Welcome to Ontario's second annual Falls Awareness Week, May 6 to 10, 2019.
Falls are a leading cause of workplace injuries and deaths in Ontario. Seventy-three
workers died due to falls between 2011 and 2017.
At the Ministry of Labour, we are working to prevent these tragedies by promoting an
open dialogue about workplace falls and creating a positive change in workplace culture.
During Falls Awareness Week, I encourage you to pause work for 15 to 30 minutes
to conduct a safety talk on falls and identify specific falls hazards at your workplace.
Workers should be given an opportunity to ask questions and have their concerns
addressed. Sharing your knowledge and experience can be invaluable to your
workplace. This safety talk kit will help you structure these discussions.
In addition to the kit, a number of other resources are available to support you. They
include content from our health and safety partners and information from Ontario.ca/
StopFalls.
Your participation is key to the success of Falls Awareness Week. Educating your
workplace can result in fewer injuries. A safe workplace also leads to improved
productivity and fewer claims to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. This saves
you and others a great deal of money in the long run.
Everyone – employers, workers, government and others – has an important role to play
in keeping workers safe on the job. Together, we can help eliminate needless suffering
and make Ontario one of the best places in the world to live, work and prosper.
Ron Kelusky
Chief Prevention Officer
Ministry of Labour
