminant concentrations which are normally allowed in the ambient air at ground level near industrial sources, incinerators and fuel burning equipment.
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