How To Improve Health And Safety In Manitoba

Transcription

1 PRESENTED TO: WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD OF MANITOBA PREPARED BY: MNP CONTACT: Meyers Norris Penny LLP Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 3K6 Rossana Buonpensiere MNP Consulting Phone: Fax: DATE: June 25, 2010

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary...i 1.0 Introduction and Background Objectives and Scope Framework Illness and Injury Prevention Infrastructure and Environment in Manitoba Infrastructure Defined Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba Workplace Safety & Health Division Industry and Safety Associations Labour Organizations For Profit Organizations Illness and Injury Prevention in Other Jurisdictions British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Ontario Newfoundland & Labrador Stakeholder Consultation Results Infrastructure & Leadership Governance & Management Services and Capacity Best Practices Investments and Achievements in Illness and Injury Prevention Construction Sector Agricultural Implement Manufacturing Subsector Restaurants And Catering Subsector Conclusions Recommendations...31

3 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Industry Levies to Fund Safety Associations, present...6 Figure 2: Responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety...13 Figure 4: OH&S Costs Per $100 Assessable Payroll...14 Figure 3: OH&S Costs as % of Premium Revenue...14 Figure 5: Funding and Incentives for Safety...15 Figure 6: Time Loss Injury Rate and Safety Services by Sector...23 Figure 7: Time Loss Injury Rate by Sector...26 Figure 8: Construction Sector Injury Rate...27 Figure 9: Impact of change in time loss injury rate - Construction...27 Figure 10: Manufacturing Sector Injury Rate...28 Figure 11: Impact of change in time loss injury rate Agricultural Implement Manufacturing...28 Figure 12: Restaurants and Catering Subsector Injury Rate...29 Figure 13: Impact of change in time loss injury rate Restaurants and Catering...29

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) and the Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) have partnered in the development of the Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy (JIIPS). This strategy includes a more aggressive approach to injury prevention, with the goal of reducing the provincial time-loss injury rate to 3.5 per 100 workers by Achieving this goal, and the continued reduction in workplace injuries and illness, requires an effective infrastructure of services and supports to workplaces. The WCB engaged MEYERS NORRIS PENNY LLP (MNP) to undertake a review and analysis of Manitoba s provincial infrastructure for services related to the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. The study was informed through development of an inventory of organizations delivering workplace injury prevention services, stakeholder consultation, a review of practices in other jurisdictions, and analysis of existing data, including investments in injury prevention programming, historic and current injury rates by sector. Overview of Manitoba Infrastructure Infrastructure includes the legislation, and government, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations that provide services related to protection, promotion, education and capacity to support workplace injury and illness prevention in Manitoba. The WCB s primary role in injury prevention is promotion creating public awareness, motivating employers, and funding research. The WCB s SAFE Work Services unit provides data, training and consulting to registered employers through sector specific resources for select industries. SAFE Work Services participates in outreach activities with safety organizations and educational institutions and has promoted safety through public advertising campaigns, prevention materials, programs and resources accessible through its website. The WCB also administers industry funded levies that support the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM), Manitoba Heavy Construction Safety Program (MHCSP), Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) and SAFE Hospitality. WSHD s primary role in injury prevention is protection, through inspection, enforcement and training. WSHD provides training for employers/employees and Health & Safety Committees focusing on legislative duties and responsibilities, has a video resource library, and client service personnel to answer questions, register complaints and serious incident reports. WSHD also works with organizations to help review technical information, participate in conference planning, and advise on issues such as rights, responsibilities and requirements under the Act. In addition to the WCB and WSHD, 102 non-government organizations are currently listed as providing workplace injury prevention (safety and health) services in Manitoba, including 82 for-profit providers. Labour organizations also provide safety and health training and programs for their members. The following organizations were included in the review: Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Safety Program Canadian Agricultural Safety Association Canadian Society of Safety Engineering Construction Safety Association of Manitoba MFL Occupational Health Centre Manitoba Heavy Construction Association Safety Program Mines Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba Retail Safety Council SAFE Hospitality SAFE Workers of Tomorrow Safety Services Manitoba United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 832 Manitoba Government and General Employee s Union Manitoba Federation of Labour i

5 Other Jurisdictions Funding and organizational mandates for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) vary by jurisdiction. OH&S costs ranged from 2.8% to 9.3% of workers compensation premium revenue. Manitoba is approximately in the middle of this range. Ten of the twelve jurisdictions provide or administer funding for safety associations; five of the twelve provide incentives (premium discounts) for safety programs. MNP gathered more detailed information from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. All of these jurisdictions work with industry associations to support injury prevention. While the resources devoted varied, all cited the associations as a vital part of the infrastructure. BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan all had more associations and more safety certification programs than Manitoba. Ontario recently merged 12 associations into 4 organizations with a broader, multi-sector mandate. BC, Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland provide premium discounts to employers with certified safety programs. Themes from Stakeholder Consultation Infrastructure & Leadership: Stakeholders agreed there has been significant progress in Manitoba and Manitoba was often seen to compare reasonably well to other provinces. The injury prevention industry itself is fragmented, made up primarily of quite small organizations. A number of associations have similar purposes and overlapping members. Gaps remain in some higher risk industries and target groups. Identified opportunities to strengthen this infrastructure include increased communication, leadership and coordination. The Workplace Safety and Health Act is seen to be practical, clear and easy to administer. Increased enforcement, including more frequent inspections, application of administrative penalties, and more timely prosecutions were seen to be important to ensure there is sufficient incentive for compliance. Stakeholders also recommended expanding safety training requirements. Promotion and awareness activity in recent years is believed to be effective, starting a shift in public awareness, attitudes and expectations for a safe working environment. The partnership between the WCB and WSHD in SAFE Work is considered positive. More focus is needed on leading indicators such as safety programs in place and number of workplaces with proper safety certification, with less emphasis on lagging indicators such as deficiencies and injury rates. Leadership from industry is also believed to need further development. There is a need for more CEOs who see safety as a core value and peer to peer leadership to extend this culture throughout the province. Governance & Management: All interviewed industry and safety associations are governed by boards, and stakeholders expressed satisfaction with their own board effectiveness. Board members are typically volunteers. The degree of formal planning, monitoring and reporting varied significantly. Funding challenges have limited investments in capacity, facility, human resource and programming. Services and Capacity: While a number of sectors have targeted services available through industry associations, some high risk industries do not, including forestry, metal works, vehicle and clothing manufacturing, trucking, healthcare and agriculture. Training is the most commonly offered service. There is interest in more on-line training to enable access in rural and remote areas. Concerns were expressed by labour organizations that the focus of most training is on the behaviour of workers, instead of addressing the hazards in the workplace. Consulting services offered by the industry and safety associations are limited. Several organizations indicated an interest in expanding services subject to securing the necessary talent. For-profit organizations provide additional capacity in this area in particular. ii

6 Staff and volunteers are stretched and capacity is constrained by the availability of skilled resources. There is limited expertise in the province and a general view that professional-level training is not sufficiently available in Manitoba. Best Practices: Stakeholders identified a number of best practices that support injury prevention. These include: Safety Program: The establishment of a safety program, or internal responsibility system, is a fundamental step. The existence and quality of the program will drive the injury experience in the organization. Safety Certification: The Certificate of Recognition (COR) program is a nationally recognized standard in construction safety. One stakeholder was quoted as saying, This is biggest driver for the safety industry. This approach has been applied to a broader set of industries in other provinces. Training: All employees must have the required knowledge to work in a safe environment/manner. Integrating safety training into employee orientation and ongoing throughout employment is important to instill a safety culture. Culture: To become part of an organization s culture, safety must be evident in the organization s objectives and reporting systems, orientation and training programs, recognition and reward programs and ongoing communication. Accountability for safety and injury prevention must be a clear part of the performance management systems. Industry Leadership: This includes an industry focus on safety and injury prevention (e.g., through industry associations), and peer to peer leadership by business leaders within industry. Investments and Achievements Funding to Safety Associations and time loss injury rates in associated industries were reviewed to evaluate the impact of these investments. It is important to note that the rate at which injuries occur is a function of a number of variables, and the costs of a workplace injury are also significantly more than the direct claims costs. While the information provides a directional indicator, there are limitations to this analysis more specific data regarding investments and outcomes is necessary to truly evaluate impact. The overall average time loss injury rate in Manitoba declined by 28.6% from 2000 to 2008; this reflected a decline in all industries with the exception of Forestry. The impact of the lower rate is estimated to provide claims cost savings of $74.3 million in Sectors serviced by the safety associations have had a somewhat greater than average impact on the overall reduction in injuries. See table below. Industry Change in Injury Rate ( ) Reduction in injuries (2008) Reduction in Claims Costs (2008) Industry Levy Funding (2008) Heavy Construction -36% 164 $1.8 million $720,000 Building Construction -20% 450 $4.86 million $1.29 million Agricultural Implement -47% 512 $5.5 million $345,072 Manufacturing Restaurants and Catering -24% 150 $1.62 million $204,690 Conclusions 1. The SAFE Work partnership is positive. Progress is being made in Manitoba and most stakeholders would like to see SAFE Work continue and grow in capacity, providing further leadership to injury prevention activity in the province. iii

7 2. Increased coordination is needed to make the existing infrastructure more effective. The lack of coordination between associations results in duplication in some areas and gaps in others, reducing the efficiency of an infrastructure constrained by resources. 3. Program outputs and outcomes are not sufficiently tracked to enable evaluation of the impact of delivered services. The ability of non-government organizations to establish and monitor key performance indicators is limited by capacity (funding and human resources). The WCB and WHSD report activity and injury rates, but not leading indicators such as effective programs in place. 4. Private, fee for service providers are an important component of the overall safety infrastructure. Consulting capacity to assist employers in developing, evaluating or improving safety programs, and services outside of Winnipeg are available more from private sector companies. 5. All associations and many private providers offer training, developed from a number of sources. Training program materials are often developed or adapted from credible sources, however there does not appear to be any consistently recognizable quality assurance standard for the adapted materials or training professionals. 6. The ability of the existing infrastructure to expand its capacity is limited by the availability of safety professionals in Manitoba. Recruiting from outside Manitoba and more professional level training in Manitoba is needed to expand the pool of professionals. 7. A number of sub-sectors with high time loss injury rates are not supported by an industry-focused safety organization. Forestry, manufacturing, trucking, healthcare and agriculture all have higher than average injury rates. There is only one safety association, with a limited sub-sector focus (agricultural implement manufacturing) in these sectors. Associations in these sectors exist in the other jurisdictions. 8. There is a need to ensure safety and injury prevention awareness in specific target groups. Continued efforts to increase awareness of safe work procedures and injury prevention are needed for new Canadians and Aboriginal people. Integrating safety and health as part of the standard school curriculum is important to fully reach youth. 9. Industry and CEO commitment is needed to develop a safety culture in Manitoba. A safety motivation is needed at the company level to fully establish the required culture to achieve a significant reduction in injuries. Stakeholders believe compliance incentives are not currently sufficient to motivate employers to fully engage in injury prevention activities. Recommendations Support industry- focused services delivered through an efficient infrastructure 1. Support development of industry-focused services in high risk sectors. Industry-focused information and services provide accessible, credible resources to employers. The more directly applicable to a specific workplace, the more likely an employer will access the service. 2. Support development of infrastructure that efficiently supports the full set of best practices. Sustainable infrastructure requires a certain scale to ensure the majority of resources can be focused on delivery of services. Options to enable this type of infrastructure while still ensuring relevance to specific industries include partnerships, e.g., between industry associations or between industry and safety associations. Enabling communication and coordination of all safety organizations also supports this objective. SAFE Work is seen to be the natural leader to enable this coordination. A further extension of this concept could include more formal development of a coalition or umbrella organization. Establish program and training standards 3. Develop safety program accreditation standards applicable to all industries. Having an established and fully implemented safety program has been recognized as a fundamental basis for preventing workplace injuries and iv

