One of the key recommendations from a recent expert panel report to the Ontario Ministry of Labour is being acted upon, with the province's announcement of its plans to create the position of a chief prevention officer.
Reporting to the minister, the chief prevention officer will focus on workplace safety. The individual will coordinate prevention system strategies, priorities and programs, and oversee the province's health and safety associations.
The creation of this role was just one of the key recommendations in a recent report by a 10-member expert panel, led by Tony Dean, professor in the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto.
Other recommendations in the report include improving support for small businesses, and requiring mandatory basic health and safety awareness training for all workers and supervisors.
Another recommendation is the creation of a prevention council, which would work with the chief prevention officer to redesign injury prevention systems and integrate them with the ministry's enforcement mandate.
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