YARMOUTH, N.S. — As groups, individuals, families and communities prepare to observe the Day of Mourning on April 28 comes word that workplace fatalities in Nova Scotia increased in 2018.
According to statistics from WCB Nova Scotia and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education (LAE), 14 Nova Scotians died from acute traumatic injuries on the job. There were also 26 fatalities classified as chronic – which included 12 related to occupational diseases and 14 caused by health-related issues, such as heart attacks.
WCB Nova Scotia CEO Stuart MacLean says every death at work, or because of work, is a tragedy. He says the number of fatalities is a profound reminder about the importance of workplace safety.
“These families across our province will never be the same – so many of these deaths are because of preventable incidents at work,” he says. “Although we continue to see reductions in overall workplace injury, this is a startling number of workplace fatalities.”
In Yarmouth on Sunday, April 28 at 2 p.m., the South West Labour Group will observe the Day of Mourning with a ceremony at the Lost to Sea Memorial on Water Street. The event will pay tribute to those who have died or been injured at work.
“Feel free to bring a wreath or yellow carnation to lay in remembrance. Some carnations will be on hand,” reads a media release about the event. Speakers are lined up for the event and everyone is invited to attend.
N.S. Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis echoes sentiments about workplace injuries and fatalities.
“Sadly in 2018, far too many Nova Scotia families were impacted by a workplace fatality,” he said. “The number of fatalities last year reminds us just how much work remains.”
The WCB and LAE continue to work closely with industry and other partners to promote workplace safety with workplace visits and education and awareness campaigns.
The industries with the highest acute fatality counts in 2018 were the fishing industry, which had six people drown or lost at sea, and the construction industry, which saw three deaths.
A video portraying loss in the fishing sector began airing April 1 in the lead up to the Day of Mourning. Several fishermen and families from southwestern Nova Scotia took part, describing the devastating impact fishing deaths have on families, communities and the industry.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, on behalf of Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis, Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) Nova Scotia CEO Stuart MacLean and Federation of Labour president Danny Cavanagh will join representatives from the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour at a ceremony at Province House in Halifax. Marilyn D'Entremont of Yarmouth County, who lost her husband, Lewis, as a result of an incident while fishing, will also speak at the event.
In 2018, 40 Nova Scotians lost their lives at work or because of work-related injuries, diseases or conditions.
"It's not just about those 40 people who lost their lives," said Ms. D'Entremont. "The lives of their families and friends are forever changed too. I lost my husband, but he was also a father, a son and a friend to many."
Workplace injury
WCB Nova Scotia’s statistical results from 2018.
• Registered claims: 24,584 in 2018, up slightly from 23,952 in 2017. Of those, 5,819 led to time lost from work in 2018, down 1.5 per cent from 5,906 in 2017
• Time-loss injury rate: 1.72 per 100 covered workers in 2018, improved from 1.76 in 2017.
• Index used to measure average claim duration increased to 127 days in 2018 from 117 days in 2017.
There was a significant increase in mental health related claims in 2018. Time-loss claims went up almost 50 per cent over 2017 and are more than three times what they were in 2014. This included PTSD and all other psychological injuries.
The Workers’ Compensation Act was updated in 2018 to provide presumptive coverage for first responders.
