Second strategy looks to continue work in reducing fatalities and serious injuries in the workplace In 2019, WorkSafe Saskatchewan, a partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, launched the first three-year Fatalities and Serious Injuries Strategy in an effort to help eliminate workplace fatalities and serious injuries. Today, a new five year strategy is being launched that focuses on two key streams of work that will be undertaken to reduce injuries and fatalities – a regulatory and enforcement stream, and a prevention and learning stream. “Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said. “This new strategy continues to make working with parterns to eliminate workplace injuries and fatalities in our province a priority. Everyone deserves to come home safely at the end of the day.” “Collaboration with partners is critical to bringing our injury [...]

WorkSafe Saskatchewan celebrates workplace safety leaders during 2022 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards Regina, Sask., May 17, 2022 – A Saskatoon brewery employee who significantly advanced health and safety at work during the COVID-19 pandemic and an energy firm in Midale that has been free of serious workplace injuries for a decade are being honoured by WorkSafe Saskatchewan’s 2022 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards. The annual awards recognize outstanding workplace safety practices in the province. WorkSafe Saskatchewan is a partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety. This year’s Safe Worker Award goes to Cassy M. Appelt, an operations analyst at 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Company in Saskatoon. At the start of the pandemic, Cassy took the initiative to research and communicate safety and hygiene protocols to employees. She further built on these efforts by establishing and leading the [...]

Firefighter cancer remains second leading cause of work-related occupational disease deaths in Sask. WorkSafe Sask. announces new video training series to help support the prevention of firefighter cancer Regina, Sask., Jan. 31, 2022 – Firefighter cancer is the second leading cause of work-related occupational disease deaths in Saskatchewan. From 2010 to 2018, 23 per cent of work-related occupational disease fatalities in Saskatchewan were from firefighter cancers and in 2020, five firefighters lost their lives to cancer. To help address this, WorkSafe Saskatchewan (the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety) announced a new video resource series to help firefighters better protect themselves from incidents and exposures on the job. “Improving firefighter cancer prevention is one of the top priorities in WorkSafe Saskatchewan’s Fatalities and Serious Injuries Strategy, launched in 2019. As part of the strategy, we worked with industry experts to [...]

Saskatchewan Association for Safe Workplaces in Health (SASWH) signs new funding agreement with the WCB New funding agreement strengthens partnership with the WCB Regina, Sask., June 7, 2021 – The Saskatchewan Association for Safe Workplaces in Health (SASWH) is the latest of seven provincial safety associations to sign a new funding agreement with the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). This agreement works to strengthen the WCB’s partnership and close working relationship with each safety association as we all work together to create safer workplaces in Saskatchewan. “The WCB has long-standing close ties with our safety associations, including SASWH, to help work toward creating safer workplaces in our province through awareness, training and other injury prevention initiatives,” says Kevin Mooney, vice-president of prevention and employer services. “Our partnerships with safety associations are key to our workplace safety efforts across the province. These close partnerships help us support the safety and prevention [...]

WorkSafe Saskatchewan announces 2021 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Award winners Regina, Sask., May 31, 2021 – On May 25, 2021, WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, announced the winners of the 2021 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards. Each year, WorkSafe Saskatchewan presents the Safe Worker Award to a worker who goes beyond the expectations of their position to help create a safer workplace. This award aims to recognize workers that model innovative and successful safety practices in their workplace. In many situations, the winners are not in formal leadership roles, but have taken the opportunity to become safety leaders in their workplace. The 2021 WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker Award winner is Audrey MacMurchy, Kingston Midstream Limited, Estevan, Sask. The Safe Employer Award is presented to a best practice employer who builds safety into every [...]

Energy Safety Canada signs new safety funding agreement with the WCB Regina, Sask., May 20, 2021 – Energy Safety Canada is among the first of seven provincial safety associations to sign the new funding agreement with the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). This agreement strengthens the partnership and the WCB’s close ties with each safety association as together we work to create safer workplaces in the province. “The WCB has a long-standing partnership with our safety associations, such as Energy Safety Canada, to help address injury prevention in their sector through education, training and other prevention initiatives,” says Kevin Mooney, vice-president of prevention and employer services. “These close partnerships are vital to our provincial efforts and it is through these close working relationships that we can support the safety and prevention interests of all employers represented in the industry.” The Saskatchewan WCB currently funds seven industry-based safety associations. Each [...]

WorkSafe Saskatchewan launches online psychological resource centre for Saskatchewan employers and workers Regina, Sask., April 14, 2021 – In the past five years, psychological health claims have been on the rise across the province. To address these issues in the province, WorkSafe Saskatchewan (the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety) has launched a comprehensive online psychological health and safety resource centre. The centre provides employers and workers with resources to help develop psychologically healthy and safe workplaces. “We’re very excited to launch the Psychological Health and Safety Resource Centre in partnership with Dr. Joti Samra,” said Kevin Mooney, the WCB’s vice-president of prevention and employer services. “Over the past several years, we’ve seen Saskatchewan workplaces dealing with unique psychological health and safety challenges. That reinforces the importance of providing Saskatchewan employers and workers with the tools they [...]

Asbestos kills. It's best to test. WorkSafe Saskatchewan offers tips for homeowners and contractors to avoid asbestos exposure. Regina, Sask., Nov. 19, 2020 – WorkSafe Saskatchewan has released a number of tips for homeowners and contractors to stay safe and aware of the potential for asbestos in their home before starting construction and renovation projects. Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of work-related deaths in Saskatchewan. It is dangerous to construction workers and do-it-yourself (DIY) homeowners alike. Asbestos has been banned in Canada since Dec. 30, 2018. However, asbestos-containing materials were common building products in homes built before 1990. Although asbestos-containing products are generally safe when left undisturbed, they become brittle over time and can crumble. The popularity of DIY projects has heightened the likelihood of asbestos exposure for homeowners. Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause chronic, irreversible and life-threatening lung diseases. These diseases, which [...]