WINNIPEG - The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) announced the latest funding recipients of its Community Initiatives and Research Program (CIRP) today. These groups will conduct community or industry-based projects that focus on the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses in Manitoba.
The CIRP provides up to $1 million annually to fund projects focusing on accident and disease prevention, safety in the workplace, treatment of workplace injuries, support for injured workers and their families, and research into scientific, medical or other issues related to workers compensation. Since the inception of the program, approximately 65 percent of the funding has supported workplace prevention, education and training initiatives.
"The CIRP allows us to work proactively with our partners in the community to reduce the risk and impact of workplace injuries," says WCB President and CEO Doug Sexsmith. "We have seen the benefits of safety initiatives - workplace injuries are falling in Manitoba. Still, approximately one out of 20 workers is injured on the job, which is too high.
Sexsmith adds that the projects funded through the CIRP initiative are good examples of the workplace safety movement spearheaded by SAFE Work and SAFE Manitoba.
"SAFE Work and SAFE Manitoba are about building partnerships in the community to help build a culture of safety in our province.
Since the CIRP was launched by the WCB at the end of 1997, 89 innovative projects have been completed or are still in progress. The CIRP aims to enhance the understanding of workers' compensation issues and to minimize the human and financial impact of occupational injuries and disease.
The WCB has also released its priorities for its 2005 CIRP funding. The WCB will begin accepting funding requests for projects that focus on either the prevention of workplace injuries, disability management programs that support employers and injured workers, transitional services for people with occupational disabilities, or injury prevention and awareness of insurance and disability models for the agriculture community. The deadline for the first stage in the application process is April 26. For more information on how to apply for CIRP funding, visit the WCB website at www.wcb.mb.ca, or call Janice Meszaros at 954-4650.
The Manitoba WCB is a statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors representing employers, workers and the public interest. The WCB is committed to minimizing the risk and impact of workplace injuries and illnesses, meeting the changing needs of Manitoba's workplaces and working with our partners to achieve these goals.
Contact:
Warren Preece, Director of Communications
WCB Manitoba
(204) 954-4113
2004 WCB CIRP Funding Recipients
Small Business Ergonomic Resource Guide
Agency: MFL Occupational Health Centre, Inc.
Funding: $66,681
Purpose: This six-month project will build case studies designed to aid small employers address ergonomic issues and demonstrate that effective changes are not costly. This project will develop a comprehensive resource guide to accompany the case studies, provide training workshops throughout Manitoba, and employ a marketing strategy to promote the availability of the guide to Manitoba employers.
Pictorial Safety Signs
Agency: Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)
Funding: $36,528 Purpose: This project will develop and distribute six pictorial safety signs in two sizes to communicate workplace safety to workers with English as a second language and/or literacy challenged workers. The poster sets will be available for CME members and other interested Manitoba employers.
Health, Safety and Wellness Project
Agency: Day Nursery Centre (DNC)
Funding: $17,000
Purpose: This project will provide an effective ergonomics, health and safety program at DNC that will reduce workplace injuries and illnesses and lower workers compensation costs. The strategies and tools developed from this project will be shared with other Manitoba day care centres to promote the safety of workers in early childhood education.
Interactive Multimedia Resource DVD
Agency: Canadian Safety & Compliance (CSC)
Funding: $38,370
Purpose: CSC will develop an Interactive Multimedia Resource DVD to assist in the delivery of workplace health and safety information to young workers.
Provincial Mobile Back Care Education & Injury Prevention Team Agency: Community Therapy Services
Funding: $100,000
Purpose: This project will establish a provincial mobile back care education and prevention team to develop and deliver educational programs to managers and supervisors in Manitoba health care settings outside Winnipeg. The project involves three goals, which are to assist:
- health care managers to implement monitoring systems for health care workers who are engaged in lifting and transferring and to initiate corrective action as required;
- in the development of back care teams in each work site to educate and encourage workers to follow safe lifting and transferring practices; and
- workplaces and workers in establishing a culture of safety.
Phase 2- The Career Portfolio Workplace Safety & Health Project
Agency: Tec-VocHigh School
Funding: $96,000
Purpose: Tec-Voc's project will build upon Phase 1 which was the development and integration of the workplace health and safety (WH&S) curriculum "The Ownership of a Culture – Putting Students First" into the various programs offered at their school. Phase 2 involves three components:
- integration of WH&S content into Tec-Voc's Career Portfolio curriculum;
- development of a WS&H guide to compliment the "self managed career portfolio guide" produced by the Province of Manitoba; and
- to share these resources with other schools.
Injured and Disabled Workers' Centre
Agency: Injured Workers Association of Manitoba Inc.
Funding: $85,170
Purpose: The centre supports injured workers following the termination of WCB benefits, or following the decision that an accident is not compensable. The centre assists injured workers and their families to understand, cope and adapt to injuries and post injury issues, which can be physical and psychological. The assistance includes client counseling and referrals to appropriate community programs. The centre also assists those injured workers who wish to appeal the WCB's decision, including the presentation of their own appeals. The centre helps injured workers make informed decisions, take control of their situation and fosters a healthier return to work. Ultimately, these services aim to improve an injured worker's sense of healing and self-worth.
Seeing the Workplace with "new eyes"
Agency: Dorothy Wigmore
Funding: $133,900
Purpose: This 2-year project will work with two primary and two secondary workplaces to develop tools, processes and resources for joint health and safety committees, their employers and workers to help reduce job-related injuries, illnesses, diseases and deaths.
Occupational Health and Safety Certificate Program
Agency: Red River College (RRC)
Funding: $96,500
Purpose: RRC will develop and deliver a full-time 8-month certificate program that will provide graduates with the knowledge and skills essential in addressing health, safety, and prevention strategies to reduce the risk of workplace injury and disease. Safety Professional graduates will be prepared to function in a variety of industrial, business and educational settings, in accordance with provincial legislation and to promote a reduction in occupational risk of injury and disease in Manitoba workplaces. RRC will also offer the program in a variety of delivery modes depending on market demand, but will include full time day delivery including both a theoretical and practical component.
Safe Workers of Tomorrow Health and Safety 2004/2005 Campaign
Agency: Workers of Tomorrow Safety Centre Inc.
Funding: $142,590
Purpose: The Campaign's primary focus is to educate students and young workers on their rights in the workforce and to improve their capability to assess risk and recognize hazard symbols, so that they can reduce and prevent workplace injuries. Through the campaign, presentations are made to thousands of students in high schools, post-secondary educational facilities and training programs. Presentations are made by a volunteer speaker bureau (consisting of both health and safety experts as well as young workers who have survived workplace injuries).
Workplace Initiative in Safety Education (WISE)
Agency: Ten Ten Sinclair Housing Inc.
Funding: $100,000
Purpose: This 18-month project will develop and implement a unique workplace safety and health training program "WISE" that will educate both the service providers (employees) and the service recipients (tenants) at Ten Ten on the critical role they play in a safe work environment.
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