5/13/2025

MLITSD retail inspections coming soon: What you need to know

Material handling hazards can lead to injuries affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves.

Convenience store inspection stock image

MLITSD ergonomist will start with a walk-through of your workplace to ensure your business is in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Photo: Shutterstock

In every store, materials are received, unpacked, stocked, stored, sold and delivered—a process known as material handling. Material handling hazards can lead to injuries affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves (also called musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs), falls from ladders, and struck-by injuries.

To reduce injuries resulting from these activities, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) is running an inspection campaign of retail operations from June 2, 2025, through to March 31, 2026. Stores of all types and sizes will be visited.

“This campaign was launched in response to a growing number of material handling injuries in retail environments,” says Laura Veldhuyzen, WSPS Specialized Consultant (Ergonomics). Statistics show that within the retail sector, MSDs account for 30% of all lost-time injury claims; struck by injuries account for 18% (WSIB). “Between 2020 and 2024, the retail sector also had the second highest injury count for lost-time ladder-related injuries,” adds Laura.

MSDs can occur during manual material handling activities that involve heavy lifting, twisting and turning, overreaching, and repetitive work. Falls from ladders can occur when ladders are placed on an unstable surface, at the wrong angle, or when workers use improper climbing techniques or overreach. Struck by injuries may happen when shelving is unstable or overloaded, or when pedestrians and equipment are not kept away from each other.

The inspection process

“The MLITSD ergonomist will start with a walk-through of your workplace to ensure your business is in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA),” says Laura. (See Section 25 (1) (b) and Section 25(2) (a), (d) (h)). The walkthrough may involve:

observing tasks as they are performed, such as lifting, moving, placing and retrieving materials
taking measurements to determine MSD risk
reviewing work areas and tasks, including delivering, receiving, storage, and point of sale
examining equipment used for transporting, moving and accessing loads

The ergonomist may also inquire about:

Your Internal Responsibility System (IRS)

Do you have a joint health and safety committee (JHSC) or a Health and Safety Representative?
Are they carrying out required monthly workplace inspections, including documenting MSD hazards?
Are you posting the required documents in an accessible place?

Previous workplace injuries

Have workers experienced MSDs or other injuries?
What tasks were involved that led to these injuries?

Policies and procedures

What related health and safety policies and procedures do you have in place? Including:
- MSD prevention
- material handling
- ladder use
- storage practices
- vehicle/pedestrian safety

Safety training

What types of training do workers receive?

The MLITSD ergonomist will also ask to see documentation, including policies and procedures, and training records. “If the inspection reveals a contravention of the OHSA, the ergonomist can issue orders or require the workplace to reassess the risk of a particular hazard,” notes Laura.

Inspection in a convenience store stock image

Are workers struggling or straining? Are items too heavy/awkward? Can you reduce the weight of the boxes to something more manageable? Photo: Shutterstock

How to prepare for the inspection

Review your material handling activities, risks, and controls to ensure you have covered everything, suggests Laura. “If you spot a red flag, take action right away.” Here are Laura’s five tips:

Look for awkward posture, high force, repetitive movements, twisting and bending during material handling. Are workers struggling or straining? Are items too heavy/awkward? Can you reduce the weight of the boxes to something more manageable? Or use carts?
Pay attention to housekeeping. “If there are extra boxes on the floor, workers will have to stretch to reach over them. If possible, move items to allow for a better flow of goods,” notes Laura.
Make sure items are stored safely. “If goods are stacked too high, they will be difficult to access and are more likely to fall and strike a worker,” explains Laura. “Too low? Workers will have to bend repeatedly, putting strain on their backs.” Also, is the storage system stable?
Are workers using the proper type of ladder, and is it in good condition? Have they received training on ladder safety?

Monitor equipment/pedestrian interactions inside and outside in the parking lot and receiving areas. Are workers wearing high-visibility clothing? Do you have pedestrian walkways?