Backgrounder
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GOVERNMENT GIVING SAFETY VALUES AND SKILLS TO FUTURE
WORKPLACE LEADERS
Contact Info
The WorkSmart Campus program, developed this past year by the Ministry of
Labour with partners from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB),
Minerva Canada and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, will
be used and evaluated at participating colleges and universities across
Ontario now and through the fall 2007 term.
The Program
WorkSmart Campus is an e-learning tool that teaches and reinforces basic
health and safety knowledge for students at the post-secondary level. More
importantly, it is aimed at future workplace leaders and CEOs who are now in
colleges and universities to prepare them to be leaders in workplace health
and safety. Its goal is to prepare graduates who can manage their
organization's health and safety program as they would manage other business
functions such as quality control and productivity.
The program consists of an on-line course with three parts to be
completed by users: Health & Safety 101, SafeSmart for Workplace Leaders, and
Passport to Safety. Each section must be completed in order and there is a
test at the end. The course can be completed in a matter of hours.
Results can be submitted to instructors for assignment of a mark, and the
final results can be printed out as a record.
The program is now being piloted in selected faculties. The current
participants are Canadore College in North Bay, Carleton University in Ottawa,
Fanshawe College in London, George Brown College in Toronto, Georgian College
in Barrie, McMaster University in Hamilton, Niagara College in St. Catharines
and Seneca College in Toronto.
The WorkSmart Campus will continue to be refined and implemented across
the province in the coming year.
Benefits to Students
WorkSmart Campus reinforces and expands on safety information younger
students receive throughout their elementary and secondary years. It follows
the Ministry of Labour's "Live Safe! Work Smart" program for secondary school
students and gears safety messaging to higher levels of learning.
Student participants benefit by starting off on the right road to
creating safe workplaces, and also by being able to demonstrate safety
knowledge and training they know will be valued by businesses when they seek a
job. Not only will it prepare students to be safe on summer jobs, and make
them more appealing as workers to potential employers, it will continue to
make them attractive candidates in progressively higher levels of
responsibility.
There is no cost to the school or student for this learning tool.
Benefits to Business
Businesses have long recognized the link between safety, productivity and
commercial success. Injuries are expensive. A post-secondary level course that
grounds future CEOs in safety values, knowledge and skills should make
possible a profitable future.
In 2002, the average lost-time injury in Ontario cost $59,000. In 2006,
the cost was approximately $98,000. A business operating on a six per cent
profit margin in 2002, would have needed nearly a million in sales to make up
for the $59,000 lost that year from a single injury. Today, that same business
would need over one and a half million in sales to recover the costs of a
single injury.
Healthier workplaces make for healthier bottom lines with lower turnover,
less absenteeism and fewer and less severe workplace injuries. A good health
and safety record leads to a good business record.
Safe workplaces are key to Ontario's economic advantage.
WorkSmart Campus Partners:
Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
Passport to Safety
CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter
Ontario Colleges and Universities
Participant Contacts
Canadore College
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Beth Markham
Coordinator, Business and Marketing Programs
Email:
beth.markham@canadorec.on.ca
Phone: (705) 474-7600 ext. 5824
Carleton University
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Brian. Laughton, CD PEng
Academic Support Officer, Faculty of Engineering and Design
Email:
laughton@carleton.ca
Phone: (613) 520-2600 ext. 5804
Fanshawe College
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David Belford
Dean, School of Business and Management
Email:
DBelford@fanshawec.ca
Phone: (519) 452-4430 ext. 4371
George Brown College
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Elizabeth Speers
Chair, Centre for Business
Email:
espeers@georgebrown.ca
Phone: (416) 415-5000 ext. 2854
Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology
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Bob Emptage
Dean, Faculty of Engineering Technology
Email:
bemptage@georgianc.on.ca
Phone: (705) 728-1968 ext. 5235
McMaster University
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Peter M. Smith
Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Engineering
Email:
smithpm@mcmaster.ca
Phone: (905) 525-9140 Ext. 24646; Fax: (905) 540-1159
Niagara College
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Bea Clark
Acting Vice-President, Corporate Services, and Director, Workforce and
Business Development
Email:
bclark@niagarac.on.ca
Phone: (905) 641-2252, ext. 4003
Seneca College
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Laurel Schollen
Dean, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering Technology
Email:
Laurel.Schollen@senecac.on.ca
Phone: (416) 491-5050 ext.2430 or 3775
Ministry of Labour Public Inquiries:
1-800-268-8013
Contacts:
Belinda Sutton
Ministry of Labour
416-326-7405
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