SHARED COMMITMENTS

Safety is everyone’s responsibility. The Commission continues to work closely with its partners and the community to create an awareness of safety and improve how it delivers services to injured workers and employers.

Construction Zone, Slow Down!

Every day, thousands of road construction workers in our province are depending on others to drive responsibly and keep them safe in a construction zone. There is literally nothing between them and the thousands of pounds of steel in our vehicles, and unfortunately workers have been killed.

The Commission, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador have partnered to create and deliver a safety campaign across the province to raise awareness of this issue and prevent such tragedies.

In 2014, the Construction Zone, Slow Down! campaign consisted of radio advertisements aired during the morning and evening commute on stations across the province. The campaign urges drivers to slow down and obey the signs; to stay alert and avoid using their phones, texting or taking pictures; and to show respect for those working on the road. The partnership and campaign will continue into 2015.

21st Century Learning for Young Workers

In December 2014, students and staff from St. Kevin’s High School, Goulds, launched the first in a series of digital textbooks. The iBook, Introduction to Young Worker Safety, introduces the basic concepts of workplace safety using interactive features including video, audio, photo galleries and interactive assessment tools. Students created the iBook as a resource for their peers in Newfoundland and Labrador, and beyond. It is now available for free on iTunes.

The Commission is proud to have supported this innovative project with $22,000 in funding, and will continue to seek creative ways to partner to raise awareness and engagement in workplace safety for young people. Building a solid foundation where workplace safety is important for young workers is critical to preventing injuries and illnesses now and for years to come.

Stakeholder Partnerships

The Commission continues to work closely with its primary stakeholders, the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers Council (NLEC) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL). The Commission regularly seeks feedback

Students and staff from St. Kevin’s

(from left to right) High School, Goulds,launched

Matthew Heffernan, the first in a series of digital Kayla Dinn and Cassie Pilon iBooks focused on workplace

health and safety, using interactive features including video, audio, photo galleries, and assessment tools.

from both groups on policy matters and strategic plans, so that the Commission’s programs and services are suited for employers and injured workers.

Through formal agreements, the Commission budgeted a total of $1.02 million in 2014 for its primary stakeholders in order to provide valuable support and advice to mutual clients, including injured workers and employers. The Commission supports an Employer Advisor Program and Sector Advisor Program with the NLEC, and a Worker Advisor Program and Sector Advisor Programwith the NLFL.

Service Without Barriers

Recognizing that its clients may have hearing, visual or other challenges the Commission has adopted a Service Without Barriers approach to service delivery. The intent is to ensure that all clients can benefit from the Commission’s programs and services.

In September 2014, the Commission was honoured to receive a Community Awareness Award from the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association – Newfoundland and Labrador. The award acknowledged the efforts of the Commission to create awareness among its staff and the public of accessibility issues for those with hearing loss.

The Commission also worked closely with other community partners, including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and the Independent Living Resource Centre. Based on their advice, the Commission now provides information in alternate formats, such as Braille and large print; hearing assistive devices in meeting rooms; and over-the-telephone interpretation services for clients who are not fluent in English.

ASSAULTS AND VIOLENT ACTS INJURY RATE per 10,000 workers

(left to right) Robert Murdoch and Cathy Dormody, Newfoundland Power, Tom Mahoney, Executive Director Health Care and Compensation Services at the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission and John Drover, Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society, receiving awards from the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association – Newfoundland and Labrador (CHHA-NL).