Each year in Nova Scotia, more than 770,000 work days are lost due to workplace injury. 

Although the number of time-loss injuries has declined in recent years, the average length of those claims has increased. 

Losing time from work due to injury takes a significant human toll on workers, their families, and our communities. Beyond that, there is economic and business impact. 

Long claim durations create challenges for our economy, and our ability to compete nationally and globally. At 115 days, the average claim duration in Nova Scotia is longer than in many other Canadian provinces. 

Our province’s people are our biggest asset and we need them to be healthy, working, and on the job.

In an effort to further assist workers as they recover from workplace injury, Atlantic Canada’s workers’ compensation organizations have teamed up to launch a region-wide program.

Working to Well is one of several shared initiatives produced over the past decade by WCB Nova Scotia, WorkplaceNL, WorkSafeNB, and the Workers Compensation Board of PEI. Its goal is to keep people connected to their workplace, whenever possible, following an injury. The partners are using the program as a key tool in their efforts to reduce the human and financial toll of injury. How it’s used is different in each province, but at its core are four powerful stories of Atlantic Canadians who overcame challenging and life-changing workplace injuries.

Registered Nurse Denise Cann suffered a serious shoulder strain while moving a patient at Cape Breton Regional Hospital; Mechanic Robert Gunn broke all four limbs while working on a tire reassembly service call near Charlottetown; Custodian Jeff Wilcox hurt his back working at the St. John’s Citadel; and Fredericton carpenter Darren Shaw suffered serious injuries to his arm during a drywall installation. All four workers made a successful return to work and their stories form the centerpiece of the Working to Well program. 

Getting safely back to work after injury is a team effort. Working to Well recognizes that fact, and offers practical tools that workers, employers and health care providers can use to support success.

“Working to Well is just one example of how our organization is changing to be more responsive to the needs of those we serve,” says WCB Nova Scotia CEO Stuart MacLean. “We’re in the midst of a comprehensive business transformation. We’re fundamentally changing how we do our business, because workplace safety and return to work have important roles to play in the Nova Scotia of tomorrow.”  

Visit the Working to Well website to learn more.