Ontario Compliance Alert: MOL Reveals Its 2019 OHS Inspection Targets

QUESTION TO ONTARIO EMPLOYERS
Is your workplace targeted for an OHS inspection this year’

That crucial question is much easier to answer now that the Ministry of Labour (MOL) has released its slate of scheduled inspections for 2019. To prepare and avoid surprises, check the Tables below to find out when each inspection campaign begins, the health and safety issues it focuses on and the sectors it covers.

Table 1. New Ontario MOL OHS Inspection Initiatives for 2019

Inspection Dates (2019 unless otherwise indicated) Focus Target Sector(s)
Feb 1 to March 29 Machine Guarding Industrial
Feb 3 to March 13 PPE Construction
April 1 to March 31, 2020 Ergonomics Municipalities
April 1 to March 31, 2020 General Work Site Health & Safety Hotels
April 15 to July 12 Slips, Trips & Falls All Sectors
July 15 to Aug 30 New & Young Workers Industrial
Aug 6 to Sept 27 Suspended Access Equipment Construction
Aug 6 to Sept 27 Ground Control Mining
Aug 16 to Sept 27 Workplace Violence Prevention Health Care
Oct 1 to Dec 27 Musculoskeletal Disorders & Respiratory Hazards All Sectors
Feb 3, 2020 to March 13, 2020 Group Homes Health Care
Feb 17, 2020 to March 31, 2020 Machine Guarding Industrial

In addition to these new targeted inspection initiatives, the MOL will spend the first 3 months of 2019 wrapping up the scheduled inspection campaigns it began last year, as summarized in Table 2.

Table 2. Current Ontario MOL OHS Inspection Initiatives Continuing in 2019

Completion Date (2019) Target Sector(s) Focus
March 31 Industrial Internal Responsibility System ‘ Newly Registered Small Businesses
March 31 Construction Internal Responsibility System
March 31 Mining Internal Responsibility System ‘ Occupational Disease Prevention
March 31 Mining Electrical/Mechanical ‘ Mine Hoist Plants
March 31 Health Care Internal Responsibility System – Workplace Violence Prevention
March 31 Cross-Sector Chemical Handling ‘ Chemical Manufacturing
March 31 Cross-Sector WHMIS
March 31 Cross-Sector Ergonomics Related to Falls (Ladders, Stairs, Access Platforms)
March 31 Cross-Sector Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention in Metal Fabrication
March 31 Cross-Sector Municipalities
June 30 Health Care Health Care High Hazards