Saskatchewan has an injury epidemic, says Gord Moker, CEO of Safe Saskatchewan. As a result, it's time for the people in the province to start thinking of safety in their lives.
In this province, it's when people are at home that they injure themselves the most. According to statistics, 435 people per day are injured in the province, with 26 hospitalized, 10 suffering a permanent injury and one person will die. Most of those injuries will happen at home, where it is twice as likely that people get injured in the province. There will four times the chance of a permanent disability and five times the chance someone will die from a preventable injury at home. Moker says that as workplace safety improves, it's at home where people need to start changing their ways.
"There has been a lot of great work and partnerships around workplace safety initiatives. The overall workplace injury rate has come down from 2002 which was its all time high. It's decreased from five per cent to just under three per cent. For whatever reason, we've forgotten about the importance of injuries and preventing them after work," Moker says.
In particular, he adds, for many people the steps that ensure safety at work often end when they get home, which leads to the very injuries those steps prevent. He says that now that safety in the workplace is improving, people in the province need to take those practices home with them.
"You're really putting an unfair burden on your family by exposing yourselves to injuries."
Saskatchewan in particular has an injury rate of 1.4 times the national average. Moker says it's tough to say why this province is particularly bad about injuries, especially at home.
"I think it traces back to our agricultural roots. We work very hard, especially at seeding and harvest, and we have this get it done at all costs philosophy. Unfortunately, all costs is tragedy in many situations... Now, there's an opportunity to recognize the work that's been done in the past, but use that get it done philosophy to end our injury epidemic."
While there is still a way to go, Moker says that Mission Zero is working, with increased investments in injury prevention and reduction in workplace injuries.
He says that the Yorkton itself have been a source of a groundswell of support for injury prevention. As an example, the Royal Auto Group recently hosted a safety event at which Moker was invited to speak. He says that their support and promotion of safety is the kind of thing that will inspire more businesses and people to think of safety in their lives.
