MINISTRY OF LABOUR CALLS FOR ACTION ON WORKPLACE FALLS

From childhood onward, every single one of us has fallen at one time or another. Whether it was a tumble from a bicycle or piece of playground equipment, you quickly learned falling down and getting back up was a basic part of life, right? The only problem is, according to workplace statistics, some of us don’t get back up again. Ever.As a matter of fact, 20 people die each year due to falls in Ontario workplaces, according to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).

A tragic workplace incident in Toronto on Christmas Eve 2009, when a high-rise scaffold collapsed and four workers lost their lives and another was seriously injured, prompted the Ministry of Labour to appoint an expert advisory panel to review Ontario’s occupational health and safety system.More recently, in September 2013, Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer George Gritziotis issued a call to action on falls in the workplace, stating “I am extremely distressed by the number of workplace fatalities related to falls that have occurred recently.

Since June, nine workers have died on the job as a result of falls. What is even more disturbing is that falls are one of the most common workplace tragedies. These needless, intolerable tragedies must be stopped!”To this effect, a new mandatory health and safety awareness training program has become law in Ontario, and employers have until July 1, 2014 to ensure all employees have completed the program.

The Ministry of Labour has supplied booklets in a variety of languages, as well as an e-learning component free of charge to all employers.Also in development, a Working at Heights Training Program Standard, will emphasize hands-on experience and knowledge and, at the same time, reinforce company safety culture. Developed in collaboration with both labour and business, the new training standard is expected to be released this autumn.

Why focus on falls in Ontario workplaces?

Every day, 80 workers are injured in a fall – that’s one every 20 minutes.
There are approximately 17,000 lost-time injuries each year due to workplace falls.
65 per cent of all fall-related injuries are from slips and trips, i.e. same level falls.
Whether a few centimetres or 120 storeys, 34 per cent of injuries and many work-related deaths are the result of a fall from height.
One in five lost-time injuries results from falls.

It only takes a moment to lose your footing and plummet to the ground – regardless of height. So, what can you do to help yourself and others? Take a moment to review these common hazards, discuss them with your colleagues, and make good use of the excellent free resources listed at the end of this article.

Top 5 common slip, trip, and fall hazards

Slippery surfaces, for example, due to spilled wet or dry substances, or seasonal snow and ice;
Changes in levels and slopes of walkways;
Unsecured floor mats;
Debris, items, cables and cords in walkways;
Obscured view from poor lighting, smoke, steam, or dust.

How fall hazards affect business

In addition to the human toll of suffering and anxiety that occurs after a workplace injury, an average WSIB claim is $11,771. However, after factoring in other costs like staff replacement, lost productivity, and equipment, the WSIB estimates costs can be as much as four times the claim – about $59,000 per injury – not to mention the amount of time and money spent generating additional sales to recover lost profit.

Why are workers still falling?

Despite the best prevention efforts, workers are still being injured by falls due to the following:

Working conditions like slippery floors and surfaces, poor lighting and housekeeping practices;
Protective devices like guardrails are missing;
Equipment like ladders and scaffolds are in poor condition or not used properly;
Fall protection equipment is not available, not used or misused;
Poor work practices, such as unclear job procedures, lack of training, or rushing to meet deadlines.

What the law says

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires that employers take every reasonable precaution to protect workers, provide information and instruction, and ensure that workers properly use or wear the required equipment. Employers, supervisors and workers can be prosecuted for not complying with the law. For industry-specific regulations or details on legislative compliance, consult your health and safety association. Employers, supervisors, and workers can be prosecuted for not complying with the law. Some recent cases include a roofing contractor jailed for 90 days and fined $10,000 after a worker fell 21 feet without fall arrest equipment. Another company was fined $100,000 when a worker fell from an unstable ladder and died as a result of his injuries. Aside from legal consequences, all employers, supervisors and workers have a moral imperative to look after each other in the workplace – this is the key component of the Internal Responsibility System: you are your brother and sister’s keeper.

What can employers do?

Have a company policy in place that clearly outlines the rules for housekeeping, lighting and inspections.
Make sure that required personal protective equipment, and other equipment, is in good repair and used properly.
Help supervisors meet their responsibility to ensure health and safety rules are followed.
Make sure employees know and understand the rules; provide proper training on how to clean up spills, use fall protection equipment, construct guardrails, and use covers on holes in the floor, etc.
Ongoing follow-up to ensure the rules are being followed, and identify what needs improvement.
Immediately investigate all incidents and near-misses to determine and eliminate the cause.

What can employees do?

Understand and follow your company’s health and safety policies and rules.
Be aware of fall hazards and report them to a supervisor right away.
Take the time needed to do the job properly. Do not take shortcuts.

Can you spot the fall hazard?

Take a tour of these interactive images to learn more about workplace fall hazards in your specific industry. Statistics source: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board brochure Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace

Free Resources

Falls: Erase the Hazard YouTube video – please share in your workplace
WSN Priority Hazards – Falls health and safety resources webpage
WSN Fall Protection Safety Meeting Talk outlines components of a fall protection program and provides information on how to work safely near fall hazards, and includes a presentation and leader’s guide.
Falls – Sample Inspection Checklist covers aisles, exits, floors, ladders, lighting, and more.
Ministry of Labour – Falls, Slips and Trip Hazards webpage includes free poster, fact sheet, interactive tools.
MOL Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention – Poster
MOL Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention – Inventory Form
Every Worker magazine – Falls Prevention issue
Slips, Trips, and Falls – Health & Safety Ontario webpage
Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace – Workplace Safety and Insurance Board brochure

Training Fall Protection – Online training course includes eliminating and preventing fall hazards, fall arrest systems, and more; takes about one hour to complete. Fall Protection in Forestry – Half-day in-class training provides an overview of fall protection, including working safely at elevations, personal fall arrest systems and post-fall rescue.

Services

Consulting: Located across the province, WSN health and safety consultant-trainers provide health and safety advice and information to firms within their assigned district, including in-class and online training programs, workplace consultations, health and safety audits, industrial hygiene testing and specific problem-solving. Health and safety audits: WSN consultant trainers offer audits related to specific hazards such as noise, falls, ground control or equipment lockout, as well as more general audits of health and safety programs and systems.

MINISTRY OF LABOUR CALLS FOR ACTION ON WORKPLACE FALLS