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Part of Inspections

OHS proactive inspection program

OHS officers focus inspections on specific industry sectors, employers or types of work.

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  • OHS proactive inspection program

Overview

Each year, Occupational health and safety (OHS) proactively inspects workplaces to monitor compliance with legislation. Engaging with worksites proactively, before an incident has occurred, is an essential component to OHS’s compliance strategy. In any given year, OHS’s proactive program will span a variety of industries and work activities and are not limited to the published Proactive inspection initiatives listed below.

Proactive inspections seek to identify and address matters related to:

  • general compliance with OHS provisions
  • fatality, injury and occupational exposure prevention
  • functional Internal Responsibility Systems (IRS)
  • empowering worksite parties to operate within their rights, responsibilities and obligations under OHS legislation

While proactive inspections activity can occur in any workplace, in any industry, OHS directs these efforts to worksites and sectors with:

  • relatively high injury and illness rates
  • high frequency of incidents
  • low levels of OHS compliance
  • emerging trends

Inspection programs help work site parties identify health and safety hazards and measures to mitigate the hazards. More information on prevention priorities for the OHS system is available in the Prevention Initiative for Alberta's OHS System.

How inspections are done

An OHS officer’s role is to monitor compliance with the legislation through review of records and documents, observations and conversations with work site parties. OHS officers may take measurements, samples, photos or recordings. A record of the inspection will be provided to work site parties at the conclusion of a site visit.

Work site parties are responsible for correcting any non-compliance identified by the OHS officer.

OHS officers may re-inspect sites to check on previous non-compliance with OHS laws.

Proactive inspection initiatives

Programs will run from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

A central aspect to OHS’s proactive program is the establishment of inspection initiatives which dedicate OHS efforts on a particular hazard, issue, or within particular sectors or industries for a defined duration of time.

Under each initiative, OHS will work with employers and workers to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities and to proactively address health and safety concerns. Each proactive initiative has specific areas of focus, based on the most common hazards and incidents in those industry sectors. In addition, OHS will focus on educating industry sectors on the OHS Code changes most relevant to them.

  • Manufacturing

    The initiative industry sectors include:

    • Steel and metal products –industrial electric equipment
    • manufactured products – coating/heat treating
    • metal furniture
    • steel excluding foundries
    • steel/metal fabrication 
    • welding
    • carpentry and wood products – cabinets and counters
    • finishing carpentry
    • furniture
    • wood products  
    • transit mix operations

    Specific areas of focus for this initiative include:

    • hazard assessments
    • internal responsibility system
    • emergency preparedness
    • musculoskeletal injury prevention 
    • general safety precautions
    • environment, work process, tools, equipment, and machinery
    • cranes, hoists and lifting devices
    • powered mobile equipment

    Miscellaneous parts of the OHS Code:

    • Part 2 – Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control
    • Part 13 – Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives
    • Part 7 – Emergency Preparedness and Response
    • Part 12 – General Safety Precautions
    • Part 14 – Lifting and Handling Loads
    • Part 6 – Cranes, Hoists and Lifting Devices
    • Part 15 – Managing the Control of Hazardous Energy
    • Part 19 – Powered Mobile Equipment

  • Mobile Community Services

    This proactive initiative will reduce risk and verify compliance in industries that expose workers to hazards presented by roadside service work such as uncontrolled, high-risk environments where exposure to traffic, the public, and weather conditions significantly increase the likelihood of serious injury or worker fatality.

    The initiative industry sectors include:

    • towing – towing auto vehicles
    • ambulance – health care services (private, public and other)
    • fire services – fire protection co-operatives, m. d’s, cities, towns and villages
    • contract waste collection or disposal services (not including municipal-owned)

    Specific areas of focus for this initiative include:

    • hazard assessments
    • internal responsibility system
    • violence and harassment
    • working alone
    • personal protective equipment
    • biohazards
    • musculoskeletal injury prevention 

    Miscellaneous parts of the OHS Code:

    • Part 2 – Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control
    • Part 13 – Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives
    • Part 27 – Violence and Harassment
    • Part 4 – Chemical Hazards, Biological Hazards and Harmful Substances
    • Part 28 – Working Alone
    • Part 35 – Health Care and Industries with Biohazards
    • Part 18 – Personal Protective Equipment
    • Part 14 – Lifting and Handling Loads

  • Liquor and Convenience Stores

    The initiative industry sectors include:

    • convenience stores – food and convenience stores
    • liquor stores – liquor, wine, beer sales outlets

    Specific areas of focus for this initiative include:

    • hazard assessments
    • internal responsibility system
    • emergency preparedness
    • violence and harassment
    • working alone
    • musculoskeletal injury prevention 
    • general safety precautions
    • first aid

    Miscellaneous parts of the OHS Code:

    • Part 2 – Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control
    • Part 13 – Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives
    • Part 7 – Emergency Preparedness and Response
    • Part 27 – Violence and Harassment
    • Part 28 – Working Alone
    • Part 14 – Lifting and Handling Loads
    • Part 12 – General Safety Precautions
    • Part 11 – First Aid
    • Schedule 2 – First Aid

  • Focused initiatives

    Focused initiatives are proactive inspection initiatives without a determined initiative end date. The focused initiatives duration will depend on the time required for OHS to appropriately address the identified industry sectors and areas of focus.

