Construction inspectors blitz Ontario sites

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has announced the areas its inspectors will be focusing on during routine visits to construction sites across the province.

The ministry routinely releases its schedule of enforcement blitzes well in advance to allow employers to make the necessary improvements to workplace practices and to get their workers trained as may be required in order to pass the scrutiny of an MoL inspection. Here are the MoL’s scheduled blitzes:

In May and June the Ministry of Labour construction inspectors will visit workplaces where vehicles, mobile construction equipment and pedestrian workers may be present and target projects where there is:

• hazard of being struck by a moving construction equipment or vehicles or
• material that moves in an unexpected or uncontrolled manner.

Inspectors will focus on:

• project planning and organization to avoid or reduce the reverse operation of vehicles
• supervision
• proper movement of material and equipment
• trained signal persons and equipment operators
• high visibility clothing
• dump truck equipped with automatic audible alarm when operated in reverse

In the July – August period, inspectors will visit workplaces where trenching activity is being performed to ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.

In the October – November timeframe  construction inspectors will visit workplaces where heavy equipment is being used to ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.

New and Young Worker

In May to August, the Ministry of Labour industrial inspectors will visit workplaces where new and young workers may be present. They will check for compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations. The Ministry has indicated that it will not be targeting construction with this blitz.