Safety Services New Brunswick

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What were the key workplace health and safety developments in New Brunswick in 2025—and what lies ahead?

In our latest episode, host Perley Brewer speaks with Tim Petersen, President and CEO of WorkSafeNB, about highlights from the organization’s 2025 Annual Report, including:

✅ The lowest average assessment rate in WorkSafeNB’s history
 ✅ A $53-million performance refund to employers
 ✅ Improvements to benefits for injured workers and surviving spouses
 ✅ Progress in reducing workplace fatalities and traumatic psychological injury claims
 ✅ New supports for first responders and trauma-exposed workers
 ✅ WorkSafeNB’s ongoing modernization and plans for the years ahead
 ✅ Efforts to harmonize occupational health and safety requirements across Canada

Tim also discusses the importance of psychological health and safety, partnerships with Wounded Warriors Canada and the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick, and why continued collaboration is essential to making New Brunswick workplaces safer.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation:
 https://www.safetyservicesnb.ca/services/podcast/

The SSNB Podcast is also available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other major podcast platforms.

#WorkplaceSafety #HealthAndSafety #WorkSafeNB #NewBrunswick #PsychologicalHealthAndSafety #Podcast

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Mental health injuries among public safety personnel and trauma-exposed professionals are not signs of individual weakness—they can be a consequence of the challenging work these individuals perform on behalf of our communities.

In the latest Safety Services New Brunswick podcast, host Perley Brewer speaks with Dr. Nick Carleton, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina, and Michel Cyr, Manager of Investigative Services at WorkSafeNB, about an innovative mental health initiative originally developed with the RCMP.

The program combines evidence-based training with confidential assessments and regular check-ins, helping participants monitor their well-being, recognize concerns early and access appropriate care.

During the conversation, Cyr shares a compelling real-life example that demonstrates the program’s impact and how open, stigma-free conversations about mental health can create meaningful change—at work, at home and across generations.

🎧 Listen to the podcast to learn how research, organizational leadership and practical tools are helping us treat mental health with the same care and urgency as physical health.

#PsychologicalHealthAndSafety #MentalHealth #WorkplaceSafety #PublicSafetyPersonnel #FirstResponders #TraumaExposedProfessionals #MentalHealthAwareness #WorkSafeNB #SafetyServicesNB #Podcast

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AI and the Future of Work: Are We Ready for What’s Next?

How will artificial intelligence reshape the future of work—and what will it mean for worker health and safety?
 
In the latest Safety Services New Brunswick podcast, host Perley Brewer speaks with Dr. Arif Jetha of the Institute for Work & Health about the opportunities, risks and unanswered questions emerging as AI becomes more deeply embedded in Canadian workplaces.
 
The conversation explores strategic foresight, seven major trends shaping work toward 2040, the importance of AI literacy, impacts across professional and skilled-trades occupations, and the need to ensure technological change supports safe, healthy and equitable work.
 
Whether you are an employer, safety professional, policymaker or worker, this thoughtful discussion offers valuable perspective on how we can prepare today for the workplaces of tomorrow.
 
Listen to the episode:  https://www.safetyservicesnb.ca/services/podcast/
 
#ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceSafety #OccupationalHealthAndSafety #WorkerWellbeing #AILiteracy #SafetyLeadership #SSNBPodcast

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Canada’s Workplace Safety Wake-Up Call: Closing the Gap Between Awareness and Action

Are Canadian workplaces truly as safe as we think they are?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Safety Services New Brunswick Podcast, host Perley Brewer sits down with Eugene Gutierrez of Threads of Life to discuss the findings from the 2026 State of Safety Report.

Their conversation reveals a troubling disconnect between what organizations say about workplace safety and what is actually happening on the front lines. While awareness remains high, progress in reducing workplace injuries and fatalities has slowed, and in some cases, stalled.

Together, they explore critical issues affecting Canadian workplaces today, including:

• Understaffing and workload pressures
 • Limited time for safety training and education
 • Emergency preparedness and response planning
 • Post-incident support and recovery
 • The impact of workplace safety culture
 • The emerging role of artificial intelligence in safety management

The episode also delivers an important challenge to employers, safety professionals, and regulators across Canada: read the report, ask the difficult questions, and take meaningful action to close the gaps between awareness and action.

📌 Listen to the episode.
📌 Download the 2026 State of Safety Report from Threads of Life.
📌 Share this conversation with your colleagues and networks.

Workplace safety cannot stop at awareness. It must be reflected in everyday actions, decisions, and leadership.

