Demands grow for quick action to fix issues flagged in workplace investigations audit

Labour leaders and opposition parties want the Newfoundland and Labrador government to immediately address shortcomings in how serious workplace accidents are investigated in the province.

"Every day that passes without meaningful action is another day when workers are placed at risk," said Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour president Jessica McCormick on Wednesday. 

"It's time for our government to step up and take health and safety seriously to guarantee every worker returns home safe at the end of the day."

The calls come in the wake of Tuesday's CBC Investigates story on the findings of a 2022 internal government audit. The review found overworked staff and a lack of training were among the factors that slowed down investigations.

In some cases, the two-year deadline to lay occupational health and safety charges passed, potentially letting employers off the hook.

McCormick said it's "shameful" that some employers may have avoided accountability because of procedural failures.

"While the vast majority of employers are absolutely providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees, I can certainly imagine that there are some who are rolling the dice in hopes that the resources aren't there to undertake a proper investigation should an accident happen," McCormick told CBC News on Wednesday.

"So we absolutely need clear timelines and a clear direction from the provincial government on when they're going to make the changes that are needed to keep workers safe."

McCormick says that action needs to come from the top.

"The blame for this issue should never be placed at the feet of the people who work in the OHS division," she said.

Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees president Jerry Earle said front-line workers are doing their best.

"It comes down to the need for appropriate human resources, and that falls back on management and departments of government to ensure that," Earle said.

"This is the consequence when we have critical positions left short."

The Department of Digital Government and Service N.L. has not granted interview requests over the past three weeks.

But in a statement late Wednesday afternoon, officials said they remain committed to providing the best service possible when investigating serious occupational health and safety incidents.

The department reiterated that it has accepted all of the recommendations from the internal audit and is working to implement them, although no timeline has been provided for that to happen.

Officials added that additional progress has since been made, including the finalization of standard operating procedures that are now being used by OHS officers.

Opposition calls for action

But that's not good enough for the two opposition parties.

The Tories called on the Liberal government to take "immediate and decisive action" in response to the audit, which they say exposes severe shortcomings in the investigation of serious workplace accidents in the province.

Exploits MHA Pleaman Forsey called the findings of the audit "severely damning." 

He said occupational health and safety investigations serve as a crucial deterrent and protect workers injured on the job.

"To know that at least one-quarter of the investigations reviewed were not completed within the two-year time frame, this is certainly concerning, and the Liberal government is failing to update their policies and putting workers at risk," said said Forsey, the Progressive Conservative critic responsible for Workplace N.L.

• CBC INVESTIGATES | Auditors probed how serious workplace incidents are investigated in N.L. They found big problems

NDP MHA Jordan Brown, whose district of Labrador West is home to twin mining towns, also lashed the province over the audit's findings and pace of fixing the issues identified.

The audit was commissioned in 2020 and completed in late 2022.

"Government's refusal to ensure that resources and expertise are in place to investigate workplace injuries and deaths shows a callous indifference that should make all workers concerned," said Brown. 

"Everyone deserves to work safely and come home to their families at the end of the day. Key to that is investigating workplace injuries and deaths in a timely manner so that issues are identified and addressed. That's not a priority for the Liberal government."

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