
To assist employers with their health and safety initiatives, the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has modified its health and safety program.
According to Christine Arnott, public affairs manager for WSIB Ontario, the “enhanced” Health and Safety Excellence program makes it “easier for businesses to achieve lasting health and safety improvements, access the support they need, and enjoy financial incentives and rebates on their WSIB premiums.”
To participate in the program, businesses must select a WSIB-approved program provider who will collaborate with them to determine the program subjects that will comprise their health and safety action plan.
Employers can select from 41 topics at three different levels: foundation, intermediate, and advanced.
WSIB Ontario also offers “a recommended pathway that includes sets of pre-selected topics to make it easier for small businesses and businesses new to health and safety to get started”.
Targeted support from WSIB
According to Arnott, small enterprises and those who are new to health and safety are receiving more focused assistance this time around to help them make their workplaces safer. Members can also get professional guidance from top safety and health experts.
Two more themes were introduced by the workers’ compensation agency to promote employees’ psychological health through risk assessment and mitigation.
Through the program, employers should be able to:
- reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses, and lessen the impact on their business when they do occur
- boost employee confidence, productivity, and psychological well-being
- improve their business’s reputation by showing their commitment to health and safety.
“The WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence program helps you develop an internal culture that respects and prioritizes health and safety. We received immeasurable assistance from our program provider that helped us create a safer workplace,” noted Safe Tree Ltd.