Overview

Health and safety inspection initiatives are part of the province’s Safe At Work Ontario compliance strategy.

These initiatives are announced to sectors in advance. However, individual workplaces are not identified in advance.

Results from provincial initiatives are posted on the ministry’s website. The initiatives are intended to raise awareness of workplace hazards and promote compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations.

Ministry of Labour inspectors are responsible for enforcing the OHSA and its regulations at workplaces across the province. As part of the Safe At Work Ontario strategy, the ministry decides on the focus of initiatives using a risk-based process. This process takes into account:

  • injury, illness and fatality rates
  • compliance history
  • the nature of the work (for example, hazards that come with the job)
  • current events
  • the vulnerability of the workers
  • strategic priorities
  • advice from stakeholders and the field

The focuses can be on specific sectors, hazards, issues or topics.

Inspectors are not limited to inspecting only the topics identified in this plan; they can apply the OHSA and its regulations to the situation they find at each workplace they inspect.

Inspectors’ findings may influence how often individual workplaces will be inspected in the future. Inspectors may also refer employers to health and safety associations for assistance and training.

High risk traumatic hazards – slips, trips and falls

This initiative is happening in all sectors (i.e., construction, health care, industrial and mining).

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: March 18 to July 12, 2019

Partners: Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, Public Services Health and Safety Association, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and Workplace Safety North

The ministry will partner with the health and safety associations to:

  • deliver sector-specific webinars before the focused inspections phase starts
  • publish slips, trips and falls compliance assistance resources and packages
  • encourage workplaces to stop work for 15 to 30 minutes to have a safety talk about slip, trip and fall hazards specific to their workplace during Falls Awareness Week (May 6 to 10, 2019)

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: April 15 to July 12, 2019

Rationale

From 2011 to 2017, incidents of slips, trips and falls were the second-highest cause of traumatic fatalities. 73 workers were killed at work due to falls during this time period. Furthermore, slips, trips and falls was the third highest injury event reported to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in 2017 and accounted for 20% of allowed lost time claims with the WSIB in 2017.

Due to its impact across all sectors, the ministry and its partners have chosen to hold a campaign focused on slips, trips and falls hazards in spring 2019.

Initiative focus

Inspectors will check that employers have assessed for slip, trip and falls hazards and controlled for them (for example, through posting appropriate signs and good housekeeping practices).

For slips, trips and same-level falls, common hazards include:

  • slippery substances like spills, snow and ice
  • debris or obstructions in walkways
  • improperly maintained equipment (for example, ladders)
  • dirty work areas and surfaces
  • unsafe use of ladders
  • poor lighting
  • changes in walkway levels and slopes

Falls from height

Constructors and employers must ensure adequate fall protection systems are being used where workers are exposed to a fall:

  • of more than 3 metres from one level to another
  • of 2.4 metres or more where work is on platforms, scaffolds, ramps, raised floors, mezzanines or balconies
  • of 1.2 metres or more if the work area is used as a path for a wheelbarrow or similar equipment
  • into, onto or through operating machinery, liquid, a hazardous substance, hazardous object, or an opening

Fall protection systems include: guardrails, travel restraint, fall arrest equipment or safety nets. Fall protection systems should be chosen using these criteria:

  • if practicable, a guardrail system should be used
  • if a guardrail system is not practicable, then a travel restraint system should be used
  • if a travel restraint system is not practicable, then a fall restricting system should be used
  • if a fall restricting system is not practicable, then a fall arrest system should be used
  • if a fall arrest system is not practicable, then a safety net should be used

Inspectors will check that:

  • employers have assessed fall hazards risks
  • an appropriate fall protection equipment (that meet the standards set by the National Standards of Canada) is being used
  • fall protection equipment is properly selected for the tasks, used and maintained in good condition
  • an alternate means of fall protection that will not allow a worker to fall onto the ground, another level or object below the work is provided if a guardrail system has to be temporarily removed to perform work. Warning signs need to be posted and the alternate fall protection needs to be used by the workers.
  • portable ladders are:
    • securely fastened at the top and bottom or
    • held in place while being used or
    • on an incline so that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is between one-quarter and one-third of the length of the ladder
  • floor openings, skylights or holes in roof areas are covered, as required
  • workers who may use a fall protection system receive training on:
    • working at heights and
    • the fall protection system related to site specific conditions. This should include the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: workers’ training records should be available if requested.

Suspended access equipment

From July 2 to September 27, 2019 the ministry will run an initiative focusing on suspended access equipment.

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: July 2 to September 27, 2019

Partner: Infrastructure Health and Safety Association

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: August 6 to September 27, 2019

Rationale

The ministry will continue to focus on fall protection following the slips, trips and falls all-sector initiative.

Regulatory changes on the use of suspended access equipment came into effect on January 1, 2017. The ministry plans to follow up on the industry’s compliance with the new laws two years after the changes.

Initiative focus

Inspectors will check that:

  • suspended access equipment has been designed, constructed, inspected, tested and maintained according to the law
  • workers have received appropriate training

Refer to sections 137 – 142 of Ontario Regulation 213/91: Construction Projects for specific requirements about suspended work platforms and boatswain’s chairs. The technical guideline on suspended access equipment on construction projects provides more information about the legal requirements for suspended work platforms.

Note: the guideline does not apply to multi-point work platforms; refer to sections 142.1 – 142.8 of O. Reg. 213/91 for the specific requirements related to multi-point work platforms.

