KEY STATISTICS

LOST-TIME INCIDENCE RATE per 100 workers YOUNG WORKER INJURY RATE per 100 workers SOFT TISSUE INJURY RATE per 100 workers

232,800

230,500 230,700

225,400

219,400 29,592

27,800 28,200 29,000

28,050 219,400 225,400 230,500 232,800

230,700

The past 15 years has been a period of dramatic improvement in workplace safety in the province. However, over the past three years injury rates have plateaued and some continue to rise. It is time to find more creative ways to make a difference to the health and safety of our workplaces.

Injury Rate

The lost-time incidence (LTI) rate is a standard measure of workplace safety for all workers’ compensation systems in Canada. It represents the number of injured workers, per 100 workers in the workforce, who missed time from work due to a workplace incident or accident.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the LTI rate for 2014 remains stable for the third year in a row at 1.6 per 100 workers. The rate decreased steadily for the previous 13 years and is a dramatic improvement over its high of 5.16 per 100 workers in 1989. The Commission is concerned that this rate has plateaued, and acknowledges that it will now take a more focused effort from employers, workers, labour groups, safety associations, government,and the Commission to improve it further.

Young Workers

The injury rate among young workers has also plateaued, remaining at 1.5 per 100 workers in 2014. Young workers continue to lead the province in preventing injuries, with an injury rate that is now consistently below the provincial rate. As with the LTI, achieving further reductions will be a challenge.

The Commission firmly believes that fostering a strong safety culture among young workers builds a foundation that will lead to less injuries and illness now and in years to come. Focusing on educating and creating workplace safety among young workers will remain a priority for the Commission.

Did you know that only 43 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians agree they can do something to make their workplaces safer?

Workers, young and old, must

Ashley Davies, be educated about proper Farm worker and heavy equipment working postures and trained operator, William’s Dairy Farm in ways to minimize twisting,

bending and lifting. Did you know that 44% of the work-related injuries reported to the Commission by heavyequipment operators, are back, leg and ear injuries?

Safer Workplaces

Workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador are the safest they have ever been. The percentage of injury-free employers has increased from 90.3 per cent five years ago to 92.2 per cent in 2014. Again, this statistic has plateaued, when you consider the 2013 result was 92.1 per cent. The Commission will take a very targeted and collaborative approachwith various stakeholders to help increase it further.

Injuries are Preventable

Certain injury statistics continue to remain high or are increasing, and deserve continued focus and attention. Assaults and violent acts in the workplace continue to increase, up from 5.6 per 10,000 workers in 2013 to 6.1 per 10,000 workers in 2014. This rate has been steadily increasing for the past five years. Workplace violence and working alone continue to be a focus area, and in 2014 a new video was produced stressing the importanceof proper risk assessments to control violence. As well, the rate of serious injury has fluctuated over the past five years, and it is now at 11.0 per 10,000 workers in 2014. This is a broad category, and the impact of this type of incident can be devastating on the worker, their family and their community.

The lost-time incidence rate relating to soft-tissue injuries has remained stable at 1.1 per 100 workers for the past three years. While the rate is much lower than the provincial rate, these types of injuries account for over 70 per cent of all claims with the Commission.

The Commission firmly believes that workplace injuries and illnesses are preventable, and will continue to focus prevention awareness and training on high-risk areas in order to further reduce the injury rates.

SERIOUS INJURIES RATE per 10,000 workers

PERCENTAGE 0F INJURY-FREE EMPLOYERS