The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario (WSIB) has been recognized for its Health and Safety Index, a tool created to measure the overall health and safety of Ontario’s workplaces.
For its work, the WSIB received the 2018 Innovation Award from the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC), a Wisconsin-based not-for-profit association representing government agencies charged with the administration of workers' compensation systems as well as other workers' compensation professionals in the private sector.
First introduced in May, 2017, the Health and Safety Index measures workplace components including prevention efforts, worker empowerment, workplace culture, enforcement and injuries to assess workplace health and safety.
Based on the first results of the index, released in May, 2018, there has been a 1.6 per cent improvement in Ontario’s overall workplace health and safety, the IAIABC noted. The results also showed areas for improvement, which are being used by the WSIB in collaboration with provincial employers and other industry partners.
A highlight of the index is its easy adaptability to other jurisdictions.
The WSIB will speak about the Health and Safety Index during the annual IAIABC convention in Williamsburg, Va., in October.
