Safety program continues to offer benefits

The Canadian MTDM Federation and Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) are out to persuade more companies to sign on to a health and safety program. Since 2003, the Safety Group Program has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the precision metalworking industry including, but not limited to, the tool, die, mould, machining, stamping and plastics processing sectors in Ontario. About 40 companies in the Windsor and Toronto chapters have been involved to date.

The idea behind the Safety Group is that a well-integrated workplace health and safety program makes good business sense. Firms from similar rate groups have a shared purpose to learn from each other’s experiences and implement an effective five-step injury and illness prevention program.
Participating firms then benefit collectively from the program rewards. The program is coordinated by a qualified health and safety professional, and a steering committee of industry representatives from the group, and it is administered through the CTMA office in Cambridge, Ont. This team provides numerous resources to all of the participating companies in the program.

Companies in the program have, since 2003, collectively reduced their lost time injury frequency by 47 per cent and their lost time injury severity by 30 per cent. Their most recent achievement score of 92.5 per cent has resulted in their highest WSIB rebate yet of $282,765.95, bringing the total awarded to $796,195.43.

How the program works:
At the beginning of each calendar year, each firm conducts a workplace self-assessment to determine health and safety risks. Based on the assessment, it selects five health and safety elements from the Safety Groups’ achievement list and implements these elements throughout the year using the program’s “Five Steps to Managing Health & Safety” system. This is done by attending meetings with other participants in either Windsor, Ont., or Milton, Ont., sharing ideas and pooling resources with other firms in our Safety Group.

At the end of the year, the group shares in a rebate from the WSIB based on the demonstrated achievement of the group and their combined improved injury and illness performance. Annual registration fees for association member firms vary from $350 plus GST for firms with under 20 staff, to $700 for those employing over 50. Non-member companies pay $750.

Meeting fees are $60 per person/meeting (including GST), and there is a 15 per cent discount available when companies pay for all five meeting at the beginning of the year with their annual registration fee. Participating firms remit 10 per cent of any awarded rebate from the WSIB to the CMTDMF to help offset some administration costs.

To join the Federation’s Safety Group Program, you must submit a completed application by December 31, 2008. For more information, contact Julie McFarlane, safety group administrator, CMTDMF at 519-653-7265 or info@ctma.com.