Employers of new and young workers continue to be the subject of Ontario Ministry of Labour (Ministry) enforcement activities.

A Campbellford, Ontario company has recently been fined $100,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure a trailer was placed or stored so that it would not tip, collapse or fall.
 
On January 16, 2017, an 18-year old employed by Min-Tech Marketing Inc., a recycling company, was using a propane torch to melt ice formed around the landing gear legs of a transport trailer. As the ice melted, the legs collapsed causing the trailer to fall. This resulted in the worker being pinned against a second trailer. A Ministry of Labour (Ministry) investigation found, “The worker was fatally injured as a result of being pinned between the two trailers.” The worker had been left alone to complete the work.  
 
On July 18, 2018, Min-Tech Marketing Inc. plead guilty for failure to ensure the measures and procedures outlined in section 45 (b)(i) of the Industrial Establishment Regulation (O. Reg. 851) were carried out as required by section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Ministry inspectors are also currently conducting a workplace health and safety enforcement blitz of businesses that typically hire young and new workers during the summer months.  
 
Among many employer obligations, the Ministry will seek to confirm employers have provided mandatory training and competent supervision. The functioning of joint health and safety committees or health and safety representatives plus measures and procedures in place to protect workers from workplace hazards is also part of this enforcement initiative.
 
For employers with new workers, many of whom are young, compliance with these and other basic protections, including training, is particularly important given these workers are three times more likely to be injured in the first month compared to those with more than one year of experience. Research demonstrates newness to the job combined with uncontrolled hazards is at the root of these injuries.

WHSC offers a host of training programs and resources to assist workplaces seeking to comply with their extensive obligations to provide information, instruction and supervision to workers to protect their safety and health. Good places to start include awareness training for workers, supervisory competency along with joint health and safety committee and worker representative training.

Beyond these programs, WHSC offers a comprehensive catalogue of training to assist workplaces in meeting many additional specific and general training obligations. These range from working at heights and lockout/tagout to GHS WHMIS and transportation of dangerous goods.

To learn more call 1-888-869-7950 and ask to speak to a training service representative or email contactus@whsc.on.ca.