April 15, 2008

Occupational Health and Safety

Construction association calls for discussion, debate of WSIB rebates

President protests board’s “making of policy by press release”

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

The Council of Ontario Construction Associations [COCA] is appealing for rational discussion and debate on the recent issue of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board company rebates and worker death fines.

“We are upset at the making of policy by press release which is now happening,” explains David Surplis, acting president of the COCA. “There are just so many misstatements and misrepresentations out there that you cannot have much discussion.”

The WSIB has fallen under heavy criticism recently after a media investigation highlighted rebates it issued to companies that were prosecuted and found guilty of safety violations leading to deaths and serious injuries.

Surplis says one of the common misconception as the furor grows over the media reports is that WSIB’s experience rating program is designed to issue rebates based on same-year safety performances.

In fact, if a company has a clean safety record in 2006, it receives its rebate the following year, in 2007. However, media reports have uncovered instances in which a rebate was issued to a company the year after a workplace fatality.

It is these irregularities that the WSIB wants to resolve.

The WSIB announced in March it would conduct a review of its experience rating program that would take a year to complete. At the time of the announcement, WSIB noted that under certain circumstances, it is possible for a company to have a traumatic workplace fatality and still receive a rebate from the experience rating program.

“It is unacceptable to me that a company responsible for a fatality would still get a rebate cheque from the WSIB,” said Steven Mahoney, chair of the WSIB when the review was announced. “Our five-year strategic plan is the Road to Zero, and that is the only acceptable number of fatalities.”

Surplis also says there is now an “unfortunate implication” of blame being assigned in “what has always been understood to be a no-fault system”.

COCA looks forward to further consultation during the review of the experience rating program, says Surplis.

“We look forward to the review without this crazy circus currently happening,” says Surplis. “Let’s have a calm and constructive look at it.”

Print | Email | Comment