Workplace Safety and Insurance Board - WSIB

To Whom Does This Apply?

Employers in industries or businesses covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) and their workers.

Note: Most workplaces in Ontario are covered under the WSIA.

Summary

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is an agency of the Ontario provincial government dedicated to the prevention of all workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities.  The WSIB oversees Ontario's workplace safety education and training system and administers Ontario's no-fault workplace insurance for employers and their workers.

The WSIB is funded entirely by employer premiums and is one of the largest disability insurers in North America. With these premiums, the WSIB provides funding for Ontario's Health and Safety Associations, the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, the Workers Health and Safety Centre, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, and the Offices of the Worker and Employer Adviser. The WSIB is also required to reimburse the Government of Ontario for all administrative costs of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. About 229,000 employers and their 4 million workers are covered by the WSIB.  The WSIB receives no funding from the Ontario provincial government.

1. Learn More About the WSIB
2. Need a Copy of Workplace Safety Insurance Act?
3. Registering with the WSIB
4. Insurance Coverage
5. Prevention
6. Reporting Accidents
7. Appealing WSIB Decisions
8. Service in Other Languages

I.  Learn More About the WSIB

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board  web site offers a wide range of information about programs, services, legal requirements, health and safety information, and more.  The main page provides news items about current happenings and hundreds of links for employers, workers and service providers to learn more about Ontario's workplace health and safety system.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/Home_e

Office Locator
http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersSBSOffices

Small Business Services
http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersSBS

Industry Sector Information
http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersIndustrySectors

2. Need a Copy of Workplace Safety Insurance Act?

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/97w16_e.htm

3. Registering with the WSIB

How to register?

This page of our web site explains what information you need to register.  It walks you through the process in four steps. Most employers in Ontario are required to register with the WSIB to ensure protection for themselves and their employees under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployerRegisterWSIB

Download the Registration form

Here you can download the WSIB's Employer Registration form, click on the city nearest you, complete the form online, then print off to submit to the WSIB by mail, fax or in person.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileForm775/$File/Form775.pdf

Other Employer Forms

Key forms employers use to do business with the WSIB are grouped and available for easy downloading.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/FormsEmployers

4. Insurance Coverage

The insurance coverage sections answers a wide variety of questions an employer may have about costs, premium payments, methods of payment, optional insurance for business owners and others, and details about hiring contractors or subcontractors.

How Much Does It Cost?

Questions and answers about the cost of workplace insurance coverage through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersPremiuminfo

Paying Premiums

Questions and answers about the cost of paying for your workplace insurance coverage.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersPremiuminfo

Can I Pay electronically?

Meet your reporting and payment obligations easily and securely using our Calculate and Report Premium eService.  Learn more and register for this convenient service.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/CalReport

Need More Information About Optional Insurance?

Learn who qualifies for optional insurance, what the benefits are, how much it will cost and how to apply.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersOptionalinsurance

Hiring a Contractor:

Learn about your WSIB requirements when hiring a contractor or subcontractor and how to protect yourself from liability as a principal employer.

• Construction http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileConstructionIndependentOperators/$File/ConstIndOp.pdf
• Forestry http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileForestryIndependentOperators/$File/Forest1.pdf
• Transportation http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileTransportationIndependentOperator/$File/TransIO.pdf
• and Other industries http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersIndustrySectors

5. Prevention

Taking workplace health and safety seriously contributes to protecting workers from injuries and illnesses and keeping insurance costs as low as possible.  Learn how to make your workplace a healthy and safe environment.

General Information:

Preventing Injuries & Illness

Provides an overview of information about health and safety in Ontario workplaces.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/Prevention

Health and Safety Services and Information

How to access assistance with health and safety in the workplace.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/Public/PreventionHSSI

WSIB Prevention Campaigns

Outlines initiatives by the WSIB to keep workers safe from injury and illness.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/PreventionCampaigns

Prevention Events and Safety Initiatives

Outlines a variety of events related to health and safety at work.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/PreventionEvents

Prevention Reference Section

This reference section offers resources for the reader to learn about and take action on making workplaces healthy and safe.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/ReferencePrevention

Incentive and Health and Safety Programs

The WSIB supports numerous incentive, training, and educational programs that can help both employers and workers prevent illness and injury.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/PreventionTIP

Financial Incentive Programs:

The WSIB offers a number of incentive programs for keeping premium costs low.

CAD-7

CAD-7 is the incentive program for employers in the construction industry.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/CAD-7

Merit Adjusted Premium (MAP) plan for small business

Primarily for small businesses (between $1,000 and $25,000 in WSIB premiums per year) the MAP incentive program allows you to can reduce your premiums by maintaining a good health and safety record.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/MAP

New Experimental Experience Rating (NEER) Program

NEER is the incentive program that automatically applies to firms that pay more than $25,000 per year in premiums and are in a non-construction rate group. If you are in one or more construction sector rate groups, see CAD-7. Through NEER, you can earn rebates on your premiums by maintaining a good health, or pay surcharges for a poor health record in your workplace.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/NEER

Safe Communities Incentive Program (SCIP)

SCIP is a community-based incentive program for small businesses.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/SCIP

Safety Groups Program

The Safety Groups program offers a network of firms who pool resources, share best practices and help each other develop and manage effective health and safety programs. There is an opportunity to reduce your WSIB premiums and earn financial rebates.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/SafetyGroupsProgram

Workwell

The WSIB performs on-site health and safety evaluations of workplaces that have consistently poor safety records and offers recommendations for improvement.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/Workwell

Training Programs:

A wide variety of training programs are available to improve workplace health and safety.

Certification Training

This certification involves training in health and safety law, and the identification, assessment and control of hazards, as required by law for most firms with 20 or more workers.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/CertificationTraining

First Aid Program

Learn about specific obligations that apply to your business and access required training.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/FAP

Young Worker Awareness Safety Program

Give your young people the knowledge they need to work safely by booking the Young Worker Awareness Safety Program.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/YWAP

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

This section will direct you to help in setting up a training program about the workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), and will tell you how to get material safety data sheets.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/WHMIS

Musculoskeletal Injuries Prevention Program (MIPP)

This 6-hour training program provides information about the causes and prevention of common musculoskeletal injuries, including repetitive strain injuries.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/MIPP

6.  Reporting Accidents

Learn what defines a work-related injury or illness, when and how to report them to the WSIB.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersIIshouldreport

Forms

Key forms employers use to do business with the WSIB are grouped and available for easy downloading.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/FormsEmployers

7. Appealing WSIB Decisions

Learn what steps you can take if you disagree with a decision made by the WSIB.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersAppeals

Office of the Employer Adviser

Find out what the OEA can offer your firm in terms of managing your workplace safety and insurance costs.

http://www.employeradviser.ca/

WSIB Partners

Find out about the partners the WSIB works with to promote workplace health and safety and return to work for injured workers in Ontario.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/Partners

8.  Service in Other Languages

French

All the services and programs offered by the WSIB are available in French.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/home_f

Other languages

The WSIB offers many free services in a variety of languages, including translation, interpretation and information products.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/EmployersMultilingualServices

• Important Notices

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this section is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. For particular questions, the users are invited to contact their lawyer. For additional information, see contact(s) listed below.

Ontario Contact(s):
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
Head office is located in Toronto and is supplemented by district offices throughout Ontario.
Ontario 
Toll-free (publications): 1 800 387-5540