Overview

The Specialized Professional Services program in the Ministry of Labour provides technical support and expertise to regional staff in the industrial, construction, mining and health care programs in five key areas:

  • ergonomics
  • occupational hygiene
  • engineering
  • radiation protection
  • emergency management

Ergonomics enforcement initiatives

Ergonomics is about the interaction between workers and their work environment. Ministry ergonomists provide support to ministry inspections that include an ergonomic component. Ministry ergonomists also conduct proactive ergonomics inspections. In 2017-18, the focus for proactive inspections was on:

  • workplaces with a high rate of musculoskeletal disorders
  • food processing/manufacturing
  • tire handling and storage
  • ladder use and access for manual materials handling

Initiative activity summary

  • field visits—456
  • workplaces visited—313
  • orders and requirements issued—712
  • stop work orders—17
  • orders and requirements per field visit—1.56
  • orders and requirements per workplace visited—2.27

Resources

Occupational hygiene enforcement initiatives

Occupational hygiene is a science devoted to anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards to help protect workers. The ministry’s occupational hygienists conduct worksite visits and provide support to inspections. They also conduct proactive occupational hygiene inspections. In 2017-18, occupational hygiene inspections focused on the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and noise.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

WHMIS is a comprehensive system that shares information with Canadian workplaces about how to safely use hazardous materials. It has been in place since 1988. Under WHMIS, employers must make sure that all hazardous materials are identified and properly controlled, stored and used.

In 2016 the WHMIS Regulation was amended to adopt new, international standards that are part of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The changes reflect recent amendments to the federal Hazardous Products Act and new Hazardous Products Regulation. Suppliers and distributors must transition to the new WHMIS (known as WHMIS 2015) requirements by December 1, 2018.

Between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, occupational hygienists conducted proactive visits to workplaces in different sectors. The goal was to check that workplaces were in compliance with WHMIS 1998 and provide information for the transition to WHMIS 2015. The WHMIS requirements include:

  • labels
  • safety data sheets (formerly material safety data sheets)
  • worker education

Initiative activity summary

  • field visits—326
  • workplaces visited—251
  • orders and requirements issued—222
  • stop work orders—1
  • orders and requirements per field visit—0.68
  • orders and requirements per workplace visited—0.88

Resources

Noise

On July 1, 2016, Ontario put a new regulation into effect to ensure that noise is eliminated or properly controlled in all workplaces, to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss. It provides all workers with the same level of protection to noise, which is a common hazard across workplace sectors.

Between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, occupational hygienists conducted proactive visits in various sectors to check:

  • compliance with Ontario Regulation 381/15: Noise to ensure sound levels are acceptable
  • engineering and administrative noise control measures
  • the proper use, maintenance and selection of hearing protection devices
  • adequate training

Initiative activity summary

  • field visits—226
  • workplaces visited—159
  • orders and requirements issued—153
  • stop work orders—1
  • orders and requirements per field visit—0.68
  • orders and requirements per workplace visited—0.96

Resources

A guide to the noise regulation (Ontario Regulation 381/15) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act