THE EMPLOYERS' EDGE
HEADS UP! OHS Inspectors Preparing for Ontario Inspection Blitz!
A warning to Ontario employers in the health
care, industrial, mining, and construction sectors - expect Occupational Health
and Safety inspectors at your door anywhere from June 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024,
in accordance with the Health and safety inspection
compliance plans 2023–2024.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training
and Skills Development (MLITSD) conducts health and safety compliance
initiatives and campaigns to raise awareness of workplace hazards and promote
compliance with the Occupational Health
and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations. There is first a period of
education and outreach, followed by a period of focused inspections. The MLITSD
announces these campaigns and initiatives to sectors, however, they do not
identify individual workplaces in advance of conducting the inspections.
During the 2023-2024 inspections, employers in
the named sectors can expect OHS inspectors to focus on the following hazards,
issues or topics:
Health care sector:
- The
hazard of musculoskeletal disorder and its causes in health care and community
care workplaces.
- 71%
of the businesses selected for this campaign are small businesses (with less
than 50 workers), with the top sectors being group homes, home health care
services and retirement homes.
Industrial sector:
- Material
handling hazards that workers face in manufacturing and farming sectors where
production occurs.
- The
primary focus will be on workplaces where large or bulky materials, articles or
things are lifted, carried, or moved, and puts workers at risk of being injured
by their movement.
Mining sector:
- The
establishment and maintenance of accredited Common Core training programs –
competency based modular training programs for all mine and mining plant
workers in Ontario, specific to the type of work they perform.
Construction sector:
- Focus
on falls from heights in roofing and framing activities in single family
residential construction, residential re-roofing and multi-family residential
in urban areas.
- Activities
where workers may be struck by material, vehicles or equipment.
Occupational hygiene
- Respiratory
protection: ensuring workers’ airborne exposure to a hazardous substance does
not exceed the Occupational Exposure Limit.
- Asbestos
in building structures: managing asbestos-containing materials in the workplace
to prevent worker exposures.
Vulnerable workers:
- Identifying
labour trafficking practices in workplaces.
- Ensuring
employers are providing all workers with information, instruction and
supervision in occupational health and safety.
- Focusing
on groups such as young workers, temporary workers, immigrant workers, workers
with disabilities, new workers, indigenous workers, older workers, and
racialized workers .
The MLITSD has provided a list of resources
from both the Ministry itself, and health and safety partners, to help
employers keep all workers safe in the workplace. These industry-specific
resources, and more information regarding compliance and inspections, can be
found HERE.
If your organization needs guidance on how to
remain compliant with the Occupational
Health and Safety Act and its Regulations, or is concerned with an order or
decision issued by an inspector, the professionals at CCPartners
can provide representation, legal advice, policy implementation, and training,
tailored to your unique circumstances.
Click HERE to access CCPartners’ “Lawyers for
Employers” podcasts on important workplace issues and developments in labour
and employment law.