Province sets up hotline that public, workers can use to report unsafe conditions
The Government of Ontario is launching an eight-week campaign with its health and safety partners to urge workers and employers to put safety first on construction sites across the province.
The province kicked off the campaign at a construction site in Toronto on July 28, emphasizing the need for everyone on the job to train properly, be aware of dangers and keep everyone safe. The tour will be making a number of stops across the province including Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, Kingston and Peterborough.
A new workplace safety toll-free phone number is also now available. The public and workers can call (877) 202-0008 to report labour practices or work conditions that appear unsafe.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Labour, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association, the campaign targets construction sites and local offices with important information that will increase awareness of enforcement and safety.
This campaign follows a recent 90-day safety enforcement blitz of more than 2,800 Ontario construction sites. During the blitz inspectors found many violations related to missing or inappropriate use of guardrails, scaffolding and fall protection systems and supervisor and worker training.
The poster
The Ontario Ministry of Labour posted this poster on its Twitter account on July 29, calling it the "chief poster" in its construction campaign.
Quick facts
•Since 2005, Ontario has doubled its staff of full-time occupational health and safety inspectors to 430 — including 157 construction inspectors.
•This workplace safety campaign has been developed in multiple languages to reach thousands of workers, employers and supervisors across the construction sector.
•An expert panel, led by former Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Minister of Labour Tony Dean, is now examining Ontario's occupational health and safety system and will make recommendations this fall on workplace safety issues.
