Coding of Work Injury or Disease Information

1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this Standard is to provide a framework for consistent recording and classification of information on work-related injuries and diseases in Canada. Such information may be used to make comparisons, identify trends, and help determine issues for further study.

1.2 Scope
This Standard
(a) establishes a coding structure for the recording of information about injuries and diseases that are related to employment;
(b) establishes guidelines for ensuring appropriate quality during data collection and coding; and
(c) provides guidance on using statistical information, making comparisons, and identifying trends.

1.3 Limitations
The Standard deals with information relating to the injury or disease event. It does not cover information about the direct and indirect or contributing causes of the accident or exposure that resulted in injury or disease. Thus, information compiled according to this Standard should not be used to decide fault or to assess accident causes.

Note: Reference in this Standard to work-related injury and disease includes work-related illness.

1.4 Users of the Standard
This Standard may be used by persons or organizations who use work-related injury or disease information to identify trends, estimate the size of a problem, or identify specific targets for prevention strategies. Such information may be used for workplace prevention programs, occupational disease surveillance programs, administration of occupational compensation claims, regulatory policy development and research, and for establishing a national data base. Due to the hierarchical nature of the coding structure, different users can use particular parts of the classification. Users of this Standard may include, but are not limited to,
(a) Worker Compensation Boards and Commissions (WCBs);
(b) employers;
(c) trade/labour unions;
(d) industry associations;
(e) researchers/epidemiologists;
(f) regulators;
(g) Statistics Canada and other government agencies; and
(h) health care providers.

Notes:
(1) Certain users may not require all levels of detail in this Standard's coding structure.
(2) Special considerations apply to Workers Compensation Boards and Commissions. These are highlighted in Appendix D.