Alberta provincial safety inspectors are launching a campaign targeting worksites that use forklifts and other powered mobile equipment.

Thomas Lukaszuk , the minister of employment and immigration, said the government is increasing Occupational Health and Safety inspections starting Tuesday.

“I have instructed my officers to inspect sites throughout Alberta where forklifts and similar equipment are typically used,” he said.

“If necessary, they will issue stop-use orders on the machinery or even stop-work orders for the site. There is no excuse for worker health and safety to be at risk.”

The inspections, Lukaszuk said, are a response to injuries and fatalities involving forklifts and other similar equipment over the past few years and will continue for several weeks.

“Forklifts have been identified as one piece of equipment that has been very contributory to injuries and fatalities,” Lukaszuk said.

“Whether it’s the piece of equipment or [the] operator’s inability to use it properly or [the] operator’s lack of training or modification to this equipment, that is another story.”

Officers will focus on hazards related to such things as worker training, competency and supervision, safe operation of equipment as well as maintenance and modification of equipment.

Once the focused inspections and re-inspections are complete, the results will be shared with the public, including the total number of inspections and the number of orders issued.

This is the first of three targeted inspection campaigns this year. The others will focus on young workers and residential construction.