Health care sector trends
Trends in lost-time injuries, fatalities, critical injuries, complaints and work refusals in the health care and community care sector.
Overview of injury data
According to data from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the lost-time injury (LTI) rate in the health care sector was 1.36 per 100 workers in 2018.
Table 1 below shows the number of LTIs, no lost-time injuries (NLTIs) and the LTI frequency rate for Ontario's health care sector from 2014-2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 6,596 | 6,511 | 6,959 | 7,117 | 9,890 |
LTI frequency rate | 1.34 | 1.28 | 1.36 | 1.39 | 1.50 |
Total number of NLTIs | 14,680 | 14,185 | 14,357 | 14,967 | 15,647 |
Source:Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema and Firm Expense Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
The number of workers in the health care sector is generally increasing. Table 2 contains data from Statistics Canada that shows that the labour force in the healthcare and social assistance sector is increasing.
Year | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Workforce estimates | 816,300 | 828,600 | 855,300 | 881,500 | 866,600 |
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0023-01 - Labour force characteristics by industry, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) by sex and age group (Accessed: October 17, 2019).
Table 3 shows how the LTI counts have changed for the most common occupational health and safety hazards in the health care sector from 2014-2018. The proportion of each injury type is shown as a percentage for the 2018 injury count.
Injury type | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 1,436 | 1,369 | 1,512 | 1,682 | 1,815 (23%) |
Falls | 1,264 | 1,103 | 1,194 | 1,264 | 1,435 (18%) |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 1,160 | 1,124 | 1,196 | 1,178 | 1,375 (17%) |
Exposures | 1,044 | 1,079 | 1,039 | 871 | 589 (7%) |
Workplace violence | 684 | 765 | 821 | 860 | 1,006 (13%) |
Contact with/struck by object | 613 | 645 | 673 | 744 | 773 (10%) |
Others (Not coded, fire, explosion, transportation) | 162 | 227 | 349 | 255 | 585 (8%) |
Motor vehicle incidents | 149 | 136 | 129 | 1,151 | 182 (2%) |
Machinery | 84 | 63 | 46 | 72 | 77 (1%) |
Transportation | 12 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 18 (0.23%) |
Fire, explosion | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 (0.08%) |
Source: WSIB (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, rolling June 2014 to 2018 data snapshots, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Health and community care services are provided in a variety of complex settings. Seven settings are covered by The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development Health Care Health and Safety Program:
- long-term care homes (homes for nursing care)
- retirement homes (homes for residential care)
- hospitals
- nursing services
- supported group living residences and other facilities (group homes)
- treatment clinics and specialized services
- professional offices and agencies
Table 4 below shows how the LTI counts and LTI frequency rate have changed for all of the health care settings (rate groups) from 2014-2018.
(2.17)
Rate group | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Long-term care homes | 1,728 (2.28) | 1,760 (2.25) | 1,826 (2.32) | 1,774 (2.31) | 1,700 |
Retirement homes | 305 (2.02) | 320 (2.01) | 292 (1.87) | 334 (2.15) | 298 (1.74) |
Hospitals | 2,172 (1.04) | 2,073 (0.98) | 2,164 (1.02) | 2,095 (0.96) | 2,531 (1.55) |
Nursing services | 970 (1.86) | 821 (1.53) | 1,020 (1.8) | 1,113 (1.83) | 1,275 (2.1) |
Supported group residences and other facilities | 549 (2.92) | 530 (2.74) | 600 (3.07) | 629 (3.2) | 722 (3.57) |
Treatment clinics and specialized services | 655 (0.86) | 781 (0.94) | 843 (1.01) | 893 (1.11) | 1,086 (1.43) |
Professional offices and agencies | 217 (0.47) | 226 (0.47) | 214 (0.46) | 279 (0.54) | 260 (0.51) |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse EIW Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA)
Long-term care homes
Table 5 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for long-term care homes from 2014-2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 1,728 | 1,760 | 1,826 | 1,774 | 1,700 |
LTI frequency rate | 2.28 | 2.25 | 2.32 | 2.31 | 2.17 |
Total number of NLTIs | 3,730 | 3,811 | 3,936 | 4,089 | 4,129 |
Source:Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema and Firm Expense Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 6 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for long-term care homes in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazard | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 370 | 21.8% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 347 | 20.4% |
Falls | 251 | 14.8% |
Exposures | 224 | 13.2% |
Not Coded | 188 | 11.1% |
Workplace violence | 183 | 10.8% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 127 | 7.5% |
Machinery | 9 | 0.5% |
Motor vehicle incidents(MVI) | 1 | 0.1% |
Total | 1700 | 100% |
Source:Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema and Firm Expense Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Retirement homes
Table 7 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for retirement homes from 2014- 2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 305 | 320 | 292 | 334 | 289 |
LTI frequency rate | 2.02 | 2.01 | 1.87 | 2.15 | 1.74 |
Total number of NLTIs | 381 | 393 | 441 | 490 | 541 |
Source: EIW Claim Cost Analysis Schema for all years - snapshot May 2019, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 8 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for retirement homes (homes for residential care) in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Exposures | 117 | 37% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 59 | 19% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 51 | 16% |
Falls | 45 | 14% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 22 | 7% |
Machinery | 8 | 3% |
Not classified | 7 | 2% |
Workplace violence | 5 | 2% |
Other (MVI, fires & explosions) | 3 | 1% |
Total | 317 | 100% |
Source:WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Hospitals
Table 9 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for hospitals from 2014-2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 2,172 | 2,073 | 2,164 | 2,095 | 2,531 |
LTI frequency rate | 1.04 | 0.98 | 1.02 | 0.96 | 1.55 |
Total number of NLTIs | 6,142 | 5,762 | 5,331 | 5,664 | 6,055 |
