WHSCC Client Satisfaction Study 2005 Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research November 2005
Introduction Table of Contents 1. The Survey 2 2. Key Findings 3 2.1 WHSCC services 3 2.2 Injured workers 4 2.3 General worker population 5 2.4 Registered employers 6 2.5 Non-registered businesses 7 2.6 Stakeholders 8 3. Awareness Index 9 4. Client Satisfaction Index 11 5. Case Management Index 14 6. Other Five-Year Trends 16 6.1 Overall Familiarity with the WHSCC s Programs and Services 16 6.2 Satisfaction with Contacts with the WHSCC 6.3 Satisfaction with Benefit Levels and Assessment Rates 18 6.4 Information about the WHSCC s Programs and Services 19 6.5 Quality of the Information Provided by the WHSCC 19 6.6 WHSCC Online 20 6.7 Policies and Procedures in the Workplace 21 6.8 WHSCC-Sponsored Advertising on Workplace Health and Safety 22 6.9 Return to Work 23 7. Suggestions for Future Research 24 Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 1 of 25
Introduction Executive Summary 1. The Survey This was the seventh year the Client Satisfaction Study was conducted for the WHSCC. It was the first year this study was performed by Omnifacts Bristol. The study involved the survey of five different client groups: Injured workers 808 respondents which provides a margin of error of + 3.5%. The general worker population 380 respondents, which gives a margin of error of + 5%. Registered employers 278 respondents, which gives a margin of error of + 6%. Non-registered businesses 380 respondents, again at a margin of error of + 5%. Stakeholders 18 respondents. In this case, it is not appropriate to talk about margin of error because the sample is so small. These results should be interpreted more qualitatively. More can be found on each group s demographics and other characteristics in their respective section. In all cases but the non-registered businesses and general workers, the list of respondents was provided to Omnifacts Bristol by the WHSCC. The data analysis methodology has been changed for two of the surveys: Data on injured workers was presented according to the types of claims: Long Term Disability and Pension versus all other claims (F&F, LTMAO, No Lost Time, Regular Loss). This provides a better understanding of the awareness, perceptions and needs of injured workers according to their type of claim. Registered employers were broken down into three groups according to their payroll size. Each of the three groups represents approximately onethird of respondents. The survey was conducted during the late summer and early fall of 2005. It is meant to provide feedback on several of the strategic goals of the Commission and to assist the Commission in being accountable to workers, employers and other stakeholders. Specifically, the five strategic goals are: Safety Our vigorous pursuit of safety will lead to a significant decline in the frequency of accidents. Service We will provide prompt, effective, efficient, just, fair and caring services to each of our clients. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 2 of 25
Introduction Return to Work We will decrease the time by which injured workers return to pre-accident, modified or alternate employment. Efficiency We will hold the assessment rates to employers at the lowest level possible, consistent with the best possible benefits to clients. Staff Satisfaction Our employees will consider the Commission a good place to work. This report is presented in seven sections. Each survey is presented in a section of its own with an analysis of the data and some recommendations. The first section summarizes key findings and presents three indices: the awareness index for all client groups but the stakeholders, the client satisfaction index and the case management index for injured workers. The last section presents a longitudinal comparison for questions of interest. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 3 of 25
Introduction 2. Key Findings 2.1 WHSCC Services The table below compares the responses of registered employers with those of injured workers, the general worker population, non-registered employers and stakeholders. As a general comment registered employers and injured workers exhibit the highest levels of agreement with each of the statements. Do you completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree or completely disagree that the...? Summary Results: % indicating 'Completely Agree or Mostly Agree' Registered employers Injured Workers General worker population Nonregistered employers Stakeholders Total (N) 278 808 380 380 18 Programs and services of the WHSCC promote the prevention of workplace accidents Programs and services of the WHSCC allow injured workers to return to work 94% 87% 89% 81% 94% 89% 91% 90% 88% 89% WHSCC is effectively run 70% 74% 62% 51% 67% Compensation provided to injured workers is reasonable 68% 75% 54% 49% 67% WHSCC assessment rates are reasonable 58% - - - 72% 2.2 Injured Workers Information was useful, complete, accurate and easy to understand but was not reaching the target audience as much as it should WHSCC s information was found useful, complete, accurate and easy to understand by the vast majority of injured workers who received it. Documentation such as the Workers Guide were distributed when requested by a worker: Three out of ten workers have received a copy of the WHSCC s Workers Guide. Less than half of injured workers were familiar with the WHSCC s services and programs prior to their injury. Employers could be asked to increase their efforts in disseminating health and safety information to workers Nearly four out of ten workers (37%) do not recall receiving training on how to do their job safely prior to their injury. The situation was worse among the LTD group with 61% saying they did not receive such training prior to their accident. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 4 of 25
