A snapshot of occupational health and safety in Ontario

Employment in Ontario

The share of Ontario employed workers engaged in nonstandard work, including temporary work, increased to 26.6 percent in 2015 from 23.1 percent in 1997. The average annual growth rate of nonstandard work over the period was 2.3 percent, nearly double the 1.2 percent rate of growth in standard work.^{footnote 1[1]footnote 2[2]}

From 2006 to 2015 health care and social assistance had the largest growth in employment (28.5 percent), while manufacturing saw the largest decrease (25.3 percent).^{footnote 2[2]}

Ontario employment by age 2015

• 13.5% - workers aged 15 to 24 (down from 14.9 percent in 2006)
• 66.1% - workers aged 25 to 54 (down from 70.7 in 2006)
• 16.1% - workers aged 55 to 64 (up from 12.3 percent in 2006)
• 4.3% - workers aged 65 and older (up from 2.0 percent in 2006)

Sources: Ministry of Finance, Office of Economic Policy, 2016, and CANSIM table 282-0008.

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Ontario employment by sector under provincial jurisdiction 2015

• 24% - education
• 16% - trade
• 13% - other services
• 12% - manufacturing
• 9% - professional services
• 8% - construction
• 8% - health care and social assistance
• 5% - financial services
• 3% - public administration
• 2% - agriculture, mining, utilities and other primary industries

Source: Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, based on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.

Note: Percentages rounded to nearest whole number.

Occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities

As part of its effort to improve workplace health and safety, Ontario collects and analyzes data on occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

In 2015:

• Ontario had fewer occupational injury and illness claims.
• Ontario had fewer critical injury events.
• Ontario had fewer workplace fatalities.
• 68 percent of allowed fatality claims were for fatalities from occupational diseases.
• While the number of traumatic fatalities decreased, there was an increase in fatalities related to occupational diseases.

Decreases in injury rates, injury events, claims and fatalities

*Average annual rate of change.

Sources:

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board By the Numbers 2015, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Day of Mourning Fatalities Report: 2006 to 2015.
• Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Data Systems 2006 to 2015.

Notes:

• The occupational injury and illness claims described in this chart represent occupational injury/illness claims (Schedule 1 and 2 employers) that have been allowed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
• Rates are calculated by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development based on claims divided by the number of workers under provincial jurisdiction.

Increases in the average annual rates of change for occupational disease fatality claims and rates

⁺Average annual rate of change.

Sources:

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board By the Numbers 2015, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Day of Mourning Fatalities Report: 2006 to 2015.
• Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Data Systems 2006 to 2015.

Notes:

• The occupational injury and illness claims described in this chart represent occupational injury/illness claims (Schedule 1 and 2 employers) that have been allowed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
• Rates are calculated by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development based on claims divided by the number of workers under provincial jurisdiction.

Ontario’s occupational health and safety system

Ontario’s workers and employers require a robust system to support them in creating healthy and safe workplaces. Ontario’s occupational health and safety system consists of a network of key partners – each with a unique role. The partners work together to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities with support from other important players in the occupational health and safety system including:

• a multi-stakeholder Prevention Council that advises the Minister of Labour and the Chief Prevention Officer on system planning and initiatives
• section 21 Committees that advise the Minister of Labour on occupational health and safety matters.
• private health and safety trainers and consultants
• four specialized occupational health and safety research centres
• the Offices of the Worker Adviser and the Employer Adviser
• health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees in workplaces
• unions, worker and employer organizations and associations

In 2015-16, the network continued its collaborative work in fostering a culture of occupational health and safety in more workplaces.

The integrated strategy focuses on collaboration and the need for the occupational health and safety system to engage new partner organizations. By expanding partnerships – such as those with universities and colleges, non-profit organizations, First Nations, community organizations, other ministries and levels of government, occupational health and safety training programs – the system’s services and messages can reach a broader audience and increase awareness of the importance of workplace health and safety.

