Safety Associations Policy 24-100 | Effective Date: July 22, 2025

Policy

Health and safety in New Brunswick is a shared responsibility, requiring all workplace parties to be actively involved in identifying hazards and taking precautions to prevent accidents.

The Workers’ Compensation Act allows WorkSafeNB to approve the establishment of safety associations whose purpose is to promote accident prevention through education and training for employers in their industry, and to facilitate the collection and distribution of funding to approved safety associations.

Interpretation

Establishing a safety association

1.  Employer associations or other employer groups within an industry may apply to WorkSafeNB for the establishment of a safety association.

2. Applications to WorkSafeNB to establish a safety association require:

• Evidence that a majority of employers in the industry support the funding of the safety association through an additional levy. According to Regulation 2000-63, a majority of employers is:
  • 50% plus one of the employers in an industry; and
  • Representative of at least 70% of the total payroll subject to assessment;
• That the primary objective and purpose of the safety association is to promote education and training in accident prevention in that industry;
• That the safety association represents the interests of employers, employer associations, and workers in that industry in New Brunswick; and
• Agreement that the safety association has been or will be incorporated.

3. Before designating an applicant as a safety association, WorkSafeNB ensures they have met all the application requirements.

4. Once an application to establish a safety association is approved, the established safety association is governed by a board of directors representative of the industry, with a non-voting representative appointed by WorkSafeNB.

Applying for funding

5. When applying for funding, applicants provide:

• A completed application for funding;
• A business plan for the programs to be offered by the safety association; and
• Any other information WorkSafeNB requests that is relevant to the operation and administration of the safety association.

6. The business plan demonstrates to WorkSafeNB that the:

• Primary objectives for the coming year promote education and training in accident prevention in their industry; and
• Safety association has well-supported and credible objectives, plans, and budgets to support their objectives.

For more details on the business plan requirements, please see sections 5 and 6 of Regulation 2000-63 Funding of Safety Associations Regulation – Workers’ Compensation Act.

7. WorkSafeNB approves funding for a safety association when its business plan establishes that:

• Education and training programs will promote accident and injury prevention specific to the industry;
• Proposed budgets are suitable and appropriate for the programs to be delivered;
• Consideration of the geographic and linguistic needs of the industry has been undertaken; and
• The association is properly equipped to manage and deliver the proposed plan.

8. Once approved, WorkSafeNB and the safety association agree to detailed terms regarding:

• Funding;
• Course content; and
• Reporting requirements.

9. Contracts with those detailed terms are signed by both parties and provide protection for WorkSafeNB from any liability for the activities of the safety association.

10. WorkSafeNB provides funding to safety associations from the Accident Fund, which is then reimbursed through a provision added onto the individual assessment rates for all employers in the industries included in the safety association. The industries are defined by code(s) under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). 

Reporting and renewal of funding

11. Safety associations are required to submit a mid-year unaudited financial report, and annual independently audited financial statements which include explanations for any variances.

12. Safety associations are required to hold an annual meeting of their members where they report on results.

13. WorkSafeNB monitors the effectiveness of the education and training plans by evaluating submitted reports and financial statements from each safety association.

14. Business plans submitted as part of a funding renewal application also include a report of the results to date of each program or activity that was committed to in the previous business plan.

15. WorkSafeNB is committed to collaboration with safety associations, ensuring that the education and training provided are effective in contributing to safer workplaces. Proven effectiveness is considered when evaluating for funding renewal.

Previous versions

• Policy 24-100 Safety Association Funding, release 3, effective February 25, 2014
• Policy 24-100 Safety Association Funding, release 2, effective August 30, 2007
• Policy 24-100 Policy New Brunswick Construction Safety Association Funding, release 1, effective January 1, 2004