The very first product that ESAO made available to our clients in the education sector, in 1999, was a package of resources to raise awareness of Slips and Falls hazards in our workplaces.  In the years since, we have worked with clients to find new ways of keeping the issue of slips and falls "top of mind" with workers in our sector. 

And yet, slips, trips and falls remains one of the most frequent sources of work-related injuries, and Workers' Compensation claims, in our sector.  In Ontario schools alone there are almost 1,000 claims of this type recorded each year. 

But that is only part of the story.  SMARTRISK ( http://www.smartrisk.ca/ ) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. Founded in 1992, SMARTRISK has become one of the leading injury prevention groups in Canada.  In a study submitted in 1998, The Economic Burden of Unintentional Injury in Canada, they conclude that "… childhood (ages 0-9) falls continue to be a significant problem in Canada."  They have chosen falls in children of 0 to 9 years, along with motor vehicle crashes and hip fractures in the elderly, as three high cost/high incidence areas where accident reduction would yield significant improvement in hospitalizations, permanent disabilities and health care costs. 

At ESAO we want to increase the awareness of slips, trips and falls among workers in our sector, and we also want to support the Smartrisk initiative to reduce childhood falls.  How better than to provide the basic information to Ontario's children, in education sector classrooms?  What better time to create a safety awareness than right now?

You may recognize some of the drawings from posters distributed by ESAO.  These colouring books are available in English and French, like all ESAO material.  But, they are also available in many other languages, and our clients and partners are contributing more translations each week.  You may download this material for free.

At ESAO we believe that "the safest and healthiest workplaces in the world" should apply to everyone in our school system. Please click any of the links below.