report: The cost of unsafe	supporTing documents
Click to download "The Cost of Unsafe" report (PDF) - LINK	> Media Release (26/09/06 - LINK Safe Companies BACKGROUNDER - LINK > Board of Trade presentation (PowerPoint) - LINK Speaking Note / Tanner Elton - LINK Verdict at the Coroner - LINK

For Immediate Release (Sept 26, 06)

Vancouver , BC – (Sept 26, 2006) – The BC forest industry today announced that its SAFE Companies program is “open for business”. Under the SAFE Companies program, participating forest companies are certified as exceeding all required safety programs and are committed to making safety an overriding priority.

“We announced the program in January 2006 and in just nine months it’s ready for implementation,” said Tanner Elton, CEO of the BC Forest Safety Council. “Full introduction of Safe Companies and other health and safety initiatives currently underway are fundamentally changing how the sector manages safety.”

Developed by the BC Forest Safety Council, in conjunction with industry and WorkSafeBC, the SAFE Companies program will require annual certification for BC forest companies. The Council’s target is to start registration and certification this fall, with the expectation that that all companies will be part of the program by the end of 2007.

“This is a direct result of the Forest Safety Taskforce,” said Steve Mueller, Director of the Council’s Safe Companies program. “It is a clear indication that industry is taking responsibility for its safety performance. It reflects the hard work of our industry representatives and staff from WorkSafeBC.”

Participating companies will benefit from rebates to their Workers’ Compensation assessments and from reduced injuries and lost time. This means that more than 4,000 forest companies in the sector, large and small, will be reviewing and annually verify the effectiveness of their safety programs.

“As the industry’s safety record improves, there will be fewer claims and the costs, currently the highest in BC, will also go down,” said Mueller. “Improved safety performance will also be reflected in the sector’s competitiveness and bottom line.”

“SAFE Companies is the industry’s most important health and safety initiatives,” he said. It will save lives and make our industry more competitive. When a company is complying with all safety standards, when everyone in the enterprise, from the forest floor to the boardroom is safety conscious, then safety performance improves.”

The impact of the forest sector’s safety performance was identified in a report called, “The Cost of Unsafe”, which the Forest Safety Council released today.

The report is part of a broader effort by the Council, WorkSafeBC and others to improve the quality of both historical and future safety information. The report considered the forestry harvesting sector’s safety performance for three years, from 2003 to 2005.

The report estimates that total expenditures for injuries, fatalities and related injury expenses to industry was $432 million over the three-year period, including $108 million in direct costs and $324 million in indirect costs. A 50% reduction in all claims would result in industry savings totaling more than $216 million, including $54 million in direct costs and $162 million in indirect costs. This reduction could result in 1,600 fewer short-term disability claims, 485 fewer longer-term disability claims, and 2,000 fewer health care only claims.

Direct costs can take the form of increased assessments levied by WorkSafeBC, medical and rehabilitation expenses, first aid, sick pay, and legal expenses. The indirect costs of workplace injuries and fatalities borne by employers and employees include impact on family and community, damage to corporate image, production downtime, lost time for staff to cope, reduced morale, investigation costs, training for replacement workers, and re-orientation for returning workers.

Elton said the program’s goal of a 50% reduction in fatalities and injuries would match current industry standards in Alberta. “We know that safe companies are successful companies,” he said. “I am confident that the SAFE Companies program will lead to recognition of the BC forest sector as an innovative, well-trained and productive workforce that has a superior safety performance.”

In 2005, a record 43 forest worker fatalities were recorded. To date, seven fatalities have occurred so far in 2006. From 1993 - 2003, 265 workers died in the forest sector, nearly 4,000 suffered serious injuries causing long-term disability, and more than 31,000 had injuries requiring short-term disability payments.

For more information contact:

ABOUT THE PROGRAM	EMPLOYERS
> Benefits of being a SAFE certified company - LINK > The Cost of Unsafe - LINK > SAFE Companies: Six Month Audit Submission Requirements (pdf) - LINK   > Request for Extension form (pdf) - LINK > SAFE Companies Application Form (pdf) - LINK	> Large Company - LINK > Small Company  - LINK > List of Certified External Auditors - LINK > Employer Certification Timelines - LINK
AUDITORS	TRAINING
> External Auditors - LINK > Auditor Code of Ethics (pdf) - LINK > NEW - Notice of Audit Activities Form (pdf) - LINK > NEW - Declaration of Dependent Contractors Form - LINK	> External Auditor Training - BASE Audit - LINK > Internal Auditor Training -LINK > Small Employer Occupational Health and Safety Training - LINK
RESOURCES	SAFE CERTIFIED COMPANIES
> Large Employer (BASE) Audit   (pdf) - LINK > Small Employer (SEBASE) Audit (pdf) - LINK > Safe Companies News - LINK > Safety Advocates - LINK > SAFE Companies Questions Answered - LINK	> List of SAFE Certified Companies (pdf) - LINK > BC Forest Companies Registered for SAFE Companies (pdf)- LINK > Annual Statistics - Coming in 2007