Workplace Injury rate down by
20%
Provincial Government Introduces New Plan To Build On Success
Ontario has achieved a 20 per cent reduction in the annual rate
of workplace injuries.
To build on this success, Ontario is launching a new four year
plan--Safe At Work Ontario.
The new strategic plan will emphasize both the safety of Ontario workers and the
increased productivity that safe workplaces bring to Ontario’s economy.
The
Safe At Work Ontario
plan allows ministry inspectors to be flexible and strategic in determining
which businesses require their attention based on a number of factors including:
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Injury rates and associated costs
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A company’s compliance history
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The presence of young workers.
The goal of the plan is to enforce the Occupational Health and
Safety Act while educating workers about the importance of workplace safety and
lessening the burden on the health care system. To achieve this, inspectors will
work with employers to develop a stronger health and safety culture.
“The McGuinty government and its workplace partners are
committed to eliminating all workplace injuries,” said Labour Minister Brad
Duguid. “Workers have a right to come home each day to their families, safe and
sound.”
QUICK FACTS
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A compliance program that ran from April 1, 2004 to March 31,
2008 reduced the workplace injury rate by 20 per cent, or more than 50,000
incidents.
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Because of this drop in the annual rate of lost time injuries,
employers have avoided about $5 billion in direct and indirect costs during the
four years ending March 31, 2008. Reduced injuries also result in less strain on
the health care system, and fewer workers off the job means increased
productivity for Ontario’s economy.
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Ontario employs 430 full-time health and safety inspectors. |