Q3 Operational Highlights
In the early 2000s, when WCB first became responsible for prevention, the injury rate was over 3 per 100 covered workers.
The workforce has grown since then, significantly. But, injury has declined. As of Q3, the injury rate is under 1.4. That is less than half what it was in 2003.
A big part of that is progress in home care and long term care.
Injury rates in these sectors have improved greatly in the past five years, meaning those caregivers who care for others are on the job, because we're preventing injury together with our partners.
Progress in injury prevention
Injuries half what they were when WCB assumed prevention mandate.
CARE FOR CAREGIVERS
INJURY RATE: Nursing homes
5.42
3.75
INJURY RATE: Home care
-2018-
9.16
-2018-
-TODAY-
-TODAY-
5.00
Return to work challenges continue
Too many workers are off for too long, and too many go on to receive long-term benefits. That's the problem in Nova Scotia. We all have a role to play in solving that problem.
Here's what we are doing:
- We have rebuilt the claims process for the most common injuries.
- We are making decisions faster, and we have made case conferences mandatory.
- We've retrained our people in the fundamentals of claim management.
- We are meeting our new service level agreements.
- We're holding ourselves, service providers, and employers more accountable.
Employees like Nazeema Askar, Corporate Development, supported training for case workers, as part of our ongoing commitment to provide consistent and exceptional service.
Watch for more on Duty to Cooperate requirements, coming in 2025.
Outreach and Engagement: WCB in the Community
Protecting more workers from the impact of psychological injury
Members of WCB's Specialized Adjudication teams, who work closely with first responders and others experiencing traumatic psychological injuries, attended the annual Helping the Helpers conference in Antigonish to gain a better understanding of the challenges workers with this type of injury face. WCB is proud to sponsor this event, which marked its 10ᵗʰ year in 2023.
Left to right: Lynette Fenton, Director, Psychological Injury; Lesley Perkins, Amanda Kenny, Molly Hayes, Barbie Bussey, Teri McAleese, Tymika Kane, and Denise MacKenzie.
Protecting people in the fishing industry
WCB Nova Scotia sent a message to captains and owner-operators of lobster boats ahead of the season opening. We wished them and their crews a successful season and provided some important safety reminders, complete with a safety checklist. Fishing in Nova Scotia is safer than it has ever been, thanks to work led by WCB in partnership with government and industry safety leaders.
The fishing sector’s injury rate has improved 20 per cent over the last six years.
Protecting the health care workforce
Protecting the health care workforce is so critical to our future. We are inspired to work with many partners in these sectors, because we all want the same thing - Nova Scotians working, and caring for other Nova Scotians. We've made progress together in recent years, but we're just getting started.
WCB’s Ian MacDonald, Manager, Home Care and Acute Care, and Jo-Anne Poirier, President and CEO, VON Canada.
WCB offers more protection to the workforce
n Q3, WCB supported two important amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act. We provided workers and employers with a new service as coverage for gradual onset psychological injury came into effect. Leading up to September 1, we prepared Nova Scotians for the change, offering webinars, in-person meetings, launching a comprehensive website for injury prevention and developing return-to-work tools and materials like the video pictured here.
We also updated our policy for funeral benefits so that the legislated increase from $4,000 to $15,000 could be paid to bereaved family members right away, without the requirement to provide receipts for funeral arrangements.
Watch the Gradual Onset Psychological Injury Video:
Overview page: WCB's VP Prevention and Employer Engagement, Tracey Newman, helped Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) celebrate an injury-free milestone: 2,257 days without injury. She is pictured here with Operations Supervisor, Stephen Ashton, at the MacKay Bridge toll booths. HHB has a robust safety program to keep their employees working safely on the job.