Ontario Construction Safety Blitz Begins

Inspectors Targeting Personal Protective Equipment as Part of Safety Push

The Voice of Canada News:

TORONTO – Ontario workplace inspectors are launching a safety blitz focusing on construction sites, Monte McNaughton, the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development announced.

“We’re doing this to save lives,” said Minister McNaughton. “One death on a job site is one too many. I want everyone in this province to know we’re doing our best to ensure that their loved ones come home safe after a hard day’s work.”

Inspectors will focus on personal protective equipment, which can include high visibility clothing, skin protection (like gloves), face shields, eye protection, and hearing protectors. Without this equipment, workers can suffer cuts, punctures, chemical burns, electric shocks, exposure to excessive noise or vibration, and many other harmful risks.

The blitz, which runs until March 13, 2020, follows four weeks of outreach to the construction sector to educate and assist in safety compliance.

In addition to construction sites, Ministry inspectors will also visit roadwork projects.

“Everyone has a role here,” said Minister McNaughton. “Employers have to provide equipment to their workers and workers have to wear it properly.”

The blitz is part of the government’s Safe At Work Ontario strategy. The goal is to improve worker health and safety by helping employers comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations.

QUICK FACTS

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 Occupational Health and Safety Act violation in construction workplaces for 2017.

Twenty-five per cent of Ontario workers in the construction industry felt their workplace was not safe during the previous 12 months compared to 19 per cent across all sectors, according to a recent survey.