The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour:

Mr. Speaker, we can all be proud that government, industry, labour, and safety organizations in this province work together to build a strong safety culture.

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians understand the significant physical, emotional, and financial impacts of workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. These impacts can be far-reaching, affecting workers, their coworkers, employers, families, and whole communities.

That is why WorkplaceNL holds so firm to its mandate to promote safe and healthy workplaces, and to prevent workplace injuries. By working collaboratively with its partners, WorkplaceNL has produced incredibly effective educational materials.

All of us in this Honourable House recognize their achievements in promoting workplace health and safety and now, I am proud to say, WorkplaceNL is gaining worldwide recognition and accolades.

Two of WorkplaceNL’s creative initiatives have been named to the top 50 shortlist at the prestigious International Media Festival for Prevention 2021, part of the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. These two initiatives were shortlisted from nearly 290 entries from 40 countries, an incredible success.

Mr. Speaker, the interactive Online Young Worker Safety Course was developed in collaboration with the Department of Education and Bluedrop Performance Learning and is available to high school students throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Since its launch in 2018, the self-directed course has inspired more than 1,600 youth to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to take a proactive approach to workplace health and safety practices.

WorkplaceNL also worked in partnership with all Atlantic Canadian workers’ compensation organizations to develop the Workplace Injuries Hurt the Most at Home campaign. This campaign serves as an important reminder of workplace health and safety by showing the painful reality of families dealing with the aftermath of workplace injuries and deaths. It motivates everyone to make safety at work a priority.

Mr. Speaker, this international recognition is proof positive that WorkplaceNL and its partners are doing excellent work in promoting a culture of safety in workplaces throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

I invite all Honourable Members to join me in congratulating WorkplaceNL and wishing them every success at the final International Media Festival for Prevention competition in September 2021. Keep up the excellent work!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.