Introduction 65% of injured workers had not received any information on WHSCC s programs and services before filing their claim. Among the LTD group, this proportion reaches 78%. Less than one out of five injured workers saw WHSCC advertisements at work. Dissatisfaction with the appeal process stems mainly from it being too slow With 51% of dissatisfied injured workers finding the appeal process too slow, it was worth noting that the amount of benefits was not the main reason for dissatisfaction. Workers Rehabilitation Centre Only a small number of injured workers (10%) used the WHSCC programs or services provided at the Workers Rehabilitation Centre in Grand Bay (WRC). Those who did were satisfied with the overall experience (86%) Return to Work There may be an opportunity to increase the number of injured workers who go back to work while recovering by increasing communication efforts and disseminating information on the existing legislation to raise awareness. Nearly 9 out 10 of those who received an offer to return to work accepted it. 70% of those who did not receive such an offer declared it was likely they would have accepted it. 42% of injured workers were not aware that under the Human Rights Legislation they are entitled to request changes to their worksite, job duties and/or working hours to continue employment. LTD Claims Injured workers with longer claim duration (LTD s) present striking differences from other injured workers. Of those who returned to work, 43% said their employment was terminated; this was four times as frequently as all injured workers. One out of two filed an appeal (47% versus 19% for all injured workers) LTD claimants were less satisfied with their case managers than other injured workers. More than half of LTD claimants do not recall receiving training on their own responsibility for health and safety issues. This was twice the rate of all injured workers (52% versus 30% for all injured workers). In case of accident, just 10% said that they would have filled out an accident report, half as frequently as other injured workers would. 62% say the compensation provided to injured workers was reasonable (75% for all injured workers). Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 5 of 25
Introduction 2.3 General Worker Population Only four out of ten respondents were familiar with the WHSCC s services and programs 40% of the general worker population was familiar with the WHSCC s services and programs. Awareness jumps to 82% for the wage replacement program. Advertisement In the past six months about half of the general worker population saw or heard a WHSCC-sponsored advertisement and the vast majority saw the ads on TV (80%). This was very similar to the rate found among injured workers. Recollections from that advertising were rather vague with only 4% of the population remembering the WHSCC logo or name. Most of the 48% who could recall something from the advertising remembered workplace safety. Dissemination of information about the WHSCC could be increased Less than a third of respondents report having received specific information about the WHSCC s programs and services. Only one fifth had ever received a copy of the Workers Guide. 7 in 10 said their workplace has health and safety policies and safety procedures A majority of respondents said their workplace had a health and safety policy (72%) and health and safety procedures (70%) to record and investigate near misses and potential accidents. Reaction to unsafe work While almost 60% said they would report unsafe work conditions to their employer or refuse to do the work. As we have seen in other surveys, there was a significant portion that would not take this step. This was true even though 98% agreed with the statement workers have the right to refuse dangerous work. Wage Replacement Benefits Most injured workers (75%) thought the amount of wage replacement benefits was reasonable, whereas only half of the general worker population believed this statement. Since general workers have never received wage replacement benefits, this could suggest that satisfaction increases as workers become more aware of the exact amounts of compensation. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 6 of 25
Introduction 2.4 Registered Employers 66% of registered employers were familiar with the WHSCC s services and programs. This was notably higher than the general worker population (40%). Awareness of specific programs and services was very high. Nearly all registered employers were aware that the WHSCC provided money to injured workers for lost wages (96%) or rehabilitation services (95%). If an accident happens Reporting was perceived as the employer s foremost duty, cited even more frequently than getting medical help. Registered employers seldom mentioned documenting accidents as something that should have been done; this may imply that important prevention information was lost. Only 1% of registered employers mentioned making changes to the work process after an accident happens. Post-accident modification to the work process Among registered employers who had a worker who lost time due to a workplace injury, 63% offered to modify the work process so their injured worker could continue to work while participating in rehabilitation. A lower figure, that is 42% of injured workers said their employer offered to change or modify their job. Low usage of WHSCC s services Only 1% of registered employers mention informing the injured worker of the WHSCC s services available to them as one of their responsibilities. Training, coaching, counseling and assessment services provided by the WHSCC have been used by less than a fifth of registered employers. However, those who did use them report a very high satisfaction rate. Very high satisfaction with WHSCC contacts Registered employers who had contacts with the WHSCC during the past year reported a very high level of satisfaction. Frequency of accidents One third of registered employers had at least one of their workers injured during the past year. Predictably, large employers have had more accidents (64%) than smaller ones (14%). Satisfaction with amount of benefits provided to injured workers Three quarters of registered employers were satisfied with the amount of benefits provided to their injured workers. Interestingly, this was the same percentage as reported by the injured workers. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 7 of 25
