Ontario ramping up COVID-19 inspections in manufacturing workplaces

Ontario is expanding its COVID-19 safety inspections of manufacturing and food processing workplaces, warehouses, and distribution centres.

About 100 provincial offences officers will visit 1,500 workplaces in Toronto, Hamilton, and regions of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York between May 10 and May 28.

In a May 18 news release, provincial officials said that officers made 718 visits to workplaces during the first week of the campaign, inspecting for COVID-19 workplace safety requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act. “Officers are checking that employers screen employees and visitors, ensure workers maintain physical distance and be masked, where needed, and that businesses have safety plans, among other measures,” the statement said.

They are also offering information on workplace rapid antigen screening, supports available for businesses, as well as job-protected Infectious Disease Emergency Leave and paid sick days through the Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit.

Only 15 per cent of businesses inspected last week were flagged for follow-up visits and nine tickets were issued, the province said, which demonstrates that most businesses are following the rules and that workers are being kept safe. Since the beginning of the pandemic, provincial offences officers and occupational health and safety inspectors have done more than 75,000 COVID-19-related inspections and investigations. They have issued over 630 tickets and stopped unsafe work related to COVID-19 93 times during that period.