Occupational health: New virtual triage and intervention service

Delays as well as the direct and indirect costs associated with workplace accidents are an issue with many organizations, particularly with current labour shortages.

There are few studies on the costs of workplace injuries in Quebec, and they generally estimate the direct costs to companies. Only the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) has assessed the overall costs of workplace injuries, both human and financial.[1]

Its results indicate that, from 2005-2007, the average cost of a workplace injury was $32,987 to $38,355 (which would represent $46,826 to $54,730 in 2022) and $161,444 ($229,175 in 2022) for a work-related illness. The major costs incurred include the following:[2]

Medical expenses
Expenses to care for an injured or ill staff member (including rehabilitation)

Wage costs
Hours not worked (or spent unproductively), but paid in wages and benefits

Lost productivity
Value of paid and unpaid work no longer performed by the victim

Administrative costs
Labour turnover costs (recruitment, training, etc.)

Human costs
Value of the changes in the quality of life of the worker, his or her family and friends, and other members of the community; the duration of these changes; and the potential additional lives lost in case of the victim’s death

Funeral expenses
Funeral expenses following a death

Rapid medical intervention following a workplace accident, constant follow-up of injured personnel, and rigorous medical and administrative management serve to reassure all employees. In addition, they allow work accident and occupational illness cases to be setteled more quickly and, above all, reduce the employer’s CNESST contributions.

Our network enables employees who suffer an injury, physical ailment or work-related illness to have immediate access to necessary health care resources. In addition, employers can obtain timely reports and advice to help them reduce the number of lost-time events.

• Qualified nursing staff to assess the severity of the injury, discomfort or illness 
• First aid provided in a clinic to avoid unnecessary work stoppages 
• Self-care recommendations provided by nursing staff and adapted to the worker’s condition 
• Remote or in-clinic medical consultations within 24 hours of a nursing assessment 
• Real-time translation service in 240 languages and dialects (including sign language) for staff who speak neither English nor French 
• Duly completed CNESST forms to quickly establish a temporary replacement

By using our services, an organization can prevent interventions from escalating beyond first aid care in nearly 40% of workplace accident cases, thereby avoiding costly time losses.