    The focused initiative industry sectors include:

    • arenas
    • autobody, automotive repair, auto dealers and auto wreckers
    • residential and commercial construction
    • exhibitions
    • nail salons
    • swimming pools
    • underground garage services
    • restaurants and catering 
    • hotels and convention centres 
    • day homes and day care centres  
    • steel and metal fabrication 
    • machining 
    • wholesaling
    • outdoor sports and recreation

     

Major Projects Program

As part of OHS’s proactive strategy, OHS officers will be conducting inspections at identified major project locations across Alberta.

Major projects are private and public sector projects in Alberta valued at $5 million or greater and are a critical component of Alberta’s economy and reputation.

  • Objective

    The objective of this core work is:

    • consistent application of regulatory oversight, provincially
    • increased awareness of OHS law
    • increased and sustained compliance with OHS law

  • Industry sectors

    The industry sectors included with this program are:

    • commercial
    • industrial
    • infrastructure
    • institutional
    • mixed-use
    • oil and gas
    • pipeline
    • power
    • residential
    • retail
    • tourism/recreation

  • Areas of focus

    Specific areas of focus for this program plan will be:

    • prime contractor obligations
    • internal responsibility system
    • hazard assessment, elimination and control
    • employer duties for equipment, work site infrastructure, or excavation
    • competency of supervisors
    • the right to meaningful participation in the control of hazards
    • the right to refuse dangerous work
    • availability of worker training, procedures, reports, plans, required equipment, equipment inspections and supplies
    • tasks associated with caught, contact or struck with object, tools or equipment (mechanism of injury)

  • OHS Code changes

    Relevant code changes are:

    • Part 27 – Violence and Harassment
    • Part 33 – Explosives
    • Part 37 – Oil, Gas and Geothermal Energy
    • Miscellaneous parts of the OHS Code
      • Part 18 Personal Protective Equipment
      • Part 5 Confined Space
      • Part 10 Fire and Explosion Hazards
      • Part 11 First Aid
      • Part 31 Diving Operations
      • Part 40 Utility Workers – electrical
      • Part 41 Work Requiring Rope Access
      • Schedule 2, Tables 5, 6 and 7

Our Frequently Asked Questions resource provides more information about the Major Projects Program.

Chronic Noncompliance Program

To achieve safe and healthy workplaces throughout Alberta, OHS officers will be conducting inspections at work sites that have been identified by OHS as chronically noncompliant.

Chronic noncompliance exists when OHS assesses that a work site party (WSP) is unwilling or unable to move to a state of sustained compliance. This lack of movement originates from one, or many obstacles, hindering this required movement.

  • Objective

    The objective of this core work is:

    • identify the WSP’s obstacle(s) to obtaining compliance
    • establish the expectation that the WSP will achieve and sustain compliance with OHS law 
    • reinforce accountability under OHS law 
    • protect worker health and safety using appropriate enforcement and compliance tools to ensure sustained compliance 

  • Industry sectors

    This program will include all industry sectors across Alberta.

  • Areas of focus

    Specific areas of focus for this program include, but are not limited to:

    • obligations of employers, supervisors, workers, service providers, etc.
    • internal responsibility system
    • hazard assessment, elimination and control
    • competency of supervisors and workers

  • Key OHS Code sections

    Key sections include, but are not limited to:

    • Part 2 – Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control
    • Part 13 – Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives
    • Part 27 – Violence and Harassment
    • Part 4 – Chemical Hazards, Biological Hazards and Harmful Substances
    • Part 28 – Working Alone
    • Part 18 – Personal Protective Equipment
    • Part 14 – Lifting and Handling Loads
    • Part 12 – General Safety Precautions
    • Part 18 – Personal Protective Equipment

  • Key OHS Act sections

    Key sections include, but are not limited to:

    • Part 1 – General Obligations
    • Part 2 – Health and Safety Committees, Representatives and Programs

Reinspection Program

To achieve safe and healthy workplaces throughout Alberta, OHS officers will be conducting reinspection’s at work sites where contraventions have been previously identified, and compliance tools have been utilized.

Inspections will occur in the 6 to 18-month period after the original inspection(s) conclude to determine whether or not the corrected issue remains resolved and in a state of sustained compliance.

Under this program, work sites are selected through a random sampling process. Selection does not imply that OHS considers the work site to be at risk of noncompliance.
 

  • Objective

    The objective of this core work is:

    • assess if the initial contravention(s) remain in compliance
    • reinforce accountability under OHS law 
    • protect worker health and safety using appropriate education, enforcement and compliance tools to ensure sustained compliance 

  • Industry sectors

    This program will include all industry sectors across Alberta.

  • Areas of focus

    Specific areas of focus for this program include, but are not limited to:

    • obligations of employers, supervisors, workers, service providers, etc.
    • internal responsibility system
    • hazard assessment, elimination and control
    • competency of supervisors and workers

  • Key OHS Code sections

    Key sections include, but are not limited to:

    • Part 2 – Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control
    • Part 13 – Joint Health and Safety Committees and Health and Safety Representatives
    • Part 27 – Violence and Harassment
    • Part 4 – Chemical Hazards, Biological Hazards and Harmful Substances
    • Part 28 – Working Alone
    • Part 18 – Personal Protective Equipment
    • Part 14 – Lifting and Handling Loads
    • Part 12 – General Safety Precautions
    • Part 18 – Personal Protective Equipment

  • Key OHS Act sections

    Key sections include, but are not limited to:

    • Part 1 – General Obligations
    • Part 2 – Health and Safety Committees, Representatives and Programs

Resources

Contact

Connect with OHS:

Phone: 780-415-8690 (Edmonton)
Toll free: 1-866-415-8690 
TTY to voice: 711
Voice to TTY: 1-800-855-0511

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