Ontario is focusing on falls from height and collisions on construction sites in 2024-2025

Photo: Adobe Stock

The Ontario government is highlighting falls from heights and collisions at construction sites across the province.

From April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, it will conduct two enforcement campaigns. One will focus on falls from height and the other will focus on collisions.

Falls from height in single-family homes and multi-family homes

From April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, it will implement a health and safety campaign targeting falls from height in:

• housing construction for single-family homes, including roof renovation
• multi-family housing in urban areas

During these visits, an emphasis will be placed on falls from height during roofing and framing work, the report said.

Phase 1: Compliance support

Dates: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025

The ministry will work with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association and industry experts to produce and publish a series of podcasts on fall-related topics Falls from height compliance support tools and packages.

Phase 2: Targeted inspections

Dates: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025

Reason for campaign

Between 2018 and 2022, there were 412 serious injuries and 45 fatalities in the Single-Family Housing subsector (RESS). Between 2018 and 2022, there were 333 serious injuries and 25 fatalities in the Multi-family housing subsector (RESM).

The residential subsector stands out significantly as the leading source of critical injuries and fatalities from falls, compared to other subsectors.

The construction health and safety program (CHSP) worked with field employees, IHSA and stakeholders to identify the trade/occupation and the likely root cause of these incidents and develop a multi-pronged approach to address this issue.

Campaign focus

That of the ministry CHSPtogether with the Prevention Department and the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA), will continue to work together to tackle the hazards associated with falls from heights in residential construction and roof renovation, the report said.

Mandatory fall protection training for people working at heights was a priority recommendation from the Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health and Safety. In 2015, the ministry implemented a workplace training standard to prevent falls and improve safety for employees working at heights. Certain employees must complete a work-at-height training program approved by the Chief Prevention Officer, the report said.

The training requirement applies to workers on construction projects who use any of the following fall protection methods:

• travel security systems
• fall mitigation systems
• fall arrest systems
• safety nets

Employers are reminded that employees should also receive additional site-specific training regarding project hazards and the fall protection systems used on site. The 2024-2025 Fall from Heights campaign will cover both working at height training and site-specific training requirements.

Inspections

Inspectors will focus on:

• training related to:
  • working at height training to meet requirements Ontario Regulation 297/13 – Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Trainingsection 6
  • general and site specific training for working at heights to meet the requirements in Ontario Regulation 213/91 — Construction Projectsparagraph 26.2
  • basic health and safety training for employees and supervisors to meet healthcare requirements Ontario Regulation 297/13 – Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Trainingsections 1 and 2
• plan fall protection in advance
• the use and condition of fall protection equipment and devices
• guardrail systems
• emergency and fall rescue plans
• the internal accountability system (tax authorities)

Affected by material, equipment and vehicles

From April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) will implement a health and safety campaign targeting activities where workers may be affected by material, equipment and vehicles.

Phase 1: Compliance support

Dates: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025

The ministry will work with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association and with industry experts to produce a series of podcasts on related topics and publish compliance support tools and packages.

Phase 2: Targeted inspections

Dates: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025

Reason for campaign

Between 2018 and 2022, there have been 359 serious injuries and 38 fatalities due to ‘struck equipment’. These affected companies are fairly evenly distributed across most subsectors of the construction industry. The CHSP will work with the field, IHSA and stakeholders to clearly identify the likely root cause of these incidents in an effort to develop a multifaceted approach to addressing this problem.

Campaign focus

Inspectors will check:

• operation, maintenance of equipment
• storage or handling of material
• inspection of rigging equipment
• training of workers for material handling activities
• Sign the person in place when necessary

Small companies

Most companies (97%) in Ontario’s construction industry have fewer than 50 employees. In the residential construction subsector, almost all companies (99%) are small companies. Small business owners have limited time and resources to:

• know and understand OHSA requirements and responsibilities
• identify hazards and how to control them
• find resources they can use to develop and implement a health and safety program to keep their employees safe

The province says it is working with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) for the Falls from Heights and Struck-by campaigns to create health and safety resources. It offers:

• short, easy-to-access podcasts for any campaign to help workplace stakeholders understand the hazards in their workplace
• QR codes during each of our field visits to direct small businesses and their employees directly to the site IHSAs sources