Highlights and Partnerships

Highlights and Partnerships

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic. Shortly after, on March 18, 2020, the Minister of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador declared a public health emergency in the province.

Wash your hands Wear a mask

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Practice social distancing

Stay home if you are sick

As with other organizations, WorkplaceNL worked through many challenges to serve its clients and support its employees in what was an unexpected new reality, faced with rapidly changing information, business interruptions, and periods of uncertainty. The first priority was the safety of WorkplaceNL employees, clients and the public. WorkplaceNL introduced new safety protocols and updated them as public health measures evolved – such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks in common areas, maintaining a physical distance and staying home when sick. WorkplaceNL quickly transitioned the majority of employees to working from home and, through the use of technology, maintained the critical services of the workers’ compensation system – so that injured workers continued to receive their benefits; the adjudication of workplace injury claims continued; and employers accessed up-to-date materials to help them implement safe work practices and identify hazards specific to COVID-19. WorkplaceNL continues to closely monitor the situation and quickly adjust its operations and protocols as needed. Throughout the year, WorkplaceNL achieved many accomplishments – some as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and others as a regular course of business. As examples, WorkplaceNL: • Worked with the Provincial Governmentappointed Statutory Review Committee to support the review of the workers’ compensation system. • Fast-tracked software solutions, such as

Webex, a digital collaboration application, to ensure employees had the tools needed to work from home. • Worked with health care providers to ensure injured workers could access virtual care. • Implemented digital processes to allow employers to obtain clearance letters so they could continue operations. • Deferred assessment payments and waived interest and penalties for a period of time to alleviate some of the challenges employers were experiencing as a result of the pandemic. • Issued advisories, updated the website and directly contacted clients to keep them informed of changes as needed. • Released new in-class instruction and virtual training guidelines for trainers and training providers, so required certification training for workers could safely resume during the pandemic.

• Extended the validity of workers’ safety training certificates to August 2020, as training courses may not have been widely available during business interruptions, and safety providers needed time to implement safety protocols early in the pandemic. • Released COVID-19 guidelines for employers, in partnership with the Occupational

Health and Safety (OHS) Division, Digital

Government and Service NL.

• Provided $1.5 million, over five years, to the Canadian Manufacturers and

Exporters NL Division (CME NL) to create a Manufacturing and Processing Safety

Sector Council (MPSCC), including a sub-committee for fish processing. • Developed new guides and webinars to help employers prepare for changes in the OHS Regulations to address worker- on-worker violence and workplace harassment, effective January 1, 2020. • In collaboration with Bluedrop, developed and implemented a voluntary online COVID-19 safety course which was completed by over 18,000 workers.

WorkplaceNL works closely with stakeholder, safety, and community partners to improve client service and help prevent workplace injury or illness. We are proud to collaborate with a broad range of organizations, such as: • Association of Workers’ Compensation

Boards of Canada • Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety • Canadian Federation of Independent Business • Canadian Mental Health Association –

Newfoundland and Labrador • Canadian National Institute for the Blind • Eastern Health • Forestry Safety Association of Newfoundland and Labrador • Government of Newfoundland and Labrador • Made Safe NL • Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public Employees • Newfoundland and Labrador Construction

Safety Association • Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council • Newfoundland and Labrador English School District • Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour • Newfoundland and Labrador Fish Harvesting Safety Association • Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Health and Safety Association • Royal Canadian Mounted Police • Royal Newfoundland Constabulary • Safety NL • Threads of Life • Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division