Hashtags

#WorkplaceSafety #OccupationalHealthAndSafety #SafetyLeadership #SafetyCulture #HealthAndSafety #ThreadsOfLife #StateOfSafety #WorkplaceTraining #InjuryPrevention #CanadianWorkplaces #SafetyPodcast #SSNB

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We’re back! After a summer break, the Safety Services New Brunswick podcast returns with its first new episode—and it’s one you won’t want to miss.

https://www.safetyservicesnb.ca/services/podcast/

In this episode, host Perley Brewer speaks with Tim Petersen, President and CEO of WorkSafeNB/Travail sécuritaire NB, for a preview of the 2026 WorkSafeNB Health and Safety Conference, taking place October 7–9 at the Fredericton Convention Centre.

Tim shares what attendees can expect from Atlantic Canada’s largest and longest-running workplace health and safety conference, including 32 educational sessions, a sold-out trade show, valuable networking opportunities, the Safety Star Awards, and keynote presentations from Tessa Virtue, Will Gadd, and Captain Richard Phillips.

Listen to the full interview to learn why this conference continues to be the place to connect, learn, and strengthen workplace health and safety across New Brunswick. If you’re planning to attend, register soon—last year’s conference sold out.

🎧 Listen to the episode, share it with your network, and let us know which conference session you’re most looking forward to.

#WorkplaceSafety #HealthAndSafety #SafetyLeadership #WorkSafeNB #NewBrunswick #Podcast #ProfessionalDevelopment

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In our recent podcast interview, Perley Brewer, sits down with Anne Tennier, President & CEO of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), to discuss the changing landscape of workplace health and safety in Canada.

The conversation highlighted CCOHS’s longstanding mandate to support the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of workers, and the wide range of resources the organization provides to workplaces across the country — from free fact sheets, podcasts, videos, and apps to more specialized tools and training.

Anne also shared insights on several key issues shaping the future of work, including:

• Mental health and psychological safety
• Artificial intelligence in the workplace
• The realities of a multi-generational workforce
• The need for practical, credible, and plain-language health and safety guidance

The interview also touched on Anne’s strong ties to New Brunswick, where she completed both of her degrees at UNB and worked earlier in her career.

The discussion also featured CCOHS’s upcoming Changing World of Work forum in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, which will bring together workplace health and safety leaders from across the country to explore emerging issues and innovative approaches.

It was an informative conversation on how organizations can stay responsive, thoughtful, and forward-looking in supporting workers across Canada.

#LinkedIn #WorkplaceSafety #OccupationalHealth #CCOHS #MentalHealth #PsychologicalSafety #FutureOfWork #Leadership #AI #WorkplaceWellbeing

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In our latest podcast episode, Perley Brewer sits down with Jeremy Gauthier (Threads of Life - Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support), who shares a deeply personal and powerful story about a fatal workplace accident that changed his life forever.

Jeremy takes us inside:

The moment he received the call no leader ever wants

The emotional impact on his team, organization, and family

The hard lessons about accountability, leadership, and safety culture

How the experience led him to a journey of sobriety, mental health awareness, and purpose-driven leadership

This is more than a story about safety—it’s about: 

✅ Leadership under pressure

✅ The human impact behind workplace incidents

✅ Why “people first” must be more than a slogan

✅ How small, consistent actions can prevent tragedy

“You don’t think it will happen to you… until it does. And when it does, it changes everything.”

If you’re a leader, supervisor, or anyone responsible for the safety and wellbeing of others—this conversation is a must-listen.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.safetyservicesnb.ca/services/podcast/

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In this episode Perley Brewer talks with Tara Schrama from Threads of Life - Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support speakers bureau who shares her experience as a geologist in the iron ore industry, the impact of silica dust exposure, and the life altering health consequences that followed—along with a powerful message for employers and workers: take concerns seriously, know your rights, and speak up when something doesn’t feel safe.
In this conversation, we discuss:
• How silica dust exposure can happen in mining (and beyond—construction, rock/cement work, and more)
• The reality of living with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and navigating an occupational disease claim
• What workplaces can do to prevent exposures—and what workers can do to protect themselves

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Perley Brewer sat down with Nicole Mclaughlin, CRSP who is a farmer, and safety trainer—to talk about what farm safety looks like on the ground in New Brunswick, and what’s changing.

We cover:
The most common hazards on farms (and why they keep showing up)
Why new worker orientation and supervision are still a major gap
Practical tools now available through FarmTalkCare.ca (checklists, emergency plan template, training resources)
How the industry is evolving—and what that means for health & safety

If you work in agriculture, employ seasonal workers, or support rural communities, this one’s worth a listen.

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We are honoured to share a moving conversation with Michele Haire, mental health advocate and member of Threads of Life, who bravely shares her son Cameron’s story.

This episode highlights the realities of mental health challenges, the impact of stigma, and the importance of early support—at home, at work, and in our communities.