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Home My WebLink AboutCOD-044-10REPORT CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION Date: July 5, 2010 Resolution#: ~p~''y~5-~~ By-law#: N/A Report: COD-044-10 File#: N/A Subject: Joint Health and Safety Committee - 2009/2010 Summary RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report COD-044-10 be received for information. Submitted by: ~- Lori Gordon, Co-Chair Joint Health & Safety Committee Reviewed by: G Ma ' Marano, H.B.Sc., C.M.O., Director of Corporate Services/ Human Resources MM/LW/MM/LG/MUgj ~deour, Co-Chair & Safety Committee Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 T MPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 REPORT NO.: COD-044-10 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 Report COD-044-10 has been prepared to provide Council with an update of activities undertaken by the Joint Health and Safety Committee during the past year. The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires the Joint Health and Safety Committee provide the employer with an annual update if requested. This report also provides a summary of incidents and accidents that occurred in the workplace during 2009 to present. 2.0 2009 - 2010 HIGHLIGHTS 2.1 Critical Injury Reporting A policy, including comprehensive reporting guidelines, was developed for reporting critical injuries to the Ministry of Labour. These additional guidelines were established to identify the Municipality's responsibility to report critical injuries that occur at workplaces belonging to the Municipality to non-workers. Critical injuries are defined in the Occupational Health & Safety Act, Regulation 834, as: For the purpose of the Act and the Regulations "critically injured" means an injury of a serious nature that, a) places life in jeopardy; b) produces unconsciousness; c) results in substantial loss of blood; d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe; e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe; f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body; or g) causes the loss of sight in an eye. 2.2 Bill 168 -Harassment & Violence in the Workplace On June 15, 2010, Bill 168 came into force, amending the Occupational Health i~ Safety Act imposing significant obligations for Ontario employers in respect to workplace violence, domestic violence and workplace harassment. REPORT NO.: COD-044-10 PAGE 3 The Municipality has amended current policies and is in the process of conducting the required risk assessments for violence. Training to staff has commenced. 2.3 2009 NEER Statement Results Throughout the course of the year, the WSIB monitors the number of reported incidents and accidents. Employers are required to advise the WSIB for any injury that only requires medical aid and/or lost time. The cost value of these claims is reported back to the employer monthly in the form of a NEER statement. NEER is referred to as the New Experimental Experience Rating. The individual employer's performance is measured through the WSIB Performance Index utilizing the previous three (3) year injury history and; are used in part to assess the employer's annual premiums. A rating of 1.0 is neutral; above 1.0 requires addition premium surcharges to be paid by the employer; and a rating below 1.0, the employer receives a refund of premiums. These adjustments are in addition to the base rate group premium of $1.86 per $100.00 of earnings. Clarington has been in a refund situation for the past number of years. Refunds for the past 3 years are as listed: Year Performance Index Refund 2009 0.37 $56,075.35 2008 0.06 $32,551.83 2007 0.52 $64,252.15 3.0 EARLY and SAFE RETURN TO WORK PROGRAM 3.1 In order to reduce lost earnings costs to the above noted NEER program, the WSIB encourages all employers to develop an Early and Safe Return to Work program. The purpose of this program is for the employer to work with the injured employee to return to work as soon as possible after experiencing awork- related injury. 3.2 In most cases, employees who experience awork-related injury return to work REPORT NO.: COD-044-10 PAGE 4 within 24 hours and do not incur lost wages. However, in more serious injuries, employees may not be able to perform their normal duties. In the past, those employees would have remained off work until they were able to return to full duties. The Early and Safe Return to Work Program allows the employer to offer the employee alternate duties that would be meaningful to the employer, and not cause any further injury to the employee. By doing so, the employee returns to work earlier than they normally may; the employee does not collect WSIB payment for lost wages and the employer does not incur increased WSIB premiums. 4.0 ACTIVITES 4.1 The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JH&SC) is co-chaired by Municipal staff representing both management and workers within the Municipality. The Health & Safety Coordinator now occupies the management co-chair position ongoing. The committee represents management workers, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 74 (both Inside and Outside Workers) as well as the Clarington Fire Fighters Association Local 3139. 4.2 The committee consists of 15 members (8 management and 7 workers) plus 16 alternate members who attend meetings in the absence of a JH&SC Member; and, assist with monthly facility inspections. (Attachment #1) 4.3 The Emergency and Fire Services also have an in-house JH&SC who meet quarterly to review health and safety issues exclusive to their department. 