Top Achievers in Workplace Safety Honoured

Top achievers in workplace safety were honoured today when 20 Nova Scotia companies received the province’s first annual Occupational Health and Safety Workplace Achievement Awards.

The awards were presented at a luncheon in Halifax by Environment and Labour Minister David Morse. This week is North American Occupational Health and Safety Week.

"These companies deserve to be recognized for their achievement in successfully preventing injuries in their own workplaces," said Mr. Morse.

"More education and improving attitudes are leading to more accidents being prevented. That’s especially impressive when you consider our workforce is growing."

Each company or division recognized today registered the top Workers Compensation Experience Rating in their respective counties. An experience rating is determined by comparing the company’s accident experience and workers-compensation claim cost against the standard for the company’s industry group.

According to Workers'' Compensation Board statistics, the number of lost-time accidents reported in Nova Scotia has dropped from 3.12 per 100 in 1995 to two per 100 in 1999. Lost-time accidents are defined as accidents which require the employee to take time from work to recover.

The winners are as follows:

• St. Anne Community Nursing Care Centre, Richmond County.
• R. MacLean Forestry Ltd., Antigonish County.
• ABCO Industries Ltd. - Machine Shop Division, Lunenburg County.
• East Side Fisheries Ltd., Yarmouth County.
• Annapolis County Adult Residential Centre, Annapolis County.
• Keltic Lodge -- Province of Nova Scotia, Victoria County.
• R.I. Smith Co. Ltd., Shelburne County(tie).
• Canus Fisheries Ltd., Shelburne County (tie).
• Sea Star Seafoods Ltd., Shelburne County (tie).
• Ronal Graham Pulp Contractor Ltd., Colchester County.
• Atlantic Corporation Ltd., Inverness County.
• Town of Kentville -- Municipal Operations, Construction and Maintenance, Kings County.
• Brimac Masonry Ltd., Cape Breton County.
• Darrin Carter Logging Ltd., Cumberland County.
• ACS Trading - A Division of Farocan Inc., Guysborough County.
• D.B. Kenney Fisheries Ltd., Digby County.
• Carl Anthony Trucking Ltd., Hants County.
• N.R. Kenney Logging Ltd., Pictou County.
• Bowater Mersey Paper Company - Woodlands Divisions, Queen’s County.
• Rideau Construction Inc., Halifax County.