The province's labour ministry has announced its latest safety blitz initiative, targeting hazards posed by tower cranes at various workplaces across Ontario.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is launching its latest safety inspection blitz, targeting tower crane hazards during the month of June, labour minister Charles Sousa announced today.
Ministry of Labour inspectors will be climbing tower cranes at construction sites in the Greater Toronto and Niagara areas. According to a statement from the ministry, the inspectors will check for compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations, focusing on:
- safe access and fall prevention
- maintenance and operational testing records
- crane operator training and certification, and
- various other safety hazards.
Protecting construction workers is part of the government's continued commitment to preventing workplace injuries through its Safe at Work Ontario strategy.
“Tower cranes are an obvious sign that Ontario’s economy has turned a corner and people are working. But we have to make sure those workers and the public are safe. For their sake and for their families, we’re going to ensure that tower cranes are inspected and properly maintained,” said Sousa in a statement.
In March, 2011, a worker died as a result of a tower crane incident in the Kitchener area. Between 2006 and 2010, four workers were seriously injured in tower crane incidents at construction sites across Ontario. Since Safe At Work Ontario was launched in June 2008, the province’s team of more than 400 safety inspectors has conducted 30 proactive inspection blitzes across all sectors, the ministry said.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is launching its latest safety inspection blitz, targeting tower crane hazards during the month of June, labour minister Charles Sousa announced today.
Ministry of Labour inspectors will be climbing tower cranes at construction sites in the Greater Toronto and Niagara areas. According to a statement from the ministry, the inspectors will check for compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations, focusing on:
- safe access and fall prevention
- maintenance and operational testing records
- crane operator training and certification, and
- various other safety hazards.
Protecting construction workers is part of the government's continued commitment to preventing workplace injuries through its Safe at Work Ontario strategy.
“Tower cranes are an obvious sign that Ontario’s economy has turned a corner and people are working. But we have to make sure those workers and the public are safe. For their sake and for their families, we’re going to ensure that tower cranes are inspected and properly maintained,” said Sousa in a statement.
In March, 2011, a worker died as a result of a tower crane incident in the Kitchener area. Between 2006 and 2010, four workers were seriously injured in tower crane incidents at construction sites across Ontario. Since Safe At Work Ontario was launched in June 2008, the province’s team of more than 400 safety inspectors has conducted 30 proactive inspection blitzes across all sectors, the ministry said.