Ministry inspectors will focus inspections in:

  • industrial, commercial and institutional building construction
  • residential building construction
  • civil engineering and roadwork

Resources and compliance assistance

The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association’s page on suspended access equipment has many free resources including fact sheets, risk assessment and work plan templates. They also provide training (fee required).

Healthy workers in healthy workplaces – musculoskeletal disorders and respiratory hazards

This initiative is taking place in all sectors (i.e., construction, health care, industrial and mining).

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: September 1 to December 27, 2019

Partners: Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, Public Services Health and Safety Association, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, Workplace Safety North and Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: October 1 to December 27, 2019

Musculoskeletal disorders

Rationale

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the top lost time injury at work reported to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in Ontario. In 2017, MSDs represented approximately one-third of all accepted WSIB lost time claims. There were over:

  • 19,000 claims
  • 462,000 days lost from work
  • $72 million in direct WSIB costs

Initiative focus

Inspectors will check that:

  • employers have provided training to workers on safe manual materials handling practices
  • items are being manually handled in a safe manner
  • items are being stored in a manner that does not endanger a worker when manually handling those items
  • work areas and routes to and from work areas are kept free of obstructions so extra demands are not placed on workers when manually handling items
  • access to and egress from a work area is appropriate so that physical demands are not increased
  • adequate housekeeping is taking place so that a worker can use assistive devices (for example, carts) and there are not increased demands when manually handling items
  • handling items while the worker is on a ladder is being performed in a safe manner

Resources and compliance assistance

  • The ministry’s ergonomics in the workplace page explains occupational health and safety laws related to ergonomics and includes resources and guidance on ways to address hazards from poor ergonomics.
  • The MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario includes fact sheets, step-by-step guidelines on organizing a workplace program to prevent MSDs, a risk assessment tool, quick summaries of basic MSD hazards and a large resource library.

Respiratory hazards

Rationale

Between 2008 and 2017, long latency illnesses – illnesses in which there is a long delay between exposure to a disease-causing agent and the appearance of disease symptoms – accounted for the largest proportion of allowed WSIB benefit costs. 70% of allowed long latency illness claims over the past 10 years come from: lung cancer, pleural plaques, mesothelioma, asbestosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are all associated with respiratory exposures.

Cancer Care Ontario and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre estimate that exposure to asbestos, diesel engine exhaust, crystalline silica and welding fumes cause approximately 1,300 cancer cases a year in Ontario.

Initiative focus

Gases, dusts, vapours, and fumes may be present at construction projects. They are referred to as ‘respiratory hazards’ when they can make a worker sick or die from being breathed in.

Examples of respiratory hazards include:

  • lead dust and fumes from grinding, welding, cutting or brazing surfaces coated with lead-based paint
  • silica dust from cutting and breaking concrete, sandblasting or removing refractory ceramic fibers
  • solvent vapours from adhesives, paints, strippers, cleaning solvents, and spray coatings
  • isocyanate vapours from spray foam insulation and certain spray paints, sealants and coatings
  • carbon monoxide from operating gas-powered equipment in poorly ventilated work environments
  • fumes and vapours from heated asphalt used in roofing and road paving
  • dust and vapours associated with hardwood floor installation and finishing

Employers must take every reasonable precaution to reduce workers’ exposure to respiratory hazards. This includes putting in place:

  • engineering controls (such as local exhaust ventilation)
  • work practice controls (such as using wet-cutting techniques)
  • administrative controls (such as minimizing the number of workers exposed to the hazard)

When workers cannot be adequately protected from respiratory hazards through engineering controls, work practices and administrative controls, employers must provide respiratory protective equipment suitable for the hazard to the workers and workers must use that equipment.

Inspectors will check that:

  • proper controls and work practices are in place
  • respirators are well maintained
  • workers have been trained on how to use the respirators properly
  • respirators are fitted to ensure an effective seal between the respirator and the worker’s face
  • worker exposure to airborne concentrations of hazardous biological or chemical agents listed in Ontario Regulation 833 are under the occupational exposure limits set out in that regulation

Personal protective equipment

From January 6 to March 13, 2020, the ministry will run an initiative focusing on the lack and misuse of personal protective equipment such as foot, eye, hearing and respiratory protection devices.

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: January 6 to March 13, 2020

Partner: Infrastructure Health and Safety Association

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: February 3 to March 13, 2020

Rationale

The ministry issued 7,483 orders from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 for lack of personal protective equipment on projects. This was the second highest violation in construction workplaces for 2017.

Initiative focus

Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be provided to workers wherever there are health or safety risks that cannot be adequately controlled for in other ways. Personal protective equipment can include:

  • respiratory protection devices (for example, respirators)
  • hearing protectors (see the guide to the noise regulation for specific requirements related to noise protection and guidance on selecting hearing protection devices)
  • skin protection devices (for example, gloves or protective clothing)
  • high visibility clothing
  • face shields
  • eye protection devices (for example, eye shields)

Inspectors will focus on checking that appropriate personal protective equipment is being supplied and worn.

Note that the law requires workers to be wearing hard hats and boots at all times while on the project site.

Ministry inspectors will focus inspections in:

  • industrial, commercial and institutional building construction
  • residential building construction
  • civil engineering and roadwork

PPE, including skin and respiratory protection, is also required under Ontario Regulation 833: Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents. Sections 7.1 and 7.2 of Regulation 833 require employers to ensure workers are wearing adequate protective clothing and/or respirators when removing the hazard from the work area or engineering controls are not practical in the situation.

Resources and compliance assistance