Introduction Among registered employers who were not satisfied: 50% believe the awarded benefits were too high 17% felt the worker should not have received any benefits WHSCC online Nearly all registered employers had Internet access (94%) and three quarters of them were aware that information on WHSCC s programs and services was available on the Internet. However, only 40% of them actually accessed it. In future research, it would be interesting to ask more questions on the usage of WHSCC s Website. Payment of WHSCC s assessments through Service New Brunswick Only a third of registered employers know that WHSCC s assessments can be paid through Service New Brunswick and 23% actually paid their assessment this way. Among those who paid their assessments through Service New Brunswick, over a third did it online. WHSCC-sponsored advertisement 62% of registered employers saw or heard WHSCC sponsored advertising during the past six months. Most saw it on TV (70%). Radio, newspapers and mail were distant followers at 16%, 15% and 12% respectively. 2.5 Non-registered Businesses Only 42% of non-registered businesses were familiar with the WHSCC s programs and services. This was consistent with findings among the general worker population where 40% declared being familiar with the WHSCC s programs and services. Only 15% of non-registered businesses had contact with the WHSCC during the past year. Of these, 81% were satisfied with these dealings. In case of accident, 39% of respondents said they do not know what they would have done if an accident happened at work. Questions were asked as to the availability of policies, acts and procedures and these are shown with comparative data from registered employers and injured workers. The figures were consistently lower for the non-registered businesses. Only 30% of non-registered businesses had a copy of their health and safety policy. 30% had a copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. 27% had in place a policy for reporting accidents, near misses and potential accidents. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 8 of 25
Introduction Are the following readily available at your workplace? Summary Results: % indicating 'YES' Non-Registered Businesses Registered Employers Injured Workers * Total (N) 380 278 785 Health and safety policy 30% 69% 67% Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations 30% 67% 57% Health and safety procedures to record and investigate near 27% 59% 68% misses or potential accidents * Injured workers with a workplace (ie excluding the self-employed) About half of non-registered businesses provided safety training to their employees. These figures were considerably lower than for registered employers where three-quarters do. 41% of non-registered businesses saw or heard WHSCC-sponsored advertising. Of those who did, 72% saw it on television. 2.6 Stakeholders Stakeholders significantly underestimated the satisfaction level of injured workers about the amounts of benefits they received and the fairness of the WHSCC in handling their claim. The perception of stakeholders of the level of satisfaction of employers was also significantly lower than the actual satisfaction level found among employers. Stakeholders thought that injured workers were significantly less satisfied with their case managers than they actually were. Stakeholders thought injured workers were less satisfied with services of WHSCC than they actually were. For instance, stakeholders believe only 44% of injured workers were satisfied with the WHSCC s ability to understand their needs when the actual satisfaction rate was nearly twice as high at 84%. Suggestions from stakeholders on how to improve services dealt mostly with greater access to information, more communications and faster processing of claims. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 9 of 25
Introduction 3. Awareness index Methodology The Awareness Index was calculated to reflect each client group s overall awareness of the WHSCC s programs and services. It was an arithmetic average of the clients awareness to specific programs and services including: Providing injured workers with money for lost employment wages Paying injured workers for approved prescription drugs and physiotherapy costs Providing injured workers with return to work services such as job search techniques and skills development Providing accident prevention services Providing injured workers with rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy services Providing occupational health and safety inspections Findings It was among registered employers that we found the highest level of awareness of the WHSCC s programs and services. Awareness among injured workers and the general worker population stood at a surprisingly similar level. Non-registered businesses display the least awareness. The table below provides the Awareness Index for each client group and an average Awareness Index for all four groups combined. Awareness Index 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured Workers 68% 66% 65% 70% 72% 72% General Worker Population 61% 65% 72% 75% 75% 71% Registered Employers 78% 78% 80% 81% 87% 84% Non-Registered Businesses 62% 61% 71% 77% 74% 69% Average All Client Groups 67% 68% 72% 76% 77% 74% Awareness steadily rose from 2000 to 2004 from 67% to 77%. In 2005 we found a small decline to 74%. This was mostly attributable to a small decline in awareness among the general workers population and non-registered businesses. Injured workers awareness has increased for all programs and services. Non-registered employers awareness has decreased for all but one of the WHSCC s programs and services. Registered employers were the most aware of all client groups. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 10 of 25
Introduction The programs and services for which the awareness was highest are money for lost wages and rehabilitation services. Five-Year Average (2000-2004) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 WHSCC provides money for lost wages Injured Workers 79% 78% 82% 75% 80% 81% 85% General Workers 75% 64% 64% 76% 85% 84% 82% Registered Employers 91% 88% 86% 94% 93% 93% 96% Non-Registered Employers 71% 60% 56% 75% 83% 81% 72% WHSCC provides rehabilitation services Injured Workers 71% 70% 64% 70% 76% 74% 83% General Workers 72% 64% 70% 77% 77% 73% 77% Registered Employers 90% 90% 86% 89% 92% 92% 95% Non-Registered Employers 72% 66% 63% 75% 80% 78% 73% WHSCC provides return to work services Injured Workers 51% 49% 43% 46% 55% 62% 64% General Workers 58% 49% 53% 63% 62% 62% 62% Registered Employers 78% 76% 73% 78% 79% 84% 87% Non-Registered Employers 57% 47% 46% 60% 68% 66% 58% WHSCC provides accident prevention services Injured Workers 50% 52% 50% 43% 53% 54% 55% General Workers 56% 48% 50% 59% 64% 60% 61% Registered Employers 79% - 74% 78% 77% 85% 86% Non-Registered Employers 59% 51% 51% 61% 69% 63% 63% WHSCC pays for prescription drugs Injured Workers 56% 52% 55% 51% 62% 60% 66% General Workers 58% 48% 56% 55% 69% 62% 59% Registered Employers 78% 77% 75% 74% 79% 84% 83% Non-Registered Employers 58% 51% 47% 62% 69% 62% 56% WHSCC conducts OHS inspections Injured Workers 62% 67% 61% 57% 63% 64% 63% General Workers 66% 58% 65% 67% 71% 70% 66% Registered Employers 81% - 83% 82% 78% 80% 85% Non-Registered Employers 64% 56% 58% 69% 70% 68% 64% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 11 of 25
