Daily Herald Staff
The number of workplace fatalities decreased while claim costs increased according to the 2024 Workers’ Compensation Board (WBC) operating results, which were announced on Thursday.
WBC numbers show 27 workers died on the job in 2024, a slight decrease from 29 in 2023. WCB CEO Phillip Germain said that’s a positive step, but still concerning.
“While we are heading in the right direction, we have more work to do,” Germain in a press release. “Even one fatality or one injury is too many, so we must continue to innovate and focus our injury prevention efforts.”
Last year was the fifth straight year that 90 per cent of Saskatchewan employers had no workplace injuries or fatalities.
The total injury rate decreased from 3.95 per cent to 3.91 per cent. That’s the lowest total in Saskatchewan history. The 2024 Time Loss injury rate also dropped. It was 1.72 injuries per 100 workers in 2024, compared to 1.78 in 2023. The WCB said this is also a record low for the province.
“For yet another year, we’ve reached historic lows in the province when it comes to workplace safety,” WCB chair Gord Dobrowolsky said. “This is a significant achievement. These safety records are the result of the collective dedication of everyone involved in leading safety in their workplaces.”
The WCB covered 443, full-time equivalent workers in 2024, compared to 409,158 the year before. Claim costs amounted to $255 million in 2024, up from $223.4 million in 2023.
In 2024, the WCB reached the halfway point of its Business Transformation Program. The program will modernize and replace outdated core and enabling technologies, update business processes and policies, invest in staff training and enhance the overall effectiveness of its programs and service delivery models.
“Through the Business Transformation Program, we are modernizing the WCB’s service delivery model to improve the customer experience and support the long-term health of Saskatchewan’s compensation system,” Germain said. “When complete, this highly integrated program will enhance the WCB’s service delivery, including technological tools, business processes, workplace culture and partner engagement.”
