Workplace education and safety awareness campaign comes to KFL&A

The Multi-Ministry Education and Safety Awareness Team, which consists of provincial offences officers from across Ontario, will be visiting the KFL&A region later this month. They will provide business owners with guidance on how to operate safely during the pandemic and comply with public health requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act, according to a release from KFL&A Public Health, dated Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020.

According to the release, the Ontario government has launched a series of education and safety awareness campaigns to ensure businesses across the province are taking the necessary steps to keep employees, consumers and the public safe. These campaigns support the current efforts of police, municipal by-law officers, and public health inspectors to educate businesses and ensure compliance with the COVID-19 health and safety requirements.

The Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington region will welcome the Multi-Ministry Education and Safety Awareness Team to several communities in KFL&A on December 15 and 16. During this 2-day campaign provincial offences officers will be visiting local businesses (e.g., retail stores, restaurants, and gyms) to provide guidance on how to operate safely during the pandemic and comply with public health requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act, according to the release.

Public Health says businesses will be emailed a report after the visit, and these campaigns are developed in consultation with local health units and support Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework under the Reopening Ontario Act.

To date, over 1,000 workplaces have been visited in other communities across Ontario, and the response from business owners and operators has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Public Health.

These inspections are primarily focused on education and outreach – confirming that businesses are doing the right things and keeping employees, consumers and the public safe and providing them the opportunity to contact public health for continued support, says KFL&A Public Health. The most common areas of non-compliance during all campaigns to date have been improper mask use, lack of employee screening, and improper sanitization.

For more information for businesses and workplaces, visit KFL&A Public Health’s website or for up to date information on COVID-19, visit the Ministry of Health’s website.