Construction Health & Safety Program Report

The MLITSD puts together a report for the Provincial Labour Management Health & Safety Committee each month with an overview of events, court bulletins and statistics.

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2023-2024 Industry Compliance Campaigns: Construction inspectors will be focusing on struck-by equipment hazards in specific settings and falls from heights in the single-family residential sector. Learn more

To assist stakeholders with achieving compliance during the year-long MLITSD campaigns, IHSA is highlighting the following resources this month:

• Hoisting Hand Signals Card
• IHSA Distracted Driving – eLearning and in-class programs
• WAH Quick Reference Guide
• Scaffold Awareness eLearning and In-class programs
• Podcast – Episode 6: Working at heights training requirements
• IHSA's Planning your jobsite video.
• Preventing fall hazards on construction sites webinar

2023-2024 Specialized Professional Services compliance plan: The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), through its Specialized Professional Services team, will be focusing on ergonomics, respiratory protection, and asbestos in building structures.

To assist stakeholders with achieving compliance during the year-long MLITSD campaigns, IHSA is highlighting the following resources this month:

• Musculoskeletal Disorders & Ergonomics topic page
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) topic page
• Asbestos topic page
• Occupational Health topic page

Stay tuned for further resources being released throughout the year through the IHSA website

The MLITSD is updating its regulations to improve crane safety on construction sites to keep workers and the public safe and avoid work stoppages. Amendments to various crane-related provisions of O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and amendments to O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports Under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act - Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents) have been made.

Most amendments will come into force on January 1, 2024. Other requirements, including those that may require equipment upgrades, will come into force on January 1, 2025, to provide stakeholders with additional time to comply with the changes. Learn More

Toronto health and safety day

The Toronto Regional Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee is hosting its seventh annual Health and Safety Day at IHSA's Voyager Court location on October 11. This full day event will feature displays, and discussions on hot topics in health and safety. Entry into the event is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item for the York Regional Food Bank.



Save the date!

The Occupational Disease and Research Labour Management Health and Safety Committee will be holding an Occupational Health and Safety Day on November 30, 2023 at 21 Voyager Ct, Etobicoke.

This in-person only event will have presentations on a variety of topics related occupational health and safety. Registration will open mid-October.

Stay tuned for more details.

Committee seeks members

The Occupational Disease and Research Labour Management Health and Safety Committee is looking for management members If you have an interest and can speak knowledgeably on matters concerning occupational health, and want to assist in advancing the goals of the committee, consider joining. Reach out to Jasmine Kalsi to express your interest. 

Hierarchy of controls video

When it comes to working at heights, it is crucial to understand the hierarchy of controls to ensure worker safety. This Safety Talk video, featuring IHSA's Scott Laing, delves into each level of the hierarchy, starting from the safest control measures to the least effective. We explore guardrails, travel restraints, fall arrests, and other controls.

Opioid use and workplace implications for trade sectors

This guide was developed to help employers assess and address opioid related hazards and harms that may occur in the workplace that are within the employer’s control. The hazards listed are not exhaustive and workplaces must assess their own unique hazards.

Structural Steel Erection: An Ironworker's Guide to Health and Safety Best Practices

This resource covers a number of health and safety topics related to construction activities during structural steel erection projects. It details industry-accepted procedures and practices to help workplace parties understand their responsibilities and effectively plan a steel erection project. It also includes a number of sample Job Safety Analyses with typical job steps, hazards, and controls associated with the phases of a steel erection project cycle.

Four new electrical utility advisories

Four new technical advisories have been created to address several safety issues relating to the electrical utility sector and those who work close to electrical plant.

• Overhead powerline covers: Electrical utility workers and their employers (W806)
• Overhead powerline covers: Non-utility workers and their employers (W807)
• Radio and microwave collector/repeaters on utility poles (W808)
• Induced voltage while working in proximity to cell towers emitting radio frequencies (W809)

Latest podcast episodes available

The IHSA Safety Podcast is a free podcast that seeks to improve the lives of workers in Ontario.The latest episodes include:

Episode 65 - Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: COR® 2020 and ISO 45001:2018

Episode 66 - Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: The Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) Model

Fleet safety and transportation news

Access monthly updates, news and events from the Fleet Safety Council and the transportation industry.

CSSE hosts safety conference and expo in Windsor

Join the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering and IHSA representatives on Oct 17 for the Rose City Safety Conference and Expo, a professional development day filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and a chance to explore the latest in safety, health, and environmental practices.

Event highlights include:

• Engaging sessions by industry experts
• Networking opportunities with fellow professionals
• Exclusive exhibitor showcase
• Optional bonus session: How Ontario Legislation Gets Enacted

2023 conference on mesothelioma

The Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation is hosting a conference on November 16, 2023 at the MARS Building (101 College St, Toronto, ON).

Attendees will learn about early detection, promising research directions, and new treatments for mesothelioma. 

CRE-MSD: Psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and mental health poster

The Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD), in partnership with Enhancing the Prevention of Injury and Disability at Work (EPID@Work) and other partners, has created a new poster on the interaction between psychosocial factors, MSDs and mental health. Focusing on psychosocial factors in the workplace may decrease the risk of MSDs and negative mental health outcomes. Workplace psychosocial factors are cultural, social and psychological factors determined at or by the workplace that impact employees’ responses to work and their work environment.