What is WorkSafeNB?

WorkSafeNB is New Brunswick’s workplace health and safety insurance board. The board promotes healthy and safe workplaces for employees and employers across New Brunswick. WorkSafeNB provides rehabilitation services and fair compensation benefits when unfortunate accidents do occur. As a crown corporation, WorkSafeNB is responsible for ensuring the implementation and application of

  • The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
  • The Workers Compensation Act
  • The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
  • The Firefighters’ Compensation Act
  • The Workers Compensation Appeals Tribunal Act

At the end of the day, WorkSafeNB’s priority is preventing workplace injuries and occupational disease.

Employer responsibilities

Employers play a key role in the recovery of an employee injured on the job.

Some of these responsibilities include:

  • Take precautions to ensure the safety of your employees.
  • Comply with the OHS act and its regulations. While making sure that your employees do as well.
  • Ensure that tools, equipment, machines, devices and materials are maintained and in good working condition.
  • Educate employees on potential hazards in the workplace.
  • Provide employees with health and safety training.
  • Make sure employees receive adequate supervision.
  • Establish a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or safety representative. Companies with 20 or more employees must appoint a JHSC.
  • Co-operate with the JHSC or rep.
  • Post a copy of the OHS act in an easily accessible location in your workplace.

Your Return-to-Work program

When an employee is injured on the job, it’s incredibly unfortunate. After the incident does occur you must report it within three days. But what comes next? Now you must develop a Return-to-Work program.

This program must comply with the Workers Compensation Act. The Act states “No employer shall dismiss, suspend, lay off, penalize, discipline or discriminate against a worker because the worker suffered a personal injury by accident in respect of which the worker is, in the opinion of WorkSafeNB, entitled to make application for compensation.” Subsection 42.1(2)

Requirements for your Return-to-Work program include:

  • If you are an employer with between 10 and 20 employees, you must hold the positon for the injured worker until their return for a period of one year. Employers with 20 or more employees must hold the positon for at least two years.
  • If WorkSafeNB determines that the injured employee is unfit to perform their original duties, the employer must create modified duties. The employer may not make any changes to benefits or senority.
  • If modified duties are not a possibility, the employer must find alternate employment for the worker.
  • WorkSafeNB may recommend the Training on the Job program. This program allows workers to develop new skills in a workplace environment.

If you have any questions about creating a Return-to-Work program or want to make sure your program is compliant, feel free to give our friendly experts a call.

Have more questions about the WorkSafeNB?

If you need any help understanding WorkSafeNB, we’re here to support you. Our experts know to help your business avoid fines and stay compliant.

Our advisors are always ready to answer any questions you may have about the WorkSafeNB or health & safety standards in New Brunswick. We are here to help set up your small business for success.

Call us at 1-888-936-5631.