Release Date: Sept 22, 2022
Every year over 20,000 Temporary Foreign Workers come to Ontario to work on our farms and in our greenhouses. These workers play a vital role in the industry and in the communities of Ontario. Due to their temporary and new worker status, language barriers and unfamiliarity with Ontario’s occupational health and safety system, Temporary Foreign Workers are considered vulnerable.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) has initiated a Fall Harvest Strategy focused on educating and inspecting farm operations that employ temporary foreign agriculture workers. The initiative has begun and runs September 14 to November 30, 2022.
What inspectors are looking for
- Do workers understand their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)?
- Is there a copy of the OHSA posted?
- Does the workplace have a health and safety policy and program
- Is health and safety information available/accessible in the language spoken by the majority of workers onsite?
- Are workers aware of the hazards in their work and how to perform the work safely?
- Has basic occupational health and safety awareness training has been completed for workers/supervisors (O. Reg. 297/13)?
How to prepare
The following can help you prepare for the initiative:
If you are looking for additional support, WSPS can help. Connect with a WSPS health and safety specialist who can provide guidance, answer questions and review your program.
