E-News: January 2026


	View in browser

Welcome to WorkSafeNB's monthly E-News. Look here for important health and safety news and trends that can affect your workplace. Please stay informed, healthy and safe. Together, we are making New Brunswick the safest place to work!

WorkSafeNB celebrated as one of Atlantic Canada’s Best Places to Work

Atlantic Business Magazine has named WorkSafeNB as one of Atlantic Canada’s Best Places to Work for 2026, selecting the organization from among 255 nominees across the region. This honour speaks to the strength of WorkSafeNB’s workplace culture and the shared commitment of its people to advancing the vision of making New Brunswick the safest place to work.

The designation builds on WorkSafeNB’s recent national recognition as a Top Employer in Atlantic Canada and underscores the organization’s continued focus on fostering a safe, inclusive, and empowering workplace.

Learn more

Last call: Occupational disease policy consultation

There’s still time to share your feedback on our proposed updates to Policy 21-111, Conditions for Entitlement – Occupational Disease. The consultation closes next week, and your input helps ensure the policy remains clear, current, and effective.

Share feedback

Empowering students: Focus on Safety Student video competition

Our annual Focus on Safety video competition is back for New Brunswick high school students! Help spread the word and empower tomorrow’s workforce. We're challenging high school students to create a two-minute original video sharing the importance of working safely!

Students can win a $1,000 cash prize for them and matching prize for their school.

Learn more

WorkSafeNB shares videos to help workers stay safe around heavy equipment

Heavy equipment is essential on many New Brunswick worksites, but it is also involved in 50% of all workplace deaths in the province. Every one of these deaths is preventable.

Heavy equipment is a powerful tool, but it creates serious risks when workers enter an operator’s blind spots. WorkSafeNB has developed a series of videos to highlight the hazards of operating and working near heavy equipment. These videos provide clear guidance to help ensure every employee stays safe when heavy equipment is in use.

View the videos

It’s time to report your annual payroll (Form 100)

It’s time to report your annual payroll (Form 100). The filing deadline is Feb. 28, 2026.

Quickly and easily Fast File your Form 100 using your Employer Code and the unique Access Pin on the Form 100 – Employer Payroll Report (2025-2026) you recently received from WorkSafeNB in the mail. You do not need to

make a MyServices account to Fast File your Form 100.

Submit your Form 100 on your MyServices account.

Please note we are not accepting payments or processing Form 100s at our office locations.

File now

Compliance Corner – Ask Us!

Employer Question:

We’re building new stairs in one of our facilities and want to ensure we meet WorkSafeNB requirements. We’ve heard different strength requirements mentioned under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and the National Building Code (NBC). Which standard applies, and what load do our stairways actually need to support? - Jack Jones, ABC Company

Answer From the Chief Compliance Officer:

This is a common and important question, and it comes up often when employers are designing or modifying stairways.

Under the OHS Act, stairways must be strong enough to sustain a live load of 4.8 kPa.

However, the NBC provides more detailed design criteria, with different load requirements depending on how the stairs are used. For example, stairs serving a single dwelling unit or a house with a secondary suite are designed to a lower load than stairs serving other occupancies.

Because stairway strength depends on how the stairs are constructed and used, it’s important to look beyond the load number alone. The full interpretation explains how the regulatory requirement aligns with the NBC and includes illustrations that show what compliant wooden stair construction looks like.

Read the full legal interpretation 👉

Have a Question for Eric?

WorkSafeNB strengthens industry partnerships to support safer workplaces at sea

WorkSafeNB was proud to once again take part in the Fish Canada / Workboat Canada Trade Show — the largest commercial marine trade show in the country, drawing thousands of attendees from Atlantic Canada. The show offered an invaluable opportunity to connect directly with industry leaders, employers, and workers in the commercial fishing sector, and to engage in meaningful conversations about safety on and around the water.

Throughout the event, our team answered questions, exchanged ideas, and reinforced the importance of injury prevention, safe work practices, and compliance in a high‑risk industry. We shared practical resources, listened to the real‑world challenges faced by those working in marine environments, and highlighted the supports available to help create safer workplaces.

This year, we were also pleased to have two of our health and safety consultants deliver a focused presentation on a captain’s role and responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Their session helped clarify legal obligations, leadership expectations, and the critical part captains play in fostering a strong safety culture on board.

Events like this strengthen our relationships with the fishing and marine communities, deepen our understanding of industry needs, and support our ongoing commitment to helping make New Brunswick the safest place to work- both on land and sea.

Learn more about safety at sea

In the courts

WorkSafeNB's health and safety officers and occupational hygienists are given legislative authority to write orders under the OHS Act, to improve safety and prevent workplace injuries in New Brunswick.

When these orders are not complied with, or when an incident has taken place as a result of a violation of the Act and/or its regulations, WorkSafeNB may recommend charges to the Department of Justice.