More than 20 per cent of lost time injury claims accepted by the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) in 2008 were the result of slips, trips and falls. Common injuries include cuts, bruises and broken bones. And as reported by the MOL, 25 per cent of fatalities in workplaces classified as industrial were the result of falls.

This MOL blitz will focus on industrial sector workplaces including retail, wholesale, education, transportation and industrial services. According to the MOL, inspectors will be on the lookout for hazards such as unsafe ladders or work platforms and slippery or cluttered work surfaces. They will also check the functioning of fall protection devices and guardrails.

This blitz is the latest in a series under the MOL's Safe at Work program. Reports from earlier blitzes show the most common orders relate to employer duties to inform, train and supervise workers and to prepare and review (at least annually) a written occupational health and safety policy. A significant per cent of orders relate problems with the joint health and safety committees (JHSC) and health and safety representatives.

Want to know more from the MOL about the slips, trips and falls inspection blitz?

Want to read about a recent employer prosecuted when a worker fell four metres suffering wrist and head injuries?

Want to read the WHSC hazard bulletin Working at Heights?

Want to know about WHSC training for Fall Protection?

Want additional information about WHSC training helping your workplace to meet and exceed JHSC requirements and other legal due diligence call 1-888-869-7950 or call a WHSC near you and ask to speak to a training service representative?