8 illness. There are a number of existing standards and programs in Manitoba and in other provinces that could inform an overall standard. 4. Develop a program to certify training courses and training professionals. SAFE Work training and trainer certification would allow employers to ensure their training investments are well-spent, and provide confidence and a quality assurance standard for the industry. Encourage employer focus on injury prevention through information, incentives and enforcement. 5. Highlight prevention in all employer communication. Reference to existing resources and the business case for injury prevention in all communications would help increase awareness. Options include links to the SAFE Work site from all WS&H and WCB web pages, direct correspondence triggered by a new claim or employer registration, and including injury prevention components (beyond modified work requirements) in the return to work plan for all injured workers. 6. Provide regular/automatic injury rate and benchmark information to all employers and associations. Providing detailed information for all employers regarding their workplace injury experience, and comparative information to their industry would provide greater understanding of their opportunity to improve and motivation to do so. 7. Extend and expand incentives for employers to establish and fully implement safety programs. A lack of financial incentives has been cited as contributing to a lack of employer commitment to safety and injury prevention in Manitoba. Incentive programs (reduced premiums) have proven effective in encouraging participation in safety accreditation programs. Funding to subsidize employer development of an accredited safety program may also be effective. 8. Continue focus on increasing compliance. Continued focus on increasing compliance, including applying administrative penalties where warranted, will help to reinforce employers incentives to support effective injury prevention in workplaces. Extend reach of workplace injury prevention information and resources 9. Expand access to safety information and resources in rural and remote areas. Opportunities to expand access include video-conference training, a resource listing on the SAFE Work website for rural areas, and development of on-line training. 10. Extend the reach and penetration of safety and health education of young workers. Stakeholders consistently indicated the importance of incorporating workplace safety and health education into the standard curriculum of Senior Years students, as well as post-secondary education. Growing up with this awareness will help ensure a safety culture is already in place as these students enter the workforce. Evaluate needs and remaining barriers directly with target groups and employers 11. Determine needs for development of resources for target groups. New Canadians and Aboriginal workers were identified as particularly vulnerable to workplace injuries, largely related to language and communication. The WCB should evaluate the results of existing programs and conduct targeted consultation with industry, associations and service providers to aboriginal communities and new Canadians to ensure awareness of the existing materials, identify opportunities to expand communication and awareness, and determine outstanding needs and delivery options. 12. Quantify and qualify needs for injury prevention information, resources and services through direct consultation with employers. The consultation conducted for this study was with associations and organizations delivering safety and health services in Manitoba. Direct consultation with a representative sample of employers would help identify priorities and barriers to achieving an effective safety and injury prevention program in every workplace. v

9 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Responding to extensive stakeholder consultation in 2001, the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) and the Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) jointly developed the SAFE Work program to focus efforts on injury prevention and building a strong workplace safety and health environment. Four priority areas were established at that time: Public awareness and education; Training for employers, supervisor and workers; Prevention measures in workplaces and regulatory standards; and Strengthening internal and external responsibility systems. Between 2000 and 2007, the time loss injury rate in Manitoba fell 22% 1 and both the WCB and WSHD began to look further into the future and developed the Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy (JIIPS). This plan utilized a more aggressive approach to injury prevention, with the goal of reducing the provincial time-loss injury rate to 3.5 per 100 full-time-equivalent workers (FTE) by This strategy encompasses the following themes: Protection Ensuring the safety and health of Manitoba workplaces through inspections and by supporting the internal responsibility system Promotion Creating a culture of SAFE work in Manitoba through awareness, partnerships, consultation, programs and leadership Education Expanding prevention knowledge through specialized training and the sharing of information Capacity Ensuring that Manitoba has the tools, expertise, technology and trained workers to achieve our prevention goals Successful implementation of the JIIPS meant having a consistent, clear and concise framework for all stakeholders to refer to. The following chart is adapted from the SAFE Work Manitoba website. Vision Mission Commitment SAFE Work in every workplace Together with our partners, WSHD & WCB will prevent workplace injuries and illnesses through promotion, protection and education Workers have the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and safe work is everyone s responsibility VALUES 1. Leadership Promoting innovation, best practices, and excellence, and taking ownership of and responsibility for showing the way 2. Fairness Protecting workers and workplaces transparently and impartially, based on best practices 3. Partnership Working collaboratively, the WSHD, WCB and their stakeholders will achieve the greatest possible reduction in workplace injuries and illnesses Recognizing that achieving the goals for injury prevention will require services and supports to workplaces beyond what the WCB and WSHD provide, in November 2009, the WCB engaged MEYERS NORRIS PENNY LLP (MNP) to 1 1

10 undertake a review and analysis of the complete spectrum of Manitoba s provincial infrastructure for services related to the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. 1.1 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE Many organizations provide safety and injury prevention services in Manitoba, including industry associations, regional chapters of national safety organizations, government and private sector providers The focus of this review includes all of these, with a more in-depth review of not-for-profit organizations and public programs. The objectives of the study include: An analysis of the organizational infrastructure and environment for workplace injury prevention services in Manitoba; An analysis of the problems and issues encountered in the organizational infrastructure and environment for workplace injury prevention services in Manitoba to include issues/problems related to governance, management, program delivery, professional capacity and quality of programming; An analysis and overview of the workplace injury prevention infrastructure and environment across Canadian jurisdictions; and An analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the workplace injury prevention infrastructure in Manitoba, including a review of program costs relative to benefits and measurable outcomes of injury prevention programs. 1.2 FRAMEWORK MNP s project framework included the following: Inventory of Service Providers: An inventory of organizations delivering workplace injury prevention services was prepared that lists the organization, name, description of the structure (for-profit, not-for-profit, industry association, etc.) and governance, capabilities and expertise, sources of funding, programs and services offered, industries served. This information was gathered from WCB information, association and commercial listings, internet published materials, and direct contact, and is included in a matrix to enable visual analysis of coverage and gaps. Stakeholder Consultation: MNP consulted with representatives of key stakeholder groups through a series of interviews. These interviews gathered stakeholder perspectives on industry capacity, strengths and limitations of the current injury prevention infrastructure, quality of programming, industry needs, opportunities and barriers to further extend these services to all industry sectors in the province. In total 19 organizations participated in the consultation, including all four associations funded through industry levies. Mines Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba Retail Safety Council Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba Canadian Society of Safety Engineers Construction Safety Association of Manitoba Manitoba Heavy Construction Safety Program Canadian Agricultural Safety Association SAFE Hospitality Safe Workers of Tomorrow 2

11 Safety Services Manitoba Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Workplace Safety and Health Minister s Advisory Council on Workplace Safety SOS Safety Services Manitoba Federation of Labour Occupational Health Centre Winnipeg Regional Health Authority OS & H Unit Manitoba Federation of Labour United Food and Commercial Workers Union Manitoba Government Employees Union MNP also invited stakeholder organizations to submit written responses detailing their thoughts on Manitoba s injury prevention infrastructure. Formal submissions were received from the following: Manitoba Employer Council University of Winnipeg Human Resources Other Jurisdictions Research: MNP contacted other jurisdictions to gather information on the injury prevention infrastructure and environment across Canada. MNP reviewed the published information on websites of all Canadian jurisdictions and the AWCBC, and conducted more in-depth interviews with WorkSafeBC, the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta, Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario and Workplace health, Safety and Compensation Commission of Newfoundland & Labrador to learn more about the injury prevention infrastructure and environment in each jurisdiction, the effectiveness of various mechanisms and strategies, learning and experience gained in each of these jurisdictions. Quantitative Analysis: MNP gathered data from the WCB related to premiums collected and investment in injury prevention programming, historic and current injury rates by sector, as well as other data relevant to the project. 3

12 2.0 ILLNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT IN MANITOBA 2.1 INFRASTRUCTURE DEFINED Since its inception, SAFE Work Manitoba has been spearheading an increased public focus on injury prevention. There are many organizations currently providing a range of safety and injury prevention services, however, in order to grow past its current state, a more accurate picture of Manitoba capacity was needed. As it pertains to this project, Infrastructure includes the legislation and government, not-for-profit and fee for service organizations that provide protection, promotion, education and capacity to support workplace injury and illness prevention in Manitoba. The current infrastructure is diverse. According to available listings, there are a total of 102 non-government organizations currently providing workplace injury prevention (safety and health) services in Manitoba, including the four industry funded associations. Of the 102 organizations, 21 are not-for-profit and the remaining 82 are for profit. 63 organizations offer training and education services, 20 offer disability management and back to work services, approximately 35 provide consulting, including certification audits, and approximately 40 offer specialized technical services and/or safety supplies. All providers service Winnipeg; three also service Steinbach, two service Brandon, one services Dauphin and 70 provide services through the province of Manitoba. Labour organizations also provide safety and health training and programs for their members; however do not typically list themselves under these services. 2.2 WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD OF MANITOBA Established in 1917, the WCB provides income replacement to injured workers, vocational rehabilitation services, return to work assistance, and ensures responsible financial stewardship of funds collected from employers for these purposes. The Workers Compensation Act was amended in 2006, providing the WCB with the legislative authority to also engage in prevention activities through publications, education and creation of workplace injury and illness prevention plans in partnership with WSHD. SAFE Work is a joint program of the WCB and WSHD intended to support the Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy (JIIPS). The WCB s primary role in the JIIPS is promotion creating public awareness, motivating employers, and funding research. Further to this mandate, the WCB established an internal unit called SAFE Work Services in 2008 to support injury prevention goals by providing data, training and consulting to registered employers. These services are provided through sector specific resources for select industries Manufacturing, Construction, Trade, Healthcare, and Transportation. The WCB intends to expand this approach to the Agriculture and Self Insured sectors in In addition to the sector allocated resources, SAFE Work Services participates in outreach activities in conjunction with the various safety organizations and educational institutions. The WCB has promoted safety through a series of public advertising campaigns, prevention materials and resources all accessible through its website at The SAFE Work public awareness program, conducting jointly with WSHD since 2003, has included regular multi media campaigns to focus public attention on workplace injury prevention and support prevention activities targeted at specific industry sectors, demographics and injury types. For example, in 2009, musculoskeletal injuries in healthcare and construction were the target of a TV campaign supported by other media and young workers were targeted in an award winning web campaign. The WCB s research indicates the SAFE Work brand is well known with almost nine in ten Manitobans being aware of SAFE Work and nine in ten supporting the program. SAFE Work partners can lever this public buy-in and support to amplify their prevention efforts and this brand equity is a key WCB contribution to building prevention capacity in Manitoba. 4

