Ontario Ministry of Labour inspectors will visit workplaces, from October 2 until November 24, to conduct an enforcement blitz on falls.
In 2016, 11,495 lost-time injury (LTI) claims resulted from falls, according to a report, “By the Numbers: 2016 WSIB Statistical Report.” Workplace Safety & Prevention Services says that’s the equivalent of 31 workers being injured every day due to a fall, and that nine of those injuries were traumatic fatalities.
What Will Inspectors Look For?
- Policies and programs
- Safe work practices
- Falls from ladders, mobile stands and platforms
- Falls from trucks/loads
- Ergonomics
- Worker training
According to the WSIB report, “Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls in the Workplace,” there are about 17,000 lost-time injuries due to falls in the workplace every year; 65 per cent of all fall-related injuries are from “same level”; one in five lost-time injuries result from falls; every year about 20 people die in Ontario because of workplace falls; 80 workers are injured every day because of a fall – that’s one every 20 minutes; an average WSIB claim is $11,771 (factor in other costs like lost productivity and staff replacement, and the cost can be as much as four times more – approximately $59,000 per injury); and with a profit margin of 5 per cent, sales/services required to cover the total cost of one injury equals about $1.2 million.
Find more information about the blitz on the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) website.
