It will be interesting to see the results of the Ontario safety blitz mentioned in the news story "Ontario targets forklifts in safety blitz" in Forkliftaction.com newsletter 447, February 4, 2010.

Listed below is additional information from the Ontario Ministry of Labour e-magazine "Newsroom":

Blitz Focus

Ontario Ministry of Labour inspectors will pay particular attention to industrial sectors where incidents most often occurred. These include:

* Retailers
* Wholesalers
* Transportation
* Automotive
* Wood and Metal Fabrication
* Food, Beverage and Tobacco
* Offices and Related Services (employment agencies that supply non-clerical labour to industrial workplaces)
* Chemical, Rubber and Plastics
* Industrial Services
* Utilities
* Mushroom Farms and Greenhouse Operations

Ministry inspectors will also target workplaces:

* Identified as being high-priority due to possible lifting devices and forklift hazards;
* Known to have highly hazardous processes and equipment;
* Where complaints have been received; and
* Where there is a poor compliance history.

Priorities

Inspectors will focus on the following key priorities:

* Lifting Device Inspection and Maintenance: Inspectors will check to ensure employers are maintaining equipment in good condition to prevent mechanical or operational failures, undertaking repairs as necessary and examining lifting devices to determine their load capacity. They will also check to ensure lifting devices are adequately built and equipped to ensure the safety of workers.

* Operation of the Lifting Device by a Qualified Person: Inspectors will check to ensure workers have the training, knowledge and experience to operate lifting devices and that forklift trainees are accompanied by a trained individual. Inspectors will review training records and question workers and their supervisors on their familiarity with the equipment being used in the workplace, procedures for working in the vicinity of lifting devices and possible hazards. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure workers operating lifting devices are up-to-date on required training.

* Safe Work Environment: Inspectors will check to ensure employers are taking specific reasonable precautions to protect workers who are working in the area of forklifts and lifting devices. This may require the use of protective barriers, qualified signal persons, warning signs or other safeguards. Employers should conduct a comprehensive workplace assessment of vehicular and pedestrian traffic to determine appropriate safeguards to use in their workplace.