Overview

Health and safety inspection initiatives are part of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skill Development’s (MLITSD) commitment to meeting requirements outlined in the ministry’s five-year occupational health and safety strategy, Prevention Works.

We announce these initiatives to sectors in advance. However, we do not identify individual workplaces before conducting a health and safety inspection.

Results from provincial initiatives are posted online. 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, Immigration, Training and Skills Development inspectors are responsible for enforcing the OHSA and its regulations at workplaces across the province. 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.

Ergonomists will support the construction, health care, industrial and mining sector initiatives, including two all-sector initiatives for:

  • motor vehicle and mobile equipment hazards
  • healthy workers healthy workplaces occupational health initiative

Ergonomics — warehousing

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023

The partner for this initiative is Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (PDF).

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: July 4, 2022 to March 31, 2023

MLITSD ergonomists will conduct proactive inspections in warehouses, as well as workplaces that have a warehousing area (for example, larger retail stores).

Rationale

Injury data from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Transportation and Warehousing industry shows that in 2020:

  • musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) and lost-time injury (LTI) rates were above the provincial average
  • this industry had the second highest MSD rate out of all WSIB industries
  • 31% of all injuries were MSDs

Initiative focus

Ergonomists will focus on the following key priorities:

  • musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) prevention
  • manual material handling on ladders
  • visibility hazards

Resources and compliance support

Other inspection focuses

Ergonomics

MLITSD ergonomists will also focus on workplaces that have a history of MSDs. The ministry will develop a list of workplaces from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board data. They will be looked at based on their musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) history and whether or not they have received a previous proactive inspection focusing on MSD prevention.

Resources and compliance support

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.

Hygiene Initiatives

Ministry hygienists will support the construction, health care, industrial and mining sector during their program and cross-program initiatives. In addition, hygienists will also be conducting two all-sector initiatives on:

  • respiratory protection
  • asbestos in building structures

Both initiatives will be running from April 1, 2022 until March 31, 2023.

Phase 1: Compliance assistance

Dates: April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023

Partner(s): Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA), Public Service Health and Safety Association (PSHSA), Workplace Safety North (WSN), Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS)

Phase 2: Focused inspections

Dates: July 4, 2022 to March 31, 2023

Respiratory protection

Rationale

Regulation 833, Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents, and Regulation 490/09, Designated Substances, changed in January 2020 to include a new section on respiratory protection program. Ministry hygienists will be assessing compliance with this section and will be ensuring that workplaces are aware of the requirements of this section.

Initiative focus

MLITSD hygienists will conduct proactive inspections in all workplaces where respirators are provided and used by workers. The inspections will ensure that the following are in place:

  • a written respiratory protection program
  • proper selection of respirators appropriate for the hazard
  • training of workers on the care, use and limitations of respirators
  • fit testing for tight-fitting respirators
  • compliance with the requirements for compressed breathing air systems

Resources and compliance support

Asbestos in building structures 

Rationale

Asbestos-containing materials are present in building structures at many different workplaces. Owners and employers are not always aware of the presence of asbestos in their workplace, or the measures and procedures required to protect their workers from exposure to asbestos. The long latency period associated with the development of an occupational illness from exposure to asbestos highlights the importance of managing asbestos-containing materials in the workplace to prevent worker exposures.

Initiative focus

MLITSD hygienists will conduct proactive inspections in all workplaces where asbestos-containing materials are present in the building structures. The hygienists will assess compliance with Regulation 278/05 Designated Substance — Asbestos on Construction Projects and in Buildings and Repair Operations. The inspections will ensure that the following are in place:

  • an asbestos management program, including maintaining an asbestos record
  • notification of occupants, workers and contractors
  • repair and removal of asbestos-containing materials in poor condition
  • training of workers on the hazards of asbestos exposure
  • measures and procedures for Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 asbestos operations

Resources and compliance support