Source:WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 10 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for hospitals in 2018, and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 599 | 23.7% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 496 | 19.6% |
Falls | 355 | 14.0% |
Workplace violence | 355 | 14.0% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 262 | 10.4% |
Exposures | 214 | 8.5% |
Not coded | 190 | 7.5% |
Machinery | 40 | 1.6% |
Motor vehicle incidents (MVI) | 15 | 0.6% |
Fires and explosions | 4 | 0.2% |
Transportation | 1 | 0.0% |
Total | 2,531 | 100% |
Source:WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Nursing services
Table 11 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for nursing services from 2014- 2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 970 | 821 | 1,020 | 1,113 | 1,275 |
LTI frequency rate | 1.86 | 1.53 | 1.8 | 1.83 | 2.1 |
Total number of NLTIs | 1,864 | 1,863 | 2,050 | 2,209 | 2,245 |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA)
Table 12 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for nursing services in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 341 | 26.7% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 296 | 23.2% |
Falls | 282 | 22.1% |
Motor vehicle incidents | 99 | 7.8% |
Workplace violence | 80 | 6.3% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 78 | 6.1% |
Not coded | 61 | 4.8% |
Exposures | 28 | 2.2% |
Transportation | 6 | 0.5% |
machinery | 4 | 0.3% |
Total | 1,275 | 100% |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Supported group living residences and other facilities (group homes)
Table 13 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for supported group living residences and other facilities from 2014-2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 549 | 530 | 600 | 629 | 722 |
LTI frequency rate | 2.92 | 2.74 | 3.07 | 3.2 | 3.57 |
Total number of NLTIs | 913 | 780 | 870 | 905 | 872 |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 14 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for supported group living residences and other facilities (group homes) in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each .
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Workplace violence | 220 | 30.5% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 134 | 18.6% |
Falls | 123 | 17.0% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 85 | 11.8% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 60 | 8.3% |
Not coded | 50 | 6.9% |
Exposures | 25 | 3.5% |
Motor vehicle incidents | 15 | 2.1% |
Machinery | 8 | 1.1% |
Transportation | 2 | 0.3% |
Total | 722 | 100% |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Treatment clinics and specialized services
Table 15 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for treatment clinics and specialized services from 2014-2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 655 | 781 | 843 | 893 | 1,086 |
LTI frequency rate | 0.86 | 0.94 | 1.01 | 1.11 | 1.43 |
Total number of NLTIs | 1,151 | 1,115 | 1,267 | 1,146 | 1,264 |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot for all years, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 16 show the most common occupational health and safety hazards for treatment clinics and specialized services in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 290 | 26.7% |
Falls | 290 | 26.7% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 164 | 15.1% |
Workplace violence | 143 | 13.2% |
Not coded | 55 | 5.1% |
Exposures | 36 | 3.3% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 27 | 2.5% |
Motor vehicle incidents | 9 | 0.8% |
Machinery | 6 | 0.6% |
Transportation | 2 | 0.2% |
Total | 1,086 | 100% |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Professional offices and agencies
Table 17 shows how the number of LTIs, NLTIs and the LTI frequency rate have changed for professional offices and agencies from 2014- 2018.
Statistics | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of LTIs | 217 | 226 | 214 | 279 | 260 |
LTI frequency rate | 0.47 | 0.47 | 0.46 | 0.54 | 0.51 |
Total number of NLTIs | 503 | 455 | 467 | 461 | 541 |
Source: EIW Claim Cost Analysis Schema for all years - snapshot May 2019, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Table 18 shows the most common occupational health and safety hazards for professional offices and agencies in 2018 and the percentage of LTIs for each.
Hazards | Number of LTIs | Percentage of total LTIs |
---|---|---|
Musculoskeletal disorders: other | 67 | 25.8% |
Contact with/Struck by object | 31 | 11.9% |
Falls | 72 | 27.7% |
Motor vehicle incidents | 25 | 9.6% |
Not coded | 18 | 6.9% |
Exposures | 16 | 6.2% |
Workplace violence | 13 | 5.0% |
Musculoskeletal disorders: client handling | 11 | 4.2% |
Transportation | 3 | 1.2% |
Machinery | 4 | 1.5% |
Total | 260 | 100% |
Source: WSIB Enterprise Information Warehouse (EIW) Claim Cost Analysis Schema, May 2019 data snapshot, courtesy of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA).
Occupational health and safety events and injuries
Occupational health and safety events and injuries reported to The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development are summarized in Table 19.
Events and injuries | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Complaints | 594 | 634 | 735 | 839 | 899 |
Work refusals | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 13 |
Fatalities | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Critical injuries | 124 | 85 | 128 | 212 | 288 |
Statistical notes
- Only critical injury events reported to the ministry are included for each sector.
- This represents data that were reported to the ministry and may not represent what actually occurred at the workplace.
- Some events may not have been classified under a specific subsector at the time data was downloaded for this report.
- The critical injury numbers represent critical injuries reported to the ministry and not necessarily critical injuries as defined by Regulation 834 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
- Non-workers who are critically injured may also be included in the ministry's data.
- The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development tracks and reports fatalities at workplaces covered by the OHSA. This excludes deaths from natural causes, deaths of non-workers at a workplace, suicides, deaths as a result of a criminal act or traffic accident (unless the OHSA is also implicated) and deaths from occupational exposures that occurred many years ago.
- Data subject to change because of inspectors' updates to the database.
Footnotes
- footnote[1] Back to paragraph Percentage in column may not add up to 100 % due to rounding of data.