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How low can they go? Potential for reduction in work injury rates

¹ Institute for Work & Health, Toronto and Program in Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
² Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence to:
Professor Harry S Shannon
McMaster University, Program in Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, 1200 Main Street West, Room 3H50, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3Z5 Canada; shannonh{at}mcmaster.ca

Background: There is a considerable variability in occupational injury rates across companies, even within the same industry. The aim of this study was to estimate how many injuries could be prevented if all firms could achieve the performance of their better peers.

Method: Data were obtained from the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario on all insured firms in the province. Within rate groups (firms in the same type of business) the number of injuries expected if all firms had a lost time injury rate at the 25th percentile of the distribution for the rate group were estimated. The total number of injuries were compared with the expected number, after adjusting for firm size and type of injury.

Results: Overall, using the 25th percentile as a benchmark, 42% of lost time injuries in Ontario could be prevented.

Discussion: There is considerable potential for prevention of work injuries based on currently achieved, non-optimal benchmarks.

Abbreviations: FTE, full time equivalent; PR₂₅, potential reduction in rate using 25th percentile as target; WSIB, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board

Keywords: occupational injury; benchmarking; work injury rates