July 23, 2010

Ontario workplace safety review moves into next phase

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

How to enhance Ontario worker safety preparation is a focal point of consultations by the province’s advisory panel looking at health and safety improvements.

“A lot of attention is being paid to what we are doing with first time entrants into the workforce at all ages and in all sectors and around what people need to know before they go in on their first shift,” said Tony Dean, Chair of the Workplace Safety System Review.

The review has made consultative stops in Thunder Bay, Sudbury, London, Windsor and spent three days in Toronto since mid-May. Dean and his team have heard from over 100 groups during public consultations and also between 50 and 60 bilateral meetings with labour groups and organizations. Consultations have now ended.

“I think the relatively short time frame really mobilized attention and effort,” said Dean. “People turned over very thoughtful and comprehensive submissions and advice and were willing to spend time to explain that advice.”

Discussion about the particular needs of small businesses, regardless of the sector, an emphasis on internal responsibility systems, training, enforcement, the underground economy and vulnerable workers and standardized entry level training have all consistently been raised during the consultation tour.

“If we know what the five biggest killers of our workers are, that is where we should be putting our focus of attention for training, support and enforcement,” explained Dean.

“Same goes to the players in the system. Keeping new entrants safe as they enter the workforce and keeping safe those workers in high risk areas of the economy is where the focus of the efforts of the system should be.”

The consultations have shown that no matter the sector, a more mandatory, systematic approach to entry level and supervisor training has been called for. Also, there is a sense that as risk increases , as the potential for critical injury or fatality increases “you should be seeing a more rigorous, standardized and accredited approach” to training that is “uniform” across workplaces and regions, noted Dean.

“If we choose the right things and make the make them priorities for the system. If we incent behind achieving those things and if we have accountability in a governance structure, that is effective in driving that, we can actually accomplish a lot,” said Dean.

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