After a week that saw four construction workers killed on the job in Ontario, the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) is asking contractors to pause and double down on their commitment to safety.
In a bulletin to its members, the OGCA asked contractors to meet with management teams and workers to, “deliver a message that nothing is more important than safety, to use caution and to stay focused on the job at hand. Our commitment must be that every worker returns home safe to their family.”
“The OGCA is strongly recommending that all contractors across the province take a moment for a Safety Stand Down with their workers to reflect on these recent tragedies. After reflecting, we encourage a safety talk, noting that safety is everyone’s responsibility, that workers and supervisors need to stay focused, and that the construction industry needs to remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring every member of our construction family goes home safely.”
Three recent accidents on Ontario construction sites killed four people and injured five others:
- A four-storey apartment building under construction partially collapsed killing two men and injuring four others.
- A scaffolding deck collapsed at a downtown Toronto construction site killing one worker.
- A five-tonne concrete slab struck two workers at an Oshawa construction site, killing one and injuring another.
“We are distressed by the rash of workplace fatalities on our province’s construction sites in the last few days,” the OGCA wrote in last week’s bulletin. “Our hearts go out to all the families, friends, colleagues and co-workers of those now dealing with this tragedy. Construction is often referred to as a family, and collectively we are all hurting.
Noting that workers are facing stress from COVID-19, changes in seasons, and the rush to finish work before the holiday season, the bulletin is a reminder to put safety first.
“It is essential that everyone comes to work fully fit for duty, focused on the tasks at hand, and that contractors put safety above all other pressures,” he wrote.
“At the OGCA, we are committed to making Ontario one of the safest places in the world to work. We work from the perspective that one injury is too many and that every accident is preventable. We will never be satisfied and will work tirelessly to improve safety.”
Anyone with questions about health and safety, please visit the OGCA website or contact Erich Schmidt, government and stakeholder relations associate, at erich@ogca.ca.