Overview

When Ontario workers and employers need information and services to improve workplace health and safety, it should be easy to find, regardless of which system partner they first contact. Integrated service delivery ensures that all workplaces receive accessible, affordable, consistent programs and services that meet their needs. System partners work together to make it easier for everyone to access the system and understand legislative and regulatory requirements with a variety of tools and approaches. This includes awareness, education, compliance support and enforcement. More collaboration among system partners means information and resources reach more people, which results in safer and healthier workplaces.

Integration activities

Labour open house

Employment & Social Development Canada (ESDC) partnered with Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA), Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to host the 6th Annual ESDC Labour Program’s Open House in Mississauga on May 10, 2017. This free, full-day event invited federally-regulated firms to speak directly to health and safety system partners about how to comply with legislation. The 360 attendees were able to network and learn about prevention efforts. The spirit of collaboration between health and safety associations and the ESDC was a key component of this event.

There were sessions on a variety of occupational health and safety and prevention topics including:

  • ergonomics
  • mental health in the workplace
  • psychological health & safety standards
  • employer due diligence
  • workplace accident investigations: from theory to practice
  • noise prevention

Safety Groups

Safety Groups is a program administered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Each Safety Group is made up of companies in the same industry that come together to share their health and safety experience and resources and to improve their prevention systems.

IHSA sponsored two Safety Groups: A Construction/Electrical and Utilities Safety Group and a Transportation Safety Group. IHSA also joined forces with Public Services health & Safety Association (PSHSA), Workplace Safety North (WSN) and WSPS to sponsor a Northern Ontario Safety Group. Each Safety Group focuses on five key areas and success is measured by improving in those areas. If the targets are met, the group is rewarded, and each member firm receives an additional rebate to their standard experience-rating rewards.

In 2017, IHSA undertook a recruitment campaign using letters, social media and other promotional tools to bring new companies into the Safety Groups program.

Research Day

In November 2017, the Ministry of Labour organized Research Day. At this one-day conference on occupational health and safety research, participants shared and discussed the findings of the ministry-funded research projects. Research Day also included discussions on future occupational health and safety research priorities and provided networking opportunities for participants. More than 180 researchers and representatives from health and safety associations as well as labour organizations joined the conference.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) guide

In July 2017 the ministry published a guide to WHMIS 2015, including information for employers, workers and suppliers, and a guide to the transition from WHMIS 1988 to WHMIS 2015. WHMIS 2015 is the federal government’s revision of WHMIS 1988, modified to incorporate the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The GHS is also being implemented in many other countries, including the United States, Australia and members of the European Union.