Prevention Is Key
Why a culture of safety is paramount in the workplace.
THE PRESENCE OF UNIONS in the workplace benefits not only those they represent but also the many who have to weigh the cost of speaking up against the potential of losing their jobs. We cannot underestimate the importance of encouraging our members to be highly visible in the workplace. For unrepresented and precarious workers, it lets them know that even if they don’t feel comfortable speaking up, others are there who can advocate for safe workplaces, with the protection and strength provided by the union and their collective agreement.
The Ontario Federation of Labour’s recent study of over 4,000 people concluded that precarious work was having a major impact on their well-being through stress caused by instability. If job instability is causing you stress to the point of health problems, are you really going to risk speaking up about unsafe working conditions?
The Ministry of Labour’s recent blitz of inspecting previous offenders found that the vast majority of employers who breach employment law are more likely to reoffend than not. When even being caught and fined is not enough of an incentive to change reprehensible behaviour, what alternative strategies are there for empowering workers?
Unions have so much work to do, from challenging contracting out to fighting to preserve and strengthen public services that provide for a healthy Ontario. Let’s encourage each other to be leaders in workplace health and safety issues; being visible and vigilant protects all workers.
SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE should be as routine as buckling your seat belt — and it needs to be a shared responsibility.
We are proud of our record in protecting Ontario workers. Workplace incidents have declined by more than 50 percent since 2003, and our great province is one of the safest places to work in the world.
However, too many workers continue to be killed and injured on the job. In 2016, 45 workers died in Ontario and hundreds were seriously injured. The impact of such tragedy is widespread. Not only are families devastated, but co-workers are traumatized and companies suffer damage to their reputations.
By working together we can reduce and eliminate the number of workplace injuries. But we all — employers, employees, health and safety associations, and governments — must commit to ensuring safety in the workplace.We all want workers in Ontario to return home safe and sound at the end of each workday.
Prevention is key. It begins with creating a culture where health and safety are paramount. It must be an intrinsic part of every workplace, and ingrained in every worker.
In Ontario, we are proud of our record in protecting the health and safety of workers. But more work is needed. By acting together, we can decrease the terrible human toll of workplace incidents and illness, and keep our workplaces among the safest in the world.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHAND SAFETY (OHS) has become an increasingly important issue for businesses. In 2015 alone, The Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) reported 852 fatalities in the workplace in Canada because of a work-related incident. Faced with the combined impacts of workplace hazards, legislative and regulatory requirements and the enormous costs of occupational health incidents, an increasing number of organizations are turning to certified OHS professionals to ensure that their workplaces are safe.
The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) is a public interest, not-for-profit certification body dedicated to the principles of health and safety as a profession in Canada. Since it was established in 1976, BCRSP has developed comprehensive certification schemes that are highly-valued by OHS professionals and employers. BCRSP administers the Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP ®) certification, a widely-accepted form of recognition by both industry and government in Canada.
An individual certified as a CRSP® has met the highest standards of academic, experience, and examination requirements and their knowledge and skills are upgraded through participation in a mandatory continuing professional development program. For employers, this ensures you always have a qualified, up-to-date professional managing your health and safety interests.
BCRSP continually strives to advance OHS knowledge, competency, and values that OHS professionals bring to society. To learn more about the CRSP® certification, visit www.bcrsp.ca.