Manufacturing
Building a safer workplace
Nearly 11% of all serious injuries in Nova Scotia occur in the manufacturing industry.
The most common injuries are:
- sprains and strains
- burns from chemicals
- workers getting caught in machinery and equipment
- hearing loss from noise in the workplace
- slips, trips, and falls
- workers getting electrocuted
With the right safety plan, equipment, and training, all of these can be prevented.
In 2023, the manufacturing industry in Nova Scotia saw:
2,654 reported injury claims
512 time-loss claims
where workers missed 3 or more days of work because of their injuries.
These statistics highlight why safety training and practices are so important in the manufacturing industry. Use the information you’ll find here to improve safety for you and your workers.
The top 3 time-loss injuries reported for manufacturing in Nova Scotia (2022) were:
- 308 sprains and strains
- 64 broken bones and dislocated joints
- 43cuts, scratches, and punctures
Use these safety resources to protect your workers
Use this risk-mapping tool to identify where and why workers are getting injured in your place. You may be able to fix some hazards. For others, you may need to make sure your workers have the right training to do a dangerous job safely.
Many businesses in Nova Scotia are required by law to have an occupation health and safety policy and program. Learn more about how to create yours .
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- The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration provides a range of programs and services to help make your workplace safer.
- Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters is another source of information on training opportunities, events, and news about your industry.
- The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety is a Government of Canada initiative that provides programs and services in English and French.
- Workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) training is mandatory for jobs involving chemicals and other hazardous materials.
Have a return-to-work plan
When injury does happen, one of the best things you can do for your worker is help them recover at work. In fact, the sooner you get them back to the workplace, the better for their recovery. Learn more about how to create a return-to-work program here.