Like most jurisdictions across the country, in Manitoba a small percentage of badly behaved companies are responsible for a disproportionate number of injured worker claims. But of late government health and safety officials have set their sights on the worst offenders, with the intention of reducing the numbers of working Manitobans who are in injured on the job.
Fully 75 per cent of all WCB claims come from less than 500 companies in the province and the 47 worst offenders account for fully one-quarter of all claims, says Geoff Bawden, executive director of the workplace safety and health division for the Manitoba Department of Labour.
Two years ago, fines were made 10 times greater. Previous to that, a lot of offenders would simply plead guilty and pay the fine as if they were paying tax, he says. And the deterrent of fines varies from one company to the next, mostly dependent on their size.
But the ministry is also keeping closer tabs on companies that are poor performers when it comes to safety and they’re starting right at the top.
The senior executives of the 16 worst offenders were contacted, some by Bawden personally, and were told there was a problem and they had better get it fixed. When the CEO from a large corporation gets a phone call from the executive director of the provincial health and safety program, the issue of health and safety is likely to have a greater priority at the next board meeting. Of the 16, only one has had its rates worsen, while most showed improvement.
And full safety audits — “professional not friendly,” says Bawden — were conducted on the 47 companies that caused one-quarter of all claims. They are issued report cards: are they tracking injury rates, are they investigating accidents and introducing training and is there a real corporate commitment?
All meant to put safety firmly on the corporate agenda in organizations where it is not, says Bawden.
Fully 75 per cent of all WCB claims come from less than 500 companies in the province and the 47 worst offenders account for fully one-quarter of all claims, says Geoff Bawden, executive director of the workplace safety and health division for the Manitoba Department of Labour.
Two years ago, fines were made 10 times greater. Previous to that, a lot of offenders would simply plead guilty and pay the fine as if they were paying tax, he says. And the deterrent of fines varies from one company to the next, mostly dependent on their size.
But the ministry is also keeping closer tabs on companies that are poor performers when it comes to safety and they’re starting right at the top.
The senior executives of the 16 worst offenders were contacted, some by Bawden personally, and were told there was a problem and they had better get it fixed. When the CEO from a large corporation gets a phone call from the executive director of the provincial health and safety program, the issue of health and safety is likely to have a greater priority at the next board meeting. Of the 16, only one has had its rates worsen, while most showed improvement.
And full safety audits — “professional not friendly,” says Bawden — were conducted on the 47 companies that caused one-quarter of all claims. They are issued report cards: are they tracking injury rates, are they investigating accidents and introducing training and is there a real corporate commitment?
All meant to put safety firmly on the corporate agenda in organizations where it is not, says Bawden.
