NDP APPLAUDS MOVES TO IMPROVE WORKER SAFETY
The New Democratic Party caucus congratulates the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board for recognizing it needs to do more to promote a culture of safety at workplaces and jobsites across the territory.
“Yesterday’s announcement by the YWCHSB that it will improve services and increase enforcement and penalties for companies and employers that violate occupational health and safety regulations was a long time coming but very much welcomed,” says Steve Cardiff, the MLA for Mount Lorne.
“We have raised these issues many times over the years, and as recently as this April 28, the National Day of Mourning for workers injured or killed on the job, we called on the government and compensation board to do more to inform the public about businesses with bad safety records. And I am glad to see that one of the changes the YWCHSB is making to reduce our shocking rates of job-related accidents and deaths will do exactly that.”
On Aril 26, Cardiff told the House that when restaurants and bars are fined or closed by inspectors for public health or liquor violations, these actions are highly publicized and the same approach needs to be taken when workplace hazards are found.
“People should know which workplaces are unsafe and publicizing the names of companies that have been fined for breaking occupational health and safety regulations will act as a deterrent and encourage compliance,” Cardiff adds. “This seems to work in other jurisdictions where this is done and I am confident it will work here just as well.”
The other issue the NDP raised in the legislature during the week of the National Day of Mourning concerned a new requirement for employers bidding on government contracts to participate in the Certificate of Recognition of the Small Employers Certificate of Recognition programs, which are designed to create safer workplaces.
“The problem was, the government set back the deadline for companies to be COR- or SECOR-certified, which was unfair to those companies that took their responsibilities to their workers seriously enough to get certified,” Cardiff adds.
“So I am pleased to see the YWCHSB will take out newspaper ads to recognize companies that make a commitment to workplace safety by getting these certifications. We need to do whatever we can to encourage companies to take workplace health and safety as seriously as possible. What I hope to see next is legislation governing hours of work and ages for young workers in high-risk occupations.”