Young and new workers at greater risk for injury

Young and new workers in the construction, industrial and healthcare sectors are at an increased risk of workplace injury due to lack of proper training and supervision and lack of worker protection, according to a report resulting from Ontario's summer safety blitz.

Young workers (under 25) face a greater than average risk of injury, as well as new workers of any age who have been on the job for less than six months or who have recently been reassigned.

From May 1, 2010, to August 31, 2010, Ontario Ministry of Labour inspectors conducted a blitz to enforce compliance of the Occupational Health and Safety Act focusing on the health and safety of new and young workers at construction, industrial and health care workplaces.

Construction

During the blitz of construction sector workplaces, inspectors checked workers’ training, fall protection, ladder and scaffold use, traffic control and protection, emergency procedures, WHMIS and the use of proper personal protective equipment.

Problems encountered by inspectors included:

•lack of training and supervision
•lack of personal protective equipment
•improper use of fall protection.

During this blitz, 11 per cent of orders related to personal protective equipment (not including fall protection).

Industrial

Of the orders issued during the blitz of the industrial sector:

•duties of employers, supervisors and workers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act represented 27 per cent
•orders related to health and safety representatives and committees under sections eight and nine of the act represented 16 per cent
•violence and harassment prevention efforts under section 32 of the act accounted for 15 per cent of orders. (Related amendments to the act came into effect on June 15, 2010, during the blitz.)

The inspectors noted:

•lack of training, orientation and supervision
•lack of personal protective equipment
•shortcomings related to the Internal Responsibility System (IRS), as evidenced by the large percentage of orders written to correct contraventions relating to the functioning of the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative.

Health Care

Inspectors focussed on the workplace health and safety of new and young workers in retirement homes, group homes and community health care services.

Targeted hazards and key issues concerned:

•worker job orientation, training and supervision
•joint health and safety committees
•WHMIS program
•workplace violence
•guarding
•fall hazards
•musculoskeletal disorder
•infection prevention and control.

During the blitz, 36 field visits were conducted in 29 health care workplaces; inspectors issued 88 orders. Most of the orders were issued for contraventions concerning:

•taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of workers
•measures and procedures for the health and safety of workers
•material handling.