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Manufacturer of Hydraulic Presses

Workplace safety - operator safety

February 7, 2011

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has a goal: to eliminate work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. By providing information, training, education, management systems and solutions to support health, safety and wellness programs, the CCOHS (its American equivalent being OSHA), seeks to improve workplace health and safety programs and the prevention of injury and illness.

Nationwide snapshot

In 2007, in Canada, the rate of work-related accidents stood at 18.8 cases per 1000 workers.

  • Gender

While men are more at risk from suffering work accidents, the figures from 1993 to 2007 show a more substantial decline in the injury rate among men.

In 1993, the work related injuries rate for men was 44.6 per 1000 male workers. In 2007, this rate stood at 23.4; a drop of 2.1%.

For women, the rate dropped from 19.1 in 1993 to 13.6 in 2007; a drop of 0.55%.

  • Industries

Depending on the industry, the number of work-related injuries is extremely variable.

Again in 2007, the lowest injury rate was amongst financial sector workers, a work-related injury rate of 0.8 per 1000 workers.

The highest rates were in the construction and the manufacturing sectors. The injury rates per 1000 workers in these industries stood, respectively, at 30.0 and 32.0 per 1000 workers.

  • Regions

Work-related injury rates differed among the provinces. The industries within each province and the type of jobs that were covered by each province’s compensation plans certainly influenced these figures.

In 2007, the following provinces had injury rates below the Canadian average of 18.8 work-related injuries per 1000 workers: Nova Scotia (18.5), Alberta (17.9), Prince Edward Island (12.6), Ontario (12.3) and New Brunswick (12.3).

Provinces with rates above the national average included: Manitoba (29.0), British Columbia (28.1), Saskatchewan (27.6), Quebec (22.6) and Newfoundland and Labrador (20.1).

Work-related injuries result in costs not only to the individual, but also to the employer and society in general. Improved workplace safety as well as machinery that is designed with operator safety in mind (e.g.: hydraulic presses and press brakes) will protect workers and reduce costs associated to injuries.

At RK Machinery, a Canadian hydraulic press manufacturer, we put operator safety at the forefront when designing and manufacturing our presses. RK Machinery is committed to building safe and reliable machinery. Our hydraulic presses include such options as an operator security guard, removable in seconds, that creates a barrier between the press and the hydraulic operator; or a motor, tucked up and out of the way, exposing no parts or pulleys. For more information on our safe and reliable H-frames, C-frames and press brakes, visit us at RK Machinery.

http://www.ccohs.ca/membership/
http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=20