A shared commitment to workplace safety earns rewards

As it takes a community to raise a child; it takes solid partnerships to ensure workers get home safely in Alberta

With support from safety associations, industry partners, labour groups and the Ministry of Human Services, the Workers’ Compensation Board’s Partnerships in Injury Reduction program (PIR) is rewarding more than 9,000 employers in Alberta for building effective health and safety programs in their workplace.

PIR encourages employers to get their people home safely at the end of the workday. By improving their safety performance, reducing workplace injuries and illnesses, an eligible employer can earn up to 20 per cent in WCB premium rebates.

In 2011, WCB is issuing approximately $78 million in premium rebates to over 9,000 PIR employers for their 2010 results. These companies have proven their commitment to safety by improving performance or maintaining leadership in their industry.

The incentives provided to PIR employers go beyond the benefit to human and financial costs; compared with other employers, PIR participants have fewer work stoppages, receive more contracts and have a 33.6 per cent lower loss ratio (claim costs versus premiums paid).

To be eligible to receive a PIR rebate, employers must:

• Achieve or maintain a Certificate of Recognition (COR) Provincial Safety Certification
• Complete participation in PIR program for the measurement year

More information on the PIR program.

The Workers' Compensation Board (WCB)-Alberta is a not-for-profit corporation legislated to administer the workers' compensation system for the province. Through the payment of premiums, 139,000 employers fund this no-fault system to provide compensation for workplace injuries and occupational diseases to over 1.71 million workers.

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Media contact:

Jennifer Dagsvik
780-717-5855
jennifer.dagsvik@wcb.ab.ca