BC’s new Community Social Services Health and Safety Council is now operational, building on the work of a pilot project focused on reducing significant injury rates in the social services sector. It’s the first of its kind in Canada.
Our sector contributes approximately $10 million per year to WorkSafeBC in assessment (insurance) premiums. As increasing injury rates drove up WorkSafeBC costs by 15-20 per cent from 2010 to 2015, a pilot project was launched with 26 BC organizations in the sector to see what could be done to improve those issues.
WorkSafeBC statistics have identified the top three types of claims are the following:
- Overexertion
- Acts of Violence
- Falls/Slips/Trips
Meanwhile, the top three as cost drivers are:
- Acts of Violence
- Overexertion
- Falls/Slips/Trips
The pilot saw significant success in reducing injuries and costs. Of the 13 agencies in the pilot that were having challenges, injury rates were reduced by almost 30 per cent between 2014 to 2017, and the amount of claims paid out dropped by almost 48 per cent.
In partnership with unions, Community Social Services Sector Association employers and WorkSafeBC, the council is mandated to provide leadership, support and training for all social services, regardless of whether agencies are unionized or not. The council was approved this month (May 2020) by WSBC for ongoing funding of approximately $400,000 annually.
Learn more about the pilot project here, and click here for more details on the council and the advisory panel. Here’s the 2018 health and safety handbook for our sector.