Safety Update

Safety Update: Ad Campaign Boosts Drive to Reduce Workplace Injuries

Goal is to reduce workplace injuries 25 per cent by 2012

Article by Government of Alberta

Edmonton... The Alberta government has launched a new public awareness campaign to educate Albertans about workplace health and safety. The television and radio advertisements focus on how to avoid injuries that can be caused by everyday objects such as a bucket, a ladder or a nail. "The main point of this campaign is to remind Albertans that every workplace injury or illness is preventable," said Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. "Safety saves lives and prevents suffering for individuals and families. It also pays for itself in the long run. These ads show Albertans where they can find the information to keep themselves, their friends and their employees safe at work."

Government's goal is to reduce current injury rates by 25 per cent by the end of 2012. The ads originally ran in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and have since been adopted by New Brunswick. By sharing resources with other provinces Alberta is able to get the word out to more Albertans with the existing budget. The campaign will cost $600,000 and run province wide.

"Last fall Alberta was very helpful in allowing us to use material they had developed for H1N1 in the workplace so we are delighted to be able to return the favour," said Marilyn More, Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Workforce Development. "There is a close tie between the people of our two provinces so having our two governments work collaboratively like this strengthens the relationship." Additional information, including the TV and radio advertisements and printable posters can be found at www.worksafe.alberta.ca.

Backgrounder: Workplace injury statistics

Injury claim rates

	2006	2007	2008	2009
Person-Years Worked (insured by WCB Alberta)	1,560,078	1,611,892	1,671,916	N/A
Lost-Time Claims	36,701	34,227	31,410	N/A
Lost-Time Claim Rate (per 100 person-years worked)	2.35	2.12	1.88	N/A
Disabling Injury Claims	64,525	62,473	60,692	N/A
Disabling Injury Claim Rate (per 100 person-years worked)	4.14	3.88	3.63	N/A
Occupational Fatalities	124	154	166	110

2009 injury data is not yet available.

• One person-year is equivalent to one full-time worker working for one year, and can be assumed to equal 2,000 hours worked.
• Lost-time claims are injuries serious enough to cause a worker to miss their next shift.
• Disabling injury claims include lost-time claims and injuries where a worker returns to work but with modified or reduced work duties.

Source: Workers Compensation Board - Alberta data, prepared by Employment and Immigration Data Development and Evaluation.

Alberta's goal is to reduce injury rates

	2010 target	2011 target	2012 target
Lost-time claim rate (per 100 person-years worked)	1.75	1.60	1.45
Disabling injury claim rate (per 100 person-years worked)	3.30	3.00	2.70

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