Health & safety good news was reported in the recent Occupational Health and Safety in Ontario: 2015-16 Annual Report.
Fewer injury claims, critical injuries and fatalities were reported in Ontario workplaces in 2015-16. This definitely is health & safety good news! With recent news stories involving serious employer penalties and worker injuries, it is nice to hear that overall workplace health & safety trends in Ontario are moving in a positive direction.
The report summarizes Ontario’s OHS strategy. It is a multi-sectorial approach involving the general public and employers, educators, researchers and safety specialists in both private and public sectors. Areas of focus include increasing public knowledge and changing attitudes and behaviour about safety at work. Workplace practices that put employees at risk are being challenged. Workers are understanding that they have the right to be safe while working and employers are doing more to keep employees out of harms way.
Ontario’s OHS initiatives include new legislation, worker training requirements, enforcement activities and mass media workplace safety marketing . The end result is the health & safety good news of fewer workers getting hurt. Continued improvement will requires creativity, effort and commitment to change from all workplace parties.
These changes may not feel like health & safety good news for business owners and employers. Implementing health and safety and staying compliant with requirements is hard work for employers. The best approach is to be positive, creative and to spend time learning about why improving workplace safety benefits businesses and their workers.
Read more about the Occupational Health and Safety in Ontario: 2015-16 Annual Report.
Great news indeed! The importance of high safety standards cannot be overstated. Young people entering the construction and real estate industries need the assurance that their health and safety is valued.