The Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development recently announced that the majority of small businesses are taking the necessary steps toward protecting their workers and customers from Covid-19.
In total, 339 educational visits took place in Durham Region from February 25-27, and 57 follow-up visits took place between March 11-19. Inspections will continue alongside multi-ministry teams to help businesses do their part to stop the spread of Covid-19, said a ministry statement.
It said during follow-up visits, provincial offences officers found that approximately 73 per cent of businesses were in compliance with public health measures and compliance increased by 20 per cent.
“The overwhelming majority of small business owners are protecting their workers and customers from Covid-19. Sometimes they just need a bit of help, which we’re here to provide,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “With inspectors out every day across the province, this balance of education and enforcement is ensuring businesses of all sizes follow the rules. Our government’s education-focused workplace safety blitzes have demonstrated that businesses are learning to operate safely during Covid-19 and appreciate the support and guidance from the province.”
From February 25 to 28, 110 provincial offences officers conducted over 1,000 Covid-19 related workplace safety visits in Durham Region, Eastern Ontario and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph. The majority of the visits were made to small businesses, with fewer than 25 employees, which had been closed during the provincial shutdown. Follow-up visits in early March have shown significant improvement, especially in the areas of masking, screening and using Covid-19 workplace safety plans.
Occupational health and safety inspectors and multi-ministry teams of provincial offences officers have conducted more than 15,800 Covid-related workplace inspections and investigations across the province since the beginning of 2021. During those visits, they’ve issued over 11,900 orders and 410 Covid-19 related tickets, and stopped unsafe work related to Covid-19 a total of 20 times.
These initiatives, in consultation with local public health units, include targeted blitzes of big-box stores, small businesses and the farming sector, with a particular focus on areas of high transmission such as breakrooms.