Safety Matters

On February 17, 2013, five fishermen from Shelburne County were lost to the sea when the ‘Miss Ally’ capsized. The loss of Captain Katlin Nickerson, Joel Hopkins, Cole Nickerson, Tyson Townsend and Billy Jack Hatfield continues to be felt to this day.

In episode seven of the WorkShift podcast, former WCB CEO Stuart MacLean talks to Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Jonathan Fowles, Director of the Center of Lifestyle Studies at Acadia University about the importance of physical activity in life and at work, and the responsibility leaders have to help their workers become healthier and more active in the workplace.

While many workplaces slow down around the December holidays, things for workers in the retail sector are as busy as they’ll get all year.

In this special episode, former WCB CEO Stuart MacLean speaks with Shelley Rowan, Interim CEO and new WorkShift podcast host, who will give listeners the opportunity to hear directly from leaders, while inspiring those leaders to continue important safety conversations in their workplaces.

In the face of new challenges in the workforce, leaders are being asked to do more today to ensure their workplaces are more physically and mentally safer than ever before.

Storytelling is one of the most compelling forms of communication and often the best way to ensure vital information is absorbed by the people you are trying to reach.

A workplace’s safety culture determines what people do when no one is looking. To Dr. Mark Fleming, safety is not about the absence of injury, but the presence of controls.

When it comes to workplace injury, young workers are not immune to the potential dangers of their workplace. Last year alone, 3,131 young workers were injured on the job and 599 of them lost time from work because of their injuries - compared to 519 in 2020 and 592 in 2019. Early education surrounding safety and injury prevention can help keep young workers safe now and for many more years to come.

A shift in safety culture doesn’t come easy. But when it does, we can point to one thing that’s made the most significant difference: strong leadership.

In recent years, WCB Nova Scotia has seen an increase in the number of psychological and complex workplace injury claims, where mental health-related issues make it more difficult for workers to recover from physical injuries.