Focus on manufacturing, health care, construction sites and ore mines
Ontario will perform four targeted safety blitzes at workplaces across the province this fall.
In September and October, inspectors from the Ministry of Labour will visit construction sites to check on supervision. In October and November, inspectors will be visiting manufacturing and industrial workplaces to review machine guarding hazards and repetitive strain injuries.
In October and November, health care workplaces will be inspected for the quality of its prevention and control of infections. In November and December, inspectors will look at the transfer of ore in underground mines.
During blitzes, inspectors will check on condition and maintenance of safety equipment, worker training, the use of safety equipment and other potential health and safety hazards to help prevent workplace injuries.
The blitzes are part of Ontario's enforcement strategy to increase compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations. The blitzes are also targeting new and young workers, temporary help agencies and construction traffic. This summer, blitzes also targeted tower cranes and pits and quarries.
"We're working to improve health and safety and prevent injuries and deaths at Ontario workplaces. These blitzes will help raise awareness of the some of the hazards that can lead to tragedy, "said George Gritziotis, the province’s chief prevention officer
Since 2008, ministry inspectors have conducted more than 345,000 field visits, 43 inspection blitzes and issued more than 560,000 compliance orders in Ontario workplaces.
