A new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives entitled Waiting to Happen: Why we need major changes to the health and safety regime in federally regulated workplaces reveals that the health and safety of over a million workers in the federal government and other federally-regulated workplaces is at risk.
“This study confirms that our members – and the Canadians to whom they provide services – are at risk,” said UNE President Doug Marshall. “There are several recommendations, including repealing the 2013 changes to the Canadian Labour Code that the government snuck into their omnibus bill C-4. These are changes that need to happen and on October 19th, we need to make sure the government we elect will follow the recommendations in order to improve the health and safety of workers and the well-being of Canadians.”
The study reveals some disturbing numbers about health and safety in workplaces:
- In 10 years the number of health and safety inspectors on the job has dropped by over 50 per cent.
- From 151 inspectors in 2005, figures obtained by PSAC show no more than 67 working as of April, 2015.
- Between 2002 and 2013, 684 employees died as a result of workplace injury.
- There were nearly 21,000 disabling injuries in the federally regulated sector in 2012 alone.
The study concludes with several recommendations to restore and improve the health and safety regulation of businesses and employers under federal jurisdiction, including:
- Repealing the 2013 changes to the Canada Labour Code and increasing inspector staffing levels;
- Conducting regular field inspections, particularly in high-risk workplaces;
- Improving data collecting and making it more transparent;
- Developing a strategy for workplace safety on First Nations reserves;
- Reinstating fire inspectors; and
- Covering all Parliament Hill employees under federal health and safety regulation.
Click here to download and share a copy of the full CCPA report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/waiting-happen
With files from www.psacunion.ca