Workplace safety, now and always
Maintaining and promoting employee health and safety is one of several core business practices that assists retailers in serving their customers effectively. Protecting employees from injuries such as slips, trips, falls, soft tissue injuries, violence and other hazards has several benefits:
- Increased employee motivation and retention
- Demonstrated social responsibility to customers
- Increased revenue
- Decreased costs associated with compensation claims and compliance orders
- Business continuity
To support this effort, Retail Council of Canada, in collaboration with the WCB Nova Scotia has brought together a series of resources to assist Nova Scotia retailers with the prevention of workplace related injuries and illnesses.
Retail: By the numbers
Retail has the third-highest number of lost time injuries in the province. In 2020, there were 479 serious injuries in the retail sector. That marks a significant improvement over 2019 when there were 506 lost time injuries. Still, the retail sector represents nearly 10.2 per cent of all workplace injuries in Nova Scotia. Last year, .96 per cent of covered retail workers experienced a workplace injury.
It’s time to lead
Leaders set the tone in any organization – they establish the kind of employer an organization will be.
Regardless of where you work, or how big or small your business, there’s always an opportunity for everyone to be a safety leader.
Throughout the pandemic, leaders have been stepping up, as we faced new kinds of challenges to our wellbeing – both physical and mental – making the need for strong workplace safety and health approaches more important than ever.
And as times keep changing, one thing is certain – safety will always be what matters most.
Let’s keep stepping up for each other. Let’s stay safe and healthy at work, now and always.
MyAccount
MyAccount is WCB Nova Scotia’s essential online business tool for employers. It gives you 24/7 access to your account and claim information, and you can send and receive messages and documents securely.
Up-to-the minute information on injury claims, trends and costs will help you manage and improve your prevention and return-to-work programs.
You can use MyAccount to…
- Send and receive documents using secure messaging
- Submit an injury report
- Submit other forms and reports
- Generate clearance letters
- View rate information
- View monthly Statements of Account and reported payroll
- View claim details and manage claims more efficiently
- View newly registered claims and specific information
- Monitor appeals
- View inspection reports, compliance orders and other Occupational Health & Safety documents
Slips, trips and falls
There are many simple steps you can take to help protect you, your employees and customers. Check out our infographic, tip sheet/checklist, awareness posters, and discussion guides to help you clear the path for safety.
Risk Mapping Tool: Identify, assess, and control injury hazards in your workplace
Great safety leaders take a proactive approach to identifying risks in their own workplace to prevent injuries before they happen. Our Risk Mapping Tool can be used in any workplace to help identify, assess, and control injury hazards.
Hazards in the workplace include:
- Chemical Hazards
- Physical Hazards
- Biological Hazards
- Ergonomic Hazards
- Psychosocial Hazards
Safe and timely return to work
Nova Scotia is losing too much time to workplace injury. Although there are fewer injuries today, it’s taking longer than ever for employees to return to work when they are hurt on the job.
WCB Nova Scotia’s Working to Well program provides tools and resources to help reduce the human and economic toll of workplace injury in our province. It’s a digital-first hub to support workers, employers and health care providers as they navigate the return-to-work journey.
Musculoskeletal injuries
Sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries are the most common type of workplace injury in Nova Scotia. Small changes can make a big difference.
This MSI prevention guide will help you every step of the way. Learn how to build awareness, identify hazards, assess risk, implement controls and assess the effectiveness of your action plan. You’ll soon be on your way to making your workplace safer for everyone.
Find tools for your industry.
Tools for psychologically safe and healthy workplaces
A workplace that is psychologically healthy and safewill respect and listen to workers, act on their concerns, and provide opportunities for workers to have some control over their work. This often results in fewer work-related injuries and illnesses, less time loss and shorter time off work when injuries and illnesses occur, less absenteeism, and more productive and engaged workers. WCB has awareness, assessment, and coaching resources that will help you improve the psychological health and safety of your workplaces.
Search for safety inspiration on the WCB’s YouTube channel
WCB Nova Scotia’s YouTube channel includes a number of educational and inspirational videos and resources that may be helpful for your business in tackling safety challenges. You’ll find the Rod Stickman series of fun workplace safety videos covering a range of topics, a series of inspirational stories about return-to-work and much more. Check back often, as new resources are added regularly.
Safe and Secure brings safety straight to your inbox
Sign up for Safe & Secure, the WCB’s email newsletter, full of useful workplace safety and return-to-work information, and other regular updates.
Everyone plays a role in workplace safety
In Nova Scotia, everyone in a workplace shares responsibility for safety, based on their own level of authority and ability. That’s the central message behind the Internal Responsibility System (IRS), that our province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act is founded upon. Watch this video to get a sense of how it works. Use this discussion guide to round out your safety talk and distribute these brochures so your employees can take the pledge to make their workplace safe.
Workplace Incident Cost Calculator
When something goes wrong at work, the greatest costs aren’t financial at all – they’re the human costs for anyone who gets hurt, and the people that care about them. Don’t wait until you’re picking up the pieces to find out what an incident would cost you. Click here, select Retail, enter your data, and get started today. Find out more
Small Business Safety Toolkit
The Small Business Toolkit is designed to help retailers:
- Learn basic duties and responsibilities under the Nova Scotia Health and Safety Act and Regulations
- Put a health and safety system in place to protect your workers from injury and illness at work
- Understand how health and safety plays a role in the day-to-day operation of your business
Create a Safety & Prevention Program
Learn how to create your own safety and prevention program.
Tools, Resources and Publications
Young Workers
Young Workers make great employees but they don’t always understand the importance of workplace safety. Find tips for parents, employers and youth, to help keep them safe on the job.
Safety Matters Blog
Looking for an updates and information on health and safety in Nova Scotia? Check out WCB Nova Scotia’s Safety Matters blog.
To learn more, please contact:
Lise Theriault
Relationship Manager
Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Direct Line: 902-483-3121
E-mail: lise.jeffrey@wcb.ns.ca
RCC Member Programs & Services
Toll-Free: 1-888-373-8245
E-mail: info@retailcouncil.org