FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2020
WorkplaceNL reports 2019 workplace injury rates
St. John’s, NL – The lost-time incidence rate due to workplace injury or illness in Newfoundland and Labrador remained at 1.6 per 100 workers in 2019. The rate among 15 to 24 year-old workers increased to 1.8 per 100 workers from 1.5 in 2018.
The lost-time incidence rate represents the number of workers who received compensation while missing time from work due to a work-related injury or illness. The lost-time incidence rate in 2019 declined in four industries, increased in six and stayed the same in two.
“While Newfoundland and Labrador lost-time incidence rates still remain among the lowest in Canada, they also indicate that there are areas in which we can improve,” said the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister Responsible for WorkplaceNL. “Together with our safety partners, we must continue to take the lead in finding find ways to reduce workplace incidents, so that every worker can return home healthy and safe at the end of their workday.”
“In partnership with employers, workers, industry safety associations, and employer and labour advocates, we are committed to continuing to build a strong culture of safety in our province,” said WorkplaceNL CEO Dennis Hogan. “Now more than ever it’s important that we work together to improve safe work practices, regulations and training opportunities to help prevent workplace injury and illness. I am impressed with how workplaces are adjusting to protect the well-being of workers, employers and the public as we live with COVID-19.”
In 2019 there were 26 work-related fatalities, 10 accidental and 16 from occupational disease. Last year, 44 per cent of the occupational disease fatality claims were due to exposure to harmful substances decades ago in the mining industry.
Detailed workplace injury statistics for 2019 are in the link and backgrounder below.
– 30 –
Related documents
About WorkplaceNL
Serving approximately 13,000 injured workers and 17,500 employers, WorkplaceNL administers an employer-funded, no-fault insurance system that promotes safe and healthy workplaces, provides return-to-work programs and offers compensation to injured workers and their dependents.
Media contact
Nicole Martin, Manager, Marketing and Communications
709.778.1566
nicole.martin@workplacenl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
2019 Workplace Injury Statistics
By Type of Work-related Injury
The most common type of work-related lost-time injury in the province is soft-tissue injury (68 per cent of total incidents in 2019)
In 2019:
- Soft-tissue injuries increased to 1.1 per 100 workers, up from 1.0 per 100 workers for the four previous years.
- Falls from heights remained at the all-time low at 7.0 per 10,000 workers, down from 7.3 in 2017.
- Hearing-loss increased to 10.3 per 10,000 workers, up from 9.9 in 2018.
- Assaults and violent acts remained at 11.3 per 10,000 workers, for the second consecutive year—most were in the health care and service sectors.
- Serious injuries dropped slightly to 11.6 per 10,000 workers, from 11.7 in 2018.
- Head injuries rose slightly to 3.1 per 1,000 workers, from 3.0 in 2018.
- Traumatic mental health illness or disorders remained at 1.5 per 10,000 workers, for the second consecutive year.
- Young worker lost-time incidence rate increased to 1.8 per 100 workers, from 1.5 in 2018.