WSPS Annual Report 2023
Message From the President and CEO and Board Chair
At its core, health and safety is simple: proactively determine the risks presented in the workplace and eliminate or control them so they do not lead to harmful incidents. However, running a business is rarely simple and our continually changing world creates challenges that compete for attention.
Workers can be unprepared or distracted. Businesses can be overstretched and under-resourced. These realities are ever-present and require a “back to basics” approach to change mindsets and improve harms prevention outcomes.
For Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), focusing on the very essence of what we are here to do – our mandate - has never been more important. WSPS serves the 174,000 businesses and 4.2 million workers in the province’s agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors. According to WSIB data, these industries collectively experienced 61 workplace fatalities (traumatic and occupational disease-related) and an average Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR) of .86 in 2022. At WSPS, we believe one incident is one too many – and in 2023-24, we launched our refreshed strategic plan to effect positive change.
It has been a year of activity and momentum. Working with industry and a network of partners, WSPS achieved significant milestones, such as:
- Supporting the priorities of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) to help those at the greatest risk come home safe at the end of the workday. Some impressive areas of alignment included:
- Working with our ten industry-focused advisory committees to gain insight on workplace violence and harassment and emerging sector needs such as the health and safety challenges experienced by hybrid workplaces. This input is an important component of solution development. Committee members also amplify safety messaging and resources to their considerable networks.
- Reaching new audiences, including expansive direct-to-worker outreach. We are creatively engaging young workers, those in the skilled trades, and newcomers to Ontario through digital channels, community and settlement organizations, and educational facilities.
- Supporting MLITSD’s education and inspection initiatives on high-risk hazards such as material handling and occupational hygiene (respiratory protection) with focused consulting, resource creation, and awareness building.
- Developing critical resources on topics related to our ever-changing world, such as the health and safety risks of working with battery electric vehicles.
- Determining the greatest hazards workers are facing in key sectors and what is causing the risks. Using a data-informed approach, WSPS partnered with businesses in the Food Manufacturing and Food Distribution and Wholesale industries on risk assessment and root cause analysis projects. Findings will empower solution development, creating safer workplaces.
- Helping small businesses create their health and safety programs as a top provider of WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence program. 68% of the businesses participating in the WSPS program are smaller businesses. WSPS also hosts an online small business centre, showcasing exceptional resources such as a customizable employee orientation handbook generator, videos, tools, checklists and a podcast.
- Reaching out to WSIB newly registered businesses and proactively engaging them within 30 days of registration to provide information on available health and safety support. In 2023, we reached 95% of these employers.
- Providing high-quality health and safety training, consulting, resources and events that businesses and workers need, in the channels that work for them. We continually look for new ways to improve how we serve those in our membership.
We look forward to furthering progress towards our vision of “Every worker. Healthy and safe. Every day.” in 2024.
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Jody Young President and Chief Executive Officer |
Ajay Bhardwaj Board Chair |
Table of Contents
- Newcomers to Ontario
- Young Workers
- Skilled Trades
- Small Business
- High Risk: assisting those who need it most
- Material Handling: managing the hazards
- Electric Vehicle Battery Safety
- Helping businesses achieve health and safety excellence
- Assessing sector-specific risks and determining root causes
- Keeping Ontario workers healthy and safe
- 2023-24 Financial Report
Newcomers to Ontario
Ontario is welcoming newcomers at historic levels. One of the challenges that newcomers face is integrating into the workforce. For many, the workplace culture is vastly different from what they may be used to and there is a critical opportunity to educate them on basic health and safety. There is also a language barrier – many speak a language other than English.
WSPS created resources to raise awareness of top identified hazards faced by newcomers and temporary foreign workers in high-risk workplaces:
- 30 mobile-friendly animated hazard videos (5 hazards in 6 languages)
- 30 companion hazard articles (5 hazards in 6 languages)
- 1 Multilingual QR Code Poster (to provide direct access to videos and articles)
- 12 mobile-friendly animated hazard videos (3 hazards in 4 languages)
- 12 companion hazard articles (3 hazards in 4 languages)
- 1 Multilingual QR Code Poster (to provide direct access to videos and articles)
Resource Inputs
- Results (Top Hazards) from WSPS’ Food & Beverage Manufacturing Risk Assessment
- Topic and language requests from WSPS Partner Associations such as Meat and Poultry Ontario, Food and Beverage Ontario, Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers' Association and others
- MLITSD priority focus area (High Risk/Material Handling)
“Absolutely LOVE these resources! Safety training can be such a struggle when it comes to language barriers. Thanks for helping us break them down!”
