Time-based orders the most common
The Ontario Ministry of Labour issued 8,851 orders during its two-month musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) blitz late 2010. Twenty-seven per cent of these orders were specifically related to MSD hazards.
The ministry visited 2,778 workplaces in the industrial, health care, construction and mining sectors.
Overall, the most common orders issued were time-based and were for training, maintaining equipment, keeping floors free from obstacles, materials handling and taking every precaution reasonable under the circumstances for the protection of workers.
The orders most often written under the Industrial Regulation related to obstructions on floors (interfering with safe movement of materials); unsafe material lifting, carrying and moving; unsafe storage of material; and lack of examination of lifting devices.
The orders most often written under the Health Care and Residential Facilities Regulation related to the absence of written measures and procedures on MSD hazards; lack of consulting with the joint health and safety committee on written measures and procedures or training; lack of an annual review of measures and procedures; unsafe handling and storage of materials; unsafe transportation and storage of materials; inadequate space beneath a seated laboratory workbench; and floors not cleared of obstructions and hazards.
The orders most often written under the Construction Regulation related to unsafe access to a site above or below ground level; debris and waste material not removed to storage; material moved and stored unsafely; route to or from a work area not maintained in safe condition; poor equipment maintenance; and boxes used as a platforms.
The most common orders written under the Mining Regulation related to unsafe access to vehicles; vehicles not maintained in safe condition; haulage roads not well maintained; and unsafe access to equipment or workstations.