13 The WCB promotes a number of programs through SAFE Work, including: An Average Day a joint program of SAFE Manitoba and Manitoba Public Insurance to support classroom education to raise awareness about safety issues specifically for young workers. SAFE on Site a joint program of SAFE Manitoba, Manitoba Heavy Construction Association and the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba that places safety professionals and resources on-site at construction sites throughout Manitoba. Seasonal Worker Safety and Health Orientation Participant and leader guides that can be used by employers to improve knowledge of health and safety procedures among seasonal workers. Health and Safety 101 An online course designed to provide important health and safety information. There are two versions of this course one customized for workers aged 24 and under, and another designed for Canadians who speak English as an additional language. The SAFE Work Student Program An in-class seminar program developed for delivery by teachers to instill SAFE work practices and procedures into students and future workers from a young age. SAFE Roads Public advertising designed to make drivers more conscious of the safety of construction, emergency services and utility workers whose work requires they be on the road to do their job. Workplace Safety and Health Programs resource guides to enable development of workplace safety and health programs by Manitoba employers. SAFE Work for the Aging Workforce Resource materials (audio and video presentations) providing information regarding the safety and health issues of the older workforce. Manitoba Immigrants Safety Initiative A pilot project funded through the WCB Community Initiatives and Research Program aimed to prevent workplace injury and illness for new and existing immigrant workers in Manitoba, including manuals on building a Safe Workplace Community and fact sheets and tip cards on rights and responsibilities. The WCB also promotes programs delivered by partner organizations, including the following: SAFE Health Care an injury prevention strategy developed by and for healthcare workers. On-line resources include a general brochure and a series of prevention materials on topics specific to healthcare. SAFE Workers of Tomorrow a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating students on SAFE work practices and procedures through speeches, demonstrations and real-life stories on the benefits of SAFE work. SAFE Retail SAFE Retail philosophies put into practice by the Retail Safety Council of Manitoba. SAFE Hospitality An injury and illness prevention strategy administered by the Manitoba Tourism Education Council. SAFE Farms In conjunction with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, includes the Safe Farms Check Program, a pilot program and resources to develop and operate farm safety programs, farm safety training on specific topics, and resources regarding Creating Safe Play Areas, and Hazard Alerts. Currently, the WCB administers industry funded levies that support four industry safety associations. This levy is collected on behalf of participating industries along with regular WCB assessment premiums. In 2009, these associations received total funding of $2,293,790 through these levies. The four associations are: The Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM) Manitoba Heavy Construction Safety Program (MHCSP) Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) SAFE Hospitality 5

14 The levies were established at the request of industry, and have been in place for over ten years. The following chart shows the levy amounts since 2004 and the projected levy for The levy amount represents the additional percentage of the company s premium that is paid to support the safety program. For example, a CSAM company with a base rate of $3.00 per hundred dollars of payroll would have 3.27% added in 2010, for a total rate of $3.10. Figure 1: Industry Levies to Fund Safety Associations, present Safety Association CSAM MHCSP AMC Hospitality The WCB also provides a 5% discount for firms in the construction industry that have received COR safety accreditation through the one of the construction safety programs. This discount is funded through an additional levy. The program was established as a three year pilot project in 2007 and is currently being evaluated. The WCB also funds up to $1 million annually through its Research and Workplace Innovation Program. This program provides grant funding for workplace-based programs that will develop, implement or evaluate innovative, practical shop-floor solutions for improving workplace health and safety; and high quality scientific research leading to a reduction in the incidence, morbidity and mortality from work-related injury and disease. 2.3 WORKPLACE SAFETY & HEALTH DIVISION The Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) of Manitoba Labour and Immigration administers seven acts and associated regulations dealing with the health and safety of workers, protection of the public from unsafe mechanical and electrical equipment and fuel-burning appliances in buildings, and the licensing of tradespersons in the Province. The division emphasizes a preventative focus to eliminate workplace and public hazards through education, training, working with employers and employees, and inspection and investigations. 2 The WSHD s primary role in the Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy is protection, through inspection, enforcement and training. There are four offices across the province: Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson and Flin Flon. The WSHD has set a target of approximately 8,500 inspections for the 2009/2010 year- an increase of 1,000 over the previous year. Inspections are prioritized based on risk. Internally, the division employs approximately 70 inspectors which include Safety and Health Officers, mines inspectors, occupational hygienists and ergonomists. Five additional inspectors are expected to be hired in In addition to inspection, WSHD also provides training for employers/employees and Safety and Health Committees on duties and responsibilities under the Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations. For the year, the WSHD is targeting 225 program offerings and aiming to see approximately 4,000 participants. To compliment this training, employers and employees can access WHSD s video resource library for further learning. The WSHD also has client service personnel available on the phone and in person to answer questions, register complaints and serious incident reports

15 The WSHD works with a number of prevention organizations. Nationally, WSHD participates on the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation - Occupational Safety and Health (CA ALL-OSH). The focus of this committee is to ensure inter-jurisdictional consistency, identify and maintain best practices and increase public awareness. Provincially, the WSHD works with organizations such as Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE), Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba (APAM) and Safety Services Manitoba (SSM). The WSHD helps review technical information, participates in conference planning and advises on issues such as interpreting legislation, including rights, responsibilities and requirements under the Act. 2.4 INDUSTRY AND SAFETY ASSOCIATIONS Manitoba has a number of not-for-profit organizations with a mandate to support workplace injury and illness prevention. The following provides summary information on organizations included in the scope of this study. Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba (APAM) is a registered not-for-profit organization in Manitoba. Incorporated in 1961, APAM is open to all industries and individuals in Manitoba interested in health and safety. APAM collects member fees based on number of employees and is overseen by a volunteer board of ten people. APAM is run with volunteers, without paid staff. Currently, there are approximately 180 companies listed as members of APAM who represent approximately 20,000 workers in Manitoba. APAM estimates approximately 30% are large organizations, 70% are smaller businesses. The objectives of the association are to devise ways of improving injury prevention methods and education; to disseminate injury prevention information and materials; and to co-operate with other organizations in injury prevention and occupational health and safety. These objectives are accomplished through seminar meetings once a month and a yearly conference. Seminars are free to members and targeted to a broad audience. The conference is geared to safety committees or personnel and usually attracts approximately participants. The conference can be used as credit toward the Red River College Health and Safety Certificate. Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) works closely with member firms to achieve their safety and loss prevention goals. The AMC Safety Program is funded through a levy collected on behalf of industry by the Workers Compensation Board from the industry code. This code includes approximately 100 companies employing more than 5,500 workers. According to AMC, approximately 25% of the companies employ 75% of the workers. The majority of employers have less than 25 employees. The AMC offers regional and site-specific training, consulting services (ergonomics, noise level testing, inspections, audits) and certification. Most programs are developed by AMC, but designed in keeping with external standards such as ISO, CSA, or legislation. The majority of training is offered at no charge to those that contribute through the levy program. Services are available to all organizations, with fees charged to non-subscribers. The AMC also administers the CASH program (Certificate of Achievement in Safety & Health). To receive a CASH certificate from AMC, an organization must develop and implement a safety management system derived from the CASH Standard, complete an application to have the system evaluated and pass an external audit performed by an AMC recognized auditor. The AMC Safety Program receives more than 90% of its annual budget from the levy collected by the WCB from the industry code employers. Less than 10% of annual revenue is generated on a fee-for-service basis to member companies. AMC delivered training to approximately 360 workers in AMC reported improvements in time loss injury rates at a set of priority organizations that had received services from AMC. The AMC Safety Program is currently working to open up their programs and services to other manufacturers on a fee-for-service basis based on inquiries from non-members, and a perceived high value for money proposition relative to private companies. 7

16 The AMC employs 2.5 full time equivalent trainers for the Manitoba region. Training staff have credentials including health and safety certificates, ergonomics certifications, and health and safety management experience within industry. The AMC identified a need for additional resources and at the time of this report had a posting for a Safety Advisor in Manitoba on its web-site. Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the health and safety of farmers, their families and their workers. CASA is funded through grants from the federal government and is led by a seven-person Board of Directors and a 32-person Council from across Canada made up of producer associations, the agricultural service and supply industry, academia, and government. CASA s office is located in Winnipeg and employs 5 people. CASA s mandate consists of facilitating evaluative research and safety resource development, promoting safe farm operations and management, and building sector capacity to implement safety on farms. CASA typically works in partnership with other organizations such as Queens University and the Agriculture Machinery Institute. CASA offers a grant program to support agricultural safety projects, administers the Canadian Agriculture Injury Surveillance Program, and the Canadian Farmers with Disabilities Registry, provides logistical support for agricultural safety conferences, and is seeking to encourage development of provincial agricultural health and safety groups through provincial associations. Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) The CSSE is a not-for-profit organization for health, safety and environmental professionals in Canada, with a focus on professional development, knowledge and information exchange for members, the safety profession and the Canadian public. CSSE is a national organization with 31 chapters that provide local forums for information exchange and networking among professionals. The CSSE also offers a Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC) designation. The CSSE offers eight courses specifically for health and safety professionals, two of which are offered in Winnipeg (others in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax). The CSSE e-learning centre includes two one-hour on-line courses targeted to organizations related to safety culture, and also provides access to the CCOHS on-line course catalogue. CSSE is open to all industries and has members from retail, mining, construction, etc. In Manitoba there are 140 members. Nationwide, there are close to 4,000. In MB, CSSE estimates 90-95% of members are safety practitioners, while the remaining 5-10% are safety vendors. The CSSE s services are primarily oriented to professional development and safety committee training, delivered through monthly luncheons, and an annual site tour. The CSSE also facilitates a study group for CHSC candidates in MB to help them get ready for the designation. The Manitoba chapter is governed by five volunteer executive and run wholly by volunteers. CSSE is funded wholly by its members; approximately a third of the membership fee goes to the national organization, the balance is used to fund activities in Manitoba. Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM) is a not-for-profit organization in existence since 1990 and operates under the umbrella of the Winnipeg Construction Association. Approximately 70% of CSAM funding is through an industry levy administered by the WCB, with the balance from association memberships, training, services and product fees. CSAM estimates 7,500 8,000 firms in its membership base, of which well over half are small businesses. CSAM is authorized to grant COR certification. The Certificate of Recognition Program (COR ) is an occupational health and safety accreditation program that verifies a fully implemented safety & health program which meets national standards. The objectives of COR are to provide industry employers with an effective safety and health management system to reduce incidents, accidents and injuries as well as their associated human and financial costs. COR is nationally trademarked, with national standards developed by the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations (CFCSA). CSAM has also developed a second stream for small employers the 8

17 Small Employer Certificate of Recognition (SECOR) that meets provincial standards. companies with less than 10 employees. SECOR is intended for COR courses can be completed in three different forums: Classroom lectures, CD ROM training and Online training. In addition to COR courses, CSAM provides training for Construction Safety Officers and Construction Safety Coordinators, and provides information regarding injury prevention methods and changes to workplace health and safety legislation, resources, tools and training programs to enable contractors to meet their legislated responsibilities. CSAM reports delivering training to over 3,500 participants from January to September Programs are developed both in house and in collaboration with other associations, including the CFCSA. CSAM also sells safety supplies such as audit books, various hazard checklists, and signage and maintains a library with information on legislation, codes, procedures, etc. for use by members. Another tool created by CSAM is the Safety Passport. It provides a quick reference to verify the safety training and education of the people coming on to a worksite and provides workers with a comprehensive record of their safety training. Training taken outside of CSAM is also included on a safety passport provided that training is first verified by CSAM. The CSAM has an Executive Director and 13 staff in two locations (ten in Winnipeg; three in Brandon). These include a COR coordinator, Training Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Safety Advisory, Safety Technicians and administrative support. The CSAM contracts an accountant and rents space from the WCA. Manitoba Federation of Labour, Occupational Health Centre (OHC) is a community health centre established in 1983 and funded by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and donations. The Centre helps workers, employers, and joint health and safety committees to improve workplace health and safety conditions and eliminate hazards. Services are available free of charge. The Centre publishes a newsletter three times a year, holds public presentations on various topics, produces fact sheets and resources, and offers a resource centre open to all. Special projects include a Workplace Stress Initiative, working with the Aboriginal community to create healthy workplaces, and Work Life Balance. The OHC has also undertaken a project to establish Safe Work Groups in Rural Manitoba with funding through a grant from the WCB s Community Initiatives and Research Program. The intent of this program is to provide access to information and resources to rural areas through video conferences and meetings in local communities. According to OHC numbers, they can see anywhere from 1,000-3,000 workers in a year. In addition to these services, OHC also has medical staff available to assess whether or not an injury is work related and how to treat it. OHC also works with employers to interpret medical or technical reports on workplace health and safety as well as working with a company s health and safety committee to identify problems and solutions to workplace concerns. Over and above this, OHC is also active in raising awareness of occupational health and safety in the community. The OHC is governed by a volunteer board of directors, who are all union members. The OHC employs medical staff that specializes in occupational health as well as resource and program coordinators, for total staff of just under 15 FTE in Manitoba Heavy Construction Association Safety Program (MHCSP) is a function of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association. MHCSP is an independent organization; it is not member based and aims to serve the entire heavy construction industry in Manitoba. The Director reports to the President and Board of Directors of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association. Approximately 75% of funding is through industry in the form of a levy collected by the WCB. Approximately 1,100 companies contribute to this levy and are estimated to employ approximately 5,000-6,000 employees. The balance of revenue is contributed approximately equally by an annual conference and user fees for training programs. Companies range from very small, independent operators to companies with up to 500 employees. MHCSP estimate 80% of the workforce is employed by 20% of the companies. The majority of companies are small businesses. 9

