The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) was formed in January 2010 by amalgamating the Construction Safety Association of Ontario (CSAO), the Electrical & Utilities Safety Association (E&USA), and Transportation Health and Safety Association of Ontario (THSAO). The grouping is intended to provide efficient administration and more staff on the front lines. Savings from integrating back-office departments will go toward increasing the number of field consultants available to help firms prevent injury and illness.

This amalgamation is the result of a 2008 review by the Occupational
Health and Safety Council of Ontario, which gathers representatives
from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the Ministry of
Labour, and Ontario’s 12 industry-related health and safety
associations. The purpose of the review was to explore how the health
and safety associations could be reorganized so that they could be as
effective as possible in pursuing the objectives of the Road to Zero,
the WSIB’s injury reduction plan.

“IHSA brings together three effective organizations, well respected by their industry sectors. During these challenging economic times, the merger makes sense as it capitalizes on shared efficiencies to deliver programs more effectively and devote more resources to front-line service delivery,” said Michael Delisle, president and CEO of IHSA.

The review’s report recommended an integrated system, more front-line
services for Ontario’s industries, and efficient back-office support
functions. Merging such functions should reduce duplication and
capitalize on economies of scale, freeing up resources for hiring more
field consultants.

IHSA is one of four newly-created health and safety associations that came out of the realignment process. The other three are Workplace Safety North, Health and Safety Association for Government Services, and Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario.

“Our most important task is to listen and respond to employers and workers. By working with them, we can deliver the high-quality products and services they need to maintain safe workplaces. Everyone deserves to work in a safe and healthy environment,” said Delisle.

A transition board of directors has been working collaboratively on the
administrative and operational details of the new association.