The WorkSafe Services division is responsible for adjudicating and managing injury claims, the physical and vocational rehabilitation of injured workers, and for promoting and ensuring compliance to health and safety legislation. This division administers the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act. Owners, contractors, employers, supervisors, suppliers and workers all have statutory obligations to ensure that their workplaces are safe and that everyone works in a safe manner. Duties of employers, owners, contractors, employees and suppliers are outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

This division promotes workplace health and safety through a variety of accident prevention initiatives:  health and safety inspections, accident investigations, arbitration hearings under the Occupational Health & Safety Act, consulting services, education workshops and ergonomics assessments. The division offers services to workers from regional offices located in Bathurst, Grand Falls, Dieppe and Saint John.

The WorkSafe Services division encompasses the following:

The WHSCC uses a case management approach to facilitate the rehabilitation of injured workers. The case management team is composed of a case manager, a rehabilitation specialist, an occupational therapist and a medical advisor. This team develops a comprehensive rehabilitation plan in conjunction with the worker, employer, medical and vocational resources. Teams exist in each of the regional offices (Northeast – Bathurst, Northwest – Grand Falls, Southeast – Dieppe, and Southwest – Saint John. Each regional office also offers the following:

• Health and safety officers who inspect workplaces, and conduct accident and fatality investigations.
• Education consultants who conduct workshops and seminars, and assist Joint Health & Safety Committees.
• Health & safety consultants who assist workplaces that have high cost and frequency of accidents in developing appropriate health & safety programs for their needs.
• Ergonomic consultants who assist workplaces with ergonomic assessments.
• Employers services representatives who are responsible for auditing the payroll of assessed employers.

The Adjudication and Benefit Services (ABS) department is responsible for establishing claims, preparing and adjudicating all no lost-time and lost-time claims, as well as for managing records including mail, document processing and inquiry phone services. ABS manages lost-time claims of a short duration and refers claims of a longer duration/complexity to case management in the regions. The overall principles governing this department are quality, consistency, and expediting the time to first cheque for the injured worker. This department also provides services to long-term disability injured workers province-wide, and is responsible for administering pensions and long-term disability benefits. The goal is to assist those individuals to re-enter the workforce and where it is not possible, assist them to attain maximum functionality and improved quality of life.

Divisional Support is responsible for project development, program standards, and support to regional service delivery.

The Chief Compliance Office includes the chief compliance officer under the Occupational Health & Safety Act, as well as technical and administrative support for compliance issues.

The Chief Medical Office which includes the chief medical officer and administrative staff is responsible for standards on medical treatment and for liaising with the medical community.

The Rehabilitation Programs Development & Evaluation (RPDE) department is responsible for developing, monitoring, and revising standards of practice for all rehabilitation services provided for injured workers by the WHSCC; both external services including physiotherapy and occupational therapy, as well as internal services such as case management and vocational rehabilitation. The department is also responsible to determine the need for any new services through review of WHSCC policies and through consultation with stakeholders, and to develop standards for these services.

For more information, visit the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission's Web site at: http://www.whscc.nb.ca/index_e.asp or call toll-free 1-800-222-9775.