May 15, 2014 – Halifax, Nova Scotia – Rebate cheques are in the mail for trucking and construction employers whose health and safety programs meet the requirements of a recognized safety accreditation.
1,243 qualifying employers in these two industries are receiving a total of $1.45 million dollars in rebates through WCB’s Practice Incentive Rebate Pilot Program.
Developed in partnership with the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association (NSCSA) and the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association (NSTSA), the program is funded by employers and offers rebates on workplace insurance premiums for businesses who have received either a Certificate of Recognition (COR) or Safety Certified accreditation. The program encourages employers to implement effective health and safety management systems as an important step toward reducing the risk of workplace injuries.
The rebate program is one of the ways the industry safety associations have been working to advance workplace safety in the province for many years. This year marks the 20th anniversary for the NSCSA, and the 15th anniversary for the NSTSA.
The Practice Incentive Pilot program will continue in 2014 with the possibility of expanding to other industry groups in future years.
The Practice Incentive Pilot program supports the Workplace Safety Strategy for Nova Scotians. This five-year plan establishes strong goals for health and safety and long-term vision of making Nova Scotia the safest place to work in Canada.
QUICK FACTS
- 987 firms in the construction industry received about $1.2 million in rebates and 256 firms in the trucking industry received about $240,000.
- 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association and the 15th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association
QUOTES
“It’s partners like Bruce Collins with the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association and Linda Corkum with the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association that are leading the changes needed to make Nova Scotia a safer place to work. Their leadership on initiatives like these is helping to encourage more employers to put safety first.” - Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education
“By putting effective health and safety systems in place, these employers are demonstrating their commitment to providing safe work environments with less risk of workplace injuries, less time lost due to injury, and more engaged and productive workers that go home safely at the end of each shift.” – Stuart MacLean, CEO, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia.
“We have been a supporter of the NSTSA and their annual safety audit process for several years. Each year it brings a new set of eyes into our operations and provides valuable input into the enhancements of our safety program. We are very excited to receive a rebate from the WCB that we can use to enhance our safety program even further. We have chosen to use the rebate towards a new snow removal system at our Kentville location. This enhancement will allow the drivers to drive under the system rather than have to climb onto a platform to manually remove the snow. This project will contribute towards injury reduction and public safety.” - Trevor Bent, HR/Risk Manager, Eassons Transport
MEDIA CONTACT
Julie Trites
WCB Communications Advisor
902-491-8110
902-717-1697 (cell)
Julie.trites@wcb.gov.ns.ca