Workplace compliance initiatives
Get the schedules for proactive health and safety and employment standards inspections carried out by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
What we aim to do
Each year we schedule compliance initiatives and/or campaigns in specific sectors to:
- protect workers' rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act
- enhance employers' awareness of their responsibilities
We announce the focus of the campaigns/initiatives ahead of time. However, individual workplaces that will be inspected are not notified in advance.
Health and safety in the workplace
Occupational health and safety inspectors will proactively:
- raise awareness about hazards in the workplace
- increase compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations
Compliance campaigns and initiatives
Health and safety compliance campaigns and initiatives focus on specific hazards or topics. Campaigns run for a minimum of 12 months. Initiatives run for a shorter amount of time and are scheduled as needed.
Campaigns and initiatives have two phases.
Education, outreach and awareness
During phase 1 the ministry focuses on education, outreach and awareness:
- We work with health and safety associations to raise awareness and provide resources, training and education to workplace parties (for example, employers, labour associations and workers) on that campaign’s focus.
- The goal is to give workplace parties tools and knowledge to comply with health and safety requirements.
- Workplaces can prepare and access resources or get help before the inspection campaign starts.
Focused inspections
During phase 2 the ministry conducts focused inspections:
- Inspectors conduct field visits to check that employers are complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations, and to raise awareness about specific issues at the workplaces they are visiting.
- Inspectors will engage with workplaces to promote compliance.
- Health and safety associations will continue to provide compliance support.
Employment standards in the workplace
Inspections also take place to check that employers across the province are upholding employment standards. For example, employment standards officers inspect workplaces regarding:
- minimum wage
- hours of work
- overtime pay
- public holidays
- paid vacation
They focus on sectors where:
- there’s a history of violations
- vulnerable workers are employed such as:
- new and young workers
- temporary foreign workers
- workers in non-standard or precarious work
- the number of people working is on the rise
Health and safety campaigns in 2025–2026
Campaigns are organized by sector, with a separate section for campaigns that fall under the areas of expertise of our Specialized Professional Services Unit:
Construction
Learn more about these campaigns and get resources to help comply with the law.
Single-family residential and multi-family residential
April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Campaign includes:
- education, outreach and awareness supported by the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association
- focused inspections
Health care
Learn more about these campaigns and get resources to help comply with the law.
Workplace violence prevention
Phase 1: April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Education, outreach and awareness are supported by the Public Services Health and Safety Association
Phase 2: June 2, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Focused inspections
Industrial
Learn more about these campaigns and get resources to help comply with the law.
Material handling
April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Campaign includes:
- education, outreach and awareness supported by Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and Public Services Health and Safety Association
- focused inspections
Mining
Learn more about these campaigns and get resources to help comply with the law.
Slips, trips and falls
Phase 1: April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Education, outreach and awareness are supported by Workplace Safety North and Infrastructure Health and Safety Association
Phase 2: June 2, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Focused inspections
Specialized Professional Services
These campaigns are led by the ministry’s Specialized Professional Services Unit. The Specialized Professional Services (SPS) Unit provides technical support and expertise to Ministry regional staff in the industrial, construction, mining and health care programs. Learn more about these campaigns and get resources to help comply with the law.
Occupational hygiene: worker exposures to chemical agents in the workplace
April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Campaign includes:
- education, outreach and awareness supported by the:
- Infrastructure Health and Safety Association
- Public Services Health and Safety Association
- Workplace Safety North
- Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
- focused inspections
Occupational hygiene: WHMIS training based on the amended Hazardous Products Regulations
April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Campaign includes:
- education, outreach and awareness supported by the:
- Infrastructure Health and Safety Association
- Public Services Health and Safety Association
- Workplace Safety North
- Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
- focused inspections
Ergonomics – musculoskeletal disorder prevention within the retail sector
Phase 1: April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Education, outreach and awareness are supported by Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
Phase 2: June 2, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Focused inspections
Read the reports
We report the results of compliance initiatives, usually within 90 days.
2023–2024
Health and safety
Construction
Health Care
Industrial
Mining
Specialized Professional Services
2022–2023
Health and safety
- excavations and utility contacts
- storage, use and handling of explosives in surface and underground mines
- high risk traumatic hazards — struck-by, motor vehicle and mobile equipment hazards
- temporary help agencies
- workplace violence prevention
- healthy workers in healthy workplaces — occupational disease
- respiratory protection
- asbestos in building structures
2021–2022
Health and safety
2020–2021
Health and safety
2019–2020
Health and safety
- ground control
- suspended access equipment
- new and young workers
- slips, trips and falls
- workplace violence prevention
- emergency preparedness self-audit
- healthy workers in healthy workplaces
- machine guarding
- personal protective equipment
- group homes
- municipalities (ergonomics)
Employment standards
2018–2019
Health and safety
- new small business registrations and internal responsibility system
- machine guarding
- warehouse and big box retail
- mobile equipment
- reversing equipment
- new and young workers
- working at heights
- conveyor guarding
- 10-month health care sector initiative
- 3-year health care sector initiative
Employment standards
2017–2018
Health and safety
- personal protective equipment and high visibility clothing
- machine guarding and electrical hazards
- falls
- residential projects
- new and young workers
- occupational disease
- supervisor awareness and accountability