Construction site safety comes under the microscope

Following the Christmas Eve 2009 deaths of four maintenance workers, the Ontario Ministry of Labour has conducted a campaign of inspections of over 2,800 construction sites in 90 days.  The campaign focused on what Labour Minister Peter Fonseca called "bad apples" - companies with previous complaints and violations.

The results were unsettling:

• 853 missing or incorrect use or maintenance of guardrails;
• 629 missing or incorrect use or maintenance of suspended scaffolding;
• 442 missing or incorrect use or maintenance of fall protection systems;
• 296 violations involving worker training and records;
• 294 violations involving ladders;
• 237 violations involving stairs;
• 101 violations involving elevating work platforms;
• 76 violations involving suspended scaffolds and boatswain's chairs;
• 54 violations involving window cleaning;
• 439 other violations including flat roofing work, platforms, runways, and ramps.

The blitz resulted in 784 construction sites being shut down through stop-work orders.

Fonseca promised that a 1-800 number would soon be put into place for anonymous reporting of dangerous work sites.

Posted by: gisela on 2010-05-14 11:32:20

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