What is a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) in Ontario?

A Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) is an engineering review required under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Regulation 851. It ensures that new or modified structures, racking systems, and industrial setups are safe, compliant, and structurally sound before use.

In simple terms, a PSR is a proactive engineering process that confirms everything is designed and built to perform safely before the system is put into service.

When Is a PSR Required?

A PSR must be completed before the structure or equipment is placed in service or commissioned for use. It applies to any change or installation that could affect worker safety or structural performance, including:

• New or modified racking systems, mezzanines, or platforms

• Guardrails, barriers, or equipment supports added to an existing structure

• Crane runways, hoist supports, or mechanical frames

• Any alteration that changes load paths, bracing, or foundation conditions

These reviews are mandated by Ontario’s safety regulations and must be performed by a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) prior to use.

What Does a PSR Involve?

A PSR includes both design review and on-site verification to confirm compliance with the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and relevant engineering standards. Typical steps include:

• Reviewing design drawings and load calculations

• Inspecting anchorage, bracing, and overall stability

• Identifying deficiencies or safety concerns

• Issuing a sealed engineering report with findings and recommendations

For pallet racking systems, the engineer also validates the as-built configuration, anchorage, and load-capacity placards to mitigate risk and prevent collapse.

The Engineer’s Role

A PSR is more than a regulatory formality — it’s an engineering safeguard. The reviewing engineer ensures the structure behaves as intended under real loads, confirms “as-built” conditions match approved plans, and provides solutions if issues are identified.

 This process protects clients, contractors, and end users by verifying that every structural component performs as designed.

Why PSRs Matter

Completing a PSR demonstrates due diligence and a commitment to workplace safety. It prevents:

• Stop-work orders or regulatory penalties

• Structural instability or failure

• Expensive retrofits due to non-compliance

In essence, a PSR confirms that the structure is both designed and installed to perform safely and reliably under its intended service loads.

Final Thoughts

A well-executed PSR combines regulatory compliance, sound engineering judgment, and practical constructability — ensuring that safety is verified long before operations begin.

At Parsways Inc., our engineers conduct PSRs with precision and practical insight, ensuring every structure we review is safe, efficient, and compliant from day one.