The National Injury Prevention Day was founded by Parachute Canada (a non-profit organization) on July 5, 2017.  The resolve of this charity is for Canada to be free of serious injuries.

Did you know that injuries…
1.      Are the leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 1 to 44;
2.      Cost the Canadian economy $27 billion per year;
3.      Result in 3.5 million emergency room visits per year; and
4.      Every nine hours, on average a child dies.  Preventable injury kills more Canadian children than any single disease, and more youth than all other causes combined.

Workplace injury statistics from 2016 include…1.      951 workplace deaths including 23 young workers from 15–24 years of age;
2.      241,508 Workers Compensation lost time claims were filed;
3.      54,589 lost time claims involved workers from 15-34 years of age;
4.      138,466 lost time claims involved workers from 35-59 years of age;
5.      55,036 lost time claims involved contact with objects and equipment;
6.      45,344 lost time claims involved falls; and
7.      94,892 lost time claims involved bodily reaction and exertion type injuries.

The most important questions workers must ask to prevent workplace injuries
are:
•       Do I have the necessary training to complete the job safely?
•       Do I have the necessary tools, equipment, materials and resources to
complete the job safely?
•       Do I have enough time to complete the job safely?

If the answer is no or I don’t know then, STOP and inform your employer/supervisor.
To prevent injuries we must change our attitudes and environments.  The most effective place to start is through education, training and awareness.

Charlottetown will support the National Injury Prevention Day by lighting up the Charlottetown City Hall in ‘Parachute green’ on July 5, 2019.