Manitoba launches support for safety leadership • WSIB coverage for construction to be mandatory in 2013 • 2 new members appointed to WorkSafeNB’s board of directors
Manitoba
Manitoba launches support for safety leadership
Safe Work Manitoba has rolled out a new support section for safety leaders on its website. The section includes information, tips, tools and downloadable resources intended to help employers and company leadership maintain a good worker safety level, reduce the injury rate in their workplace and foster a culture of health and safety in their organization and throughout Manitoba. The resources aim to achieve two broad goals: protect healthy workers through the prevention of work-related injury and illness and improve the health and recovery of injured workers. Resources on the leadership section of the website include a workplace injuries cost calculator. The support section is available at: http://safemanitoba.com/
SAFE_leadership.aspx
Ontario
WSIB coverage for construction to be mandatory in 2013
Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has launched a year-long campaign to encourage independent operators and others working in the construction industry to voluntarily pre-register for workers’ compensation coverage. Beginning next year, coverage will be mandatory. Amendments to the province’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act were passed in 2008 to make workers’ compensation coverage mandatory for independent operators, sole proprietors, some partners in a partnership and some executive officers who work in the construction industry. The amendments become law Jan.1, 2013. The change means independent operators, executive officers and partners in a partnership working in construction who have no workers will be required to have WSIB coverage. There is an exemption for home renovators who are contracted directly with the person occupying the residence and work exclusively in home renovation. Businesses are allowed to select one executive officer or partner to apply for an exemption from coverage. This must be an individual who does not perform any construction work on any building site (including on-site supervision). Amendments that allow the affected individuals to pre-register with the WSIB took effect Jan. 1, 2012. The amendments allow individuals to register with the board until Dec. 31, 2012, but pay no premiums until next January when coverage begins.
New Brunswick
2 new members appointed to WorkSafeNB’s board of directors
Euclide Haché and Mel Vincent have been appointed new members of WorkSafeNB’s board of directors. They have filled the positions left vacant by board members whose terms expired in October 2011. Haché was appointed as a worker representative. A miner and health and safety advocate with more than 30 years of experience working within the labour movement, Haché is president of the United Steel Workers Union Local 5385. He serves on the local’s negotiating committee, as well as the grievance, compensation and workplace accommodation committees. He previously served as a joint health and safety committee co-chair and sat on national committees on harassment and miner certification. As an instructor, he has provided training through courses in leadership and the duty to accommodate. Haché is bilingual and lives in Haut-Rivière-du-Portage. Vincent was appointed to the board as an employer representative. Vincent founded and manages Oakhill Realty in Saint John. Before entering the real estate field, he worked with the legislative assembly as a policy and research officer, and with Enterprise Saint John as an immigration project co-ordinator. Vincent, who lives in Rothesay, has served on a number of committees and is a member of several boards and associations within the real estate business.
