A snapshot of occupational health and safety in Ontario

Snapshot: 2016

• Number of workers employed in Ontario^{footnote 6[6]}: 6,99 million
• Number of workers employed in workplaces under provincial jurisdiction^{footnote 7[7]}: 6,41 million
• Number of Net New Jobs Created this Year^{footnote 8[8]}: 76,400

Fatalities

• Traumatic Fatalities, MOL & WSIB, by Year of Death^{footnote 9[9]}: 72
• Occupational Disease Fatalities, (WSIB Allowed, By Year of Death) ^{footnote 10[10]}: 136
• Total Workplace Fatalities by year of death (Traumatic + WSIB Occupational Disease) ^{footnote 11[11]} : 208
• Traumatic Fatality Rate (MOL and WSIB per one million workers) ^{footnote 12[12]}:23
• Occupational Disease Fatality Rate (per one million workers) ^{footnote 13[13]}: 2

Injuries

• Lost-time Injury Claims^{footnote 14[14]}: 57,368
• Lost-time Injury Rate (Schedule 1 Employers, per 100 workers) ^{footnote 15[15]}:94
• Lost-time Injury Rate (Schedule 2 Employers, per 10 workers) ^{footnote 16[16]}:96
• Allowed No Lost-time Injury Claims^{footnote 17[17]}: 121,505
• No Lost-time Injury Rate(Schedule 1 Employers, per 100 workers) ^{footnote 18[18]}: 31
• No Lost-time Injury Rate(Schedule 2 Employers, per 100 workers ^{footnote 19[19]}: 05
• Critical Injury Events Reported to the Ministry^{footnote 20[20]}: 938
• Critical Injury Rate(per hundred thousand workers)^{footnote 21[21]}: 62

Ontario’s occupational health and safety system

To protect workers and make workplaces healthier and safer, the occupational health and safety system and its partners are working to train more workplace parties and provide clinical services for workers who have been injured or become ill.

Ontario’s workers and employers require a robust system to support them in creating healthy and safe workplaces. Ontario’s occupational health and safety system consists of a network of key partners – each with a unique role. The partners work together to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities with support from other important players in the occupational health and safety system.

Ontario’s occupational health and safety system key partners

• The Ministry of Labour (MOL):

  • Sets, communicates and enforces workplace health and safety legislation and regulations, and develops, coordinates and implements strategies to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

• The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB):

  • An independent trust agency that administers compensation and no-fault insurance for Ontario workplaces.^{footnote 24[24]}

• Four designated sector-focused Safe Workplace Associations (SWAs):

  • Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA)

    • Serves the construction, electrical, utilities, aggregates, natural gas, ready-mix concrete, and transportation sectors.^{footnote 25[25]}

  • Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)

    • Serves the education and culture, community and healthcare, municipal and provincial government and emergency services sectors.^{footnote 26[26]}

  • Workplace Safety North (WSN)

    • Provides workplace health and safety training and services for the mining and forest products industries, as well as businesses across northern Ontario.^{footnote 27[27]}

  • Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)

    • Serves the agriculture, industrial, manufacturing and service sectors.

• A designated medical clinic

  • Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)

    • Provides inter-disciplinary clinical and prevention services, auditing and consulting services, prevention research and tool development, knowledge transfer and exchange, and health and safety resources to employers and workers in Ontario.^{footnote 28[28]}

• A designated training centre

  • Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC)

    • Provides occupational health and safety training for joint health and safety committees, smaller workplace health and safety representatives, workers and supervisors.^{footnote 29[29]}

• Supporting occupational health and safety partners, including

  • Four Specialized Research Centres

    • The Institute for Work and Health (IWH), Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD), Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), and the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD).

  • Other partners, including

    • Committees appointed by the Minister under Section 21 of the OHSA (“Section 21 Committees”) that advise the Minister of Labour on occupational health and safety matters.
    • Private health and safety trainers and consultants.
    • The Offices of the Worker Adviser (OWA) and the Employer Adviser (OEA).
    • Health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees in workplaces.
    • Unions, worker and employer organizations and associations.

Research and innovation

The Occupational Health and Safety Prevention and Innovation Program supports workplace-focused innovation projects and collaborative partnerships. Launched in 2014, the ministry has invested over $3 million in 24 projects. Projects target the ministry’s strategic priorities by building awareness, promoting education and offering occupational health and safety tools to workplaces and communities. In 2016-17, the OHSPIP supported projects that address mental health, high hazards, and youth and young workers. The projects covered safety issues related to driving, working in nail salons, agriculture and challenges faced by young newcomers. Investing in innovative approaches to health and safety helps ensure that resources are focused on the realities of today’s changing workforce, and on priorities that save lives and prevent injury.

The Research Opportunities Program has produced evidence and solutions that are now being used in Ontario workplaces to improve occupational health and safety. Since 2013, over $8 million has been invested in 39 projects. In 2016-17, ROP investments addressed various strategic priorities, including the highest hazards, promoting a culture of health and safety, and preventing occupational disease. Issues studied included mining safety, the effectiveness of joint health and safety committees, protecting workers from reprisals and occupational cancer prevention. The program shares knowledge to make it more widely available, which also encourages collaboration among workplace parties and OHS organizations. Looking to the future, the program also builds research capacity by providing opportunities to students and young researchers.