Alec Caldwell
Watch out for the current Ontario Ministry of Labour safety blitz
Canadian ContractorThese inspectors are on a mission. Workers without cards that show they have completed Working at Heights training risk being made unemployed!
Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) inspectors are currently blitzing all construction sites in Ontario. They will be in “blitz” mode until July 15, 2016. Their regular enforcement activities will continue after that, of course. They will be swarming all over regular construction work sites, flat roofing projects, residential re-shingling jobs and, yes, even private home renovations projects.
The current blitz covers fall hazards, including working without fall systems, open edges, openings in floors, unsafe portable ladder use, missing guardrails, scaffolding with open edges, scaffolding that is not fully planked or lacking of safety pins. They will be asking for proof of Working at Heights (WAH) training and more.
MOL are aggressively enforcing their new Working at Heights Standard and, in many cases, it will be zero tolerance on everyone found non-compliant. This includes homeowners renting out residences or apartments. These are considered commercial properties and fall under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and WSIB.
If an inspector asks for proof off WAH course completion, failure to produce a training card will normally bring instant unemployment for that worker.
Ontario now has some of the strictest fall protection laws in North America.
Get approved! We offer Working at Heights training that is tailor-made to our industry!
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