Editor’s Note: The articles and information here are courtesy of the Alberta Department of Human Resources and Employment.

The Occupational Injuries and Diseases in Alberta 2003 Summary demonstrates that the efforts of the Alberta Government, employers and workers to create safer Alberta workplaces are paying off. Detailed analysis of health and safety outcomes reported in the summary shows that injuries in Alberta workplaces are steadily decreasing.

The risk of injury in Alberta workplaces decreased in 2003 to 2.9 lost-time claims per 100 person-years, down from 3.0 in 2002. This statistic represents:

• 1,023 fewer lost-time claim injuries and an estimated $20 million in direct annual Workers' Compensation Board claims cost savings
• An estimated $1.66 million in WCB health service industry claim cost savings (health service industries include hospital/acute centres, home support services, health units, rehabilitation services for the disabled and long-term care facilities)
• The lowest rate since the province began recording lost-time claims in 1991.

Other statistics and information of note include:

• 36,575 workplace injuries and claims serious enough for workers to miss at least one day of work, a decrease of 2.7 per cent or 1,023 fewer injuries from 2002
• Approximately 50 per cent of injuries were strains, sprains and tears, and 25 per cent were due to improper movement when pulling, pushing, lifting and carrying. More than 25 per cent were back injuries
• Lost-time claim rates in most sectors decreased or remained unchanged.

In this data, a lost-time claim involves an occupational injury or an occupational health-related matter that keeps the worker off the job beyond the occurrence day.

The 2003 summary includes information on Alberta Human Resources and Employment's workplace health and safety initiatives, a provincial summary of lost-time claim rates by industry sector, demographics of injured workers and lists of injury types.

MORE INFORMATION

The Occupational Injuries and Diseases in Alberta 2003 Summary
is available online
www.gov.ab.ca/hre/whs/publications/statistics.asp