°ÄÃÅÓÀÀû

In 2022-2023, the OHS system was focused on ensuring that all workplace parties — employers, supervisors and workers — understand and comply with their workplace roles and responsibilities. OHS system partners also worked to move employers beyond compliance and towards excellence by offering incentives. These incentives were offered through programs like the (HSEp) and Supporting °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû’s Safe Employers (SOSE).

Under °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû law, the employer, typically represented by senior management, has the most responsibility when it comes to health and safety in the workplace. However, workers also have a duty to report health and safety problems or a violation of the OHSA to their employer or supervisor. Employers and supervisors, in turn, must:

• address those situations and inform workers of any hazard in the work that they do
• take all precautions reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers

The KPIs for Prevention Works Objective 3 measures the percentage of workers who agree that they are comfortable enough in their workplace to bring safety issues up to their supervisor, manager, or owner. This in turn tells the OHS system about the strength and efficacy of the internal responsibility system in °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû’s workplaces.

2022–2023 health and safety compliance activity

The ministry’s OHS inspectors support workplaces in being healthy, safe and compliant with provincial requirements. The table below lists the number of field activities ministry inspectors made in 2022-2023. In total there were:

• 77,404 field activities
• 35,407 workplaces visited
• 98,755 orders and requirements issues, including 6,903 stop-use or stop-work orders

Field activities conducted by ministry inspectors include both proactive^{footnote 18[18]} and reactive^{footnote 19[19]} inspections. Both are a critical part of inspectors’ work.

The ministry conducted proactive compliance initiatives to focus efforts on hazards or topics in specific sectors. Read more about our 2022-23 initiatives and their results here:

Cross-program initiatives:

• Struck-by, Motor Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Hazards
• Healthy Workers in Healthy Workplaces — Occupational Disease

Construction program initiatives:

• Excavation and Utility Contacts

Health care program initiatives:

• Workplace Violence Prevention

Industrial program initiatives:

• Temporary Help Agencies
• Preventing Workplace Violence in Education

Mining program initiatives:

• Storage, Use and Handling of Explosives in Surface and Underground Mines

Specialized and professional services (occupational hygienists):

• Respiratory Protection
• Asbestos in Building Structures

Supporting °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû's Safe Employers (SOSE) and °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû Safe Employer Rebate

Supporting °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû’s Safe Employers (SOSE) is a voluntary program delivered by the CPO since November 2019. The program encourages workplaces to implement accredited occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS). These in turn help reduce injuries and illness.

As of March 31, 2023, 15 employers have received CPO Employer Recognition for having implemented ISO 45001:2018 OHSMS in their workplaces and for meeting recognition criteria set by the CPO. The rebates associated with the WSIB’s were approximately $700,000. This is approximately a 33% increase from 2021-22. Total rebates associated in 2021-22 were approximately $525,000.

Health and Safety Excellence program

(HSEp) helps employers make their workplaces healthier and safer. The WSIB works with 27 approved providers to deliver the program. Businesses that voluntarily participate in the program may receive:

• rebates on their WSIB premiums for meeting topic requirements
• non-financial recognition in the form of digital member and level badges, which they can display on things like websites and marketing materials.

Program summary as of March 31, 2023

• 3,308 employers were enrolled in the program, representing over 800,000 full-time workers.
• 1,075 new employers were enrolled between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
• The construction sector continues to represent the highest number of participating employers at 27%, followed by manufacturing at 24%.
• Over 51% (1,688) of program members were small or micro-employers with fewer than 50 full-time workers.
• Between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023, the WSIB rewarded program members with $15.1 million in rebates for implementing 3,546 health and safety topics in workplaces across °ÄÃÅÓÀÀû.
• Over 380 workers of member employers completed the program’s voluntary culture survey between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. The average score was 3.06 out of a 4-point scale.
• The program had an 88% retention rate as of March 31, 2023.

Please see Appendix A for amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 in 2022-2023.

Please see Appendix C for additional information related to OHS excellence initiatives in 2022-2023.