Introduction 4. Client Satisfaction Index Methodology The Client Satisfaction Index (CSI) was calculated for injured workers by obtaining the average level of satisfaction (1-Completely Dissatisfied, 2-Mostly Dissatisfied, 3-Mostly Satisfied, 4-Completely Satisfied) from each of the following: Level of understanding Fairness Effective problem solving Accuracy of information Amount of benefits Level of communication Timeliness of handling of claims Willingness to listen Promptness of service Respect Competence Professionalism The arithmetic average just involves adding up all values and then dividing the total to obtain the percentage. The weighted average takes into account the importance of each attribute. However, clients tended to rate all attributes as equally important resulting in very little differences between the arithmetic average and the weighted average. The same method was used to calculate the CSI for registered employers with the exclusion of fairness, amount of benefits, and timeliness of handling claims. Findings Satisfaction levels were high, all exceeding 80%. Clients tended to rate all attributes as equally important resulting in very little differences between the arithmetic average and the weighted average. A slight decline was observed in 2005. However, it was not out of scope from the satisfaction levels that were observed between 2000 and 2004 and was not sufficient enough to indicate a significant change or trend. It also appears when all of the data was presented, results for 2004 may have been unusually high. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 12 of 25
Introduction Client Satisfaction Index (Arithmetic average) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured Workers 80% 83% 80% 81% 86% 82% Registered Employers 85% 85% 85% 86% 86% 83% Client Satisfaction Index (Weighted) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured Workers 82% 83% 81% 81% 87% 82% Registered Employers 86% 86% 85% 86% 85% 84% Injured Workers Satisfied with the WHSCC s Service (by Attribute) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Demonstrates Competence 87 91 90 88 92 89% Demonstrates Professionalism 89 92 91 91 91 91% Shows Respect 90 90 89 88 91 90% Provides Accurate Information 85 90 87 89 90 89% Handles Claims in Fair Manner 84 85 86 87 89 89% Promptness in Providing Service 85 86 85 86 89 88% Willingness to Listen 85 89 86 85 88 86% Understands Your Needs 82 85 86 85 87 88% Handles Claims in Timely Manner 77 85 81 82 88 84% Effectively Handles Your Problems 83 87 82 84 87 86% Keeping You Informed and Up-to-Date 85 88 81 81 85 82% Provides an Appropriate Amount of Benefits 79 76 75 77 83 81% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 13 of 25
Introduction Registered Employers Satisfied with the WHSCC s Service (by Attribute) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Demonstrates Professionalism 99 98 96 97 98 96% Willingness to Listen 91 97 93 95 97 94% Provides Accurate Information 97 97 97 96 97 96% Shows Respect 98 98 95 96 97 95% Demonstrates Competence 98 96 95 96 96 95% Effectively Handles Your Problems 93 97 92 92 96 92% Understands Your Needs 92 94 93 94 96 92% Promptness in Providing Service 95 97 95 92 95 96% Keeping You Informed and Up-to-Date 91 93 91 93 95 92% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 14 of 25
Introduction 5. Case Management Index The Case Management Index was developed to better understand injured workers satisfaction with case management services. The Case Management Index is an average of injured workers agreement (1 - Completely disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3- Agree, 4 - Completely Agree) with the following case management statements: My case manager knows all about my case When I leave a phone message, my case manager usually returns my call promptly, within one working day My case manager has provided me with a clear understanding of my benefits My case manager cares about my needs My case manager keeps me up-to-date My case manager provides me with accurate information My case manager treats me with respect My case manager demonstrates a willingness to listen My case manager demonstrates professionalism. Findings Injured workers were satisfied with the WHSCC s programs and services. In fact, their satisfaction level far exceeds what stakeholders thought it was. This implies that communications efforts could significantly improve the stakeholders perception of the WHSCC. More on this can be found in the section on stakeholders and their perception of the satisfaction of injured workers and employers. Case Management Index Injured workers 2005 81% Injured workers 2004 85% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 15 of 25
Introduction As can be seen in the table below, the satisfaction level of injured workers with their case worker has steadily increased on all aspects from 2003 to 2005. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 My case manager knows all about my case 82% 81% 82% 79% 82% 88% When I leave a phone message, my case manager usually returns my call promptly, within one working day My case manager has provided me with a clear understanding of my benefits 73% 80% 74% 70% 74% 82% 82% 75% 76% 69% 77% 79% My case manager cares about my needs 82% 75% 72% 75% 76% 80% My case manager keeps me informed and up-to-date My case manager provides me with accurate information 73% 70% 71% 67% 72% 75% - - - - 80% 86% My case manager treats me with respect - - - - 86% 87% My case manager demonstrates a willingness to listen - - - - 83% 86% My case manager demonstrates professionalism - - - - 86% 89% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 16 of 25
