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High Impact WSIB Claims
High impact claims is a term used by WSIB to identify allowed lost time claims that have been shown to have significant impacts on workers and employers.
The WSIB is focused on mitigating the risks for these claims to maximize return to work, recovery outcomes and to reduce costs. WSIB has implemented many initiatives to improve outcomes in these claims, including specialized case management teams, new evidence-based health services and expedited access to expert medical intervention.
WSIB has identified three types of high impact claims. they include the Low Back, Shoulder and Fractures. Over the past five years, these three types of claims have represented on average more than 40% of all benefit payments and more than 30% of all lost time claims.
In 2011, (the most recent published by WSIB) these three types of high impact claims represented approximately 45% of all lost time benefit payments.
Allowed lost time claims by leading injury event
WSIB has reported that from 2002 to 2011, overexertion consistently represented the leading event, and accounted for 20% of all lost time claims in 2011. This event experienced a 3% reduction in the percentage of all claims compared to 2010, and decreased as a percentage compared to 2002 (24% to 20%).
After Overexertion, the next leading injury events over the past 10 years were Struck By Objects/Equipment, Fall on Same Level and Bodily Reaction.
Among the leading injury events, males and workers in the Services sector (the largest sector in terms of number of covered workers) were most prone to these incidents.
These types of injury events also tended to be highest among the older age groups (45 and older) and within three occupations, Labourers in Process/Manufacturing/Utilities, Motor Vehicle Transit Drivers and Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services.
The two leading natures of injury were Sprains and Strains and Cuts/Lacerations/Punctures. They also tended to be from a variety of sources, but affected just three body parts, Lower Back, Fingers/Fingernails or Multiple Body Parts.
Allowed lost time claims by leading injury source
From 2002 to 2011, Persons (bodily motion or condition) and Structures (including walkways, floors and buildings) consistently represented the leading source of lost time claims, and each accounted for 21% of all lost time claims in 2011. Persons as the source experienced a 2% reduction as a percentage of all claims compared to 2010 but has seen little change as a percentage compared to 2002 (21% both years).
Structures experienced an upward trend, with a 2% increase in the percentage of all claims compared to 2010 and a 3% increase as a percentage compared to 2002 (18% to 21%). The other leading source of lost time claims, Containers, Boxes, Barrels and Packages experienced little change as a percentage of all claims over the past 10 years.
Among the leading sources of injury, Services, Construction and Health Care were the leading industry sectors. These types of injury sources also tended to be the highest among the older age groups (45 and older) and within a variety of occupations and events. The leading nature of injury for all five sources was Sprains and Strains and the part of body most often injured was the Lower Back.
Source:Data in the 2011 WSIB Statistical Report
For additional information, please contact Greg Sathmary (Ottawa) at
613-260-0600 or Industrial Mediation Professional Corporation at 1-800-660-3554.
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