Westray Tragedy Led to Safer Workplaces
Environment and Labour Minister David Morse today paid tribute to the 26 miners who lost their lives in an explosion 10 years ago in the Westray Mine in Plymouth, Pictou Co.
Mr. Morse read a resolution in the House of Assembly and all members honoured the memory of those who died with a minute of silence.
"The legacy left by these miners has been a safer workplace for all Nova Scotians," said Mr. Morse. "We must ensure that their memory continues to be an inspiration to remain vigilant in the cause of safety."
The minister noted that Nova Scotia is a safer place for people to work than it was 10 years ago. Over the past decade, government has undertaken many occupational health and safety initiatives, including increasing the number of inspectors to 27 from 18. The number of actual inspections has also increased and the number of workplace orders issued has more than tripled. Government's success rate in health and safety prosecutions also jumped to 83 per cent in 2001 from 44 per cent in 1997.
Nova Scotia has also been successful in reducing the number of accidents, such as workplace falls. During the five years leading to the introduction of the Fall Protection and Scaffolding Regulations in 1996, there were on average 2,060 Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) claims per year. In the four years after the regulations came into effect, the number of WCB claims dropped an average of 20 per cent per year. The regulations are just one of many specific initiatives to help make Nova Scotia workplaces safer.
Government agreed to accept, and has addressed, all 74 of the recommendations from the 1997 Westray Inquiry Report. One-third of them are now complete. The remaining 46 will be completed with the introduction of new Underground Mining Regulations later this year.
The minister credits education initiatives in playing a pivotal role in leading the culture change that has occurred in workplaces across Nova Scotia.
"Education is a critical component of health and safety compliance," said Mr. Morse. "I'm especially pleased to see the number of education initiatives that are focused on youth. Through these initiatives, we are instilling safe and healthy work practices in young people before they join the workforce."
Some of the activities that Environment and Labour are involved in are a high school credit course on occupational health and safety and the creation of a Web page dedicated to youth workers. In addition to provincial initiatives, the Nova Scotia Safety Council offers a one-day training program for youth as part of a Student Workplace Orientation Program.
"We can never do enough to get our youth off to a safe start as they enter the workforce," said Mr. Morse.