As Safety and Health Week wrapped up for 2025 and as the WCB Nova Scotia commemorated the anniversary of the Westray Mine explosion, the organization released its report on the human impact of workplace injury in the province last year.
It’s a story of continued preventable injury and its deep and lasting impact on the province — but also, a story of progress.
For example, in 2024, more than 90 health care workers remained on the job caring for Nova Scotians instead of being off due to workplace injury, after continued safety improvements to that sector which has the highest rate of time-loss injuries.
It’s one indication of how WCB Nova Scotia is improving injury prevention and return-to-work outcomes to better protect the workforce and ensure a safer province to work in, for everyone. But while there has been progress, the WCB said safety must always be the first priority.
Released earlier this year, 20 Nova Scotians in 2024 sadly lost their lives due to acute workplace incidents or occupational diseases, or while at work due to health reasons.
The anniversary of the Westray Mine disaster — and the memory of the 26 Nova Scotians lost that day in 1992 — stands as a tragic reminder of the vital importance of workplace safety to ensure Nova Scotians return safely home at the end of their shift.
“This must always be our strongest call to action,” said CEO Karen Adams. “Death in the workplace, or due to work done in the past, will never be acceptable. Today’s report is released amid a new framework of increased accountability for the WCB and a commitment to long-term improvement.”
The injury rate in the province’s largest sector — health and social services — improved by 30 per cent through innovative prevention work and strategic partnerships with AWARE-NS, the Nova Scotia Government and employers. In high-demand areas like long-term care and home care, injury rates are now at all-time lows. The report revealed overall progress, which the WCB credits to partners, employers and workers across the province. The workplace injury rate reached another all-time low of 1.38 per 100 covered workers in 2024. This rate has declined consistently since the early 2000s, when WCB Nova Scotia became responsible for workplace injury prevention in partnership with the provincial government.
2024 marked the first year of the WCB’s Protect More Strategic Plan 2024–2030, which is driving significant changes to service delivery. The WCB met its new service level agreements, improving response times for calls and messages, and issuing decisions faster.
“At WCB Nova Scotia, we’re not just managing claims, we’re transforming injury prevention and recovery,” said Adams. “We’ve long been a leader in safety and we’re evolving to build a stronger, healthier workforce by helping injured workers return to work safely and sooner.”
While return-to-work outcomes still present opportunities for improvement, the first 90 days of 2025 have shown significant progress. Through March, over 70 per cent of workers returned to work within 90 days — faster than ever before. Outcomes are even better for claims processed under a new service model implemented last fall that puts a focus on the all-important first 30 days of an injury.
“This isn’t the WCB of the past,” Adams added. “We’re on a bold mission to protect more workers through our road map to 2030 and strengthen our province — one safe return to work at a time.”