- Jen Sant, CRSP, TC Transcontinental Premedia (from LinkedIn)
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Newcomer Resources and/or Awareness Training available in:
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WSPS also trained 113 staff at 25 Settlement Centres across Ontario to educate newcomers on worker rights, the internal responsibility system, and hazard awareness. (September 2023 – March 2024).
The English worker awareness presentation was translated into 10 languages.
“I am happy and honoured to be part of this health and safety training, train to be a trainer, and now I’m ready to teach others about workplace safety.”
- Genara Balansag Reyes, Lutherwood (from LinkedIn)
Young Workers
Workers between the ages of 15 and 24 are three times more likely to be injured in the first month on the job than at any other time in their lives. To offer practical physical and psychological injury prevention, WSPS engaged young workers by going to where they are (and where their parents are) with messages that resonate.
WSPS used Instagram to effectively share the health and safety messages to a broader new and young worker audience, leveraging the platform’s visual appeal and popularity among younger demographics. Activities included the production of:
- 6 promotional videos
- 3 influencer videos
- 3 social media ad campaigns
"Omg what a perfect partnership! I've watched your DIY content for years and I always notice your safety precautions!"
- Comment from @notanothergay on one of WSPS skilled trades influencer Letitia Kiu’s Instagram posts.
“Safety is KEY!”
- Comment from @ohheyprion one of WSPS skilled trades influencer Tre Sanderson’s Instagram post.
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Learning to keep safe can be interactive and fun! To increase the safety knowledge of students and other at-risk groups, WSPS updated and energized the Health and Safety Awareness Presentation for young audiences. As part of the pilot launch, 244 young people attended 9 awareness educational events. "I was able to attend an awesome event with WSPS as they rolled out their updated Young Workers’ Awareness Package. It was a great opportunity to meet other safety volunteers and safety professionals focused on the continuous improvement of this important program." - Kevin Maynard, Volunteer |
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First Job, Safe Job Blog – WSPS created and shared parent-focused digital content which will help caregivers of young workers understand the risks young people are exposed to in the workplace and be prepared to hold conversations that may save lives / prevent injury and illness. 26 informative blog posts and 10 infographics were produced to share tips and information that can be lifesaving. "💗 Shoutout to First Job, Safe Job 💗 Love seeing initiatives like these that are dedicated to empowering parents in guiding teens towards a safe and positive first work experience.” - Pratik S., Northern Health (from LinkedIn) |
Skilled Trades
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Technical learning environments are known to be high risk for young people. On their own, school boards, colleges and apprenticeship programs may not have or provide consistent/current information about industrial health and safety requirements to prepare students for the future. WSPS is committed to increasing the health and safety knowledge of technical instructors and businesses that employ skilled trade workers. In 2023/24, consultants travelled to 22 communities across Ontario, bringing tech shop safety expertise to urban and remote locations. |
We introduced students to keeping safe in the skilled trades through an approach that included:
- 65 consultations with schools and colleges and 26 boards of education engaged.
- 28 tech shop inspections, as well as 470 room inspections and 4,350 inspections of pieces of equipment
- 744 students, teachers and staff reached at 6 educational events and 39 training events
- Consultants provided safety tips to 13,000+ attendees at 16 Level Up Skilled Trades Fairs
"The technique on how the inspections were conducted gave us an opportunity to look at things differently ex: tool type fastened guards and e-stops. Big learning opportunities for us to take across the system, also the use of safe start devices on tabletop units was good."
- Tim Lauzon and Bill Fetter, Greater Essex County District School Board
Small Business
In Ontario, employees of small businesses represent a significant portion of fatalities and critical injuries. Small business workers represent 26 per cent of workers covered by the WSIB. However, half of all traumatic fatalities in Ontario in 2019 and 45 per cent of critical injuries occurred in small businesses.
Approximately 87% of WSPS’ members are small businesses and 94% of those are categorized as having under 20 employees. To serve these customers, WSPS developed low/no cost solutions to make health and safety easier and more affordable, and to support workplace parties in fulfilling their OHS roles and responsibilities.
