Ask The Expert: Storage Rack Inspections in Ontario

QUESTION

Where in Ontario OHS laws does it say that you need to complete a specific training course to inspect storage racking’

ANSWER

Nowhere.

EXPLANATION

Storage racks are subject to pre-start health and safety review (PHSR) requirements under Sec. 7 of the OHS Industrial Establishments Regs. The PHSR must be performed by a professional engineer. And you don’t get to be a professional engineer unless you take the appropriate courses.

In Feb, the MOL proposed revising the requirements. Instead of a PHSR by a professional engineer, employers would have to ensure that the following tasks are carried out by a person with adequate knowledge, training and experience:

• Installing or uninstalling a storage rack;
• Inspecting the storage rack for wear, corrosion, damage, missing or incompatible parts; and
• Making a record of the results of each inspection and providing them to the employer.

This proposal remains on ice and I believe is unlikely to be adopted by the new Ontario Progressive Conservative government. If I’m proven wrong, you can be certain that we’ll report it in OHSI.