18 Training activity has doubled in the last four years. In 2009, the MHCSP delivered training to approximately 2,030 participants in 17 topic areas, dominated by COR training. Approximately 200 Safe Work Procedures were developed and made available to industry. The number of COR certified companies increased by approximately 15% to 206. MHSCP conducts a Construction Safety Officer program, with a total of 30 graduates, 3 certified in MHSCP staff conducted approximately 100 site visits in 2009 throughout the province. The MHSCP also partners with the WCB for the Safe On Site program to place interns from the RRC Occupational Health and Safety Certificate program on construction sites. MHSCP also publishes a monthly publication Safety Informer and conducts presentations to industry organizations. The Manitoba Construction Conference is now the largest construction safety conference in North America. In 2010, the MHCSP is looking to implement computer based learning. Most instructors are independent safety consultants with approximately 10% of training delivered through internal resources. MHCSP is authorized to grant COR certification and also provides certification of safety officers, performs safety audits and co-hosts the Manitoba Construction Conference. The MHCSP has six dedicated staff, including a director, a support position, and five safety advisors as well as five auditors and a list of instructors under contract. Employee training includes professional development at Red River College, University of Winnipeg, and University of New Brunswick, Certificate in Risk Management, Certificate in Management, Certificate in Health and Safety Management as well as ongoing Certificate of Recognition (COR) training. Mines Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba (MAPAM) is a function of the Mining Association of Manitoba Inc. (MAMI). MAPAM is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1962 to meet increasing demand for safety and consulting services specifically to this industry. MAPAM is governed and run by a volunteer Board of Directors, and its mandate is to promote and implement leading-edge accident prevention actions and programs, as well as assist workers compensation management for its members. MAPAM is funded directly by the mining industry through a rate based on the number of employees. MAPAM has approximately 15 member companies, who represent approximately 3,800 workers. With programs and services developed in house, MAPAM has evolved from audits to safety training and training of new health and safety consultants. The reach of MAPAM encompasses mine operators, mine contractors and diamond drillers within the province of Manitoba. Retail Safety Council (RSC) is a not-for profit organization established in 2005 and funded entirely by four major retailers. RSC s mandate is the promotion of safety and injury prevention. The RSC is not part of a national organization but does partner with the Retail Council of Canada on some initiatives. The RSC organizes three general meetings per year and two full day workshops to provide education, networking opportunities, and a forum for general communication related to retail safety. Meetings typically attract approximately 40 participants. At this time, RSC provides these meetings/workshops at no cost to members. Although intended reach is province wide, meetings and workshops are currently held in Winnipeg and often attract people based in Winnipeg only. The goal of the RSC is to expand its reach to small businesses and become a central safety information resource for retailers, including a comprehensive website. The RSC is run entirely with volunteer resources, including an executive of seven. SAFE Hospitality (SH) is an injury and illness prevention strategy administered by the Manitoba Tourism Education Council (MTEC), and does not maintain a membership base. The program is financed entirely through an industry levy administered by the WCB. There are approximately 1,700 businesses in industry rate code 70106, comprised of restaurants and catering services. Hotels, resorts, and lodges are classified in other rate codes and do not contribute to the levy. Programs and services provided by SAFE Hospitality (SH) include a lending library and resource materials; safety assessments and consulting regarding safety program development and policy and procedures development. 10

19 Training programs are delivered either at SH or at the client site. Workplace Hazard Management Information System (WHMIS) on-line training became offered in the fall of Many of the programs offered by SH have been developed from materials from Manitoba Labour and revised to meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Instructors from or contracted by SH have completed training in order to use the Manitoba Labour materials. Programs and services in development include: respectful workplace; safety training for new immigrants; safety committee training; incident investigation and reporting; job hazard analysis and safe work procedures; and lock out tag out procedures. These programs are planned to be launched in SH conducted visits to over 50 sites in SH has two dedicated employees: a program coordinator that also delivers training and a program assistant. SH and MTEC share a newsletter, letterhead, and marketing support. SAFE Workers of Tomorrow (SWOT) In existence since 1997, SWOT provides information to create awareness for a safe and healthy workplace in Manitoba. Their aim is to provide interactive presentations to students anywhere in Manitoba at no cost to the school or school division. All presentations are flexible to any time frame and any vocation. Although there is a small staff of seven, SWOT also taps into Manitoba s Volunteer Speakers Board of over 100 volunteers- some of which have personal experiences in the area of injury prevention. SWOT is funded entirely through WCB/WSH grants, corporate sponsorships and donations. Because demand is increasing for their services, SWOT is looking to provide presentations to companies who seek assistance with their young workers. In addition to visiting schools across the province, SWOT actively participates in school and community career fairs. Safety Services Manitoba (SSM) Formerly the Manitoba Safety Council, SSM is a not-for-profit organization that provides full-service programming in Occupational Safety, Road Safety and Community Safety. Occupational Safety activities represent approximately 37% of total SSM revenue. SSM estimates approximately 120 members plus Total Training Management clients, and is currently funded through membership fees which are scaled to the number of employees. SSM serves a cross-section of industries including manufacturing/processing, service, government and crown corporations, and education. SSM revenue is generated through this membership and service fees for training and consulting. SSM offers customized safety training, including in-class instruction and hands-on opportunities for people to apply their knowledge under the guidance of certified health and safety professionals. SSM has a 9,000 square foot training facility, including a confined space simulator and lift equipment, and lists over 60 courses specific to occupational safety and health, of which three (back safety, WHMIS Refresher and Hearing Conservation) are offered on-line. SSM delivered industrial safety training (e.g., fork lift operator) to approximately 1,600 participants in 2008/09, and occupational safety training to approximately 1,290 participants, with fall protection, confined space, lockout of energy sources and WHMIS courses having the highest participation. SSM offers Safety Services Canada certificate programs for Health and Safety Professional designation, Supervisor Safety Certificate and Joint OH&S Committee/Representative Certificate. SSM also offers safety consulting services and will manage an organization s training needs through its Total Training Management program, including needs assessment, course scheduling, monitoring required certifications, etc. SSM has a full time staff of fifteen, of which three are dedicated to Occupational Safety programming, and delivers training through approximately 35 contract trainers. 2.5 LABOUR ORGANIZATIONS The following provides information on workplace injury prevention programs and services offered by the identified organizations. Similar services may also be offered by other labour organizations. United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 832 (UFCW) represents members working in retail, food processing, health care, security, industrial, the garment industry, transportation and other industries. UFCW has assigned personnel who offer guidance and advice to union members of joint health and safety committees and 11

20 union members experiencing difficulty with workers compensation claims. These individuals also support lobbying activity with government on safety and health issues. UFCW offers health and safety workshops through its three training centres in Winnipeg, Brandon and Neepawa. The Winnipeg training centre has 6 classrooms that are estimated to accommodate 50+ people as well as computer labs. The computer labs are most often used for computer literacy training. UFCW employs 5 people in Winnipeg and 1.5 FTE in Brandon to support training activities, including health and safety training. Health and safety workshops offered by UFCW include Level 1 (for new committee members regarding the legislation and worker rights), Intro to WCB, Violence/Stress Prevention, Ergonomics, and WHMIS. UFCW also hosts a biannual safety conference. Manitoba Government and General Employee s Union (MGEU) represents over 32,000 members working in the civil service, Crown corporations, universities and colleges, arts organizations, health care facilities, social service agencies and the service industry. MGEU offers a series of one and two day courses regularly throughout the year. Courses include: Basic Safety and Health, Ergonomics, Violence in the workplace, Wellness/Stress, Developing Safety and Health Programs and Workers Compensation. MGEU offers a two day Respectful Workplace course once per year to membership during activist training week and also provides Non-violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) training to MGEU staff. Courses are offered in Winnipeg, Brandon/Dauphin and The Pas/Thompson. MGEU has a Safety and Health Specialist as well as a Workers Compensation specialist on staff. These specialists partner with a trained union member facilitator to deliver courses. Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) is the province s central labour body, chartered by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956 to represent the interests of affiliated unions in Manitoba. Affiliates have a combined membership of over 90,000 in the private and public sectors, including manufacturing, government offices, retail, hospitals, schools, natural resources sectors, tourism, agriculture, transportation and others. Injury prevention activities are primarily education, totalling over 500 hours of strictly union health and safety/compensation education every year. This is conducted through affiliate unions and the MFL itself, which holds an annual health and safety conference. The MFL is also engaged in research and program development, assisting members with inquiries related to occupational health, safety and environmental issues, WCB advocacy and training on an as-needed basis. UFCW is an affiliate (activity identified above) as is United Steelworkers, which holds quarterly educational sessions in Winnipeg, Brandon and the North (The Pas, Flin Flon, Thompson). The MFL hosts bi-monthly committee meetings for its Health, Safety, Environment and Compensation Committee and hosts an annual conference. Education sessions are delivered by members. Approximately 3,750 members have participated in injury prevention educational programs in the last three years. Courses include Comprehension of Legislation, Job Hazard Analysis, Principles of Control, Workplace Inspections, Committees, Stress/Violence, WCB, WHMIS, Ergonomics, Environmental Protection, Rights and Responsibilities, Behaviour Based Safety. The MFL also provides presenters for SAFE Workers of Tomorrow programs. The MFL appoints twelve of the fourteen board members of the MFL Occupational Health Centre; the chair of the OHC is traditionally the president of the MFL. The MFL employs 6 staff, and draws on others from affiliates. The position which formerly focused on health and safety is currently vacant. Four others are currently supporting the functions previously conducted by this vacant position, including individuals from United Steel Workers and Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). 12

