April 2014

NAOSH WEEK

MAY 4-10, 2014

North American Occupational Safety & Health (NAOSH) week is coming up fast! Mark your calendars for May 4-10, 2014 and join in!

Focused on employers, workers, and the general public, NAOSH promotes the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home, and in the community.

Stay tuned for next month's feature article, coming out the week of May 5, focussing on the history of NAOSH and showcasing what the WSCC is doing to spread awareness and engage you!

DAY of mourning

remembering those lives lost

Every year, over 1,000 Canadian workers die due to workplace injury and illness. This is unacceptable!

April 28 is National Day of Mourning. It's a day to remember lives lost in the workplace, and resolve to eliminate future tragedies. Memorial ceremonies take place across the country.

Join us in Yellowknife and Iqaluit as we remember those who lost their lives in 2013. The Northern Territories Federation of Labour (NTFL) host ceremonies at the Legislative Assemblies in Iqaluit and Yellowknife on Monday, April 28, at noon.

Declare April 28 a Day of Mourning in your workplace. Display a Day of Mourning poster, and wear black to show your support.

New face

announcing our new minister

The Honourable Keith Peterson, representing the constituency of Cambridge Bay, is the new Nunavut Minister Responsible for the WSCC.

First elected in 2004, Minister Peterson brings a wealth of knowledge about the North to his role. Born in Whitehorse, he's made Cambridge Bay his home since 1973.

Minister Peterson looks forward to advancing the efforts of the WSCC to raise safety awareness in the workplace, while supporting workers and employers.

His favourite safety tip? Don't take shortcuts on the job; take your time and don't risk your safety or the safety of others.

Contact Minister Peterson at his Constituency Office, (867) 983-3777; his Legislative Office, (867) 975-5028; or through email at kpeterson@gov.nu.ca.

Devolution

it's here

Starting April 1, 2014, the Government of the Northwest Territories took over responsibility of managing public land, water, and resources from the federal government.

What this means for the WSCC is that the responsibility for administering the occupational safety and health legislation for all transferred onshore oil and gas properties in the Northwest Territories is now our responsibility. The Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, adopted under the Safety Act, are now administered by the WSCC and must be complied with by all workers and employers on transferred oil and gas properties onshore in the Northwest Territories.

For more information, check out our FAQ, or contact us at 1-800-661-0792.

heartbleed bug

safety update

The Heartbleed Bug is a programming error that can leave sensitive data vulnerable to malware and cybercriminals. Heartbleed is currently receiving a lot of media attention, and creating concerns internationally.

The WSCC assures our stakeholders that we conducted a full review of the security of our online systems. At this time, based on the information currently available, our online systems are safe, and your personal information remains secure.

We will continue to monitor our online systems using new information as it becomes available. If we identify any threats to your personal information we will promptly post information on our website and take immediate action to notify you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Harmeet Jagpal, Chief Information Officer.

stakeholder survey

here's what you told us

The WSCC's 2013 Stakeholder Survey took place last fall. Leger, the Research Intelligence Group, conducted the survey on our behalf, by telephone, and involved 800 claimants and pensioners, and 400 employers throughout the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The objectives of the survey were to understand worker and employer opinions about workplace safety and injury prevention, awareness of the WSCC, and satisfaction with our services. Thank you to those who participated. Your opinions are extremely important to us! You help shape the WSCC priorities and provide us with important feedback on how to better meet your needs.

2013 Stakeholder Survey Highlights

% of respondents who agree or strongly agree with the following statements:

	Employers	Claimants/Pensioners
Aware of WSCC Services	86%	67%
Satisfied with WSCC's Overall Service	88%	81%
Satisfied with the Claims Process	85%	77%
Satisfied with the Inspections Process	91%	n/a
Work Safety is Important for a Company to be Successful	99%	n/a
Workplace Injuries are Preventable	98%	92%

you got skills

Territorial competitions take place

It's the time of year when the snow is melting, flowers start blooming, and competition gets fierce.

Skills Canada, a national, not-for-profit organization, promotes skills and careers in trades and technologies.

Both Nunavut and Northwest Territories host their Territorial Skills Competition soon. Winners in each category are crowned and provided the opportunity to represent their Territory at the National Skills Competition.

Territorial Skills Competition Northwest Territories - Tuesday, May 6 - Yellowknife, NT

Territorial Skills Competition Nunavut - Tuesday, April 29 - Inuksuk High School, Iqaluit, NU

Visit Skills Canada NWT and Skills Canada Nunavut on Facebook and let them know what you're excited to see, or if you'd like to help out!

course tips
safety education

WSCC, along with our partners NTFL and Northern Safety Association, offer courses about workplace safety and awareness. Stay informed about upcoming courses!

Northern Territories Federation of Labour - find out more information on courses here!

Step One: Understanding Workers Compensation	Yellowknife	May 29
Step Two: Introducing Return to Work	Yellowknife	May 30
Step Three: Developing Return-to-Work Programs	Yellowknife	April 29-May 1

Northern Safety Association - contact the NSA for more information!

Loss Prevention and Control for Executives	Yellowknife	April 23
Principles in Health and Safety Management (COR)	Yellowknife	April 28
Auditor Training Course (COR)	Inuvik	April 29 & 30
Leadership Safety Excellence Course (COR)	Yellowknife	May 1 & 2
Asbestos Abatement Awareness	Yellowknife	May 2 & 3

WSCC Supervisor Safety Course - find out more information here!

Supervisor Safety Course	Baker Lake	May 6-8
	Clyde River	May 13-15
	Yellowknife	May 27-29
	Iqaluit (offered in French)	May 27-29
	Iqaluit	June 10-12
	Yellowknife	June 10-12
	Rankin Inlet	June 24-26

Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission

Northwest Territories & Nunavut

wscc.nt.ca / 1.800.661.0792 * wscc.nu.ca / 1.877.404.4407
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