The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour is reacting positively to the new fatalities and serious injuries strategy for workplace safety.

The three year strategy will aim to lower workplace injuries across the province, as Saskatchewan has some of the highest totals for workplace injuries and deaths.

Federation of Labour President Lori Johb said she was satisfied with the strategy as it was rolled out.

“We were consulted pretty much all the way through, and I was very happy to see that many of our suggestions and our input was incorporated into the strategy,” Johb said. “That was a real plus for us.”

Johb said this strategy is a good first step.

“I think that there’s some things missing and important groups of workers that are missing in this strategy,” Johb said. “I am hopeful going forward that we will continue to have dialogue so some of those concerns will be alleviated.”

Johb said the plan still falls a little short, adding the province can immediately make any workplace safer by introducing the right to refuse unsafe work on behalf of coworkers.

“We know in many workplaces, English is not (the employees’) first language, or there’s lots of other barriers to having safe work, so if we could have the ability to refuse unsafe work on behalf of someone else, I think that would go a long way.”

Johb adds there is also a lack of protection for mining workers in this new strategy. On average, one mining worker dies on the job every year according to the SFL.