Next registration period for interested mining, forestry, paper, printing, and converting firms is November 2024.
The Health and Safety Excellence program (HSEp) is a performance-based rewards program from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) which supports the development of a living and breathing health and safety program for your business. Participating firms can create safer workplaces and earn both financial and non-financial recognition.
The Excellence program provides Ontario businesses with a clear roadmap on how to improve workplace health and safety. Workplace Safety North is an approved provider of the Excellence program. WSIB offers opportunities for large and small businesses alike to participate, through new incentive program options.
For the 2024 HSEp program year WSN is focusing its efforts on encouraging participation of its member firms from the forestry, paper, printing, converting, and mining sectors.
Whether you’re just getting started or want to improve the systems and processes you already have in place, the Health and Safety Excellence program can help you reach your goals. Successful performance by a firm, as determined by a WSIB validation, will result in a financial rebate per topic, based on WSIB premiums.
As a program provider, WSN facilitates two options for employers, depending on your firm size:
1. Large Business HSEp for firms with 100 or more employees
2. Small Business HSEp for firms with 1 to 99 employees at the time of registration.
WSN has a program to best fit your business size and sector needs.
The Excellence program is based on the idea that a well-integrated workplace health and safety program is good for business, and good for your workplace safety culture.
Benefits for businesses
- Safer and healthier workplace: Improve your health and safety experience for workers and clients.
- Shared knowledge and networking: Gain access to a team of leading health and safety experts and network with peers to help you meet common health and safety challenges.
- Access resources: Get exclusive access to WSN member resources.
- Leading edge: Participate in a health and safety culture survey to help you build health and safety practices that moves you to an advanced standard of excellence.
- Save money and time: Earn rebates and lower your premiums while improving morale and productivity.
- Peace of mind: Build a well-crafted and functional health and safety program.
How the Excellence program works
- Complete an assessment and select one to five topics to work on for 12 months.
- Develop: Learn and implement safety topic(s) with the support of WSN Health and Safety Specialists.
- Demonstrate: Submit evidence of implementation for review by WSN first, then by a WSIB validator.
- Achieve: Gain an improved health and safety program, and receive rebates and recognition.
Financial and non-financial rewards
The Excellence program provides the opportunity to earn financial rebates and non-financial recognition.
Additional rewards include an improved health and safety program for participating firms, due to focused attention on building knowledge and implementing safety programs.
When your firm’s action plan is approved by the WSIB, a program participation badge will be visible on your company profile on the WSIB Safety Check webpage. As an HSEp participant, firms can also proudly display their badge on communications material.
To reflect their progress in the program, participating firms receive an annual achievement report from WSIB.
What’s the difference between Large Business and Small Business programs?
- Large Business HSEp (100+ employees) applies to firms with 100 or more employees. These firms choose one to five topics from the 39 available when creating their action plan. They then have 12 months to implement the selected topics in their workplaces, with the assistance of their approved program provider, WSN. Financial rebates for successfully completed topics, as well as non-financial recognition, are provided by WSIB. WSIB can provide an estimate of the overall rebate for participating firms.
- Small Business HSEp (1-99 employees) applies to firms employing between 1 and 99 employees, at the time of registration. These firms are provided with eight recommended foundational topics; however, they can select from any of the 39 when creating their action plan. Firms then have 12 months to implement their selected topics in their workplaces, with the assistance of their approved provider, WSN. Financial rebates for successfully completed topics, as well as non-financial recognition are provided by the WSIB. NEW: WSIB is also providing a $1,000 rebate at the time the small business action plan is approved, to offset the registration cost. Small businesses also have double rebate opportunities in 2024 upon successful validation of selected topics. WSIB can provide an estimate of the overall rebate for participating firms.
Sign up for WSIB to learn more
Fees
Fees for the WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program are based on the number of active employees you employ in your workplace at the time of registration. This price structure allows firms to select between one to five topics every 12 months, depending on capacity and available resources. Invoicing for the registration fee occurs at the time of submission.
Program registration fees for HSEp 2024*
Includes support from WSN Health and Safety Specialist, member-only resources, webinars, and validation guidance, and follow-up.
1 to 19 employees $700
20 to 99 employees $1,500
100 + employees $2,500
*Plus applicable tax
Large business rebate incentives (100 plus employees)
Rebate floor (minimum) of $1,000 per successfully completed topic; up to 100 per cent of WSIB annual premiums and cap (maximum) of $50,000 per completed topic.
Small business rebate incentives (1 to 99 employees)
Rebate floor (minimum) of $1,000 per successfully completed topic and can be up to 100 per cent of WSIB annual premiums. Upon completion of an approved action plan, small businesses also receive an additional $1,000 to help cover the provider services and registration fee. There are also double rebate opportunities in 2024 for small business upon successful validation of selected topics.
How can WSN help?
WSN makes it easier for you to develop and implement health and safety programs. You are provided with everything you need:
- Assistance and guidance on the registration process
- Expert advice on setting goals for improvement based on your workplace assessment
- Professional consulting in the development of your action plan and topic implementation
- Continuous support throughout the program
- Access and download sample policies, procedures, forms and checklists that you can customize to your workplace.
To learn more, contact Rose Bédard, Prevention Services Assistant by email or telephone 705-482-9628.
Resources
WSN Health and Safety Excellence Program members will have exclusive access to the HSEp portal that includes resource documents and templates for the program.
VIDEO: Watch the 1.5-minute explainer video WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program