Are you a business owner, partner, registered director, or self-employed? If so, you don't automatically receive WSCC coverage through your employment. To receive WSCC coverage, you need to sign up for Personal Optional Coverage, which provides you with the same benefits as other workers in case of workplace disease and injury.

You can apply for coverage for one month and up to one full calendar year. You must renew your coverage each year. Personal Optional Coverage renewals are due December 31, 2013.

Fill out and submit the Personal Optional Coverage form online, or email Employer Services in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.

Do you have something to say about psychiatric and psychological disability, or pain disorders?

We're currently reviewing our policies and want your input. Email policy@wscc.nt.ca or 1-800-661-0792 before January 15, 2014. Our current policies are available online: Policy 03.09, Psychiatric and Psychological Disability, and Policy 03.10, Pain Disorders.

The WSCC regularly reviews policies and encourages our stakeholders to participate in the process. Interested in seeing what other policies are under review? Check our website for the schedule, including deadlines for comments.

Young workers need to know that workplace incidents do not just happen. They are preventable. Teaching prevention at an early age helps inform the next generation of workers and future employers about safety rights and responsibilities. Our partnership with Skills Canada in both Nunavut and the Northwest Territories helps educate Northern youth about the importance of workplace safety. Skills Canada provides a venue for us to educate the next generation of workers. In Yellowknife, the WSCC participates in the annual Power Up! conference for young men and women in Grade Eight.

We hosted 38 youth over the two day event, which had participants learning how to identify and control hazards, including eliminating the hazard, implementing policies, and wearing proper personal protective equipment.

We hope we saw some future safety officers during our event! Check out Skills Canada NWT to learn more about how to get involved in promoting careers in skilled trades and technology to Northern youth.

The WSCC Chief Safety Officer approves a new code of practice. Effective November 29, 2013, the Confined Spaces Employer Code of Practice Guideline gives employers guidance when writing an employer confined space code of practice in accordance with requirements in sections 36 and 37 of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut General Safety Regulations.

The code of practice helps employers:

• identify confined spaces in their workplace;
• identify work hazards in confined spaces;
• explain training requirements for workers working in or near confined spaces;
• develop emergency rescue planes and procedures; and
• develop their employer confined space code of practice.

This document provides an  employer checklist, explaining everything an employer must do and document to ensure compliance with the Northwest and Nunavut General Safety Regulations while working in or near confined spaces.

Check out all of our published codes of practice online, or contact us to learn how you can get involved in developing future codes.

WSCC's 2013 Stakeholder survey is currently being conducted on the behalf of the WSCC by Leger, The Research Intelligence Group. The survey is administered by phone and is divided into two separate surveys: one targeted at registered employers and another targeted at workers who have started a claim, pension or appeal with us in the past 3 years. The survey's objective is to gather feedback on the service and care we provide and to understand our stakeholder's perceptions on safety. Our stakeholders are randomly selected for their participation and individual survey responses are strictly confidential not released to the WSCC or any other party. Survey results are summarized and reported in aggregate, with no ability to identify individual respondents. 

Our stakeholders' feedback is important as it helps shape the WSCC priorities and provides measures for corporate and divisional reporting. If you are contacted, take the time to have your voice heard.