Our Governments Best Kept Secrets

Our Governments Best Kept Secrets

Your Return to Work Program and overall Health and Safety does not have to be a difficult process.  There are resources available to each of us in our respective provinces and for small business – The Employer Advisor and The Essential Skills Programs are a couple of the governments best kept secrets. 

When you have rising costs such as Workers Compensation due to workplace injuries and targeted Ministry Blitzes, it is easy to become frantic and not know where to turn.  Staying on top of the legislation can be tough. 

Utilizing resources available to you is the best way for businesses to stay on top of the current and changing legislative requirements and to run an operation that is not only safe but proactive in its philosophy and approach.  Stay in contact with your Provincial Safety Association by attending their regional meetings, joining CFIB and your sector associations, contacting your provincial Employer Advisor, working with local Health and Safety and Human Resource Consultants and yes – contacting the Ministry of Labour to answer questions you may have are just a few of the ways you can stay current and be on the way to reducing your workplace accidents and injuries to ZERO!    

Your provincial Employer Advisors Group is a free service – the governments best kept secret.    If you are a small business, they may be able to represent you in dealing with your local Workers Compensation Board and employee claims.  This is a resource you don’t want to overlook. 

Reducing injuries can be addressed through enforcing company policy but that does not always address the issues.  It has been proven that training through the Essential Skills Program has reduced workplace accidents and injuries, improved retention, increased a workers movement in the organization and provided workers with the ability to work safer through better understanding of processes, procedures and documents.   

Below, I have provided you with a few web links for the different provincial Workers Compensation Return to Work Programs as well as templates:

Alberta: http://www.wcb.ab.ca/employers/mod_work_prog.asp

BC: http://www.worksafebc.com/claims/rehab_and_rtw/rtw_employers/start_a_return-to-work_program/default.asp

Manitoba: http://www.wcb.mb.ca/return-to-work-information-for-employers

Ontario: www.employeradviser.ca/pdf/rtw-sample_e.pdf  

Saskatchewan: http://www.worksafesask.ca/Return-to-Work-and-Disability-Management

Nova Scotia: http://www.wcb.ns.ca/wcbns/index_e.aspx?categoryid=302

New Brunswick: http://www.wcb.ns.ca/wcbns/index_e.aspx?categoryid=302

Newfoundland & Labrador: www.whscc.nf.ca/policy/upcoming_policies/rtw_forms/esrtw.pdf

WSIB Sample Return to Work Plan: www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileSampleRTWPlans/$File/SamplesRTWplans.pdf

Health and Safety is not only legislated – it is good business practice and good business sense.  I know you have heard me preach about this before. By taking the time to develop a health and safety culture inclusive of programs, policies, training and procedures required under the law and beyond; making sure that you do those little extras to ensure your workers are safe from injury; will make your workplace a better place to work. You won’t mind the Ministry visiting your workplace, because you will receive a clean bill of health.  The visit will be one of affirmation not frustration.

 Lynne Bard, BA (Honours), C.H.R.P., CES

Human Resources, Safety & Risk Management Experts

Taking the Complexity out of Compliance

President

Beyond Rewards Inc.

Phone: 519-821-7440

Cell: 519-830-7480

mail: lbard@beyondrewards.ca