The provincial government is consulting on proposed regulatory changes that, if approved, would require employers to ensure construction workers complete a construction hazard awareness training program.
“The regulatory proposal supports the Ministry of Labour’s Construction Health and Safety Action Plan that seeks to strengthen workplace injury and illness prevention and help decrease the number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities on construction projects,” the government news release reported. “In addition, the proposal is intended to fulfill Recommendation 16 from the Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health and Safety.”
The ministry is seeking feedback on a regulatory proposal that outlines two training approaches to ensure workers receive awareness training on common construction hazards, including a training standards-based approach. The consultation is also seeking feedback on the content of the draft construction health and safety awareness training program and provider standards that would be established by chief prevention officer George Gritziotis. The draft standards were developed by the ministry and an industry working group made up of employer, labour, small business representatives and subject matter experts.
“Our top priority is the health and safety of our workers,” Gritziotis said in a statement. “These proposed training requirements would help provide workers with awareness of hazards in construction and the need to access the training required to prevent injuries and get home safely to their families every night. We need your feedback to help us shape the future of occupational health and safety training for construction workers here in Ontario.”