21 2.6 FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Eighty two businesses list safety and injury prevention services in Winnipeg and Manitoba phone directories and on the internet. Approximately half offer training and/or consulting, 20 focus on disability management (versus injury prevention), and approximately 40 offer technical services and supplies. The majority of organizations offering consulting services have six or less advisors, and these include individuals with a specific focus (e.g., CPR)). With a few exceptions (Steinbach, Brandon and Dauphin), most providers are based out of Winnipeg. All private sector providers contacted indicated that they would deliver services throughout Manitoba. 3.0 ILLNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS MNP completed a website review of published information on the workplace injury prevention programs and infrastructure in all ten provinces and three territories. More in-depth interviews were conducted with five jurisdictions. The following provides an overview of responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety in each jurisdiction. Figure 2: Responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety 3 Jurisdiction Enforcement Regulations Training/Education Prevention Yukon WCB WCB WCB WCB NWT & Nunavut WSCC WSCC WSCC WSCC British Columbia WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Alberta Employment & Immigration Advanced Education, Employment & Labour Manitoba Labour & Immigration Ontario Ministry of Labour Alberta Employment & Immigration Advanced Education, Employment & Labour Manitoba Labour & Immigration Ontario Ministry of Labour Alberta Employment & Immigration Advanced Education, Employment & Labour Manitoba Labour & Immigration WSIB Alberta Employment & Immigration Advanced Education, Employment & Labour Manitoba Labour & Immigration, WCB Ontario Ministry of Labour Quebec CSST CSST CSST CSST Newfoundland Government Services Government Services WHSCC WHSCC New Brunswick WHSCC WHSCC WHSCC WHSCC Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island NS Occupational Health & Safety Division NS Occupational Health & Safety Division WCB WCB WCB WCB WCB WCB 3 Source: Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada, 13

22 WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD OF MANITOBA WORKPLACE INJURY PREVENTION INFRASTRUCTURE REVIEW Funding for Occupational Health and Safety costs by compensation boards in each jurisdiction is shown in the chart below. Because the size of provinces varies considerably, costs have been identified as a percentage of total premium revenue to allow comparison 4. Data for this chart is drawn from the AWCBC Key Statistical Measures for It is based on accepted national definitions and may not be the same as statistics published in WCB annual reports. Figure 3: OH&S Costs as % of Premium Revenue 10.0% 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% 9.3% 8.6% 7.0% 7.4% 6.5% 5.7% 5.3% 4.6% 4.8% 4.1% 3.5% 3.6% 2.8% OH&S Costs as % of Premium Revenue A second method of comparison is the occupational health and safety costs paid by Boards or Commissions per $100 of assessable payroll 5. The result of this analysis is shown on the figure below. Figure 4: OH&S Costs Per $100 Assessable Payroll $0.30 $0.27 $0.25 $0.20 $0.15 $0.10 $0.05 $0.16 $0.15$0.14$0.13 $0.13 $0.11$0.11$0.11$0.11$0.09$0.09 OH&S Costs per $100 Assessable $0.06 $0.05 $- 4 Quebec percentage is based on assessment revenue for assessable employers as the total premium revenue figure was not available. 5 AWCBC Key Statistical Measures for

23 Funding for Safety Associations and safety program incentives vary by province, as shown below. Figure 5: Funding and Incentives for Safety Jurisdiction Funded Safety Associations Certification Program Safety Program Incentive (Discount) Yukon Yes (1)* Yes (construction)* Yes* NWT & Nunavut No* Yes (construction)* No* British Columbia Yes (12) Yes (8) Yes Alberta Yes (7) Yes (All industries;13 certifying partners) Saskatchewan Yes (9, 3 pending) Yes (5) No Manitoba Yes (4) Yes (construction) Yes Ontario Yes (4) Yes Yes Quebec Yes (11)* No* Newfoundland Yes (2) Yes Yes New Brunswick Yes (2) Yes Yes* Nova Scotia Yes (6) Prince Edward Island * Based on website review. Interviews conducted: Jurisdiction Worksafe BC Yes (transportation, construction) Yes No* No* Yes* No* Workers Compensation Board of Alberta Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario Workplace Health, Safety & Compensation Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador Alberta and Saskatchewan have separate Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) divisions with a mandate for prevention. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario and the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission in Newfoundland have a mandate for both compensation and prevention, with compliance activities conducted by government (Department of Labour or Government Services). British Columbia has a fully integrated model, with WorkSafeBC having a mandate for compensation, prevention and compliance. All indicated the desire to ensure equal or greater priority be placed on injury prevention versus accident recovery to achieve overall better results. 15

24 All interviewed jurisdictions work in conjunction with industry associations to support injury prevention. While the time/resources devoted by each organization to work with associations varied, they all cited the associations as a vital part of the infrastructure. British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan all had more associations and more safety certification programs than Manitoba. Ontario recently merged 12 associations into 4 organizations with a broader, multi-sector mandate. 3.1 BRITISH COLUMBIA WorkSafeBC provides compensation services to injured workers and health and safety services for all workers and employers of the province. WorkSafeBC is responsible for inspection of workplaces and has a large staff to do so. In fact, there are 31 inspectors in the Fraser Valley alone. These inspectors are also trained to consult and educate industry. They look for the teachable moment for improving safety programs. Prior to the 1990 s, WCB staff delivered injury prevention training and programs. With the growth of the injury prevention industry, ownership of these services has transferred to industry associations. These associations receive funding through industry levies and mentorship through a WCB liaison. There are twelve associations currently receiving funding. To be eligible for this funding, the associations must enter into a contract, typically for five years. Financial and strategic reporting must be maintained as per the contracts. Within WorkSafeBC is the Industry and Labour Services (ILS) Group. These individuals are assigned to work closely with an industry association. They provide guidance and support to help in the development of injury prevention programs and execution of services. In addition to this role, the ILS group also helps identify and develop new industry associations. Currently the ILS group provides a liaison for the following industries: Healthcare Manufacturing Construction Forestry Primary Resource (Oil & Gas) Transportation General Industry New association: Farm & Ranch (FARSHA) Under this infrastructure, there are eight partner associations which provide COR certification (broader application than the trademarked COR certification for the construction industry). Employers with COR certification can receive up to 15% in rate reductions (10% for Health & Safety, 5% for Return to Work). COR certifying partners include the BC Forest Safety Council, Construction Safety Association of BC, Construction Safety Network, Enform, BC Maritime Employers Association, BC Food Processors Health and Safety Council, BC Municipal Safety Association and go2 (Tourism). The Construction Safety Network (with origins in heavy construction but serving all sectors as of January 2005) and the Construction Safety Association announced a merger of their organizations in January According to the interviewee, the BC infrastructure is working well. As a result of this system, ownership of safety programs is kept close to the specific industries through the associations. The ILS group reports that the working relationships with the various associations are strong, and recently resulted in the development of a new association (FARSHA). 16

25 3.2 ALBERTA In the province of Alberta, the mandate for occupational health and safety is held by the Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) division of Alberta Employment and Immigration, separate from the WCB of Alberta. Following the mandate of the WorkSafe Alberta strategies, WH&S promotes health and safety through partnerships, education and enforcement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The overall department runs on a budget of approximately $28 million. This has grown from 2000 when the budget was $7 million. Alberta achieved a 45% decrease in injuries over that period of time which has been attributed to the change in approach from ownership for occupational safety and health by the WCB to an industry focused approach supported by a dedicated department. There are seven safety associations in Alberta funded through an industry levy administered by the WCB. Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) Alberta Hotel Safety Association (AHSA) Continuing Care Safety Association (CCSA) Alberta Municipal Health & Safety Association (AMHSA) Manufacturers Health and Safety Association (MHSA) Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) ENFORM (Petroleum Industries) They are: A WH&S officer is assigned to each association. This officer provides a guidance/mentorship role to the associations. The associations are also audited to ensure they are using the most current and relevant information available. The Work Safe Alberta Strategy ( ) includes development of industry specific injury reduction strategies in poor performing industries and target groups, including the establishment of COR certifying partners in industries where there is a high need for industry-specific health and safety initiatives. WH&S also publishes industry specific guides (tool kits, recommended practices) for car dealerships, building managers, education, healthcare and staffing firms. A specific compliance strategy for Health Care was recently developed in consultation with the industry to help achieve injury reduction goals. Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) is designed to encourage injury prevention and the development of effective workplace health, safety and disability management systems. PIR is a voluntary program that operates through the combined efforts of the WCB Alberta, Alberta Employment and Immigration, industry partners, safety associations, employers and labour groups. PIR is also a component of Alberta Employment and Immigration s Partnerships initiative. This initiative is based on the concept that when employers and workers build effective health and safety systems, the human and financial costs of workplace injuries and illnesses can be reduced. By joining PIR and developing effective workplace health and safety management systems, employers can earn up to 20% off the industry rate through achieving or maintaining a Certificate of Recognition (5%), and improving performance (1-20%) or maintaining industry leadership (10-20%). A Certificate of Recognition (COR) is essential to WCB s PIR program. A COR certificate is valid for a three year period as long as all maintenance requirements are met. The employer is responsible for completing internal audits for each of the next two years. As part of this program, the WCB produces an Executive Summary and PIR Claims Summary for each employer. The Executive Summary includes total claim costs and insurable earnings compared to the industry average, potential discounts that may be awarded by each measure and the employer s status. The Claims Summary includes cost detail for each claim, as well as the employer s COR and discount status. Alberta Employment and Immigration lists 14 certifying partners, including two non-industry-specific associations, the Alberta Safety Council and Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships. 17

26 The Alberta Government s central human resources department is identified as the certifying partner for the Alberta Government. The Government of Alberta also has established the Government of Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Program as a requirement under the Public Service Act. The program includes seven mandatory elements that apply to all departments and agencies (OH&S Management, Hazard Management, OH&S Training, Inspections, Emergency Preparedness, Incident Management, OH&S Program Evaluation). WH&S oversees COR certification tracking and monitors injury data, publishing workplace injury statistics for the province as a whole, with seven separate reports for safety association industries. These reports indicate lower time lost injury rates for COR vs. non-cor employers in four of the seven industries, with improvements over non-cor ranging from 15% to 73% for forestry. 3.3 SASKATCHEWAN Of all the jurisdictions reviewed, Saskatchewan is the most similar to Manitoba. WorkSafe Saskatchewan was established in 2002 as a partnership between the WCB and OH&S of Saskatchewan. Its objectives were to promote prevention, education and training and to share resources and information. In 2007/2008 it was rebranded with the target of Mission Zero and a new agreement was signed in 2008 to strengthen the commitment of all partners. The 2008/09 Strategic Plan includes initiatives to harmonize processes, build public sector, community and workplace leadership programs, build workplace capacity and build sector/industry capacity. The latter two initiatives included building accessible education and training resources, and partnering with sector associations and business leaders to advance injury prevention objectives. Initiatives are also identified to build Kindergarten to Grade 12, and postsecondary student and teacher health and safety curriculums. The strategy also includes targeted programming to eliminate factors contributing to a high incidence of injury, by industry, employer, occupation, injury type and demographic. The Saskatchewan WCB currently administers industry levies for nine associations who provide injury prevention services. These associations range in history, with some established in the 1980 s, the majority in 1996 and one in Three more associations are currently being evaluated. These associations are required to submit strategic plans and then track activities and outcomes against that plan. Financial plans are also required throughout the year any variance greater than 10% from the original plan must be explained. The WCB organizes quarterly meetings with all funded associations to support communication and transparency. The Saskatchewan WCB provides injury data to each association and in turn, each association is required to disseminate and analyze the data in order to stay on top of industry trends. Currently, the nine sector associations are: Agriculture Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) Saskatchewan Petroleum Industry Safety Association Motor Safety Association Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association Saskatchewan Forest Industry Safety Association Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Safety Association Inc. Manufacturing Safety Association of Saskatchewan Inc. Service and Hospitality Safety Association of Saskatchewan Inc. A Joint Industry Committee of 13 associations, the WCB and OSH was established in 2006 to help employers develop and implement effective safety management systems. The goal of the committee includes identifying common ground on safety issues and establishing a framework of standards for safety programs, evaluations and certification. The Committee has produced a Framework of Standards for H&S programs, a Framework of Standards 18

