Province's workplace injury rate decreases to 3.91 per 100 workers
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) recorded improved workplace injury rates in the province in 2024 compared to the previous year, the latest data show.
Specifically, the total injury rate dropped to 3.91 per 100 workers, marking the third consecutive year of decline. It is also the lowest total injury rate recorded in Saskatchewan over the past five years.
Meanwhile, the time-loss injury rate decreased to 1.72 per 100 workers in 2024, down from 1.78 in 2023. This metric also follows the five-year downward trend seen in total injury rates.
|
Years |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
|
Total injury rate (per 100 workers) |
3.91 |
3.95 |
4.33 |
4.56 |
4.46 |
|
Time Loss injury rate (per 100 workers) |
1.72 |
1.78 |
2.04 |
2.03 |
1.78 |
The 2024 data for both categories are also the lowest in the province’s history, according to a report from 620 CKRM.
“Protecting Saskatchewan workers and employers is at the core of everything we do at the WCB,” said WCB CEO Phillip Germain in the report.
“Our funding position is what lets workers and employers know their needs will be supported. Reporting a strong funded position and sufficiency ratio gives us the ability to continue to work together with workers and employers across the province to eliminate injuries and restore abilities, striving to make all workplaces in Saskatchewan safer each day.”
However, Sask. WCB recorded 25,871 total claims in 2024, the highest in the past five years. Among them, 27 were fatal—the lowest in the past five years:
- 29 in 2023
- 39 in 2022
- 31 in 2021
- 34 in 2020
The occupations with the most injuries in 2024 are:
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates - 1,123
- Construction trades helpers and labourers - 684
- Truck drivers - 681
- Registered nurses - 610
- Material handlers - 53
Meanwhile, the top 5 injured body parts are:
- Hand - 3,303
- Back - 2,727
- Leg - 2,551
- Arm - 1,727
- Head - 1,584
Psychological health claims, premium rate
In 2024, the average duration of psychological injury claims dropped to 76.2 days, compared to 96.3 days in 2023. However, this remains higher than durations recorded in earlier years:
- 2022 – 69.7 days
- 2021 – 61.4 days
- 2020 – 64.7 days
WCB Saskatchewan established its psychological injuries in 2019. In 2024, the agency focused on reviewing its policy, improving the time it takes to make a decision on claims, increasing workers’ access to health-care providers, training staff and enhancing engagement with employers and workers, it said.
In 2024, the Sask. WCB approved the 2025 average premium rate of $1.28 per $100 of assessable payroll, which is unchanged from 2024.
“Actuarial forecasting in 2024 indicated that increasing claim costs would be offset by rising employer payroll in 2025,” said the board in the report.
“Saskatchewan’s premium rates for the past several decades have remained among the lowest in Canada. The board’s goal is not to have the lowest rate in Canada, but rather to uphold a balance between stable rates that assure fairness, transparency, collective liability and predictability, and a fully funded compensation system.”
