The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) goes way back in time. It can be traced to the eighth century B.C in the famous poem “Homers Odyssey”. In the poem, there was a brief description of Laertes using gloves to…
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What MLTSD Inspectors are Focusing on in 2020
Every year the Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development (MLTSD)* inspects thousands of workplaces to see if they are operating in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations (OHSA). And every year, their inspectors hand out…
$62,500 Penalty for Company After Worker Falls from Ladder
A St. Thomas manufacturer has been fined $62,500 after pleading guilty to violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The conviction stems from an incident in September 2018 when a worker was critically injured after falling from a stepladder. …
5 Topics Your Supervisors Must Be Trained on in Ontario
Anyone who has ever had a supervisor knows how big an impact that person has on the workplace. Employee satisfaction, productivity, and safety all hinge on having competent supervisors. One study showed that a supervisor’s technical competence is the single…
6 Key Steps to Protect Workers from Respiratory Hazards
Beards and facial hair are a trend that is not going away any time soon – however, are they safe for the workplace? While their popularity is growing, they pose a safety hazard for individuals who require respiratory protection at…
Who is Responsible for Health and Safety in the Workplace?
Do you know your responsibilities when it comes to health and safety? If you don’t, you’re not alone. Owners, managers, and workers across the province think it’s someone else’s job. But it’s not. Every single person in an organization has…
Update: Employer Civil Liability for Workplace Violence, Bullying, or Harassment
In a precedent-setting decision issued in 2017, Justice Vallee of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that an employee named Constable (Cst.) Merrifield was entitled to damages because he was harassed in the workplace by his superiors at the…
How to Prevent MSDs – The Number One Workplace Injury
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are the number one workplace injury in Canada. They account for the most lost-time injury claims and the most lost-time workdays. In 2017, MSDs cost Ontario employers $72 million in claim related expenses and resulted in 462,000…
Four Ways to Protect New and Young Workers
New workers are 3 times more likely to be injured on the job than more experienced workers. In 2017, there were 6 traumatic fatalities and 7,956 lost-time claims reported among workers aged 15-24. These are just the reported claims, some…