- 432 consultations (100 hours) provided to new small businesses
- 27 sessions (648 participants) on health and safety compliance provided to small businesses
- 306 consultations and 170 hours directed to small business outreach, compliance & hazard awareness
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WSPS also developed a web-based tool that generates a customized health and safety orientation handbook. "I just had to email to tell you how great the customizable handbook is! I walked through it today and it is fantastic!! I haven’t started to add in our existing policies but it will be so easy to add ours and can be done so quickly for those who don’t have anything." -Jessica Myerscough, Travelway Inn Sudbury |
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To assist small businesses with basic compliance in a user-friendly online format, WSPS created 21 dynamic learning modules. “Creating a safer workplace is always a top priority! Love seeing innovative solutions like these videos making compliance easier for Ontario's small businesses. After all, a safe environment is essential for a thriving workforce.” - Natalie Kassen, Kassen Recruitment |
Other Highlights:
- WSIB One Window landing page for small businesses created
- Final design for a small business training portal approved
- 739,761 impressions earned from small business social media promotion and trade advertorials
High Risk: assisting those who need it most
To protect workers, Ontario businesses need to know if they are in compliance with the OHSA and associated Regulations. However, they may not have the expertise to perform this assessment on their own. Many businesses do not have a health and safety program in place and are currently in a reactive state related to their health and safety mindset.
To build greater employer understanding and inspire businesses to focus on worker safety, WSPS leveraged its consulting prowess to make a difference.
WSPS developed 15 Building Blocks (free standard program templates) to expedite program development for businesses that do not have access to health and safety resources. Free consultations (384 hours) were then provided to 53 businesses to assist with implementation.
“The consulting helped us to personalize the information based on our workplace and the hazards identified. It required very little of my time but will have so much impact on our business to keep everyone safe. We just couldn’t believe there were such programs available and the willingness to assist a small business is so appreciated.”
- Carmen Fidanza, Ontario Ravioli
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Through development of a digital tool and the provision of 117 free one-hour assessments and comprehensive reports, WSPS helped under-resourced Ontario businesses improve their workplace health and safety. The reports can also support temporary agencies as they apply for Ontario licensing which requires them to demonstrate compliance with the OHSA. “This is definitely a tool I would choose to use again to make sure our business is continually compliant with our Health & Safety Department. It made it so easy to work on the areas that needed improvement to have a simple reference tool with links provided.” - Julie Sullivan, Mac Ferguson Farms Ltd. |
Material Handling: managing the hazards
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Many businesses are unsure about how to manage high-risk material handling hazards, such as crush-by and struck-by, which can lead to devastating worker injuries and fatalities. In support of MLITSD’s focus on material handling, WSPS provided no-cost onsite consultations to 218 businesses. This included 1,303 hours of consulting (2 hours onsite and a 4 hour follow-up with each firm). Offering free services helped to eliminate barriers to reaching more underserved target markets and contributed to positive health and safety outcomes. Businesses were also encouraged to attend 50 free Ask the Expert virtual hazard control sessions (222 participants attended). |
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Partners
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“The fact that the services were free is an enormous help to our organization."
- Deborah Walsh, Hamilton Food Share
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WSPS developed 45 no-cost companion resources (such as Supervisor Safety Talks and Worker Job Aids) to support the successful implementation of controls. Job Aids were produced in 6 languages. Languages:
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Electric Vehicle Battery Safety
Ontario is attracting significant investments from global automakers and suppliers of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. An important first step in protecting auto workers is understanding the health and safety risks involved in working with EV batteries in this new environment.
In partnership with key stakeholders in the automotive/EV sectors, WSPS developed a foundational research paper to identify risks related to working with EV batteries. A companion job aid was also created. These materials – and learnings - have been shared with the industry and further distribution is ongoing.
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Resources Created: |
Developed in partnership with:
- Government of Ontario
- Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA)
- Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
- Automotive Industries Association of Canada I-CAR Canada
- Automotive Centre of Excellence, Ontario Tech University
- St. Clair College
- ATS Industrial Automation
- Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association
- Canadian Standards Association
- Electrical Safety Authority
“With rapid growth in electric vehicle production, the collaboration between APMA and WSPS stands as a powerful alliance for a safer tomorrow.”
- Flavio Volpe, President of Automative Parts Manufacturers Association (from whitepaper)
Helping businesses achieve health and safety excellence
As provincial leaders of WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence program (HSEp), WSPS is committed to continually improving the way the program is delivered. Building on 2022-23’s outstanding success in integrating efficiencies and effectiveness, WSPS set out to grow the program while continuing to expand the positive member experience.
In 2023-24, 391 businesses registered into WSPS’ HSEp, leading to over 1430 topics being successfully integrated into their health and safety management systems. 68% of these organizations were smaller businesses.
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WSPS members were also awarded over $4.1 million in WSIB rebates for their achievements. Since the program’s inception in 2020, members have collectively seen rebates of over $8.6 million. |
Our WSPS HSEp team continued to provide expert health and safety consulting and support while connecting businesses to safety solutions and Ontario’s health and safety system. Leveraging the many new HSEp events and opportunities that members experience by joining WSPS’ program (guest speakers, group consulting, networking clinics, and new additions to a community site), members were able to expand their health and safety knowledge and create a framework for long term risk reduction, program sustainability and continuous improvement.
