May 2023

FRANÇAIS | ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ

What a privilege it has been to serve as President and CEO of the WSCC for the past four years!  

I have learned much about the unique environment that we call home, and the challenges we face to ensure workplace safety. I have been fortunate to have a very supportive Governance Council, and be surrounded by dedicated staff who truly believe in our vision of eliminating workplace diseases and injuries. 

We weathered the COVID pandemic together, and a silver lining was the spotlight placed on workplace psychological safety. Workplace injuries are not just physical, and psychological injuries usually have longer recovery times. Prevention is always the best approach, and WSCC has resources available to help employers build psychologically safer workplaces. I am grateful for the opportunity to help WSCC highlight this issue, and work towards better collective knowledge and understanding of workplace mental health.

The annual Day of Mourning that commemorates workers who lost their lives as the result of a workplace incident was held on April 28. During my tenure, which began in 2019, 18 workers lost their lives on the job in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Eighteen families still mourn because their loved one did not come from home from work that day. We need to do better. We must make workplaces safer so that more families are not affected by a workplace incident. Collectively, we can achieve this.

I want to thank employers, workers, and the general public for their support of the WSCC. Together we are making a difference. WSCC’s 5-year strategic plan, Paths Towards Safety, provides a clear direction for the future.

Take care, and stay safe.

Debbie 

WSCC is always looking to improve how we support employers across the north. WSCC’s new Safety Outreach Representatives are here to help employers to understand – and meet – their OHS responsibilities.

The Safety Outreach Representatives are available to provide employers support with:

• Developing your OHS program.
• Technical expertise to identify ways to reduce workplace incidents.
• Educational resources to improve OHS outcomes in your workplace.

To reach our Safety Outreach Representatives:

• Northwest Territories: 1-800-661-0792 or Safety.Outreach@wscc.nt.ca 
• Nunavut: 1-877-404-4407 or Safety.Outreach@wscc.nu.ca

Visit WSCC’s website to learn more. 

Lifting, lowering, and handling materials is one of the main causes of workplace injuries in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The weight of items you are handling is a major factor of injuries, since handling any load over 20 kilograms (44 pounds) greatly increases the risk of injury. This doesn’t mean handling lighter loads is 100% safe. For example, lifting and lowering lighter loads for several consecutive hours can lead to an increase in fatigue, which often results in injuries.

As an employer, you play a crucial role in the reduction of workplace injuries caused by material handling. 

Think about implementing the following measures:

• Provide training to workers for proper techniques in lifting, lowering, pushing, and pulling materials
• Organize workflow to respect the maximum load a worker can handle during a day. 
• Encourage your employees to breakdown the weight of the load they are handling. Instead of moving one larger load, they should move it in multiple smaller loads. 
• Ensure workers take appropriate breaks when performing repetitive tasks.
• Make using mechanical lifting devices mandatory when performing certain tasks.

Improving workplace ergonomics is also an effective way of injury prevention. Something as simple as the height and depth of a shelf can play a big role in how a worker is handling materials. Try adjusting shelves to minimize body movement when handling materials. Whenever possible, make sure that items that need to be moved regularly are stored between knee and chest height.

Consult WSCC’s Safety Spotlight page to learn more about the ergonomics of material handling. 

WSCC wants you to watch your back! For the month of May, employers can request focused inspections supporting back safety, and preventing back injuries. Send us an email to reserve your spot today! And be sure to follow WSCC on social media this week for daily posts and free resources to help keep your workplace a back injury-free zone!

Give young workers the tools and information they need to do their job safely from day one!

It’s important for employers and supervisors to ensure young and new workers get additional help and attention around safety training. As an employer, your actions directly influence the health and safety attitudes of youth in your workplace. In addition to making sure they are trained and prepared to do their job safely, here are things you can do to promote good safety habits:

• Lead by example.
• Encourage youth to ask questions when they don’t understand something.
• Thank them for asking safety-related questions to show safety is a top priority!

Check out two free tools below that are available to help you prepare a thorough safety orientation for your young or new workers:

• Young and New Worker Safety Orientation Guide: This guide comes with a checklist to walk you through the steps of providing a safety orientation to young and new workers. 
• Young Worker Certificate Course: An interactive 2-hour online course that gives young workers general knowledge of workplace safety and their rights and responsibilities as workers.

WSCC is looking for someone to join the Governance Council as a Northwest Territories Worker Representative. Terms are three years, meetings usually occur four times per year and there is compensation for attending. Experience some travel benefits, gain valuable leadership experience, and help impact occupational health and safety across the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

For more details, visit our website.

WSCC Office Closures

WSCC Offices are closed for Victoria Day on Monday, May 22, and reopen on Tuesday, May 23, at 8:30 am.

To report a serious workplace injury or incident, call 1-800-661-0792.

To report unsafe work, use our online Report Unsafe Work service on WSCC Connect.