Inventory of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Environmental and Occupational Health Data
Sources and Surveillance Activities

Inventory of Data Sources

Oracle Research Database of WCB Claims (Oracle/WCB) (Saskatchewan)

Contacts
Rita Coshan
Manager, Risk Assessment and Research
Occupational Health and Safety Division
Saskatchewan Labour
6^th Floor, 1870 Albert Street
Regina, SK
S4P 3V7
Tel: (306) 787-4539
E-mail: rcoshan@lab.gov.sk.ca

Brian Schwab
Manager of Systems
Administration, Saskatchewan Labour
1870 Albert Street
Regina, SK
S4P 3V7
Tel: (306) 787-4209
E-mail: bschwab@lab.gov.sk.ca

Organization Maintaining the Database
Performance Management Coordinator of the Occupational Health and Safety Division (OHSD), Saskatchewan Labour

Purpose of Database
To identify and analyze trends in occupational injuries and illnesses in Saskatchewan to better target Occupational Health and Safety Division activities.

Content
Data on exposures to occupational hazards in Saskatchewan: dust, fumes, pesticides, solvents, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation (e.g., sunlight), dangerous machinery, noise, ionizing radiation, heavy metals, and miscellaneous occupational health and safety hazards. Also ergonomic and musculo-skeletal data and data on mental fatigue.

Data types: contaminant levels in workplace; bio-monitoring data; toxicological; biological; microbiological; chemical; radiological; epidemiological; demographic. Person-level data without identifiers; also group-level or aggregate data. Personal data: name of employer, birth date. Geolocators: postal codes.

There are data on approximately: 31,000 employers in 35,000 lines of business; 38,000 claims/year, with 33,500 accepted; 3,000 OHSD inspection reports per year.

Data coding/ classification standards: claim characteristic codes based on CSA Standards.

Year Database Established
2002

Coverage Period
1997 (negotiating change to 1996) to 2002

Data Updates
Live data

Data Providers
Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board (WCB). Original data source is WCB claimants (monthly and yearly transfers of data on WCB claims from the Saskatchewan WCB). WCB Client Service representatives enter the data into the database.

Data Availability
The main users of the information in the database are staff in the Occupational Health and Safety Division, and access is restricted to these individuals. Use or disclosure of the data: cannot release individual or workplace/employer-related data; can release only aggregate data. Freedom of Information Coordinator: Sharon Ackerman 787-4527.

Data-sharing agreements: Executive sponsors are Allan Walker, Executive Director, Occupational Health and Safety Division; and Gail Kruger, Vice President Finance and Information Technology.

Reports
Annual report; reports on high-risk industrial sectors, occupational groups, and hazards. Annual, quarterly, and ad hoc; in printed and electronic formats. Disseminated internally and to stakeholders, including the public.

Additional Notes
Data are collected under the authority of the Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board Act.

The database is linked with information in the LINKS database, and also with the Occupational Health Committee database.

There are plans to make use of Statistics Canada data and other survey data.

Documentation on the database is available in printed and electronic formats.