4.4 The municipal JH&SC members meet every month with the exception of July and August. All minutes are retained within statutory limits and current minutes are posted for all staff on the Health and Safety Boards located at every workplace within the Municipality. Atypical agenda may include: • Agenda Review • Introduction of Guests • Department Head Presentation • Approval of Previous Minutes • Business Arising from Minutes • Review of Previous Month Workplace Inspections • Current Workplace Inspections • Accident /Injury Statistics Review • Update from Emergency Services • Update from Health & Safety Coordinator • Other Business REPORT NO.: COD-044-10 PAGE 5 • Workplace Inspection Assignments 4.5 The JH&SC members also conduct monthly inspections of Municipal workplaces. On a monthly basis, there are at least fourteen inspections carried out by the JH&SC. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OH&SA) states that all facilities must be inspected monthly; and where it is not practical to for a complete inspection, at least part of the facility must be inspected. In addition the requirement to inspect municipal work sites, all other municipally owned facilities (Board operated community centres) are inspected at least once per year. Inspection forms are also retained and the current forms posted on the JH&SC Boards for staff information. 5.0 INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS 5.1 Incidents and accidents are tracked and reported on a monthly basis to the Health & Safety Committee. The statistics are used to identify trends and opportunities for training. SUMMARY OF INJURY/INCIDENT REPORTS 2009 - 2010 to Date (June 25, 2010) TYPE OF INJURY-All Incidents 2009 to December 31" 2010 to June 25 Lifts and Strains (including RSI) 10 9 Slips Trips and Falls 10 5 Burns 4 1 Animal Bites & Scratches 3 Pinch 2 1 Miscellaneous (including cuts) 22 12 Near Miss 1 1 TOTAL 55 29 5.2 The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) requires employers to report a work related accident if they learn that a worker required health care and/or; is absent from work, earns less that regular pay, and requires modified work at regular pay for more than seven calendar days following the date of the accident. REPORT NO.: COD-044-10 PAGE 6 Employers are not required to report a work related accident if the worker receives only first aid. The reported number of workplace incidents to WSIB is as follows: REPORTS TO WSIB 2009 2010 Medical Aid - No Lost time 9 3 Medical Aid and Lost Time 5 5 TOTAL 14 8 6.0 COMMENTS 6.1 Support for the Health and Safety Program within the Municipality has been endorsed by all staff from the part-time occasional staff member to full time staff, supervisors, managers, department heads, CAO and Council. This support has been demonstrated by both reduced claims costs, reduced lost time costs. Continued support for staff training programs and awareness will continue to reduce injuries and costs within the workplace. Attachments Attachment 1 -Joint Health and Safety Committee Members 2010 Clarirlg~ton Leading the Way JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2010 All phone numbers are Area Code 905) ATTACHMENT#1 NON-AFFILIATED MEMBERS ALTERNATES Ext Ext Lori Gordon** -Co Chair Finance - 1 ~' Floor -MAC 623 3379 X244 Patti Barrie* (M) Clerk's - 2"tl Floor MAC .623 3379 x254 Dan Welsh (M) Community Services - NDRC 987-5667 X226 Mark Berney** Emergency Services - HO 623 5126 X302 Lockie Longhurst** Operations -Hampton 260-1454 Jenny Bilenduke** Engineering - 3rtl Floor MAC 623 3379 X205 Marie Marano (M) Corporate Services- 1~` Floor- MAC 623 3379 X237 Jennifer Cooke* (M) Corporate Services - 4th Floor MAC 623 3379 x407 Steve Myers** Community Services -SCA 435-1061 x230 Len Hunter (M) Communit Services -SCA 435 1061 x222 Gord Weir** Emergency & Fire Services - HO 623 5126 x307 Gerry Jordan (M) Corporate Services - 1~` Floor MAC 623 3379 x258 Lisa Wheller (M) Corporate Services - 1~' Floor MAC 623-3379 x225 Nancy Taylor (M) Finance - 1 ~` Floor MAC 623 3379 x259 Mike McCron** Corporate Services - 1 ~' Floor MAC 623-3379 X24 AFFILIATED MEMBERS ALTERNATES Marc Ladouceurk(Fi Co-Chair Emer enc & Fire Services 623-5126 Dan Worrall (F) Emer enc & Fire Services 623-5126 Jennifer Stycuk (M) Cor orate Services-4'h Floor- MAC 623-3379 X409 Ken Sherwood (M) O erations -Ham ton 263-2292 Aidan McConkey** Emer enc & Fire Services 623-5126 Bob Russell (M) Plannin Services- 3rtl Floor- MAC 623-3379 X341 Adrian Coolen** En ineerin - 3rtl Floor -MAC 623 3379 x286 Bryan Rogers* (F) Emer enc & Fire Services 623-5126 Rob McKay* (M) O erations -Ham ton 263-2291 Jan Vreeker (M) Cor orate Services - 4th Floor -MAC 623-3379 x409 Paul Neto** O erations -Basement -MAC 623 3379 x343 Laura Pinto (M) Finance- 1 ~' Floor- MAC 623-3379 X424 Michael Ste.Croix (M) Finance- 1s' Floor MAC 623-3379 X428 Tom Stout (M) O erations -Hampton 263-2292 Work lace Inspectors Tom Vendrasco (M) Clerks - 2"tl Floor -MAC 623-3379 x380 Brigitta Harris (M) Cor orate Services - 1s' Floor -MAC 623-3379 x250 Secreta Alternate June Gallagher Clerk's - 2"tl Floor -MAC 623 3379 x253 Gerry Jordan Cor orate Services - 1 s` Floor MAC 623 3379 x258 Advisor Franklin Wu - CAO CAO's Office - 3i° Floor -MAC 623 3379 x252 Meetin Quorum: 5 Affiliated and 4Non-Affiliated Members and/or Alternates ' Certified Members -Part 1 Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2010 '* Certified Members - WPS Bold M-Munici allF-Fire Date Printed :June 25, 2010 J.1HEA~TH & SAFETY1CommitteeUHSC Members.doc