MLITSD Inspection Blitz 2025-2026: What's Getting Targeted

The 2025-2026 Hit List

Every year, MLITSD announces their enforcement priorities. Translation: these are the violations they're actively hunting for.

Here's what's on the radar:

1. Material Handling (April 2025 - March 2026)

Forklifts, cranes, conveyors, manual lifting. If it moves product, it's getting scrutinized.

Common hits:

• Operators without current certification
• No pre-shift inspections (or no documentation)
• Pedestrian traffic in forklift zones
• Overloaded equipment

2. Chemical Agents (Extended Campaign)

WHMIS is getting extra attention. Inspectors are checking:

• SDS availability (within 15 minutes rule)
• Label compliance (especially decanted containers)
• Worker training records
• Exposure controls for listed substances

The December 2025 HPR deadline changes made this a hot topic. If your SDS sheets are outdated, fix it now.

3. Workplace Violence Prevention

Healthcare, retail, and social services are primary targets. But any workplace with public interaction is fair game.

They're looking for:

• Written violence policy (not just harassment)
• Risk assessments
• Reporting procedures workers actually know about
• Follow-up on reported incidents

4. Retail Ergonomics

Repetitive strain injuries in retail environments. If you've got workers doing the same motions all day - scanning, lifting, stocking - expect questions about your MSD prevention program.

Blitz announcements aren't suggestions. They're a roadmap to where fines will come from — and MLITSD doesn't hide their priorities.

What This Means for You

Blitz announcements aren't suggestions. They're a roadmap to where fines will come from.

The smart play:

1. Self-audit now. Walk your facility looking for exactly what inspectors will look for.
2. Document everything. Training records, inspection logs, hazard assessments. If it's not written down, it didn't happen.
3. Fix the obvious stuff. Missing labels, expired certifications, blocked safety equipment - the easy hits.

Understanding How MLITSD Enforcement Works

When an MLITSD inspector arrives at your workplace, they have broad authority under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). They can enter any workplace without notice during regular business hours, examine documents and records, test equipment, take photographs, and interview workers privately. Understanding this authority helps employers prepare appropriately.

Inspectors issue two main types of orders: compliance orders requiring you to fix a specific violation within a set timeframe, and stop-work orders that immediately halt operations until conditions are corrected. Stop-work orders are issued when an inspector believes an imminent danger exists. For the 2025-2026 enforcement priorities, expect inspectors to have specific checklists aligned with material handling, WHMIS, workplace violence, and retail ergonomics.

Failing to comply with an inspector's order is itself a violation. Under OHSA section 66, individuals can face fines up to $100,000 and corporations up to $1,500,000 per offence. Directors and officers can face personal liability if they failed to take all reasonable care to prevent a contravention.

Preparing for a Material Handling Inspection

Material handling is the 2025-2026 headline priority for a reason: it accounts for a significant portion of Ontario's serious workplace injuries. To prepare for a material handling inspection, start by verifying that all powered industrial truck (forklift) operators hold current, site-specific certification — not just a generic ticket but evidence of practical training on the specific equipment they operate.

Walk every forklift route and identify pedestrian conflict points. Inspectors expect physical segregation through barriers, floor markings, or procedural controls, not just a verbal instruction. Pre-shift inspection logs must be on-site and complete. A logbook with blank lines or identical entries every day will immediately attract scrutiny.

For crane and hoisting operations, verify that all lifting equipment has current load ratings posted and annual inspections documented. Rigging gear — slings, shackles, hooks — must be inspected before each lift and removed from service if damaged. There should be a designated signal person and a clear lift plan for any complex or overhead work.

A logbook with blank lines or identical entries every day will immediately attract an inspector's scrutiny. Document pre-shift checks accurately — every shift.

What Inspectors Look For in WHMIS and Violence Programs

For the chemical agents campaign, inspectors will ask to see Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any hazardous products in use. Under the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) December 2025 deadline, SDS documents must be in the updated format (Section 1-16). If you're still using the old MSDS format or have SDS sheets that are more than three years old without a supplier update, this is a priority fix.

Workers must be able to access SDS immediately — the "15-minute rule" means that if a worker asks for an SDS and it takes more than 15 minutes to produce it, that alone can result in an order. Labels on decanted or site-mixed containers must include the product name, hazard pictograms, and signal word at minimum. A masking tape label with just "cleaning solution" written in marker is not WHMIS compliant.

For workplace violence assessments, inspectors look for a written policy that specifically addresses violence (separate from harassment), a workplace violence risk assessment that identifies actual hazards in your specific environment, and evidence that workers were consulted and are aware of the procedures. The risk assessment must be specific — a generic template downloaded from the internet with your company name inserted is insufficient. It must reflect your actual workplace layout, client or customer profile, and incident history.

After the Inspection: Responding to Orders

If an inspector issues an order, respond to it as if it is the most important document on your desk that week — because it is. Every order specifies a compliance date. Missing that date without contacting the inspector and negotiating an extension is treated as a new violation.

When completing corrective actions, document everything: what you changed, when you changed it, who was involved, and what training was updated. Take photographs of both the before and after conditions. If the order requires a systemic change — such as developing a new procedure or delivering training to all workers — keep attendance records and signed acknowledgements.

Some orders require the employer to respond in writing to confirm compliance. Send that response before the deadline and keep a copy. If you believe an order was issued in error, you have the right to request a review through the Ontario Labour Relations Board within 30 days of receiving the order. However, contesting an order does not suspend your obligation to comply with it in the meantime.

Bottom Line

MLITSD doesn't hide their priorities. They publish them. The only question is whether you'll use that information to prepare, or wait until an inspector shows up. If you need help, our safety consulting team can conduct a compliance gap assessment.