Introduction 6. Other Five-Year Trends 6.1 Overall Familiarity with the WHSCC s Programs and Services Only small variations were recorded here. The overall familiarity of clients with the WHSCC s programs and services appears to be fairly constant. Overall Familiarity with WHSCC's Programs and Services Injured General Registered Non-registered Workers Workers Employers Businesses 2000-2004 average 37% 37% 67% 36% 2004 42% 40% 70% 44% 2005 44% 40% 66% 42% 6.2 Satisfaction with Contacts with the WHSCC Again, only small variations were recorded from 2002 to 2005 as shown in the table below. The satisfaction of clients with their personal contacts with the WHSCC s was consistently very high. Satisfaction with Personal Meeting or Phone Conversation with the WHSCC Amount of time 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured Workers 90% 90% 88% 87% Registered Employers 94% 98% 98% 95% Politeness Injured Workers 91% 92% 90% 91% Registered Employers 99% 98% 99% 99% Answers to questions Injured Workers 85% 88% 86% 86% Registered Employers 91% 94% 96% 96% Reaching the person you wanted to speak with Injured Workers 83% 83% 84% 81% Registered Employers 90% 91% 93% 91% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 17 of 25
Introduction 6.3 Satisfaction with Benefits and Assessment Rates Injured workers were increasingly satisfied with the amount of time it took to receive their first benefits: Satisfaction with time required to receive first benefits (Those completely or mostly satisfied) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 70% 71% 71% 78% 78% 83% An identical proportion of injured workers and registered employers report satisfaction with the amount of income replacement benefits. Stakeholders, on the other hand, did not have an accurate perception of the actual levels of satisfaction. Satisfaction with amount of benefits (Those completely or mostly satisfied) 2005 Injured workers 77% Registered employers 77% Stakeholders perception of injured workers satisfaction 33% Stakeholders perception of registered employers satisfaction 56% Among the general population and non-registered businesses only 54% and 49% respectively agreed that the compensation provided to injured workers was reasonable. Assessment rates: The proportion of registered employers who were satisfied with their assessment rates has slightly increased since 2003 after 3 years of decline, but not enough to reach the satisfaction rates recorded in 2000 and 2001: Satisfaction with assessment rates (Those completely or mostly satisfied) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Registered employers 71% 68% 65% 62% 64% 65% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 18 of 25
Introduction 6.4 Information about the WHSCC s Programs and Services All clients of the WHSCC were asked whether they had received information from the WHSCC during the past 12 months. For injured workers the question was whether they had received information on the WHSCC prior to filing their most recent claim. The proportion of registered employers who received information from the WHSCC has steadily increased from 66% in 2000 to 80% in 2005. The proportion of registered employers who received information from the WHSCC was more than twice as high as the proportion found in all other groups. This corroborates the higher awareness of the WHSCC s programs and services reported in previous years by registered employers as compared with all other groups. Information about the WHSCC Programs and Services 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 36% 28% 24% 31% 35% 30% General worker population 24% 23% 32% 35% 33% 29% Registered employers 66% 62% 70% 76% 76% 80% 6.5 Quality of the Information Provided by the WHSCC Injured workers and registered employers were asked to rate the quality of the information they received from the WHSCC on three key attributes: complete and accurate, easy to understand, timely/easy to obtain. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Complete and accurate Injured Workers 85% 92% 87% 94% 93% 93% Registered Employers 93% 91% 90% 87% 93% 93% Easy to understand Injured Workers 84% 92% 88% 94% 93% 93% Registered Employers 92% 93% 91% 89% 95% 91% Timely/easy to obtain Injured Workers 81% 84% 87% 93% 94% 92% Registered Employers 95% 92% 91% 86% 93% 91% Both injured workers and registered employers recorded very high satisfaction rates on all three attributes. Over the years, injured workers have expressed increasing satisfaction on all three attributes, eventually catching up with the higher satisfaction levels initially reported by registered employers. As for Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 19 of 25
Introduction registered employers, their high level of satisfaction has remained fairly constant over the years. 6.6 WHSCC Online Internet penetration was steadily increasing in all four clients groups. It was close to reaching 100% among registered employers. Access to Internet at home, at work or elsewhere 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 62% 61% 75% General worker population 83% 83% 88% Registered employers 93% 91% 94% Non-registered employers 78% 81% 88% Generally, the awareness of WHSCC information being available online has increased since 2003. This finding was consistent with the increasing Internet penetration rate found among all clients groups. Registered employers report the highest awareness. Again, this was consistent with findings on Internet penetration and registered employers reporting the highest proportion of Internet access. Awareness of WHSCC Website information among clients with Internet access Information on Information on Programs & Services Policies 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 37% 44% 43% 33% 41% 35% General worker population 52% 57% 58% 44% 54% 42% Registered employers 62% 79% 74% 55% 75% 63% Non-registered employers 45% 51% 48% 39% 48% 39% Despite increasing Internet access, we observe a significant decline in the proportion of injured workers and general workers who reported accessing the WHSCC s Website. The decline actually occurred in 2004 and slight increases in 2005 have not brought the levels back to what they were in 2003. More registered employers and non-registered businesses report accessing the WHSCC s Website, except in one case. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 20 of 25
