WORK SAFETY

Workplace injuries can happen to anyone, but young and new workers are at a higher risk of injury.1

Young workers 15 to 24-years-old accounted for 13% of injured workers in 2018,2 due mostly to being struck, or overexertion.4

OVERVIEW

According to WorkSafeBC, workplace injury rates remained between 2.2 and 2.3 per 100 workers between 2014 and 2018. The rate of serious injury was consistently 0.3 per 100 workers during this period.5

Young and new workers may be at greater risk for injury due to: inexperience, lack of training or orientation, lack of understanding or preparation of the workplace, or exposure to more dangerous jobs.1 Young males are at a higher risk of workplace injury than young female workers (15 to 24-years-old).3

Sprains and strains accounted for approximately 55% of claims, with slightly over one-quarter of these requiring long recovery periods.4

Mature worker claims(ages 55+ years) accounted for 22% of injured workers in 2018,2 due mostly to overexertion and falls on the same level.4

RESEARCH

City of Surrey Fire Department

Since 2016, BCIRPU has collaborated with the City of Surrey, City of Surrey Fire Service, and the University of the Fraser Valley, on a number of projects related to home and fire safety. Topics include:

Trends and patterns of firefighter injuries;
Anti-idling technology of fire engines in order to use data-driven approaches for improving fire safety and fire service;
The relationship between injury, opioid prescribing, and overdose and overdose death;
Risk factors for firefighter injuries;
The incidence and circumstances of cancer and work-related injury among female firefighters; and
Firefighters and local government workers risk of asbestos exposure and related morbidity.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION

The Community Against Preventable Injuries (Preventable)

BCIRPU is a strategic partner of Preventable, a social marketing campaign aimed at reducing the burden of serious injuries at home, at work, at play, and on the road. In addition to delivering public-facing social marketing campaigns aimed at changing attitudes and behaviours towards workplace safety, the Preventable@ program provides an opportunity for workplace partners to connect to a market-tested, evaluated, evidence-informed larger injury prevention “brand” (Preventable) to support and enhance their own occupational health and safety programs, campaigns, and strategies while raising their corporate social responsibility profile.

Join the Community at preventable.ca

Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT) for Workers & Workplaces

Although concussions can occur in any workplace, WorkSafeBC data show that the service industry (including healthcare, tourism, food services, etc.), has the highest number of reported concussions that result in time away from work, followed by trades and construction. The development of CATT for Workers and Workplaces (CATT WW) included an extensive international environmental scan and literature review. Taking an integrated knowledge translation approach, the development of this toolkit included end-user participation, ensuring both relevant content and delivery of the information to the target groups, as well as buy-in for knowledge translation and exchange. User research included interviews/focus groups with workers from multiple industries who had sustained and recovered or were in the recovery process from a concussion, and key expert interviews with joint occupational health and safety committee participants and WorkSafeBC and healthcare professionals who are involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of concussions for employees.

CATT WW includes a free 30 to 45-minute e-learning course with a certificate of completion provided, as well as a selection of tools and resources for concussion awareness, response, management and prevention. Print resources are portable, cost effective, easy and quickly referred to, and which provide appropriate reminders for diligence about safety in the workplace.

View the CATT Workers and Workplaces toolkit

PREVENTION

Both employers and employees have key roles in preventing workplace injuries.5 This includes employer responsibilities to provide necessary information, training, and supervision, investigating and reporting injury incidents, and compliance with occupational health and safety standards. Employee responsibilities include understanding of worker rights under the Canada Labour Code, including the right to know, the right to participate and the right to refuse dangerous work; and participation in training, use of safety materials and equipment, following proper work procedures, and following appropriate reporting procedures.