Your Five-Year Plan to a Healthier, Safer Workplace

Build a Stronger Health and Safety Program Over Time

Creating a strong, long-term health and safety plan allows you to focus on meaningful goals that reduce or eliminate physical and psychological risks in your workplace. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Improve how near misses or potential hazards are reported, both physical and psychological.
• Encourage participation in health and safety across all levels of your team, from senior leaders to front-line workers. This could include joining the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), completing a mental health awareness course, or getting trained in first aid.
• Schedule regular training sessions or educational programs.
• Identify and address any gaps in your current health and safety practices.
• Refresh or develop safe work procedures, with input from those who do the work.
• Survey your team about your current wellness activities and consider introducing something new, like yoga, walking breaks, or healthier provided snacks.

Start with Research and Reflection

Strong planning starts with understanding where your workplace stands today. Before setting goals, take time to evaluate your current health and safety performance. This gives you the foundation to decide where to focus your efforts each year.  You might explore:

• Findings from previous health and safety audits or assessments
• Recurring issues in incident or inspection reports
• Trends in injury data or claim types
• Feedback from workers through surveys and interviews

Use Tools and Resources That Support Your Goals

You don’t have to start from scratch. WorkSafeBC offers helpful tools and insights to guide your planning process. These include:

• Employer Health and Safety Planning Tool Kit – Helps you identify targeted areas for improvement.
• Industry Health and Safety Data – Offers statistics on injury rates, prevention activities, and claims costs.
• Serious Injuries: Data about Workplace Injuries in BC – Highlights data on major injuries in workplaces across the province.
• Work-related Deaths: Data for Planning Health and Safety in BC – Provides insights on trends in workplace fatalities to help inform your prevention strategies.

Turn Your Research into Action

Once you’ve gathered information and reflected on your current practices, you’re ready to build your long-term plan. Here’s how to turn that insight into real progress:

• Prioritize the hazards and risks most relevant to your business.
• Launch broader initiatives, like a near miss reporting program or company-wide wellness campaign.
• Include milestones, timelines, and assign clear responsibilities.
• Set up regular check-ins to track progress, review results, and share updates with your team.

By setting specific goals, using data, and involving your whole team, you’re creating a plan that will help make your workplace safer, healthier, and more resilient over time.

Need a Hand Getting Started?

Not sure where to begin, or how to take the next step? We’re here to help support you at any stage of your planning process. Whether you’re building your program from the ground up, or refining what’s already in place, we can help. Contact us for a free 1:1 consultation.