Province Investing in Projects to Reduce Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities

Ontario is partnering with universities, professional associations and research groups on projects that will help support workplace mental health, advance our understanding of occupational diseases and prepare workers to deal with equipment hazards.

The province will work with partners to develop:

  • Tools for workplaces to increase awareness of mobile equipment hazards such as vibration exposure, line-of-sight/situational awareness and musculoskeletal disorders for the construction, mining, pulp and paper and forestry sectors.
  • An education program and broadly accessible resources to support the mental health and wellness of vulnerable employees such as young workers, new Canadians and those embarking on second careers.
  • A mobile app that will provide information about mental health, allow for self-assessment of symptoms and help Durham Regional Police Service’s officers and staff find appropriate clinical services when needed.

These projects are part of the Occupational Health, Safety and Prevention Innovation Program (OHSPIP), which supports workplace-focused innovation projects and collaborative partnerships that lead to improvements in occupational health and safety in Ontario.

Improving occupational health and safety is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.

Quick Facts

  • The 2017-2018 funding for OHSPIP is $1.68 million.
  • Since 2003, Ontario’s annual rate of workplace injuries has dropped by more than 50 per cent, making the province’s workplaces the safest in Canada and among the safest in the world.

Originally posted on news.ontario.ca

Published on February 15, 2018