May 6-12, 2012, is North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, bringing safety to the forefront in workplaces, communities and homes across the continent.  The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) encourages all Islanders to take this week to consider the importance of occupational safety and health in their own lives.

NAOSH Week is a community-based movement, led each year by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering. The purpose of the week is to instill and reinforce a commitment to occupational safety and health, and to develop safe work practices that will be implemented throughout the year. 

“Safety must be a priority in every workplace,” said Nancy Guptill,  Workers Compensation Board Chair. “The WCB is proud to support NAOSH Week and the effort to promote safety among employers, workers and all Islanders.”

On Prince Edward Island, 2012 NAOSH Week activities include two key events, the Steps for Life Walk and the NAOSH Professional Development Day. Almost one hundred people attended the Steps for Life Walk on May 5 in Charlottetown, which was hosted by Threads for Life, the national charity dedicated to supporting families affected by workplace tragedy.  The NAOSH Professional Development Day will be held on May 11 in Cornwall, and includes training on topics such as safety responsibilities, hearing conservation, young workers and incident investigation.

In addition to these events, the WCB is marking NAOSH week with its Back Protection Agent campaign. The awareness campaign empowers all Islanders to become agents in preventing back strains, the most common type of workplace injury.

“Everyone can get involved,” said Guptill.  “By doing so, we can develop a holistic approach to safety and raise awareness of safety matters. Most importantly, by working together, we can protect each other from occupational injury, illness and disease.”

For more information about creating safer workplaces, during NASOH Week and year round, visit the Safe Workplaces section of the WCB website.

Promoting a culture of workplace safety: close to one hundred people showed their support at the May 5, 2012, Steps for Life Walk. The event was the kick- off to North American Occupational Health and Safety Week on PEI.