“Workplace Safety & Prevention Services is an excellent benefit to small business owners. Coaches can hold your hand to get you started and are available on short notice. They provide templates and tools to make each step easy to achieve. With the financial incentives through WSIB, there are financial resources to cover staff costs and also financial incentives for the business. Franchises can work in small groups completing the same standards, sharing the workload and learning from each other. It is a win-win.”
-Andrea Schlegel-Parsons, Marble Slab Creamery Waterloo
Assessing sector-specific risks and determining root causes
Assisting businesses in keeping workers safe is WSPS’ purpose. Our industry-focused and industry-driven risk assessment and root cause analysis projects support high-risk sectors in preventing injury and illness by identifying the hazards workers are exposed to and developing solutions to mitigate risk.
With support from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), WSPS engages expert industry leaders, including front-line workers and supervisors, in the risk identification process and subsequent determination of the underlying causes of the top risks. We then use that information to curate existing resources, identify gaps, and develop and share solutions that will work.
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Up to the end of 2023-24, WSPS had conducted these research projects in the Greenhouse, Food Manufacturing, and Food and Beverage Wholesale Distribution industries – with significant work on the latter two taking place in 2023-24. Simultaneously, recruitment for Automotive Manufacturing and Grocery risk assessment workshops, slated for 2024-25, kicked off in Q4. The earlier projects are now transitioning to years 3 and 4, where we are digging deeper into the causal factors of additional risks, addressing gaps in resources, and providing more comprehensive services to these sectors. |
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"It was a good experience to go through the whole process, from hazards identification to risk assessment, then root cause analysis and solutions brainstorming. We do not do this very often in the industry. There were great learnings that I can take away from participating in the whole process. It was amazing to leverage so many brains in the room to collectively come up with solutions. I’m going to use this group approach as a tool in the future when I encounter a hazard in the workplace and need to come up with solutions."
-Patrycja Galka, SHE/PLP Manager, McCormick Canada
"The workshop helped me to think big picture – not just focusing on my company - but to think about other smaller businesses and other aspects/job tasks of our business related to the warehouse. It adds value to empower all stakeholders (external and internal) to make the workplaces safer."
-Matthew Brown, Team Lead, Sobeys
Keeping Ontario workers healthy and safe
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Improving health and safety outcomes in Ontario’s manufacturing, services and agriculture sectors is at the core of what we do at WSPS. We take pride in offering businesses and workers different options to build their safety programs and expand their knowledge. From free digital resources to onsite consulting services and training on essential topics, WSPS provides what organizations of all sizes need to keep their people safe. Here is an overview of what we delivered in 2023-24 and how our customers feel about our services. |
Customer Experience
WSPS monitors customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (NPS)* across several program areas. In Q4, Customer Satisfaction results scored 4.54, which is well above the target of 4.00. The overall NPS remained at a high level of 56, which exceeds the benchmark of 30.
Consulting Highlights:
- 92% of our customers are extremely satisfied with the value of our consulting services
- 96% of our consulting contracts recommend WSPS to other organizations
- 100% would likely use WSPS consulting services in the future
Source: Qualtrics
*Net Promoter Score is a management tool that measures customer loyalty. An NPS of over 30 is considered good, with most respondents as ‘promoters” of the product/service.
Materials Developed and Digital Reach
- 163 OHS materials (articles, videos, resources, eCourses, consulting solutions, etc.) were developed: (154% of target)
- 1,678,726 information materials were distributed digitally (268% of target)
Training
- 37,044 training sessions (in-person, virtual, blended) were held (263% of target)
- 224,127 hours of training were taken by participants (166% of target)
- 51,732 people completed training: (231% of target)
Consulting
- 51,864 hours of consulting were completed: (benchmark year for new calculation)
- 11,285 businesses were consulted: (209% of target)
Events
(Conferences, Safety Connection webinars, speaking engagements, HSAP, Advisory Committee sessions, etc.)
- 348 events were held (109% of target)
- 20,511 people attended WSPS events (144% of target)
Partnerships (helping us spread the safety message to their sectors and networks)
- 131 new and ongoing collaborative partnerships helped WSPS spread the safety message to their sectors and networks
What customers say about WSPS consulting, training and events (from participant surveys):
“Never disappointed by the knowledge the WSPS team brings to the table. The personalities matter too. Not just smart people, but great rapport with the audiences.”
“WSPS courses are very professional and efficient and the course materials that are provided are always well put together, and easy to understand and use for training purposes after the course.”
“I find the webinars very informative and get a lot of useful information that I can take back to management to advocate for best practices.”