Introduction Accessing information on the WHSCC Website* Information on Information on Programs & Services Policies 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 28% 18% 20% 27% 18% 20% General worker population 18% 12% 13% 20% 14% 10% Registered employers 31% 40% 40% 31% 41% 26% Non-registered employers 17% 17% 21% 14% 16% 18% * % among clients with Internet access and aware the information was available on the Internet 6.7 Policies and Procedures in the Workplace Clients were asked whether their workplace has a health and safety policy or procedures in place. We can observe a steady decline in the number of injured workers who report having such policies and procedures. The same trend was observed among registered employers on health and safety procedures. We also observe a decline among non-registered employers and the General worker population in 2004-2005. 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Health and Safety Policies Injured workers 85% 81% 78% 70% 67% General worker population 69% 78% 77% 77% 72% Registered employers 64% 68% 69% 69% 69% Non-registered employers 47% 34% 45% 34% 30% Health and Safety Procedures Injured workers 75% 71% 74% 67% 68% General worker population 61% 73% 74% 72% 70% Registered employers 61% 59% 68% 57% 57% Non-registered employers 28% 22% 30% 30% 27% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 21 of 25
Introduction 6.8 WHSCC-Sponsored Advertising on Workplace Health and Safety WHSCC-sponsored advertising has been seen or heard by an increasing number of clients in all groups but non-registered employers. In the past six months have you seen or heard any WHSCC-sponsored advertising dealing with workplace safety? %yes 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 48% 43% 51% General worker population 47% 48% 48% Registered employers 55% 54% 62% Non-registered employers 42% 44% 41% In 2004 and 2005, clients were most likely to remember seeing a WHSCCsponsored advertisement on television. Recall of Type of Advertisements Injured workers General workers Registered employers Non-registered employers 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 TV 71% 73% 85% 80% 74% 70% 70% 72% Radio 9% 13% 7% 12% 11% 16% 12% 15% Print (newspaper, brochures) 4% 8% 0 13% 7% 17% 18% 10% Mail out 1% 1% 0 1% 3% 12% 0 10% Poster child brought from school 1% 2% 3% 1% 0% 2% 1% 0% Other mentions 2% 23% 6% 27% 4% 16% 2% 14% Don't know/not sure 2% 2% 0% 2% 3% 5% 1% 2% The effectiveness rating of the WHSCC-sponsored advertising declined slightly among all groups in 2005. It was interesting to compare this finding with the overall increased number of clients who have seen or heard WHSCC-sponsored advertising (in all groups but non-registered employers) during the same period. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 22 of 25
Introduction Clients Effectiveness Ratings of WHSCC-Sponsored Advertising 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 7.3 7.6 7.1 General worker population 7.2 7.6 7 Registered employers 7 7.8 7.2 Non-registered employers 6.7 7.2 6.6 Clients who had seen WHSCC-sponsored advertising were asked what they recalled from it. The most frequent recollection was that the advertising dealt with worksite safety. From 2004 to 2005, we can observe an increase in this category among all four client groups. The second most frequent recollection was about a worker being injured or dying. Recollections in this category fell significantly from 2004 to 2005 with all four client groups. Injured workers General worker Registered employers Non-registered employers 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 Worksite safety 19% 25% 21% 26% 24% 32% 12% 25% A worker is injured / dies / falls 15% 9% 36% 13% 16% 5% 25% 7% Train employees on health / safety 1% 5% 18% 3% 5% 3% 10% 3% Worker on a construction site 3% 6% 3% 4% 8% 4% 7% 3% Know your rights / Workers' rights 5% 4% 5% 5% 1% 8% 4% 8% OHS regulations / legislation 2% 3% 1% 3% 0% 3% 0% 4% Distraction can lead to injury <1% 3% 1% 2% 0% 2% 1% 3% Other 24% 21% 10% 41% 21% 21% 22% 22% Don't know/na 40% 35% 24% 33% 37% 41% 33% 43% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 23 of 25
Introduction 6.9 Return to Work The proportion of injured workers who returned to work after being injured declined since 2002: Injured Workers 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 % Returning to work after most recent injury 79% 72% 82% 80% 75% 75% % Who agreed that WHSCC was helpful in working with the accident employer in assisting in return to work* 65% 76% 80% 78% 86% 82% * Excluding those who responded don t know. Nearly all injured workers and registered employers agreed that the WHSCC s programs and services allow injured workers to return to work: WHSCC programs and services allow injured workers return to work*? 2003 2004 2005 Injured workers 94% 87% 95% Registered employers 90% 85% 94% * Excluding those who responded don t know. Employers were asked whether the programs and services offered by the WHSCC were helpful in enabling them to meet their legislated obligations. Registered employers were significantly more likely than non-registered employers to agree with this statement. WHSCC helpfulness in enabling registered employers to meet their legislated obligations 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Registered employers 86% 81% - 77% 80% 89% Non-registered employers 68% 67% 66% 72% 69% 71% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 24 of 25
Introduction 7. Suggestions for Future Research In future research it is suggested that the number of non-registered businesses surveyed does not exceed that of registered employers. Non-registered businesses are all self-employed or very small businesses with, at most, one or two employees. They are much less diversified than registered employers who range from very small to very large companies. Non-registered businesses have little or no contact with the WHSCC so their awareness of its programs and services is lower. The service attributes on which they can comment is more limited. Of course, this is a group that we need input from, but a smaller sample, even as small as 200, should be sufficient and will provide a margin of error of + 7%. One question could be added to future surveys of employers: Some registered employers declare that if one of their workers sustained a work-related injury, they would not modify the job in order to help the injured worker return to work while undergoing rehabilitation services. It would be interesting to ask what are their