Seatbelts took awhile to catch on when introduced to the market but have become an acknowledged, life-saving device for drivers. Workers in industrial plants, too, have come to accept safety devices as a necessary part of their routine. In some cases, they use them as automatically as seatbelts.

Despite this progress, why are workers still getting injured or killed by machinery?

On April 28th, B.C. workers and employers pause at Day of Mourning ceremonies throughout the province to remember and honour those who have lost their lives, been injured or made ill on the job.

The BC Forest Safety Council supports this national day of reflection and its members recommit to ensuring all workers return from work safely everyday to their friends and families.

The province of Ontario has met its goal of reducing workplace injuries by 20 per cent over a four-year period, according to Minister of Labour Brad Duguid, as he addressed thousands of health and safety professionals at the opening ceremony of Health and Safety Canada 2008.

In R. v. Grant Forest Products Inc. and Wabi Development Corporation, the Ontario Court of Justice recently made a pronouncement on the due diligence defence known as “reasonable belief in mistaken facts.” 

Consequently, the defence of reasonable belief in mistaken facts is important for all professionals working in an industry marked by regulatory compliance.

The City of Kitchener was recently added to the growing list of municipal supporters of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s Road to Zero program.

Self-employment is on the rise in our country, and is the second fastest growing employment demographic in Canada, with approximately 16 per cent of 17 million workers freelancing for their income. The problem is that while self-employment is rising, safety awareness for this group of Canadians is not.