About Us

Reducing Workplace Injury and Illness

 

The Birth of SAFE Work

In 2001, the Minister of Labour and Immigration launched the most extensive consultation on workplace safety and health in more than 25 years. A committee representing labour, management and technical specialists with extensive workplace safety and health experience conducted the review and issued its report in January 2002. 

The cornerstone recommendations were for the Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) and the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) to coordinate their efforts and resources to lead a sustained province-wide initiative to build a strong workplace safety and health culture in Manitoba and to achieve a 25 percent reduction in the time-loss injury rate. 

These goals were to be realized through the implementation of a set of 62 recommendations within 4 priority areas: 

1.      Public awareness and education;

2.      Training for employers, supervisors, and workers;

3.      Prevention measures in workplaces and regulatory standards; and,

4.      Strengthening the internal and external responsibility systems.

 

Our Accomplishments

Through our SAFE Work program, the WCB and the WSHD have made tremendous progress towards our goals over the past five years.  Each of the 62 recommendations of the report on workplace safety and health has been addressed, with initiatives either completed or ongoing.

The results of our efforts are clear:  significant reductions in workplace injuries and disease have been achieved by initiatives aimed at fostering and enhancing a safety and health culture.  Between 2000 and 2007, the time-loss injury rate fell by 22 percent.

 

SAFE Work: 2008 and Beyond

The WCB and WSHD have revamped their Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy. This plan adopts an aggressive new approach to reducing the number of workplace injuries and illnesses in Manitoba.

To continue to create momentum and to add new impetus for prevention, the updated plan adopts an overall goal of reducing the provincial time-loss injury rate to 3.5 per 100 full-time-equivalent workers. The plan also adopts the goals of significantly reducing the number of traumatic fatalities and the number of serious injuries over the next five years.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone has a role to play.  The WCB’s primary role is promotion, especially through the creation of public awareness, data gathering and analysis, and funding research.The WSHD’s primary role is protection, through inspection, enforcement, and training. We will work together to leverage each agency’s expertise without duplicating efforts. 

Over the next five years, the WSHD and WCB will continue to look for ways to engage community partners in the challenge of preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.

To better reflect current needs, we have adopted these themes:

Protection - Ensuring the safety and health of Manitoba workplaces through inspections and by supporting the internal responsibility system

Promotion - Creating a culture of SAFE work in Manitoba through  awareness,  partnerships, consultation, programs and leadership

Education - Expanding prevention knowledge through specialized training and the sharing of information

Capacity - Ensuring that Manitoba has the tools, expertise, technology and trained workers to achieve our prevention goals

 

SAFE Work Strategic Framework

To pursue a goal successfully, everyone involved needs to share a vision—to have a common understanding—of the task at hand. Clarity of vision, understanding what you want to achieve, motivates and creates momentum. To that end, the WSHD and the WCB have adopted statements of vision, mission, commitment and values to focus the efforts of all those involved in creating SAFE Work.

Vision

SAFE Work in every workplace

Mission 

Together with our partners, the Workplace Safety and Health Division and the Workers Compensation Board will prevent workplace injuries and illnesses through promotion, protection, and education.

Commitment

Workers have the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and safe work is everyone’s responsibility.

Values

Leadership - Promoting innovation, best practices, and excellence, and taking ownership of and responsibility for showing the way

Fairness - Protecting workers and workplaces transparently and impartially, based on best practices

Partnership - Working collaboratively, the WSHD, WCB and their stakeholders will achieve the greatest possible reduction in workplace injuries and illnesses

For more information on SAFE Work check out the The Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy, 2008-2012, or call:

957-SAFE (957-7233) in Winnipeg

1-866-929-SAFE (1-866-929-7233) outside Winnipeg.

 

Or read The Joint Injury and Illness Prevention Strategy, 2008-2012.