27 for Health and Safety Audits, and a Framework of Standards for Certification and Quality Assurance. Certification programs in Saskatchewan are offered by the Agriculture Manufacturers of Canada (CASH), ENFORM (Petroleum Industry Safety Association), Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan, Motor Safety Association, Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association and Service and Hospitality Safety Association. The Saskatchewan WCB has an experience rating program but does not currently offer incentives for safety certification. The Saskatchewan WCB also provides advice and guidance to employers who wish to establish safety programs. These employers are usually brought to the attention of the WCB through referrals by the associations. 3.4 ONTARIO The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) promotes workplace health and safety, and provides a workers compensation system for the employers and workers of Ontario. The WSIB offers a number of incentive programs, many of which are related to experience rating. Others include the Safety Communities Incentive Program and Safety Groups. The Safety Communities Incentive Program (SCIP) promotes safety in the workplace and can help small businesses reduce their WSIB insurance premiums. Participating firms gain access to health and safety training programs, resources, and health and safety experts to help them create better, safer workplaces. Firms can receive a fixed 5% rebate on their WSIB insurance premiums upon successful completion of SCIP. The Safety Groups program supports development of a network of firms with the common goal of reducing injuries and illnesses. The program is designed to enable employers to access health and safety resources and best practices from other participants. Led by a sponsor, the group identifies elements to target. Participants share ideas and pool resources with the group, and at the end of the year can receive a rebate based on the entire group s success. The WCB lists 27 safety groups, many of which are led by an industry association sponsor. The Workers Health and Safety Centre is Ontario s designated occupational health and safety training centre. 96% ($9.4 million) of its revenue is supplied by the WSIB. The Centre provides the mandatory certification training for joint health and safety committees, a Smaller Workplaces Health and Safety Program, Union Education, Supervisor Health and Safety Training and industry specific courses for healthcare, education, office, manufacturing, tourism/hospitality. Ontario s infrastructure has recently changed. Prior to 2009, there were 14 funded health and safety associations (HSAs), including a health and safety centre, medical clinic and 12 industry associations. Under the new Integrated Prevention System Delivery model, the 12 associations were amalgamated into four groups. The four new Health and Safety Associations are: Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) combining the Construction Safety Association, Electrical and Utilities Safety Association, and Transportation Health and Safety Association Safe Workplace Promotion Services (SWPSO) combining the Farm Safety Association, Industrial Accident Prevention Association, Ontario Service Safety Alliance Health and Safety Association for Government Services (HSAGS) combining Education Safety Association, Municipal Health and Safety Association and Safety Association for Community and Health Care Workplace Safety North (WSN) - combining the activities of the Ontario Forestry Safe Workplace Association, Pulp and Paper Health and Safety Association and Mines and Aggregates Safety and Health Association 19

28 The WSIB cited the need to respond to economic challenges and improve health and safety outcomes as reasons for the change. The new associations were intended to simplify, streamline and lead to visible efficiencies in the system and more staff on the front lines. The intended benefits include more consistent service delivery, quality and outcomes, greater responsiveness to changing customer needs, and allowing employers to enter the Prevention System through one door, with one phone number and one website, and navigate one path to sector specific solutions 6. The overall funding Health and Safety Associations was not reduced, however cost saving are expected to be generated by the reduction in management overhead. In its previous form, the WSIB indicated that more salary dollars were devoted to management and administration than to the front-line field consultants whose purpose is to directly impact or influence workplace health and safety. 3.5 NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of Newfoundland & Labrador has a combined mandate for compensation and prevention. The Commission s prevention services include: Promoting public awareness of workplace health and safety issues; Educating employers, workers and others about workplace health and safety; Providing services to health and safety committees and representatives; Taking the lead in health and safety certification by setting standards under the Occupational Health and Safety Act; Working with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador s OH&S Division with respect to workplace health and safety; Promoting funding for workplace health and safety research; and Partnering with industry associations, government departments, unions and health and safety coalitions across the province to reduce workplace injuries and diseases. WHSCC health and safety advisors and ergonomists also work in the field helping employers develop workplace health and safety programs. Advisors each have an industry assignment. Currently there are advisors assigned to Agriculture, Construction, Finance Insurance & Real Estate, Fish Harvesting, Fish Processing, Forestry, Health Care and Social Services, Manufacturing, Mining, Service, Transportation, Wholesale/Retail and Young Workers. The Occupational Health and Safety Branch of the Department of Government Services is responsible for enforcement. The branch is funded in part by the WHSCC. Legislation in Newfoundland requires a written health and safety program for all workplaces that have ten or more workers. Having an OH&S program in place is one of the requirements of PRIME, the WHSCC s incentive program. Under this program, if employers meet practice incentive requirements, they can qualify for a 5% practice refund. These practice incentives include having policies in occupational health and safety and return to work, a health and safety committee or designate (less than ten (employees), an injury reporting system (poster, policy, procedures), and an occupational health and safety program. Large employers are also required to have a return-to-work program to qualify. The WHSCC also funds research initiatives, including for injury prevention, health and safety related topics. 6 Ontario s Prevention System: A New Direction. Business Case Health & Safety Association Realignment, February

29 The Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association receives funding through an industry levy. The WHSCC s Strategic Report indicates that it will continue to promote and expand the sector council model to promote focus on industry-specific health and safety issues and solutions. A Forestry Sector Council was formed in 2008, modeled somewhat after the Construction Safety Association. Discussions are also underway with fish processing, fish harvesting and the mining industries 7. Sector Councils mandates include more than injury prevention. WHSCC representatives sit on sector council boards to support an ongoing focus on injury prevention. Funding is currently year to year; longer term funding is believed to be necessary to ensure long term stability, a proper long term funding agreement is needed. 4.0 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION RESULTS The following presents the summary themes from the stakeholder consultation. The information represents the views and opinions of interviewed stakeholders and have not been validated by MNP. 4.1 INFRASTRUCTURE & LEADERSHIP Stakeholders evaluation of the overall infrastructure for injury and illness prevention in Manitoba ranged from mediocre to pretty good. Significant progress in the last decade was noted and Manitoba was often seen to compare reasonably well to other provinces. The injury prevention industry is fragmented, with a number of small associations and independent businesses. Many of the associations have similar purposes and overlapping members/clients. While there is duplication in some areas, such as general awareness training, stakeholders still report gaps in programming and services in others, for example targeted to industries and higher risk groups. Stakeholders identified opportunities to strengthen this existing infrastructure through increased communication, leadership and coordination of activities in order to minimize duplication of services, and long term planning that encompasses all organizations. Some organizations also indicated they would welcome guidance from the WCB to help align their organizations with provincial goals and activity. The Workplace Safety and Health Act was acknowledged by many as practical, clear and easy to administer. Increased enforcement of the Act, including more frequent inspections, application of administrative penalties, and more timely prosecutions were seen to be important to ensure there is sufficient incentive for compliance. Enabling prosecution based on a coroner s report instead of requiring an inquest was identified as one way to enable more timely response. Ensuring workers can and know how to anonymously report safety concerns, and that there are sufficient resources to respond to these concerns was also believed to be important. Stakeholders recommended that more emphasis and recognition of positive practices be included in site visits and inspection reports to reinforce what is right as well as identifying deficiencies to be corrected. Additional provisions that expand mandatory safety training for every employee 8, and make education for young workers a mandatory aspect of school curriculums were identified as opportunities to help achieve a reduction in injuries. The two days per year of educational leave for Health and Safety Committees as provided under the Act is not believed to be adequate to ensure members are sufficiently knowledgeable and effective. Other identified areas where government could provide leadership included Section 4(4) of The Workplace Safety and Health Act currently states that every employer shall provide information, instruction and training to a worker to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, and health of the worker, before the worker (a) begins performing a work activity at a workplace; (b) performs a different work activity than the worker was originally trained to perform; or (c) is moved to another area of the workplace or a different workplace that has different facilities, procedures or hazards. 21

30 incorporating safety conditions into all tender documents, and extending the requirement for safety certification to all government tendered projects in relevant sectors. Promotion and awareness activity (billboards, newspaper advertisements, etc.) and outreach programming in recent years is believed to be effective, starting a shift in public awareness, attitudes and expectations for a safe working environment. The SAFE Work website was noted to be a good resource for safety related information. The partnership between the WCB and WSHD in SAFE Work, and the relationship between SAFE Work and external associations was considered positive. Some concern was expressed that many of these resources tend to focus on worker behaviours, and there needs to be equal or greater emphasis on eliminating the risk and controlling the hazard. Stakeholders identified a need to re-balance the WCB s resources to increase the focus on prevention. For example, according to the WCB s 2008 Annual Report, prevention and other expenses represent only approximately 4% of premium revenue. Similarly there is also believed to be a need to focus more on leading indicators such as safety programs in place and number of workplaces with proper safety certification, with less emphasis on lagging indicators such as deficiencies and injury rates. Concerns were expressed by labour organizations that the emphasis on injury rates and the WCB s experience rating model can result in claims being suppressed, artificially reducing the injury rate. There are penalties for suppressing claims, however this activity can be difficult to prove and the potential savings from suppressing a claim are significantly higher than the penalty, even if it is imposed. A preferred approach would be to provide premium reductions for establishing and actively implementing safety programs. There is a general consensus among stakeholders that SAFE Work Manitoba is a step in the right direction. Many organizations feel it would be appropriate for SAFE Work to supply the desired leadership and coordination to strengthen the overall infrastructure. Leadership from industry is an area that also needs further development. It is ultimately buy-in at the company executive level that is necessary to change the focus of an organization, and through the influence of leading organizations, change the focus of an industry. Industry in Manitoba is believed to be too complacent regarding safety and injury prevention. There is a need for more CEO s who see safety as a core value and peer to peer leadership to extend this culture throughout the province. 4.2 GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT All interviewed associations are governed by boards, and stakeholders expressed satisfaction with their own board effectiveness. Many of the associations, especially smaller ones, spoke highly of their boards because of their passion and commitment to safety. Board member roles are typically voluntary and come with duties that must be executed outside normal working hours. Three of the organizations interviewed are provincial chapters of national organizations. Seven of the twelve associations have established strategic and/or business goals and objectives. The associations receiving money through industry levies had a higher level of organization, capacity and overall development. These associations are also more diligent in tracking activity (a requirement of their funding). The smaller organizations cited reasons such as lack of funds and time for not being able to do the same. Three of the organizations are strictly volunteer, and do not employ management or staff. One main hurdle echoed by many of the stakeholders was the lack of funding. Interviewees cited facility, human resource and programming needs as some of the high priority areas to be addressed. Many associations feel their staff and volunteers are stretched and in the face of competition, do not have adequate funding to keep them. Some of the associations funded through levies collected by the WCB also provide services to public sector organizations which do not contribute to the levy. 22

31 Hiring and retaining qualified staff was a challenge expressed by all organizations. There is limited expertise in the province, and non-profit organizations have difficulty retaining qualified individuals when they receive other offers, particularly from industry where pay levels and career advancement opportunities are typically better. Red River College offers a Certificate program in Occupational Health and Safety 9, however according to those interviewed graduates often have very little if any practical experience and are prepared only at the entry level. Association staff typically participates in the training their association offers, and some associations have invested in further training to develop employees. The overall view is that professional-level training is not sufficiently available in Manitoba. 4.3 SERVICES AND CAPACITY Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention services provided in Manitoba can be categorized into Education and Training, Audit and Certification, Consulting Services (General and Technical Specialty), Disability Management, Product Supply and Regulatory. While some specialize, many organizations provide services in more than one category, particularly combining Training and Education and Consulting Services. The WCB categorizes industry into sectors and sub-sectors. These sectors are listed below along with safety associations serving that sector. Note: While not listed below, union organizations also offer health and safety training for their members. Select sub-sectors with a time loss injury rate above the average (4.0) or with a dedicated safety association are also listed. A number of previously voluntary industries, including certain types of Agriculture, became compulsory effective January 1, The time loss injury rate in 2008 may not be representative of the industry, and can be expected to change in Figure 6: Time Loss Injury Rate and Safety Services by Sector Sector Time Loss Injury Rate (2008) Forestry 6.1 Associations Providing Services Mining 2.6 Mines Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba Manufacturing Metal Works Vehicle Agricultural Implement Clothing Construction Building Construction Heavy Construction Transportation, Communication & Storage Trucking Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Construction Safety Association of Manitoba Manitoba Heavy Construction Association Services Provided Education and Training Education and Training Consulting (Evaluation) Certification Information and Resources Education and Training Consulting Audits and Certification Trade 3.1 Retail Safety Council Information, Education 9 The Red River College Occupational Health and Safety Certificate requires completion of 13 courses plus 240 hours of workplace experience over a six week period. 23

