Reporting to OHS and What to do When Issued an OHS Order

As a worker, you have the right to know about health and safety, the right to refuse dangerous work and the right to participate in health and safety.

How do I report a complaint?

If there is something at your workplace that you think is unsafe for you and others around, you must report it. Here is how:

• Tell your employer as they are responsible
• If your employer is not addressing the concern turn to your health and safety committee
• If there is no committee or the concern is still not being addressed submit a complaint to the OHS if you believe that the dangerous condition is not remedied. You can either call OHS or fill out an OHS complaint here: https://ohscomplaintsportal.labour.alberta.ca/prescreening/

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Officers have the authority to issue orders to employers and worksite parties that require specific actions that will result in compliance with Alberta OHS Legislation.

What is a Contact Order?

OHS Orders are issued to the employer or worksite party in the form of an OHS Contact Report (OCR). The report includes the following details:

• The section of Alberta OHS Legislation that the order is issued under. There may be several sections listed and a contact report can have multiple orders that require action.
• Officer observations. The OHS Officer that issues the Contact Report will conduct an inspection of the worksite and will document their observations on the Contact Report.
• The actions required in order to obtain compliance and to have the order lifted.
• The Contact Report will specify compliance dates only for Compliance Orders; Stop Work Orders require immediate cessation of work with no specified timeline.

What types of orders can be issued?

There are several types of orders that can be issued and for various reasons.

Compliance Orders – are issued when non-compliance issues are observed by the OHS officer. Compliance Orders specify a compliance date; any extension is at the discretion of the OHS officer but is not guaranteed or formally mandated.

Stop Work Orders require immediate cessation of specified work or entire site until compliance is achieved and the order is lifted; no compliance timeline is provided in the order. A Stop Work Order may apply to the entire worksite, multiple worksites, or to certain areas or activities of a work site. The Stop Work Order will remain in place until the requirements have been complied with.

Stop Use Orders require unsafe equipment to be tagged or marked and not used until the order is lifted and compliance is achieved.

Director’s Orders are formal orders issued under the OHS Act with broad authority, including but not limited to the listed examples.

Can an OHS Order be reviewed or challenged?

Yes — but it's a legal step, not a safety one. If you believe an order is wrong, Alberta gives you a limited window (generally 30 days, with strict deadlines) to formally challenge it. Because it's a legal process, it's handled through a lawyer who specializes in OHS law — not a safety consultant. If you're considering it, get legal advice right away.

Either way, challenging an order does not pause it: the work must still stop or the correction must still be made by the deadline unless you're formally granted a stay. That compliance side is where most employers focus — and where we help. Safety Ahead works alongside employers to understand exactly what the order requires, fix the hazard, and document compliance so the file closes.

How can I Comply with an Order?

The Contact Order will provide the specific requirements on how to comply with the orders given. Determine what steps need to be taken and who will be responsible to complete/implement the requirements by the date stated on the Contact Order.

OHS recommends that companies request the assistance of a third party consultant if the company is inexperienced in dealing with these matters or if they do not have a designated safety person. This will help to ensure that the Contact Report and orders are effectively dealt with and compliance with Legislation is implemented by the required date. This can be the easiest, least stressful route at times. OHS Contact Order can be varying lengths and can have numerous requirements, depending on the situation. The majority of companies need to get OHS Orders dealt with immediately to prevent them from affecting their operations and finances.

If you have received an OHS Contact Order and are unsure of how to deal with it, let us help. Safety Ahead Ltd. Has a lot of experience in dealing with various types of OHS Orders and can assist you in obtaining Legislative compliance in a timely manner. Please give us a call, and let us help you.

Reference: Government of Alberta