Ontario's occupational health and safety system

Members of the prevention council

Labour representatives:

• Patrick Dillon, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario
• Nancy Hutchison, United Steelworkers
• Derek Johnstone, United Food and Commercial Workers of Canada
• Colin Grieve, Hamilton and Ontario Professional Firefighters

Non-union worker representative:

• Linda Vannucci, Toronto Workers’ Health and Safety Legal Clinic

Employer representatives

• Michael Oxley, DuPont Canada (vacated the Prevention Council position in 2016)
• Dawn Tattle, Anchor Shoring and Caissons Ltd.
• Roy Slack, Cementation Canada Inc. (vacated the Prevention Council position in 2015)
• Camille Quenneville, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Representative:

• Susanna Zagar

Occupational health and safety expert:

• Graeme Norval, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto

Training, clinical services, enforcement and prosecution

To protect workers and make workplaces healthier and safer, the occupational health and safety system and its partners are working to train more workplace parties and provide clinical services for workers who have been injured or become ill. The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development enforces the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.

Training and clinical services in 2015-16

Source: Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Health and Safety Association Year-end Reports.

Enforcement and prosecutions in 2015-16

Source: Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Data Systems. Accessed September 2016.

Notes:

• Prosecution statistics are based on fiscal year 2015-2016 and include convictions relating to Part III, Part I Summons and Part I Contested Tickets prosecutions.
• Fine amounts do not include the victim fine surcharge of 25 per cent.
• Prosecution statistics may be subject to minor variation following disposition of outstanding appeals.

Private health and safety training providers

Private health and safety training providers play an important role in occupational health and safety. They deliver mandatory training to many businesses across Ontario – particularly the growing number of small businesses. In 2015-16, private training providers trained over 43 percent of the workers who completed the approved Working at Heights training program.^{footnote 7[7]}

Online workplace supports

Over the past year, the occupational health and safety system continued to increase the use of online platforms to provide occupational health and safety resources to workplace parties. Online resources allow the system to reach more workers and employers, and they give workplaces fast convenient access to up-to-date health and safety information.

Website traffic

Source: Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Health and Safety Associations Analytical Reports, 2015-16.

Research and innovation

As the economy grows and shifts, new challenges emerge and the occupational health and safety system needs new solutions to improve worker health and safety. Research and innovation are critical to helping the system find those solutions.

To encourage research and innovation, the ministry funds specialized research centres: the Institute for Work and Health, the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre. These centres conduct strategy-driven research to enhance occupational health and safety initiatives. Their expertise, research findings and partnerships are helping to develop cutting edge knowledge and approaches to Ontario’s most pressing occupational health and safety issues.

The system also invests in the Research Opportunities Program, which funds research and knowledge dissemination projects that focus on occupational health and safety system priorities, and the Occupational Health and Safety Prevention and Innovation Program, which supports workplace-focused innovation projects and collaborative partnerships that lead to improvements in occupational health and safety in Ontario.

In 2015-16:

• 13 research projects were funded to inform prevention efforts, including research on occupational disease exposures, the effectiveness of the Internal Responsibility System, supports for vulnerable workers and other areas of concern.^{footnote 8[8]}
• 15 innovation projects were funded to provide dedicated support in areas of greatest need, including public safety events that foster a culture of occupational health and safety in different communities – such as a youth-focused radio series broadcast in Toronto’s Regent Park and a health and safety initiative with the six member First Nations communities in the Robinson Superior Treaty area – and customized initiatives to meet the needs of particular industries or worker groups.^{footnote 9[9]}

Early outputs from the 2015-16 programs include:

• Close to 1000 teachers and principals provided with occupational health and safety supports for youth.
• Youth-focused campaigns in hard-to-reach neighborhoods.
• A culture of occupational health and safety in indigenous communities in the Robinson Superior Treaty area.
• More support for families affected by a workplace tragedy.