The Canadian Laws Concerning Workplace Safety and Insurance

Stepping away from global topics lets face some more local Canadian problems. The global fight for the rights of the workers began more than a hundred years ago and gave spectacular results. It is not very wise not to know about them or don’t know how to use them.

The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) was formed in Ontario in 1914. This almost hundred years old workers' compensation insurer with headquarters located in Toronto, Ontario, was formed after the passage of the Workmen's Compensation Act and first was named Worker's Compensation Board. It was renamed after the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act was passed in 1998.

The mission of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Practically this employer funded agency oversees the workplace safety, education system and training system. Also WSIB administers the Ontario's no-fault workplace insurance for employers and their workers. Basically if you are a worker in Ontario the company you work for is most definitely covered by the already mentioned Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, but be sure to check it before filling a claim after an incident. The following text can be divided into two parts, for employer and for employee.

The actions of the employer will depend on the type of employees’ injury and the consequences of the accident. The employer must report the accident to WSIB within three days after the accident if the worker loses hours from work, earns less than a regular day's pay or gets health care treatment. The accident must not be reported in the employee requires only first aid. There is also a third type of consequences. If due to injury or illness the worker receives modified work at full pay, for example he works less hours of performs easier duties for more than seven days and requires only first aid, the accident must be reported. Another important thing is the surveillance protocol, it is used to test and monitor the injured person if there is a possibility that he or she will develop and infectious disease. If the test is positive for some infectious disease or the employee needs some treatment related to the accident, the employer needs to report the accident immediately.

The first thing an employee needs to do after the injury or if he or she becomes sick because of the job, is to get first aid and report the accident to the employer. If the employee received health care, lost time or wages from work beyond the day of accident/illness or continued work on partial hours, he of she can fill a claim for WSIB benefits. If the worker had to do different work after the injury for more that seven days the worker can also claim the benefits. The claim can be filled within six month after the accident or if the disease showed up later in six month after the worker learned about the disease. To get all the detailed info about the benefits and how to fill the claim can be found on the Workplace Safety & Insurance website - http://www.wsib.on.ca.