But occupational disease is still an issue in the mining sector, says WSIB president
The mining sector in Ontario saw a significant drop in lost-time claims last year, according to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
"This sector was having some serious problems, two or three years ago. In the last two years, they've come down from above 380 claims in 2021 to 280 claims last year. That's significant and these are lost-time claims, serious injuries. And that's the lowest point they've been in four years," said Jeffery Lang, president and CEO of the WSIB, according to a Sudbury.com report.
"So you have done an amazing job with serious issues," Lang added.
Still, Lang is calling on employers in the sector to take safety precautions.
There was a 30 per cent increase in “no last-time claims” from 1,000 claims in 2020 to 1,300 claims in 2023, he noted, according to the Sudbury.com report.
"Good news is on the last-time frame side," he said.
Also, workers continue to suffer from sprains and strains, which account for 30 per cent of lost-time injuries. He urged the industry leaders and health and safety representatives to be aware of that.
Occupational disease also continues to be an issue in the mining sector, he said. WSIB processes about 400 claims a year for example in noise-induced hearing loss, said Lang.
"We're doing a lot of work and research and we're going to continue to do so. That's an area where there's room for improvement," he said.
