Manufacturing High Risk Strategy
The injury rate and serious injury rate in the manufacturing sector are above the provincial injury rate, and the risks that drive serious injuries in this sector are highly fragmented. The top 15 general risks represent 56 percent of all the manufacturing claims, and the top risk (caught in or struck by machinery or conveyors) represents 18 percent of all serious injury claims in manufacturing.
- Our goals
- Our focus
- What employers can do
Therefore, the 2018-2020 Manufacturing High Risk Strategy (HRS) addresses a significant number of risks to have an impact on the serious injury rate.
Combustible dust, particularly in sawmills and pellet mills, has been a critical issue over the past several years. However, other fire and explosions hazards may also be present in other manufacturing subsectors. Inspections associated with the Manufacturing HRS will address fire and explosions hazards, including combustible dust, where appropriate.
Our goals
The goals of the 2018-2020 HRS are to:
- Reduce serious injury and fatal injury rates in the manufacturing industry
- The 2018-2020 strategy will address the risks of serious injury from these seven strategic focus areas:
- Safeguarding and lockout
- Powered tools
- Hand tools (knives)
- Material handling (falling objects)
- Falls from elevation
- Falls on same level (slips and trips)
- Mobile equipment
Additional risk areas are fire and explosion risks.
Our focus
The HRS approach will be to assist employers in strengthening their safety management system by focusing on risk reduction — taking a two-pronged approach of inspection-based engagements and employer self-evaluations.
Inspection focus: Officers will focus on the top 15 classification units (CUs) that are at risk for serious injury, and evaluate whether the employer:
- Identifies hazards and risks
- Implements effective and compliant controls
- Develops safe work procedures, programs, and policies
- Provides related instruction, training, and supervision
- Conducts effective inspections
- Performs effective accident investigations
- Engages the joint health and safety committee or worker health and safety representative
Self-evaluation: Employers are invited to participate in a voluntary self-guided evaluation of their fire and explosion risks, and of the leading risk factors for serious injury in their workplace.
What employers can do
The following resources will help you better understand and address some of the health and safety issues we’ll be focusing on with our inspections and initiatives. For more resources and information, please visit our Manufacturing pages.
Safeguarding Machinery and Equipment
This manual is mainly for employers, but it contains useful information for everyone who owns, operates, maintains, or sells powered machinery and equipment. Divided into three main parts, the content...
Self-evaluation tool for manufacturing employers
This self-evaluation tool for employers provides questions to help you evaluate the effectiveness of your efforts in identifying, controlling, and managing the serious injury risks and potential catastrophic...
Manufacturing Inspection Checklist: Safeguarding, Lockout, and Combustible Dust
This guide is intended to make employers aware of the parts of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation related to common hazards in manufacturing, including safeguarding, lockout, and combustible...
Controlling Hazardous Energy: De-Energization and Lockout
De-energization and lockout prevents the release of hazardous energy that could cause injury to workers. This resource is mainly for employers, though the information is relevant for joint health...