Preliminary results show about one in three retailers in the Huron-Perth region that were visited were non-compliant in the province's COVID-19 workplace safety blitz, according to the Ministry of Labour and Skills Development.
A team of 15 provincial offences officers conducted a COVID-19 workplace safety campaign on between February 2nd and 4th in the communities covered by Huron Perth Public Health, including Stratford, St. Marys, Exeter and Clinton.
The officers visited approximately 137 essential businesses and just over 64% were in compliance with public health requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act. In Huron and Perth, officers issued seven tickets and nine occupational health and safety orders. The most common contravention found was that businesses did not have a safety plan.
Under the lockdown, all businesses operating must have a COVID-19 workplace safety plan that is available to anyone who asks to see it and is posted in a place where it can be easily seen. The plan is meant to put in place controls that help make the workplace safer for everyone. It does not replace the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the Employment Standards Act.
Other top contraventions were related to capacity limits and screening of employees and patrons.
A media release says results to date have demonstrated that the majority of businesses are doing the right things and those that need help can be coached into compliance without penalties.
Inspectors promote and enforce the public health requirements with regards to things like: screening requirements of workers and essential visitors entering workplaces, wearing of masks and PPE (when required), and workplace safety plans for businesses in the public health levels required by the new COVID-19 Response Framework.