Province appoints more inspectors, creates online COVID plan tool
The Ontario government has launched a series of resources designed to help businesses weather the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province announced on September 27 that it has graduated more than 100 new health and safety inspectors. The new recruits bring the province’s total roster of inspectors to more than 500—the greatest number ever employed by the government. The workers will be deployed immediately to workplaces in the construction, industrial and health care sectors with a mandate to educate workers and businesses about Ontario’s vaccine-certificate initiative.
“As we fight the fourth wave of COVID-19, we need all hands on deck,” said Labour, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton. “With 100 more inspectors, these boots on the ground across our province will help keep workers safe and support businesses to remain open. Our government’s inspectors will be patient, lead with education, and be reasonable to business owners and frontline workers implementing the vaccine certificate.”
The province also announced that it has launched its Workplace Safety Plan Builder, a free tool designed to help workplaces to create and update their COVID-19 safety plans. The tool was developed specifically to support small businesses and was designed with their input.
The tool walks employers through a process to create and update an online safety plan that is right for their workplace. It also allows for easy customization and employers who sign up for updates will be notified when information is changed, allowing them to stay up to date with current guidance and requirements.
Having a written safety plan is mandatory for businesses permitted to be open under the Reopening Ontario Act.
“Running a small business during COVID-19 is a challenge unlike any other,” said McNaughton. “Our safety plan builder is here to help our local merchants and shopkeepers create and adjust their plans with the click of a button, having confidence they’re following the latest health and safety measures for their employees and customers.”
Since March 2020, provincial inspectors have conducted more than 65,000 COVID-related workplace inspections, issuing 79,200 orders and 102 stop-work orders.
Data from the most recent visits, conducted over the summer, shows the education assistance provided by inspectors helped double the number of businesses who were fully compliant with their responsibilities under the Reopening Ontario Act.