WorkSafe Saskatchewan celebrates safety leadership at the 2026 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards
Regina, Sask., May 12, 2026 – WorkSafe Saskatchewan recognized safety leaders from across the province today at the 2026 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards. Presented in Regina as part of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board’s Compensation Institute, the awards celebrate individuals and organizations who are helping make workplaces safer across Saskatchewan. WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the workplace safety partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety presents these awards.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Safe Worker Award and the 20th anniversary of the Safe Employer Award, recognizing more than two decades of leadership in workplace safety across Saskatchewan.
“These awards honour the people and organizations who show that safety is built through leadership, action and a genuine commitment to others,” said Phillip Germain, the WCB’s CEO. “Our Safe Worker and Safe Employer Award winners and finalists have demonstrated that safety is not just about meeting requirements. It is also about speaking up, improving how we do the work and creating environments where workers can go home safe at the end of every day.”
2026 Safe Worker Award winner and finalists
The finalists for the 2026 Safe Worker Award are:
- Glen Green of IATSE Local 295
- Paige Schneider of Hopes Home Incorporated
- Matthew Walker of City of Melville
Matthew Walker, an operator with the City of Melville, is the 2026 Safe Worker Award winner.
Walker earned recognition for his proactive approach to identifying hazards and improving everyday work. In his role, he helps maintain water and sewer lines and supports a range of public works activities, from street sanding and snow removal to equipment operation and repairs. He is known for speaking up about safety concerns, completing equipment inspections and hazard assessments and working with co-workers to find safer ways to complete tasks.
One example involved identifying that a tool used in street sanding created unnecessary physical strain. Walker helped develop a lighter version that reduced ergonomic hazards by more than 50 per cent and improved efficiency, making the task safer and easier for workers of different sizes and strengths. He later shared the improvement during a safety meeting so others could adopt the safer option.
“Being proactive with safety means recognizing hazards and communicating them to your co-workers so everyone is aware,” said Walker. “I choose to work safe so I can go home at the end of the day and so can my co-workers and the public around us.”
2026 Safe Employer Award winner and finalists
The finalists for the 2026 Safe Employer Award are:
- Abco Elevator of Regina, Sask.
- Allan Construction of Saskatoon, Sask.
- North Fringe Industrial Technologies Inc. of Nipawin, Sask.
North Fringe Industrial Technologies Inc., headquartered in Nipawin, is the 2026 Safe Employer Award winner.
North Fringe earned recognition for building a strong safety culture across its operations. The company supports customers across Canada with pumping and dewatering solutions and works in industrial environments that involve heavy machinery, moving parts and other high-risk conditions. According to company president Brett Kane, the company embeds safety in every part of its work, from procedures and training to communication and day-to-day decision-making.
The company demonstrates its safety leadership through its focus on training, employee ownership and consistent safe work practices. Kane described how North Fringe encourages workers to identify hazards early, raise concerns and improve how they perform the work. He said the company has seen stronger engagement, more consistent work practices and even improved profitability by taking the time to do jobs safely.
“Safety is everything around here. It is in everything we do,” said Kane. “Our message to other companies is to make safety part of your culture and part of everything you do every day. When employees buy into that, it becomes a reflex.”
Each year, WorkSafe Saskatchewan’s Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards recognize a worker and an employer who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to workplace health, safety and well-being. Committees made up of representatives from WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering select the winners.
For more information about the WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards and the nomination process for the 2027 awards, please visit worksafesask.ca/resources/awards.
Photos are available upon request.
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Media contact:
Lisa Goudy
Interim Director, Communications
Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board
lgoudy@wcbsask.com
