b'HEALTH & SAFETYNEW REWARDS FORSAFE WORKPLACES WSIB LAUNCHES ONTARIOS HEALTH AND SAFETY EXCELLENCE PROGRAMBy Sarah B. HoodONE OUT OF TWO 18 to 24-year- Safe Employers program. In addition,and there were 64,855 allowed claims for olds feels safe at their workplace,McNaughton noted, WSIB has createdlost time due to work-related injuries or said Monte McNaughton, Ontarioits own program that will incentivizedisease. But even if fatalities and injuries Minister of Labour, Training and Skillscompanies without health and safetycould be entirely eliminated, a culture of Development, during his 2019 CEO Powerprograms to create them. There aresafety would still be a valuable asset for Breakfast appearance at The Buildingsmore incentives than ever to have a goodemployers because it builds employee Show in Toronto last December. Whathealth and safety culture on worksites. engagement and loyalty. There is a this means is that nearly half of allshared commitment. Employers want workers aged 18 to 24 feel unsafe Also on hand at the event was WSIBtheir workers to go home safely at night, at work. president and CEO Tom Teahen, whosays TCA president John Mollenhauer. explained that the new Health and SafetyWSIBs Health and Safety Excellence Research recently conducted for theExcellence program, which launched inprogram makes it easier than ever for Ministry shows that young workers believeNovember, will replace and combine thecompanies to excel in this area. In fact, many employers value speed abovepreviously-existing WSIB Small Business,businesses that are successful in the safety, said McNaughton, noting thatSafety Groups and Workwell programs. Itprogram will earn lower premium rates, 66 per cent believe there is pressure totakes the form of a performance-baseddirect rebates on WSIB premiums and complete work tasks above all else andincentive program that will map to theother recognition for their efforts.62 per cent believe health and safetyCORESafety system, as well as to CSA rules at their workplace would not preventand ISO standards. We will supportTHE NEXT LEVEL an accident. They find health and safetybusinesses all along the way to get toThe program is designed to help information difficult to understand, or theythat point, whether youre a constructionemployers of any size move to the next dont know where to find it. companyor any other companywithlevel of health and safety performance a more sophisticated program, or a two- with the aid of a WSIB-approved provider. To help businesses battle this perceptionperson window-cleaning shop. As youAll Schedule 1 or 2 businesses with an and take real action to improve healthincrease your competency, youll receiveactive WSIB account number are eligible and safety, the provincial governmentvarious incentives, Teahen said. to participate. The process has five steps: recently announced that an estimatedattending a free information session $140 million in premium rebates willWorkplace safety can save lives. WSIBin person or online; choosing a WSIB-be made available to safe employersreports that in 2018, 74 people wereapproved provider to work with; learning under the new Supporting Ontarioskilled in workplace incidents in Ontario,how to complete choices from among the 26Quarter 4 2019 BUILDERSDIGEST'