motives for saying this. Understanding them could help develop future communication efforts. The study could also enquire about the moment at which injured workers believe their claim is filed: Is it when they fill out the Form 67? As Internet penetration is nearing 100%, it would be interesting to ask more questions next year on the usage of the WHSCC s Website, its structure, functionalities and content: What are the most valued features of the current Website? What is most disliked about the Website? What would the clients like to see improved? What prevents clients from accessing it more often? If this information is paired with a traffic study of the Website (number of hits per page, periods where traffic increases or decreases, etc.), we would gain valuable information to improve the Website and increase its usage. The stakeholders response rate has significantly declined over the years and it may be time to consider a different methodology for this group: Proportion of completes per survey year Complete Total Response Rate 2005 18 118 15% 2004 28 106 26% 2003 22 77 29% 2002 37 76 49% 2001 40 76 52% 2000 37 73 50% Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 25 of 25
Introduction 8. Appendices - Detailed Findings Appendix A - Injured Workers Appendix B - General Workers Population Appendix C - Registered Employers Appendix D - Non-Registered Businesses Appendix E - Stakeholders Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 26 of 25
Appendix A Injured Workers Detailed Findings 2005 Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research November 2005
Injured Workers Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Detailed Report 4 2.1 Low Awareness 4 2.2 Access to WHSCC s Information 4 2.3 Low Usage of Online Resources 5 2.4 Safety Training is not Reaching all Workers 5 2.5 Reactions to Unsafe Work 5 2.6 Who is Responsible? 6 2.7 Frequency of Contacts with the WHSCC 7 2.8 High Satisfaction with Contact 7 2.9 Bilingual Services 8 2.10 Appeal Process 8 2.11 Case Managers are Appreciated 9 2.12 Income Replacement Benefits 11 2.13 Workers Rehabilitation Centre 12 2.14 Return to Work 12 2.15 How Could the WHSCC be More Helpful? 13 2.16 Post Injury Job Modification 14 2.17 Helping Injured Workers Recover 14 2.18 Overall Satisfaction with WHSCC 15 2.19 What the WHSSC Could Do to Improve Service 16 2.20 Health and Safety Training in Schools 16 2.21 Health and Safety Advertising Campaigns 16 Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 2 of 17
Injured Workers 1. Introduction 808 injured workers were surveyed in this study. The median age of injured workers was 43 and most had worked more than ten years in the same type of work before being injured. 64% were male. At the time of the survey: 58% were working full time 21% were unemployed, including 16% of unemployed not looking for work 44% had a household income of $30,000 or less 93% belonged to a household where only one or two persons had contributed the family income during the past year. Data was presented in two categories, according to the type of claims: Long term disability (LTD): 207 respondents All other injured workers: 601 respondents Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 3 of 17
Injured Workers 2. Detailed Report 2.1 Low Awareness Less than half of injured workers were familiar with the WHSCC s services and programs prior to their injury. A total of 12% said they were very familiar and another 32% said they were fairly familiar. Of the WHSCC s programs and services discussed in the survey, injured workers were mostly aware of money for lost employment wages (85%) and rehabilitation services (83%). This was consistent with findings in other groups surveyed in 2005. Injured workers prior to their accident were less aware of other services such as the payment of approved prescription drugs (66%) and return to work assistance (64%), and showed least awareness of accident prevention services (55%). Less than a third of injured workers were aware of the occupational health and safety regulation for first aid while barely a fifth were aware of the WHSCC s Zero Tolerance campaign. 2.2 Access to WHSCC Information The WHSCC s Workers Guide was only sent to workers when requested and three out of ten workers have received a copy of it. Of those who did receive a copy, 81% found it useful. 67% of injured workers in the workplace indicated that their employer had a health and safety policy and 68% had workplace health and safety procedures to record and investigate near misses and potential accidents available at their workplace. When asked what they would do in case of accident almost three quarters said they would report it to a supervisor or manager and 43% said they would get medical attention. Injured workers report that the Occupational Health and Safety Act was less readily available at their workplace than other types of health and safety information such as policies and procedures, with just over half who declare had a copy of the Act at work (57%) and were familiar with it (53%). To the question Before filing your most recent claim, did your employer provide you with information on WHSCC programs and services? 65% of injured workers answered No. (Note: The term claim always refers to the most recent claim filed by injured workers). However, a very high proportion of those who had received such information found it complete, accurate and easy to understand (93%), and, interestingly, easy to obtain (92%). Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 4 of 17
