Mandatory Health and Safety
Training
Entry-level and supervisory programs proposed
Mandatory entry-level training and mandatory supervisory training have been strongly recommended for Ontario construction.
The industry's Provincial Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee has endorsed both types of training. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the committee has official advisory status to the Minister of Labour on workplace health and safety issues.
Based on experience in other industries, mandatory health and safety training for all new workers entering construction and for first-line supervision would substantially reduce workplace injuries and deaths.
Proven impact
Introduced in the Ontario mining industry in 1979, mandatory entry-level training has contributed to an 84% reduction in lost-time injury frequency since then.
Mandatory entry-level training has also generated improvements in Ontario's forestry, millwright, crane, and high-rise window cleaning trades.
Mandatory supervisory training was introduced in the Ontario mining industry in 1987 and since then has helped to reduce lost-time injury frequency by 68%.
Numerous coroner's inquests into construction fatalities have recommended that entry-level and supervisory health and safety training be made mandatory for the industry.
Construction performance
Over the past 30 years, Ontario construction has taken tremendous strides in reducing injury rates. But a major problem still persists. Inexperienced workers and small contractors continue to suffer a disproportionate number of injuries and fatalities.
A contractor employing one or fewer workers has an injury frequency four times larger than that of a contractor employing over 100 workers. Contractors employing fewer than 16 workers have an injury frequency more than double the rate of contractors employing over 100 workers.
Part of the problem stems from the fact that smaller contractors have limited resources for health and safety. CSAO delivers training, consultation, and information to as many of these contractors as possible. But their sheer number -- more than 22,000 contractors or 71% of all active firms -- prevents thorough coverage.
Programs
To improve accident prevention among small contractors and inexperienced workers, as well as in the industry overall, the Provincial Committee and others advocate mandatory health and safety training.
Formal proposals to this effect have been presented to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Ministry of Labour.
Implementation will require the support and cooperation of Ontario stakeholders -- government, management, and labour.
CSAO has already developed entry-level and supervisory programs. These could be introduced as the curriculum for mandatory health and safety training. The programs could be offered in various formats -- classroom, computer-based, home study, and Internet.
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