Safety association also offers construction employers additional resources
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development (MLTSD) has begun the first of four planned education and enforcement blitzes for 2022, and the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) is reminding construction employers that there are resources available to help them with compliance.
The focus of the first blitz is on raising awareness of the health and safety hazards associated with motor vehicles and mobile equipment. It will end on June 30.
Previously, Ontario employer Trisan General Contractors Inc. was fined $55,000 for an incident that left one worker critically injured. The worker was working on an excavator at Trisan’s workplace.
IHSA has produced on-demand a webinar that reviews the inspection initiative’s rationale, focus areas, and more. “Informative podcasts will also detail what inspectors will be looking for and how IHSA can help workplaces to ensure they’re prepared,” it said.
Other available resources include:
- Road Safety Solutions – An online portal to help businesses build their road safety program, access practical resources, and register for training.
- IHSA topic pages – Full listings of IHSA’s tools, training, and products related to:
- Motor vehicle incidents
- Struck-by hazards
- Traffic control
- Heavy equipment
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Yard safety
- Manuals and guidelines – Easy-to-understand manuals on workplace health and safety topics, including a comprehensive Construction Health and Safety Manual, Hoisting and Rigging Safety Manual, and Safety Talks Manual covering more than 140 subjects.
- Training and eLearning – Industry-leading courses taught by IHSA experts, on topics including defensive driving, distracted driving, motor vehicle incident prevention, and mobile crane operation.
A period of proactive MLTSD inspection will also take place from May 1 to June 30.
Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of work-related injuries and deaths in Ontario. Likewise, struck-by incidents (including those involving vehicles and mobile equipment) are among the most common causes of lost-time injuries, according to IHSA.
Meanwhile, one construction group is aiming to improve job site safety for women.