32 Sector Service Healthcare Restaurants & Catering Time Loss Injury Rate (2008) Associations Providing Services Services Provided Safe Hospitality Information, Education Voluntary Agriculture (compulsory as of Jan. 09) Public Administration 2.0 Self-Insured 3.4 Canadian Agricultural Safety Association Surveillance programs, information, coordination, grants The above indicates a lack of industry-focused safety services in a number of high risk sectors and sub-sectors, specifically forestry, metal works, vehicle and clothing manufacturing, trucking, healthcare and agriculture. For-profit organizations tend to provide services to all industries, typically in higher risk industries. Some industries, such as vehicle manufacturing, are dominated by a small number of large companies that have developed internal resources and expertise, reducing the need for an association. Other industries, such as metal works and agriculture involve a large number of small businesses that may perceive the cost of privately contracted services as a barrier. Almost all of the organizations provide information and education. Out of the twelve organization s activities, four were limited to general awareness (training and education), and do not specialize by industry or area of technical expertise. Stakeholders also indicated that on-line training is not sufficiently available to enable access in rural and remote areas. While some of this training is drawn from recognized resources, much is developed internally by each organization, and there does not appear to be any clear standards for training content. Concerns were expressed by labour organizations that the focus of training from associations and private sector providers is primarily on the behavior of workers, instead of addressing the hazards in the workplace. There is also a need to ensure training is provided beyond health and safety committees to reach supervisors and the individuals responsible for ensuring a safe work environment on a daily basis. In terms of capacity, all industry associations are constrained by the availability of skilled resources. Four of the twelve associations are entirely run by volunteers and do not generate sufficient revenue to support staff. All associations draw on contract resources, which in itself is a limited pool in Manitoba. For most associations this also means limited ability to deliver services outside of Winnipeg. Consulting services offered by the associations are limited. Five of the twelve associations the construction associations, Safety Services Manitoba, Safe Hospitality and the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada all indicated an interest in expanding services to extend their reach and/or revenue base subject to securing the necessary talent. Recruiting efforts by the WCB and WHSD also draw from the same pool of individuals involved in workplace safety and health. For-profit organizations provide additional capacity; over 40 advertise safety training and consulting services, the majority of which are based in Winnipeg. The Board of Registered Safety Professionals lists 102 active Canadian Registered Safety Professionals in Manitoba. Gaps in services and capacity identified by interviewed organizations included programs and services for injury prevention on farms and in rural Manitoba generally. Healthcare and government were also identified as needing to have greater focus on injury prevention, including issues such as ergonomics, harassment, and violence. Target groups that stakeholders identified as being underserved included immigrant and aboriginal workers and youth. 24

33 4.4 BEST PRACTICES Stakeholders identified a number of industry best practices that support injury prevention. These include: Safety Program: The establishment of a safety program, or internal responsibility system, is a fundamental step. The existence and quality of the program will drive the injury experience in the organization. Standards for these programs have been established by the Canadian Safety Association. WHSD also has a compliance assessment tool than can be used to evaluate programs. Cooperation in the internal responsibility system, including active, effective safety committees is also seen to be important to support effective programs. Safety Certification: The Certificate of Recognition (COR) program is a nationally recognized standard in construction safety. One stakeholder quoted as saying, This is biggest driver for the safety industry. It is widely considered a measurable yardstick as it is audited regularly and must represent current knowledge. Two associations in Manitoba have jurisdiction to grant COR status 10. This approach has been applied to a broader set of industries in other provinces. Training: All employees must have the required knowledge to work in a safe environment/manner. Training on safety procedures is crucial and integrating safety training into employee orientation and ongoing throughout employment is important to instill a safety culture. Training and communication also must be adapted to ensure the information is easily understood. Culture: Employer commitment is essential to the success of injury prevention. To become part of an organization s culture, safety must be evident in the organization s objectives and reporting systems, orientation and training programs, recognition and reward programs and ongoing communication. Accountability for safety and injury prevention must be a clear part of the performance management systems. Industry Leadership: Industry leadership includes an industry focus on safety and injury prevention (e.g., through industry associations), and peer to peer leadership by business leaders within industry. 5.0 INVESTMENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN ILLNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION The rate at which injuries occur is a function of a number of variables, including changes in technology, changes in industry activity, and changes in the size and nature of the workforce as well as the effective implementation of injury prevention strategies. There are a number of efforts implemented by the WCB and government to support injury prevention that affect all industries, including changes in the WCB Rate Model to increase the impact of claims experience on employer rates, Public Awareness Campaign, enforcement efforts of WSHD and WCB SAFE Work Services. The activities of safety associations, employers, unions, and individual workers also play an important role. The costs of a workplace injury are also significantly more than the direct claims costs. For employers they include productivity costs, increased overtime expense and/or recruiting costs, property damage, administrative costs, and potentially turnover among other employees. For workers, they include uninsured income loss, loss of potential future earnings, and the many personal impacts on the individual and his or her family that can arise as a result of an injury. The time loss injury rate for all industries in Manitoba declined by 28.6% from 2000 to Time loss injury rates declined in all industries with the exception of Forestry, as shown in Figure 7 below

34 Figure 7: Time Loss Injury Rate by Sector Time Loss Injury rate per 100 FTEs Construction Manufacturing Forestry Transportation Administration Service Self-Insurers Trade Mining Voluntary Overall Based on analysis conducted by the WCB, if the overall provincial injury rate had remained at 5.6 instead of the reduction to 4.0, there would have been 6,875 more time loss injuries in 2008 than what actually occurred. Based on 2008 WCB claim costs incurred, the savings to the WCB system would have been approximately $74 million in 2008 alone. Employers benefitted by avoiding many other costs as well, such as the costs associated with replacing injured workers, additional training and reduced productivity. The payroll of industries serviced by the safety associations for 2008 represents 14% of the total Class E payroll. The number of avoided injuries from these industries represents 18% of the total, suggesting that sectors serviced by the safety associations have had a somewhat greater than average impact on the overall reduction in injuries. The following provides a review of the changes in the lost time injury rate in sectors which have active safety associations funded by an industry levy administered by the WCB. It provides analysis regarding both the investments in each sector and the actual and calculated change in time loss claims in each sector. Costs are calculated based on the average claim cost to determine the cost savings arising from injuries that have been avoided. While a directional indicator, this analysis has a number of limitations. For example, association services are not utilized by all companies in a sector and companies not using the services may have significant influence on the injury rate. Injury prevention activities are also investments in the future, making it difficult to link cause and effect. A fuller, though still less than scientific, evaluation would consider the cumulative value of investments and cumulative number of injuries and claims costs avoided in each year. The best measure would be on a company by company basis, comparing the investments the individual company had made in safety and injury prevention compared to the reduction in costs associated with workplace injuries. Some stakeholders also expressed the concern that not all injuries are reported, and a change in the time loss injury rate may be a change in reporting, not the frequency of injuries. 26

35 5.1 CONSTRUCTION SECTOR From , the Heavy Construction sub-sector achieved a 36% decrease in the time loss injury rate. Building construction achieved a decrease of 20%. For Building Construction, the most significant improvement was from 2000 to The rate has not significantly decreased since. It is notable, however, that while it has not meaningfully decreased, it has not increased either during a period of high activity and significant growth in the number of workers in the industry, which can present additional risks and challenges to effective implementation of safety programs. Figure 8: Construction Sector Injury Rate Construction Subsectors Injury Rate Building Construction Heavy Construction Manitoba Overall In 2008, there was an estimated population of 20,608 workers in building construction. If the 2000 time loss injury rate of 11 per 100 workers (11%) was applied to this population, there would have been 2,267 time loss injury claims. The actual number of time loss injury claims in 2008 was 1,817, representing a reduction of 450 from what would have occurred had the injury rate not declined. Similarly there were 164 fewer time loss injury claims in heavy construction than would have occurred at the 2000 rate. See Figure below. Figure 9: Impact of change in time loss injury rate - Construction 2000 Injury Rate 2000 Injuries 2000 Workers 2008 Injury Rate 2008 Actual Injuries 2008 Workers Calculated Injuries workers at 2000 Injury Rate Reduction in Time Loss Injuries Building Construction Heavy Construction ,389 12, ,817 20,608 2, ,

36 Funding generated by industry levies for the Construction Safety Association (Building Construction) was $1.29 million; $720,000 for the Manitoba Heavy Construction Safety Program. 5.2 AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURING SUBSECTOR The Manufacturing Sector overall achieved a reduction in time loss injuries of 50.8% from 2000 to While the most significant reduction was achieved from 2000 to 2001, there has been a steady improvement in each of the following years. Vehicle manufacturing has seen the most dramatic change in this sector, improving from a time loss injury rate of 29.1 in 2000 to 6.5 (-78%) in This sub-sector is represented by a small number of large employers that made a dedicated effort to improving their safety record. The Agricultural Implement Manufacturing sub-sector also achieved a significant improvement, reducing the time loss injury rate by 47% from 2000 to Figure 10: Manufacturing Sector Injury Rate 25 Manufacturing Sector 20 Injury Rate Ag Implement Manufacturing Manufacturing Sector Manitoba Overall In 2008, there was an estimated population of 5,649 workers in agricultural implement manufacturing. If the 2000 time loss injury rate of 19.3 per 100 workers (19.3%) was applied to this population, there would have been 1,090 time loss injury claims. The actual number of time loss injury claims in 2008 was 578, representing a reduction of 512 from what would have occurred had the injury rate not declined. See Figure 11 below. Figure 11: Impact of change in time loss injury rate Agricultural Implement Manufacturing 2000 Injury Rate 2000 Injuries 2000 Workers 2008 Injury Rate 2008 Actual Injuries 2008 Workers Calculated Injuries workers at 2000 Injury Rate Reduction in Time Loss Injuries Agricultural Implement Manufacturing , ,649 1,

37 Funding for the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada from industry levies administered by the WCB was $345,072 in RESTAURANTS AND CATERING SUBSECTOR The Restaurants and Catering sub-sector achieved a reduction in time loss injuries of 24% from 2000 to This sector has a lower time loss injury rate than the overall average for Manitoba. Figure 12: Restaurants and Catering Subsector Injury Rate 6 Restaurants and Catering Subsector 5 Injury Rate Restaurants and Catering Manitoba Overall In 2008, there was an estimated population of 26,992 workers in restaurants and catering. The 2000 time loss injury rate for this sub-sector was 2.5 per 100 workers in Applied to the 2008 worker population, there would have been 675 time loss injury claims. The actual number of time loss injury claims in 2008 was 525, representing a reduction of 150 from what would have occurred had the injury rate not declined. See Figure 13 below. Figure 13: Impact of change in time loss injury rate Restaurants and Catering 2000 Injury Rate 2000 Injuries 2000 Workers 2008 Injury Rate 2008 Actual Injuries 2008 Workers Calculated Injuries 2008 workers at 2000 Injury Rate Reduction in Time Loss Injuries Restaurants and Catering , , Funding for SAFE Hospitality from industry levies administered by the WCB was $204,690 in

