Injury Prevention
Strategic Priority
We will continue to reduce the provincial workplace injury rate and work toward the elimination of workplace fatalities.
Eliminating Stigma. Saving Lives. First Responders’ Mental Health Conference
A capacity crowd of 280 attended the First Responders’ Mental Health Conference, held September 13 and 14, 2022, at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel in Halifax.
First responders are four times more likely than the general public to have certain types of mental health disorders (PTSD, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders). That was just one of the eye-opening facts shared at the first-ever First Responders’ Mental Health Conference, held September 13 and 14, 2022, at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel in Halifax.
A capacity crowd of 280 people including first responders, employers, representatives from unions, WCB, and government came together for the event, which featured internationally recognized guest speakers and subject matter experts from within Nova Scotia, across Canada, and from the United States.
Presentations addressed how to build resilience, navigating psychological injury claims, developing peer support programs, and more. Breakout sessions allowed employers and employees to candidly share concerns and experiences with each other. And the comedian and motivational speaker Big Daddy Tazz, the “bi-polar buddha,” lightened the mood by finding humour and the positivity in his own mental health experiences.
Attendees praised the event for bringing everyone together on this vital topic and allowing those who have been directly impacted by workplace mental health issues to speak openly about their challenges and triumphs. “It is always good for a first responder’s soul to be in the room with other first responders,” wrote one attendee, who added, “we all have a different experience, but the role unites us all, and acknowledging mental health is important and impactful.”
While everyone agreed that attitudes toward mental health challenges are changing, more still needs to be done to eliminate the stigma.
The conference was organized by the Nova Scotia First Responder Steering Committee, a collaboration of frontline first responders and employers representing the RCMP, Halifax Regional Police (HRP), the HRP Association, Corrections Canada, Emergency Medical Care (EMCi), Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU), Halifax Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, and the WCB. The committee’s goal is to eliminate stigma and provide tools and resources that help first responders protect their mental health throughout their careers.
“This conference is the second significant initiative to emerge from our steering committee,” says Shelley Rowan, Interim CEO and co-chair of the committee. “The first was the launch of a website (FirstRespondersMentalHealthNS.com) in 2020, which features online workplace mental health tools and resources, such as self-assessments, online counselling, training materials, and mental health apps.”
In 2023, the Steering Committee will turn its focus to a new initiative to develop tools and supports that improve communication between first responder supervisors and managers and their employees who are away from the workplace due to a psychological injury.
More and more workplaces, including the WCB, are recognizing that workplace safety goes beyond the physical to include psychological and mental health. In fact, psychological wounds require more time and specialized support to heal than physical injuries.
Our Progress
Working with our partners, contributed to reductions in the injury rates in the long-term care, home care and disability support sectors, by supporting the implementation of workplace safety initiatives.
Introduced the Healthy Workplaces social marketing campaign and delivered new webinars to hundreds of employers.
Delivered a major conference on first responders’ mental health in partnership with the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, attended by 280 people representing first responders, employers, union representatives, mental health service providers, WCB employees and government.
Continued to support building better safety awareness in the fishing sector through radio ads, targeted email outreach, and our ongoing partnership with Fish Safe Nova Scotia.
Continued our weather-specific ad campaigns for fishing safety and for slips, trips, and falls , programmed to run whenever bad weather was forecast.
Marked the 30th Anniversary of the Westray Mine Disaster and shared a new Day of Mourning video about the loss of miner Glenn Martin.
Produced a new podcast, WorkShift, which focuses on leadership insights, and featured
Our Plans
Continue to provide leadership and support for ongoing work to achieve better outcomes in our long-term care, home care, and disability support sectors, with a focus on implementing improved injury prevention and safe and timely return-to-work approaches across the province.
Deliver new injury prevention initiatives, including an update of the WCB Safety Certified Audit Program, and explore the expansion of the Practice Incentive Rebate.
Alongside our partners at Nova Scotia Labour, Skills and Immigration, help define a Psychological Injury Strategic Framework with a focus on psychologically healthy workplace programming.
Continue supporting the fishing sector in the achievement of safer outcomes.
Reach out and share vital safety messages with more Nova Scotian workplaces through targeted digital approaches, including e-marketing.
Continue important health and safety conversations with leaders through the WorkShift podcast and welcome our new permanent CEO as host.
Continue to facilitate the work of the First Responders’ Mental Health Steering Committee and its efforts to help workers injured on the job stay connected to the workplace during their recovery.
Provide support for events, initiatives and organizations that build a stronger culture of safety across our province.