Full bibliography
Policy Analysis of Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations: Workplace Protections for Reproductive Health and Fetal Development
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Jahel, Fatima (Author)
- Phillips, Karen P. (Author)
Title
Policy Analysis of Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations: Workplace Protections for Reproductive Health and Fetal Development
Abstract
Canada's occupational health and safety (OHS) legislative frameworks describe the general rights and responsibilities of employers and employees to ensure safe workplaces. However, the extent to which these OHS frameworks recognize and safeguard reproductive health and fetal development remains understudied. Protections for reproductive health and fetal development were evaluated in OHS legislation, employment standards, and associated regulations across Canada's federal and 13 provincial/territorial jurisdictions by a policy analysis, supported by a sex and gender-based thematic and content analysis. OHS and reproductive health keyword frequencies were also determined. Three major themes were identified: (1) inconsistent recognition of workplace risks to reproductive health, (2) job modification, and (3) employer-mandated pregnancy leave. Our review found that workplace protections were generally limited to pregnancy, with little recognition of workplace risks to fertility, suggesting gaps in workplace protections for reproductive health and fetal development. We recommend contemporary reform of Canada's OHS legislation and regulations to support universal, comprehensive, and inclusive protections for reproductive health and fetal development for all workers, regardless of sex and pregnancy status.
Publication
New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Date
2026
Pages
19 pages
Accessed
3/29/26, 3:30 PM
ISSN
1048-2911
Language
English
Citation
Jahel, F., & Phillips, K. P. (2026). Policy Analysis of Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations: Workplace Protections for Reproductive Health and Fetal Development. New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, 19 pages. https://doi.org/10.1177/10482911261423973
Link to this record