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EMPLOYER'S INTRODUCTION
TO WORKPLACE SAFETY AND INSURANCE

What is the WSIB?
If you are hiring workers, contact the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). It's important because most businesses - by law - must have this insurance coverage for work-related injuries and illnesses. The WSIB provides workplace insurance coverage and oversees Ontario's workplace safety education and training system. The WSIB collects premiums from most employers in Ontario, pools them in a collective liability fund, and distributes benefits to workers who are injured or who develop an occupational disease resulting from their employment.

Workplace insurance protects you and your business against worker lawsuits related to workplace injury and illness. It also provides benefits to injured workers.

Benefits include:

• Compensation for lost earnings due to work-related injury or illness;
• Payment of health care costs;
• Help with returning injured workers to work;
• Survivor benefits for work-related deaths; and
• Access to health and safety training for you and your workers.

Benefits to Employers
In addition to protecting your workers, workplace safety insurance provides employers with important benefits that help keep your business productive and profitable.

Benefits include:

• Protection from lawsuits - WSIB benefits replace the worker's right to sue the employer for similar benefits.
• No-fault insurance - The WSIB generally does not consider who is at fault when determining benefits.
• Workplace insurance benefits for your workers - WSIB insurance replaces lost earnings and covers health care costs resulting from work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Prevention and training programs - Workplace illness or injury can deprive you of essential staff and can seriously affect your company's productivity. The WSIB provides numerous prevention, training, and education programs that help you prevent injuries and illness before they cost you money.
• Help in returning workers to the job - Getting valuable staff back on the job sooner means your business can return to full productivity sooner. It also means your insurance claim will be smaller and your premium may be reduced. The WSIB claims management team will help you ensure that your worker gets effective health care and gets back to work as soon as safely possible.

Sole owners, partners, independent operators, and executive officers are not automatically covered under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, but can apply for optional insurance. When you buy optional insurance, you receive the same coverage as workers.

Small Business Services
Small Business Services is an area of the WSIB dedicated to helping the small business employer. If you employ less than 20 workers , Small Business Services can provide you with insurance coverage and health and safety services in a way that's as simple and easy for you as possible.

Registering with the WSIB
Most businesses in Ontario that employ workers (including family members and sub-contractors) must register with the WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first full- or part-time worker. It's the law.
Registering with the WSIB provides workplace insurance coverage for all of your workers and gives you access to experts in health and safety for your business sector.
Employers who should register but do not are subject to fines, penalties and, in some cases, prosecution.

Paying Premiums
Anyone on your payroll, either working full- or part-time under a contract of service or as an apprentice is your worker and is covered under the WSIB premium. This includes family members.
Your premium payments depend on the health and safety risk of your type of business, the size of your payroll, and your company's health and safety record.

Reporting incidents
If one of your workers has a workplace injury or illness for which they must obtain health care, or that results in loss of earnings, you must notify the WSIB within three days of learning of the incident.

Preventing Injuries in the Workplace
Safe workplaces not only mean better health and quality of life for workers, they also mean more profitable businesses and lower premiums for employers.

Your Health and Safety Obligations
To fulfill your legal obligations, all employers must:

• Post the "In Case of Injury" poster in a location visible to all staff
• Obtain and post a current copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Obtain a first aid kit for your first aid station
• Have at least one certified first aid specialist per shift

Appealing WSIB Decisions
Any employer or worker who disagrees with a decision made by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has the right to appeal that decision. The WSIB provides a variety of approaches to dispute resolution. These range from informal and timely approaches for quick resolution of simple issues, to more in-depth and formal approaches for more complex disputes.

We make it easy to register for WSIB. For a fee of only $50 plus tax, we will prepare and submit all required documents to the WSIB office for registration. The process usually takes between 7 and 10 business days. Once you receive your WSIB number, you are covered by the WSIB insurance.

We also prepare and file monthly, quarterly and annual WSIB reports. This greatly reduces your workload as a business owner. To order, simply contact us at the numbers listed bellow. Our friendly customer service representative will guide you through the entire process.