Calls for proper safety measures after N.S. workplace fatalities increased in 2024

The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia says 20 people died on the job last year.

Numbers released by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) reveal more residents died at work or because of work in 2024 than the year before.

Last year, 20 Nova Scotians died in connection with their work, which is an increase from 18 in 2023.

The board says those numbers are a reminder of the importance of proper safety measures on the job and the devastating toll workplace deaths have on families and loved ones.

“Every workplace fatality is one too many,” says Nolan Young, minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “Our thoughts are with the families and coworkers affected by these tragedies. We will continue to take action and work together to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities across Nova Scotia.”

Karen Adams, CEO of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, says workplaces having stringent safety protocols is essential to preventing fatalities.

“Workplace deaths leave families having to navigate the loss of a loved one from an event that is not only tragic but, in many cases, preventable,” says Adams. “It’s a type of grief no one should have to cope with. Our thoughts are with the families.”

There are three classifications of workplace fatalities:

- Acute: where an incident on the job, like a fall, drowning, or a motor vehicle accident, leads to a fatality

- Occupational disease: like mesothelioma or other work-related illnesses

- Health-related: where a person dies while at work, but for health reasons which may or may not be related to their work

Of the 20 workplace fatalities in 2024, there were:

- seven from acute traumatic injuries on the job, an increase from seven in 2023. The acute fatalities in 2024 are below the five-year average of nine. The fatalities reported for last year spanned various sectors, including construction, retail and manufacturing.

- six deaths related to occupational diseases stemming from past exposures – a decrease from nine the previous year

- seven deaths from a health-related event, like a heart attack or stroke occurring at work – compared to two in 2023

While the overall provincial injury rate remains at an historic low, a recent review of the workers’ compensation system by the Government of Nova Scotia highlighted key areas for improvement.

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