38 6.0 CONCLUSIONS The following conclusions have been based on the findings outlined above. Infrastructure and Leadership 1. SAFE Work partnership is positive. Progress is being made in Manitoba. The partnership between the WCB and WHSD, and the joint SAFE Work strategy are considered to be positive. The steps to date have been seen as in the right direction and most stakeholders would like to see this continue and grow in capacity, providing further leadership to injury prevention activity in the province. 2. Increased coordination is needed to make the existing infrastructure more effective. The lack of coordination between associations results in duplication in some areas and gaps in others, reducing the efficiency of an infrastructure constrained by resources. Governance and Management 3. While there is some tracking of activity, program outputs and outcomes are not sufficiently tracked to enable evaluation of the impact of delivered services. All stakeholders interviewed agreed with the value of establishing key performance indicators and reporting, however many cited reasons such as lack of capacity (funding and human) as barriers. The funded associations report as required by their funding agreements; however this reporting does not extend to outcomes achieved by those that have received services. The WCB and WHSD report activity and injury rates, but not interim accomplishments such as effective programs in place. Services and Capacity 4. Private, fee for service providers are an important component of the overall safety infrastructure. Training and awareness is the primary focus of most of the interviewed organizations. While five of the twelve organizations deliver some employer specific consulting services, consulting capacity to assist employers in developing, evaluating or improving safety programs, and services outside of Winnipeg is available more from private sector companies. 5. All associations and many private providers offer training, developed from a number of sources. Training program materials are often developed or adapted from established, credible sources (CCOHS, WHSD, CSA); however there does not appear to be any consistently recognizable quality assurance standard for the adapted materials or training professionals. 6. The ability of the existing infrastructure to expand its capacity is limited by the availability of safety professionals in Manitoba. Many stakeholders expressed frustration in attracting and retaining qualified safety professionals. Recruiting from outside Manitoba and more professional level training in Manitoba is needed to expand the pool of professionals, particularly with increased staffing by the WCB and WSHD. 30

39 Gaps 7. A number of sub-sectors with high time loss injury rates are not supported by an industry-focused safety organization. The forestry, manufacturing, trucking, healthcare and agriculture sectors/sub-sectors all have higher than average injury rates. There is only one safety association, with a limited sub-sector focus (agricultural implement manufacturing) in these sectors. Associations in these sectors exist in the other jurisdictions contacted as shown below. Industry Focused Safety Organizations BC AB SK ON NF Forestry Manufacturing Trucking Healthcare Agriculture 8. There is a need to ensure safety and injury prevention awareness in specific target groups. The Manitoba workforce is gaining strength from increasing numbers of new Canadians and Aboriginal people. Continued efforts to increase awareness of safe work procedures and injury prevention are needed for these groups. Integrating safety and health as part of the standard school curriculum is important to fully reach youth. 9. Industry and CEO commitment is needed to develop a safety culture in Manitoba. Increasing access to services will only be effective if there is demand for the services, and development of capacity is encouraged by demand. A safety motivation is needed at the company level to fully establish the required culture to achieve a significant reduction in injuries. The effectiveness of this commitment has been demonstrated in some sectors. Stakeholders believe compliance incentives are not currently sufficient to motivate employers to fully engage in injury prevention activities. 7.0 RECOMMENDATIONS Support industry- focused services delivered through an efficient infrastructure 1. Support development of industry-focused services in high risk sectors Industry-focused information and services provide accessible, credible resources to employers. The more directly applicable to a specific workplace, the more likely an employer will access the service. There are a number of industry associations and sector councils that have established relationships and credibility with industry, as well as a mandate to deliver industry training and access to training facilities (e.g., the Training Centre at 1000 Waverly). 31

40 2. Support development of infrastructure that efficiently supports the full set of best practices. Sustainable infrastructure does require a certain scale to ensure the majority of resources can be focused on delivery of services. Options to enable this type of infrastructure while still ensuring relevance to specific industries include the following: Partnerships between industry associations with members that have similar working environments or safety requirements. This may include combining or extending the mandate of existing organizations. For example, in Manitoba, as in Saskatchewan, the building construction industry and the heavy construction industry each have their own safety associations. In B.C. the associations have recently merged. In Ontario, construction of all types is included in the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, along with Transportation and Utilities. A second example is, the AMC Safety Program, which may be adaptable to the metal working sub-sector which has a high injury rate. Quebec has a joint sector that combines metal and clothing manufacturing. Supporting partnerships between industry associations and an unrelated safety association to develop customized training and services for the industry. Enabling communication and coordination of all safety organizations. Many of the existing safety organizations especially those with no formal relationship with the WCB -- wished to see a more coordinated effort in reaching injury prevention goals. SAFE Work is seen to be the natural leader to enable this coordination through some form of regular, working interaction that enables organizations to identify annual plans, share best practices and resources and create the potential for joint programming or activity. It would also enable guidance from the WCB regarding priority areas of interest to further enable focus by the associations. A further extension of this concept could include more formal development of a coalition or umbrella organization to rationalize common activities such as general awareness, while still allowing delivery of industry specific services through specialist teams. An alternative, broader funding mechanism may be required to support such an organization. Establish program and training standards 3. Develop safety program accreditation standards applicable to all industries. Having an established and fully implemented safety program has been recognized as a fundamental basis for preventing workplace injuries and illness. The COR program for the construction industry is currently the only certification program recognized by the WCB of Manitoba. The AMC offers a Certificate of Achievement in Safety and Health which abides by the Joint Committee framework in Saskatchewan, and safety program certification standards for all industries have been established in AB, NL, BC, SK and ON. SAFE Work already publishes guidelines for employers looking to set up an OHS program, including required elements, evaluation tips and general procedures, as well as a Safety and Health Program Assessment Tool. There are a number of consultants in the province qualified to conduct COR audits that could also evaluate other industries. 4. Develop a program to certify training courses and training professionals. SAFE Work training and trainer certification would allow employers to ensure their training investments are wellspent, and provide confidence and a quality assurance standard for the industry. This program may automatically recognize designated professionals and other certifications (e.g., individuals that have received train-the-trainer certification from WSHD), as well as courses developed/approved by other recognized bodies, but could also establish a mechanism to recognize other equivalent qualifications, and industry-adapted materials. 32

41 Encourage employer focus on injury prevention through information, incentives and enforcement. 5. Highlight prevention in all employer communication. The WCB and WSHD have partnered in the SAFE Work strategy, and significant resources are available on the web-site. It is recommended that the WCB seek to maximize awareness of these resources and the business case for injury prevention by ensuring there is reference in all communications. There is a link to the SAFE Work site from the WCB s main page, but neither SAFE Work nor prevention is on the banner or an available link on all other pages. Direct correspondence also presents an opportunity to deliver just in time information as well. For example, every new claim or employer registration could trigger information being sent to the employer that helps explain how to minimize the impact of this claim as well as the business case (specific benchmark or rate impact information) to prevent the next one. The WCB could also include injury prevention (beyond modified work requirements) in the return to work plan for all injured workers. 6. Provide regular/automatic injury rate and benchmark information to all employers and associations. The WCB has developed some sector and employer specific reports, for example the Report on Injuries and Illnesses in the Construction Sector released in February 2007, and some employer specific reports for large employers that have requested the information or that have been specifically targeted for improvement. Providing detailed information for all employers regarding their workplace injury experience, and comparative information to industry average, by size of payroll, their specific ranking, and the reduced premium they could achieve by improving their performance would provide greater understanding of their opportunity to improve and motivation to do so. 7. Extend and expand incentives for employers to establish and fully implement safety programs. The WCB of Manitoba established a 5% premium discount to employers in the construction industry with COR certification as a three year pilot project in Experience in other jurisdictions indicates that incentive programs (reduced premiums) are effective in encouraging participation in safety accreditation programs. A lack of financial incentives (rewards or penalties) has been cited as contributing to a lack of employer and industry commitment to safety and injury prevention in Manitoba. The implementation of a more sensitive experiencerating system in 2001 coincides with a fairly significant impact on injury rates in a number of industries. While important, an employer would not experience the real impact of this program until an accident occurs. An incentive program aimed at the necessary behaviours to reduce injuries would help improve the focus on safety and proven drivers of injury prevention before a worker is injured. Where an association providing low cost services is not available to assist employers with development of the necessary safety programs (e.g., the employer is outside the scope of an industry association or beyond their geographic reach), and/or if a premium discount program is not available to provide an incentive, the WCB should consider enabling funding through its Research and Workplace Innovation program to enable an employer to contract services to get an accredited safety program in place. 8. Continue focus on increasing compliance. The WSHD has increased its resources and targeted number of inspections. Continued focus on increasing compliance, including applying administrative penalties where warranted, will help to reinforce employers incentives to support effective injury prevention in workplaces. Extend access and reach of workplace injury prevention information and resources 9. Expand access to safety information and resources in rural and remote areas. The OHC has begun a program, supported by grant funding from the WCB, to deliver programs to rural areas via tele- and video conference. It is recommended that the WCB explore opportunities to further enable and expand employer access to video-conference training delivered by partner organizations and/or associations through 33

42 government department offices throughout the province that have video conference capabilities, for example, WHSD offices in Brandon, Thompson and Flin Flon, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives extension offices, or Canada-Manitoba Business Service Centre offices. Developing a section on the SAFE Work website specific to access in rural areas for existing services (associations and private contractors delivering services in rural areas) would also improve the ability to find these services. On-line training was identified as a further opportunity to extend access both to rural and remote areas and to shift workers. CCOHS has developed on-line training and several Manitoba providers provide links and/or reference this material as well as other on-line training. It is recommended that the WCB examine opportunities to either stimulate development of on-line training that meets WCB standards, or if it already exists, certify and publicize the availability of on-line training per recommendation 4 above. 10. Extend the reach and penetration of safety and health education of young workers. Stakeholders consistently indicated the importance of incorporating workplace safety and health education into the standard curriculum of Senior Years students, as well as post-secondary education. Growing up with this awareness will help ensure a safety culture is already in place as these students enter the workforce. The SAFE Work youth campaign, guidance to teachers and access to materials such as those on the SAFE Work web site could be incorporated into annual programming. Evaluate needs and remaining barriers directly with target groups and employers 11. Determine needs for development of resources for target groups. New Canadians and Aboriginal workers were identified as particularly vulnerable to workplace injuries, largely related to language and communication. The SAFE Work web-site offers Safety and Health 101 in Plain English on-line that is targeted to those who speak English as an additional language. Other programming has been developed, funded by the WCB, targeted to these groups (Aboriginal Safety and Health Awareness Initiative, Aboriginal Women and Youth in Safety, Language, Culture and Literacy Needs of WCB Clients, Manitoba Immigrants Safety Initiative). The WCB should evaluate the results of these programs and conduct targeted consultation with industry, associations and service providers to aboriginal communities and new Canadians to ensure awareness of the existing materials, opportunities to expand communication and awareness of existing resources, and to determine outstanding needs and how best to ensure resources are available to this group. 12. Quantify and qualify needs for injury prevention information, resources and services through direct consultation with employers. The consultation conducted for this study was with associations and organizations delivering safety and health services in Manitoba. The findings represent the perspectives of these organizations regarding the existing services and gaps to achieve further reduction in injuries in Manitoba. Direct consultation with a representative sample of employers, beginning with registered employers, would help identify priorities and barriers to achieving an effective safety and injury prevention program in every workplace. 34