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'This gap in perception creates the potential for accidents in the workplace to occur.' - Conference Board of Canada.
Ottawa (26 July 2010) - Employers are more confident than workers or labour representatives in the ability of employees to understand health and safety policies, says the Conference Board of Canada.
The conclusion is based on a survey just published by the board - What You Don't Know Can Hurt You: Literacy's Impact on Workplace Health and Safety.
"This gap in perception creates the potential for accidents in the workplace to occur," says Alison Campbell, the principal research associate involved in the study.
"Because employers are confident in their workers' literacy levels, they are less likely to see the need for training to upgrade employees' knowledge and understanding of health and safety practices."
The board says many employers create manuals and other documents setting out health and safety practices. Yet relying on written materials leaves organizations open to the risk that employees may not be able to read and understand them.
When incidents occur, the board adds, the typical corporate response is to review policies and practices, rather than to verify whether or not employees have the literacy and basic skills to fully understand or follow such procedures.
"Without even realizing it, some individuals with low literacy skills put themselves, their co-workers and the public at risk," notes Campbell.
The report results from a two-year project undertaken by the board for Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. The work included a literature review, national survey, interviews with stakeholders and case studies.
A total of 319 respondents were surveyed: 136 employers (including four workers' compensation boards), 126 workers, 26 union representatives, 19 immigrant service providers and 12 Aboriginal service providers.
While 64% of employer respondents felt health and safety practices were understood fully or to a large extent, only 40% of workers and 50% of labour respondents agreed. Immigrant service providers and Aboriginal service agencies also expressed concerns about worker understanding of health and safety policies.
Respondents viewed skills such as listening to instruction, reading printed information and applying information as very important. However, only slightly over half the respondents said training to build these skills was available through their workplaces.
The report highlights 10 employers that have taken action to improve literacy skills in the interests of health and safety: Abbot Point of Care, Ottawa; Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation, Saint John, N.B.; Bristol Aerospace, Winnipeg; City of Vancouver; De Beers Canada, Yellowknife; Keyera Energy, Calgary; Lilydale Inc., Edmonton; Loewen Windows, Steinbach, Manitoba; Omega 2000 Cribbing Inc., Calgary, and Robinson Paperboard Packaging, Mississauga.
The report outlines seven steps in establishing an organizational action plan:
- Review past incidents through 'a literacy lens'.
- Review organizational health and safety policies and practices.
- Examine policies and practices from the perspective of an individual with lower literacy levels.
- Brainstorm solutions to help users understand health and safety documents.
- Measure and track health and safety incidents and improvements.
- Recognize outcomes.
- Reward efforts to improve literacy skills.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
Download report: What You Don't Know can Hurt You