How safety pros can leverage tool to influence C-suite executives
The Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) is on a mission to empower health and safety professionals and educate the public about its invaluable Safety Check program and database.
"Safety Check is an incredible service that allows people to look up any business in Ontario and see just how safe it is,” says Aaron Lazarus, WSIB vice president of communications. “It's a great thing to use when you're looking for new work or have teenagers entering the job market. It's a valuable tool that opens up conversations about health and safety in the workplace."
Safety Check provides comprehensive information on the safety records of businesses across Ontario. The tool aims to help people make informed decisions about their workplace choices, whether they are job seekers, concerned parents with teenagers entering the workforce, or health and safety professionals trying to better understand the challenges a particular organization is facing.
The central theme of the WSIB ad campaign is to dissuade individuals from becoming safety detectives, emphasizing that WSIB has already conducted the necessary research and made the data publicly available. "We've done the work for you. We've got the data, and we've made it public for everyone to see in a simple and accessible way," says Lazarus.
When using Safety Check, individuals can access critical information about a business's safety record, such as injury rates, lost-time claims, and types of injuries reported, broken down by year. This data empowers people to ask informed questions about an organization's safety culture.
While details about fines, convictions, and penalties for safety violations may not be part of the Safety Check feature, they are readily available on the WSIB website, ensuring complete transparency for users.
Lazarus also highlighted another crucial aspect of the Safety Check program: the Health and Safety Excellence Program. This voluntary program enables organizations to improve their health and safety practices, earn rebates on premiums, and demonstrate their commitment to safety.
Lazarus says, "The Health and Safety Excellence Program is voluntary. Businesses can choose to participate and improve their health and safety practices through various topics while earning rebates on their premiums."
In a broader context, the Safety Check program sets a powerful example of transparency and data accessibility for organizations and individuals alike. When asked about the potential for other provinces to adopt a similar initiative, Lazarus commented, "it's a great learning tool for any organization. While I can't speak to whether other provinces will follow our footsteps, it's working well for Ontario businesses and WSIB." Several provinces share very little information about workplace incidents, and there have been calls for greater transparency in places like Prince Edward Island, and other maritime provinces.
For health and safety professionals, Lazarus had a strong message, "Safety Check is a great motivator that shows there is a built-in health and safety culture within Ontario. It's an opportunity for professionals to make a business case for investing in health and safety, as it attracts top talent."
WSIB's Safety Check program elevates the health and safety landscape in Ontario and serves as a model for transparency and accountability in workplaces across the country.
