National Injury Prevention Day
Monday, July 6th, 2020 marks the 4th annual Nation Injury Prevention Day in Canada. Initiated by Parachute, it is designed to raise awareness about the devastating effects of predictable and preventable injuries. Perhaps this year more than any other, we need to pay special attention.
According to the Cost of Injury in Canada report published in 2021 using data from 2018, preventable injuries annually represent:
- $29.4 billion lost to economy
- 4.6 million emergency room visits
- More than 61,000 injuries result in permanent or partial disabilities
And the human cost is staggering:
- 17,000 Canadians die each year
- 47 Canadians die each day
- Injury is the No. 1 killer of Canadians aged 1 to 44.
- The loss of life is equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every 10 days.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world we all knew and trusted has been turned upside down and has impacted the way we work, the way we play, the way we socialize and the way we connect with each other. With every change in our routine and in the way we do things, we increase our risk of injury. This suggests that these statistics will continue to rise unless we all take steps to avoid getting hurt.
The vast majority of injuries in Canada are both predictable and preventable. We know how they happen, and under what conditions. We know who is at risk and we increasingly know what works and what does not with respect to prevention.
Identifying the hazards that most commonly cause injuries, knowing what areas of the body are most frequently injured and understanding the kind of injury usually results helps us to assess risk and allows us to take action to eliminate or reduce injury-causing incidents. Whether it is taping down an electrical cord, removing an area rug, wearing proper personal protective equipment, getting more rest, replacing light bulbs, repairing broken machinery or just simply allowing extra time to get a job done every effort made to anticipate where the danger may lie can help avoid a potential injury-causing accident.
Awareness is the key to predictability and preventability of most injuries, so being proactive instead of reactive is our greatest defence. Whether you are at work, rest or play, remember to take some time today and everyday to look around and assess your risks, address the hazards and make your world a safer place.
If you would like further info on risk assessments or injury prevention you can reach us directly, during business hours, through our chat feature or by phone at 1-844-377-9545, you can reach us by email at [email protected], [email protected], and you can always connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
