Return to Work from COVID-19 Shutdown: OHS Best Practices

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Date: May 14, 2020

Time: 9 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. EDT

Presenter: Norm Keith

About the Webinar

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in wartime powers being used by government across Canada to shut down economic activity. While health care professionals battle the pernicious virus, OHS professionals in “essential” businesses have responded with lighting speed to address OHS issues for front line workers. The economic impact of shutting down “non-essential” business has been staggering and soon unsustainable. As a result, governments across Canada are now providing legal and public health approval for a staggered opening over the next weeks and months. But how do you Return to Work, without a vaccine available, and still keep workers safe.

In this webinar, “RTW from COVID-19 Shutdown”, Canada’s leading OHS lawyer, Norm Keith, will discuss emerging Best Practices of OHS in a post-COVID-19 workplace. Relying upon his over 35 years of experience, including his work during SARS and H5N1 pandemics and authorship of Canadian Emergency Management & Response Manual, Mr. Keith will address the following topics in his webinar:

  1. A Planning Task Force;
  2. Pre-RTW Hazard Assessment;
  3. Physical Layoff Changes;
  4. RTW Scheduling Changes;
  5. Pre-RTW Information and Instructions;
  6. RTW Worker Questionare;
  7. Body Temperature Screening;
  8. Social Distancing & Face Masks
  9. Preparing for Work Refusals;
  10. Suspected COVID-19 Cases in Workplace.

About the Speaker

Norm Keith practices labour, employment, human rights (LEHR), regulatory, environmental, anti-corruption, business crime and constitutional litigation. He is a trusted advisor to corporate boards, executives and senior managers regarding people and culture risk management.

Norm is the leading Occupational Health and Safety (“OHS”) lawyer in Canada. He has successfully defended more than 1,000 health & safety, environmental, workers’ compensation fraud regulatory and criminal charges. Norm has written many of the leading books in his field, including Canadian Health and Safety Law, Canadian Emergency Management and Response Manual, and Workplace Health and Safety Crimes (4th ed.). He was the first lawyer in Canada to achieve the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (“CRSP”) accreditation. He is a frequent conference speaker, edits the firm’s quarterly OHS newsletter, “Do Diligence” and is the longest serving Judge in the prestigious Canada’s Safest Employers annual event.

Norm’s LEHR practice includes advising on executive employment contracts, restrictive covenants, LEHR policy and procedure development and enforcement, employee discipline, workers compensation claim management, ESA enforcement, and LEHR risk management. He represents as employers in wrongful dismissal, workplace fraud recovery, whistle-blower, human rights, labour arbitrations, workplace safety, WSIB appeals and fiduciary duty litigation.

Norm advises and represents organizations and executives in government investigations, white collar and business crime defence. He was appellate counsel on R. v Karigar, the first trial of an individual prosecuted under the CFPOA. He is on the White Collar Crime Committee of the ABA and a regular speaker at the ABA’s annual White Collar Crime Institute. He is a member of the IBA’ s White Collar and Business Crimes Committee and an IBA Section Website Officer for the Business Crimes committee. He is a member of the CBA’s Anti-Corruption Committee and participated in the submissions to the PPSC regarding Canada’s new DPA regime know as Remediation Agreements. Norm has authored Corporate Crime, Accountability and Social Responsibility in Canada (2nd ed.), Insider Trading in Canada (2nd ed.) and Canadian Anti-Corruption Law and Compliance (2nd ed.) and published numerous related articles and peer review journal articles.

Norm has extensive experience in advising and representing organizations in matters involving alcohol & drugs in the workplace, harassment, sexual harassment, and violence in the workplace. He has written a leading texts in these areas: Human Resources Guide to Preventing Workplace Violence (2nd ed.) and Alcohol & Drugs in the Canadian Workplace (2nd ed.).

Norm has completed 5 Ironman distance triathlons, run the New York, Chicago, Toronto and Hamilton marathons and rides in the annual Ride to Conquer Cancer for cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital. He is has served on numerous charitable boards and most recently was on the board of the Institute of Corporate directors – GTA West.