WorkSafe Saskatchewan recently recognized safety leaders from around the province at its 2023 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards. WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, presented these awards in Saskatoon as part of the WCB’s 25^th anniversary of Compensation Institute.

“The winners of the 2023 WorkSafe Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards have shown a commitment to enhancing and implementing safety at their workplaces,” says Kevin Mooney, the WCB’s vice-president of prevention and employer services. “These awards celebrate those who make safety the priority at work. By supporting one another and sharing safety solutions, they inspire new generations of workers and employers in Saskatchewan to pursue Mission: Zero: zero injuries, zero fatalities and zero suffering at work.”

This year’s Safe Worker Award winner is Paige Freistadt, a program assistant at Harvest Community Inc. in Kronau, Sask. Hired during the pandemic, Paige is a role model for coworkers. She took initiative in making changes for employees’ physical well-being, including anti-fatigue mats for staff and air purifiers in spaces where social distancing was difficult. Paige also became a certified transferring, lifting, repositioning (TLR) instructor to train staff on the risks of taking shortcuts. She made recommendations for the company to purchase a transfer belt for those who need assistance walking to prevent shoulder and arm injuries. Paige educates others on lifting and moving properly.

Paige’s attitude has positively influenced the workplace safety culture, resulting in a workplace where more people know how to safely and confidently complete tasks. Teamwork has improved and everyone looks out for each other.

The recipient of this year’s Safe Employer Award is power and phone line construction company Hundseth Line Construction Corp. (Hundseth). The Saskatoon-based company’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its workforce is reflected in growing number of 1,139 days with no lost-time injuries. To ensure incident prevention, all incidents, near misses and good catches are reported and investigated according to the severity or potential of an event. Through its thorough online reporting system, Hundseth employees can easily report hazards and corrective actions.

As an organization, Hundseth is committed to safety through its corporate commitment and the individual commitment of each employee. Their success is reflected in their recognition, as the company recently received the 2022 Canada Safest Employer Award.

Each year, WorkSafe Saskatchewan recognizes candidates for the Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards who are nominated by their workplace peers and colleagues. The winners are chosen by two committees consisting of representatives from WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers. This award program supports the WCB’s ambitious safety initiative of Mission: Zero, which is a call to action to employers and workers to achieve zero employee injuries, zero fatalities and zero suffering in the workplace.

To learn more about the WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards, including how to nominate someone for the 2024 awards, visit worksafesask.ca/resources/awards.

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