Health and safety management systems and procurement
If you are a public sector organization, with pre-qualification criteria related to health and safety management systems in your construction procurement contracts, learn about the requirement in Ontario Regulation 364/25 — Health and Safety Management Systems and Procurement.
Overview
This guidance applies to public sector organizations that both:
- enter into procurement contracts for construction projects
- require Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) health and safety management system pre-qualification
In these cases, the organization must recognize all CPO-accredited systems as equivalent. They cannot accept some CPO-accredited system and exclude others.
For more information, read O. Reg. 364/25 — Health and Safety Management Systems and Procurement.
Health and safety management systems
A health and safety management system is a coordinated system of procedures, processes and other measures implemented by employers to promote continuous improvement in occupational health and safety.
Public sector organizations
For the purposes of this regulation, a public sector organization is either a:
- municipality within the meaning of the Municipal Act, 2001
- local board, as defined in subsection 1 (1) of the Municipal Act, 2001
- board, as defined in subsection 1 (1) of the Education Act
- post-secondary educational institution in Ontario that receives regular operating funding from the government
- hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act
- board of health, as defined in subsection 1 (1) of the Health Protection and Promotion Act
- local housing corporation as defined in section 24 of the Housing Services Act, 2011
Penalties
Failure to comply with this regulation may result in an administrative penalty of $100,000 or 10% of the project value, whichever is lower. For more information about administrative penalties, read O. Reg. 365/25 — Administrative Penalties.
Contact us
If you have questions about this requirement, contact the Health and Safety Contact Centre:
- phone: 1-877-202-0008
- email: webohs@ontario.ca
If you call the Contact Centre and your inquiry is about O. Reg. 364/25 or O. Reg. 365/25, ask to speak with a Technical Program Advisor (TPA) in the Construction Program.
If you call the Contact Centre and your inquiry is about the CPO Recognized health and safety management systems, or the Supporting Ontario’s Safe Employers (SOSE) program, ask to speak with a SOSE Representative in the Prevention Office.