Cold weather is inevitable. It comes every year around this time, yet we always feel like it snuck up on us. For outdoor workers, cold weather isn’t just annoying. It’s a hazard.
Exposure to cold weather can lead to things such as frostbite and hypothermia. The problem is that trying to stay warm sometimes creates and [...]
Would you feel safe on a plane that hadn’t had a mechanical check? Or in an elevator that wasn’t regularly serviced? Probably not. We check equipment such as planes and elevators regularly because we know that, over time, wear and tear can put our lives at risk. You need to have the same attitude towards [...]
As summer arrives, so does the hot weather we should all be aware of some tips to prevent heat stress. Remember physical activity at high temperatures can directly affect health and indirectly be the cause of accidents.What Is Heat Stress?
It’s a signal that says the body is having difficulty maintaining it’s narrow temperature range. The heart pumps [...]
We recently received clarification on ladder enforcement. Last month, the MOL provided further clarification on how they plan to deal with ladders. Here are a few of the main points.
1) According to the Construction Regulation, ladders are not work platforms. They are a means of access. In situations where you can use a scaffold or [...]
It has been more than ten years since fall protection training became mandatory for all Ontario construction workers. Yet, in 2008, falls were the cause of more than 50% of traumatic deaths and more than 60% of critical injuries.
These statistics are disturbing. Falls are preventable.
Every worker who has received fall protection training knows [...]
Ontario Ministry of Labour inspectors checked specifically for unsafe work practices in demolition and renovation during an enforcement “blitz” of provincially regulated construction workplaces in August 2008.
Workplace inspections by the Ministry are announced in advance, and results are posted on the Ministry’s website. During such blitzes, inspectors take a “zero tolerance” approach to contraventions of [...]
Starting April 1, Ministry of Labour inspectors will target musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the hazards associated with them. This blitz on MSDs is the coordinated effort of four Ministry of Labour programs: construction, industrial, mining, and healthcare.
Inspectors will pay particular attention to work requiring forceful exertion. In construction, this means tasks such as raising formwork, [...]