In May of 2023, the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration launched Nova SAFE—a plain language digital resource to support health and safety compliance in the workplace. Created in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, the site provides summaries, definitions, links, and additional resources on a variety of Occupational Health and Safety and Technical Safety topics, including electrical safety, personal protective equipment, and fire extinguishers. Users can access the site directly at novaSAFE.ca on their desktop and save it as a tile to their mobile device.
New topics are added to NovaSAFE.ca on an ongoing basis. Since March of this year, nine additional topics have been added, including harassment and violence, air quality, conveyor safety, and first aid. Another update with seven additional topics is expected later this fall.
Since its launch, Nova SAFE has garnered 32,000 users who have accessed the site more than 100,000 times in the past year, says Steven Sone, Manager of Information and Client Services at the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration’s Safety Branch. Jennifer Schnare, Executive Director at the Safety Branch, adds that the site has been well received by its users.
Sone and Schnare are united by their passion for public service and workplace safety. Sone has been a safety professional in the public and private sectors for over 20 years and says he is driven by the goal “to protect all workers and ensure they go home safely at the end of their shift.”
Schnare appreciates the opportunity to make an impact through her work. “By working in public service—and particularly in workplace safety—I have the opportunity to directly influence policies, practices, and standards that ensure the safety and well-being of individuals and improve the lives of Nova Scotians,” she says.
“Nova SAFE was a branch-wide initiative driven by the need for accessible workplace safety information”, says Sone. “Nova Scotians wanted easier access to safety information,” adds Schnare. “In our case, that includes access to legislation, regulations, codes, safety alerts and notifications, as well as safety awareness materials like factsheets and videos.”
“Our goal is to provide the flexibility and convenience Nova Scotia workers and employers need and want to access safety regulations,” says Schnare. “From any job site, workers can look up health and safety and technical requirements, plain language guides, additional resources, and more—it is all available at their fingertips.”
Nova Scotia’s infrastructure is under pressure, given our expanding population, but safety should still be top of mind for anyone on a job site. “Workers have three rights in the workplace,” says Sone. “The right to know about hazards, the right to participate, and the right to refuse unsafe work. If you see something that causes you concern, report it to your supervisor. If it is not fixed to your satisfaction, contact your Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee or Safety representative. If you are still concerned, report it to us at 1-800-9LABOUR.”
Schnare adds that Nova SAFE can factor into the reporting process for workers. “The site can also help connect you to the Safety team,” she says. “If you see something unsafe, report it. If you are unsure, ask questions. If you can’t find the information you need on NovaSAFE.ca, ask your supervisor or call our 1-800-9LABOUR phone line. This is a confidential 24/7 information line where you can request information or file a complaint regarding unsafe working conditions.”
Although workers maintain a physical job site, they—like many Nova Scotians—expect information to be easily accessible online. “We need to focus in on the needs of our changing workforce and provide them with safety information in a way they want to consume it,” says Schnare. “NovaSAFE.ca addresses that need with quick and easy access to safety information. The most important thing to keep in mind is that, at the end of the day, everyone should get to return home safe from work.”
Both Sone and Schnare encourage the public to reach out with feedback on Nova SAFE. “We are always interested in hearing from Nova Scotians and continually making improvements to provide the best service and information,” says Schnare. Feedback can be submitted at the 1-800-9LABOUR safety information line or by emailing SafetyBranch@novascotia.ca.
Access Nova SAFE today at:
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