Occupational Health and Safety

Our lawyers have extensive experience dealing with all legal issues relating to workplace health and safety, both from a regulatory and insurance perspective.  We have successfully defended employers in a broad range of regulatory matters including response to discriminatory action complaints, compliance orders and monetary penalties.  Our lawyers advise employers on employee discipline issues relating to safety and to human rights complaints arising from work-related disabilities.  We also have extensive experience in defending and investigating workplace bullying and harassment claims. We regularly negotiate with legal counsel for the regulatory agencies and represent clients before regulatory tribunals and the courts.

Bernard LLP leads the way in emergency response and accident investigation.  The firm has attended many serious and complex accident sites and our lawyers have guided business owners and employers through the complex regulatory and insurance maze that follows any serious workplace and industrial accidents.

Our lawyers provide guidance and representation for employers in workers compensation and civil litigation relating to workplace injuries and occupational disease, and provide advice to employers on how to minimize workers compensation costs while at the same time respecting worker rights and regulatory obligations.  We also advise businesses on how to minimize workers compensation and insurance premiums and represent businesses where they are being required to pay more than they believe is appropriate for the coverage received.

Our lawyers have appeared at all levels of tribunals and courts.  Examples of the work done include representation of businesses in:

  • Matters resulting from workplace accidents or regulatory inspections;
  • The review and appeal proceedings arising from regulatory offences and monetary penalties including worker claims and worker discriminatory action complaints;
  • Judicial review proceedings relating to regulatory actions that follow workplace accidents; and
  • Review and appeal proceedings relating to employer assessments.

Practice Group Members