Injured Workers Before filing your most recent claim, did your employer provide you with information about WHSCC programs and services? Total LTD Other Total (N) 80 20 60 Yes 30 17 35 No 65 81 61 Don t know 3 2 4 2.3 Low Usage of WHSCC s Online Resources Usage of online resources remains very low. Although 75% of injured workers have access to Internet either at home, at work or elsewhere, only 2 out of ten ever accessed the WHSCC s Web site for information on programs or policies. This implies that other means of communications still must be used when disseminating information to workers. 2.4 Safety Training was not Reaching all Workers Nearly four out of ten workers (37%) do not recall receiving training on how to do their job safely prior to their injury. This proportion was much lower among the LTD group where 61% say they had not received such training prior to their accident. There appears to be a significant opportunity for employers to increase safety training and awareness in the workplace. Injured workers using machinery score somewhat better. When equipment and machinery were involved, 67% of injured workers recall having received safety training. Still one third of injured workers who worked with machinery did not recall receiving any safety training. 2.5 Reactions to Unsafe Work Open-ended questions were used to address this topic. Answers were given in a spontaneous fashion, meaning that respondents were not provided with specific response options. To the open-ended question: If you were working in an area or doing a job that you thought was unsafe, what would you do? Almost 60% of injured workers said they would refuse the work or report the situation to a supervisor. Even with these figures, there appears to be an opportunity to make the right to refuse more commonly known. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 5 of 17
Injured Workers If an accident happened while at work, only 74% would immediately report it to their supervisor and less than one out of five would fill out an accident report form 67. The LTD group shows a notable difference in behavior as compared to the rest of the population. When asked what they would do in case of accident, just 10% spontaneously said they would fill out an accident report, only half as frequently as other injured workers would. A lower proportion of workers in the LTD group say they would report the accident to their supervisor (66% as compared to 74% for all injured workers) but more said they would go to the hospital (51% as compared to 40%). If you were working and an accident happened, what would you do? Total LTD Total (N) 808 207 Report it to a supervisor/ manager/ employer immediately 74% 66% Get medical help/ go to hospital 43% 51% Fill out accident report/ Form 67 19% 10% When asked in an open-ended question what they would do if an accident happened, no one among the injured workers population spontaneously mentioned they would document the incident, follow a company accident response procedure, make sure the incident was reviewed at health and safety meetings, notify their security staff or make changes to the process to make it safer. 2.6 Who Is Responsible? In case of an accident, injured workers perceive the employer s main responsibilities to be reporting accidents to the WHSCC (42%) and filling out an accident form (41%). Nearly a fourth of injured workers were not sure what their employer s responsibilities might be. This appears to be an opportunity for increased dissemination of information and prevention efforts. Three quarters of injured workers agreed that all workplace accidents were preventable. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 6 of 17
Injured Workers 2.7 Frequency of Contacts with the WHSCC On average, injured workers spoke 6.8 times with the WHSCC during the last year. However, the frequency of contact differs widely from one injured worker to another. 58% of injured workers spoke with the WHSCC less than three times. Approximately how many times in the past year have you spoken with someone from the WHSCC, either in-person or by telephone? - Categorized Responses - Total Total (N) 808 None/Not at all 32% Once or twice 26% 3 to 10 times 24% 11 to 20 times 8% More than 20 times 7% 50 times 1% 100 times 1% Don't Know/ Not Sure (VOL) 3% 2.8 High Satisfaction with Contact (by phone or in person) Injured workers who spoke with someone at WHSCC report a very high satisfaction rate: 91% found the person courteous and polite 87% were satisfied with the amount of time the person spent with them 86% were satisfied with the answers they got to their questions 81% reached the person they wanted to speak to. Conversely, this means that one fifth of injured workers who spoke with someone at WHSCC did not reach the person they were trying to contact. In total, 75 people expressed dissatisfaction with their contact with WHSCC and the majority (57%) of these people said it was because of difficulty reaching their caseworker by phone. Respondents were also asked to comment on the courteousness of Commission staff. Among the 9% who were dissatisfied with the courtesy and politeness of their WHSCC contacts, their main reason for this dissatisfaction was the staff being rude or judgmental (73%). Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 7 of 17
Injured Workers When you spoke with the WHSCC Staff, were you completely satisfied, mostly satisfied, mostly dissatisfied, or completely dissatisfied with...? Summary Results: % indicating 'Completely Satisfied or Mostly Satisfied' SUBSAMPLE: Those who have spoken with someone from the WHSCC in the past year Total LTD Total (N) 521 207 The amount of time the person spent with you 87% 80% How courteous and polite the person was 91% 89% How well your questions were answered 86% 80% Reaching the person you wanted to speak to 81% 76% 2.9 Bilingual Services Good news on this front as only 1% of the 808 surveyed injured workers report not being served in the language of their choice. 2.10 Appeal Process The main suggestion for improving the appeal process was to speed it up. Four fifths of injured workers were aware of their right to appeal a WHSCC decision, but this was higher at 91% for the LTD group. It was also the LTD group who were far more likely to appeal a WHSCC claim decision 47% compared with 8% for other injured workers. It was interesting, and perhaps a fairly subtle difference, but the satisfaction with the process to file an appeal was not as high as the satisfaction with the appeal process itself. Of those who filed an appeal, only half (53%) were satisfied with the filing process while 68% were satisfied with the appeal process itself. Dissatisfaction with the appeal process stems mainly from it being too slow (51%). 8% of the dissatisfied report having no faith in the system and 6% were dissatisfied with the amount of benefits they received. It was worth noting that the amount of benefits was not the main reason for dissatisfaction. One fourth of injured workers who appealed were dissatisfied with the timeliness of the response and one-fifth with the information received from the Appeals Tribunal. Their main suggestion for improving the appeal process was to speed it up. Prepared by Omnifacts Bristol Research Page 8 of 17