Backgrounder
Document d'information

05-30
For Immediate Release
March 22, 2005

REDUCING WORKPLACE INJURIES

TORONTO--The McGuinty government plans to reduce workplace injuries by 20 per cent through a comprehensive, integrated health and safety strategy using education, training, legislation/regulation and enforcement. The goal is that, by 2008, there will be 60,000 fewer workplace injuries per year. On average, there are almost 300,000 workplace-related injuries per year, with about 100,000 serious enough to require people to miss work.

A 20 per cent reduction over four years would result in approximately 60,000 fewer injuries by 2008, including 20,000 fewer injuries of the type serious enough to require people to miss work.

Targeting poor performers (The High Risk Initiative)

The government's plan will focus on workplaces with the highest injury rates and costs. More than 30,000 workplaces, representing ten per cent of the companies insured by the WSIB, are responsible for some 40 per cent of all injuries and costs incurred. These workplaces were determined based upon the cost of their lost-time injuries since January 1, 2000.

By assisting and educating these workplaces with high injury rates on healthier and safer work practices--while continuing to give priority to investigating workplace fatalities, critical injuries, work refusals, work stoppages and immediate hazards to worker health and safety--lost-time injuries can be reduced by 20 per cent. This will have significant benefit for Ontario's health and safety system and the quality of life for the people of Ontario.

The bottom two per cent--6,000 high-risk workplaces--are being targeted by Ministry of Labour inspectors. The ministry has hired an additional 100 inspectors, who have now graduated from their first phase of training and are being deployed across the province. An additional 100 inspectors will be hired by March 2006.

Inspectors will visit these sites four times a year, focusing on workplace hazards to help firms reduce on-the-job injuries. Although these workplaces represent just two per cent of all firms insured by the WSIB, they account for 10 per cent of all lost-time injuries and 21 per cent of injury costs in Ontario.

Assistance to other high-injury workplaces (The Last Chance Initiative)

The remaining high-injury workplaces that are not currently targeted for inspections will be offered assistance to voluntarily improve their health and safety performance. These workplaces will be contacted by the WSIB and the relevant health and safety association, and offered education, assistance and support to deal with their health and safety challenges. This assistance will be offered to 5,000 workplaces per year for five years. Regular ministry oversight will continue, even if the workplace accepts the assistance.

Five sectoral health and safety associations are involved in this initiative:

The Industrial Accident Prevention Association (agri business, ceramics and stone, chemicals and plastics, food and beverage, high tech, leather, rubber and tanners, metal trades, printing trades, textile and allied industries and woodworking)
The Ontario Service Safety Alliance (wholesale, restaurant and food, hospitality, office and related services)
The Health Care Health and Safety Association (nursing care, homes for residential care, hospitals, nursing services, group homes, treatment clinics and services)
The Construction Safety Association of Ontario (construction)
The Electrical and Utilities Safety Association (generation, oil, power and water distribution, power line clearing and telecommunications lines contracting and communications industries).

The associations will work with the workplaces in their sectors, first offering assistance to deal with immediate problems. They will then work closely with the workplace parties to refocus them toward self-reliance in health and safety through continuous improvement. The ultimate goal is to have these workplaces embrace the Occupational Health and Safety Act and dedicate themselves to a better working environment.

Results--benefits to business

The combination of education, training, legislation/regulation and aggressive enforcement is expected to achieve the government's goal of reducing workplace injuries by 20 per cent by 2008. Such a reduction would see a real, tangible benefit to businesses through cost savings. Studies have shown that companies with strong health and safety programs have higher productivity and morale.

A 20 per cent reduction in injuries should result in an estimated $300 million in cost savings for the WSIB, providing greater stability to the system. As well, workplaces that improve health and safety reduce their operating costs, with a positive impact on the bottom line.

The WSIB estimates the average lost time injury/illness costs were $72,000 per injury in 2003. This includes the direct costs to the WSIB of $14,000 in benefit payments, and an additional cost of $58,000 to the workplace. Workplace costs could include such items as management time spent on injury/illness related issues, employee replacement costs, injury investigations, staff communication, overtime for other employees, production delays, equipment repair, compliance with Ministry of Labour orders, WSIB audits, and possible fines.

As well, the government's campaign to reduce workplace injuries will help businesses by rooting out those who do not comply with the law to gain an unfair, temporary advantage over their competitors. It will ensure that everyone plays by the same rules.

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Media Contacts:

Belinda Sutton
Ministry of Labour
416-326-7405

Backgrounder Document d'information