High Hazard Work Notifications are moving onto WSCC Connect

High Hazard Work Notification services are moving onto WSCC Connect on April 10, 2025. The move will mean faster and more efficient services for employers, providing an easy method to update and adjust the reported information and timelines of your projects. 

High Hazard Work Notifications are a legislated requirement for anyone undertaking a project, task, or new work that is considered high risk to employees. The seven categories of high hazard work on WSCC Connect are: 

  • Quarry, Crushing, or Blasting
  • ⁠Powerline Construction or Maintenance
  • ⁠Earthworks, Excavation, or Road Construction
  • ⁠Sandblasting
  • ⁠Demolition or Renovation
  • ⁠Commercial or Residential Construction
  • ⁠Radiation 

There will be a one-year grace period between our existing notification process and the new online tool, but with such a simplified method of reporting, why wait?

Who does this impact? 

The seven types of high hazard work categorized on the new WSCC Connect tool are tied to the legislated list of work that is considered to pose a significant risk to employees. This work most commonly relates to the construction industry, anyone involved in road works, or industries managing electrical work. Of course, you should review the list above to see if your business conducts any projects that would require a High Hazard Work Notification.

Whether you work in an industry that does this type of work or whether you’re an employer who hires contractors in those industries, it is good to be aware of this update. 

Accessing WSCC Connect and High Hazard Work Notifications

We recommend following these steps, so your business is ready to use the new e-service starting April 10, 2025. 

Before April 10, 2025:

  • Identify the employees in your business who will need to create, edit, or view High Hazard Work Notifications. Let them know that the service has upcoming changes and forward them this article.
  • High Hazard Work Notification Users: 
    • You will need a WSCC Connect User Account. If you don’t currently have one, here are the steps to create an account. 
    • Once you’ve created an account, you will need to link your account to an employer. Here are the steps to add an employer.

On or after April 10, 2025: 

  • High Hazard Work Notification Users: Log in to WSCC Connect. Once logged in, request permission to access the ‘High Hazard Notifications’ user role. Follow these steps to request access to an online e-service.
  • Access Administrators*: An employer’s WSCC Connect Access Administrator grants user access to online e-services, including ‘High Hazard Notifications’. Once logged in, they can approve any requests for access or they can select ‘Manage Users’ to add a user.
    • Repeat the process for any other users that will need to submit or edit High Hazard Work Notifications for your business.

Reminder: Individuals with access permission to High Hazard Work Notifications will be able to see any information associated with these reports. It is the responsibility of the employer to determine who should have access.

* The employer’s Access Administrator is typically someone responsible for office management or submitting the employer’s Annual Payroll Report to WSCC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit the request in Inuktitut or other official language of Nunavut or the NWT?

You are able to submit a High Hazard Work Notification in Inuktitut or any of the official languages of Nunavut or the Northwest Territories. To submit a request, email your notification to the Chief Safety Officer (CSO) with the following information: 

  • Project name
  • Project owner, including contact information
  • Project contact (if different), including contact information
  • Site address or GPS location, please include any additional description of the work site location (e.g. The shed at the back of the property)
  • Indicate the type of high hazard work that is occurring:
    • Quarry, Crushing, or Blasting
    • ⁠Powerline Construction or Maintenance
    • ⁠Earthworks, Excavation, or Road Construction
    • ⁠Sandblasting
    • ⁠Demolition or Renovation
    • ⁠Commercial or Residential Construction
    • ⁠Radiation
  • Include a description of work that you will be doing (e.g. Manually removing flooring from 8 x 10 room, pouring cement, erecting scaffolding, creating anchor points on the roof, etc.)
    Project start date and project end date
  • Project start date and project end date 

Please note, once you submit your High Hazard Work Notification, a Safety Officer will contact you to confirm they have received your information. They may ask questions about the elements of your Safety Program, or other aspects of your project information. 

If the details of your work changes, it is your responsibility responsibility to ensure that you contact the WSCC with new information or extensions to your project timeline. 

Once your project starts, you may receive a site inspection based on the information you have provided. It is important that all of the information is accurate and up-to-date.  

 

What if my project is starting before May 9, 2025?

If you have a project beginning on or before May 9, 2025 do not wait for the launch of the new e-service. You are required to submit any new High Hazard Work Notifications 30 days before the start date of your project. The new e-service will not be online before your submission deadline. Not submitting on time may result in delays for your project start date. 

What if I don’t want to submit online?

The WSCC is offering a one-year grace period for people to learn how to use this new reporting tool. While we encourage you to set yourself up with this service right away, if you need more time or support, you can use the existing PDF High Hazard Work Notification form up until April 9, 2026. After that date, all High Hazard Work Notifications must be submitted through WSCC Connect. 

If you choose to submit the form by the existing process within the year, one of our Safety Outreach personnel will contact you to guide you through the creation of an online account and how to submit a notification. 

Please note, whether you choose to use our new submission tool or the PDF form, the notifications will be entered into the online system and will be internally managed using WSCC Connect. Support will continue to be provided for anyone who has questions and concerns in the future.

What is high hazard work?

Work activities that are considered to present a significant risk to workers are considered high hazard work. The WSCC Connect tool has seven categories that correspond with the legislated reporting requirements, which are:

  • Quarry, Crushing, or Blasting
  • ⁠Powerline Construction or Maintenance
  • ⁠Earthworks, Excavation, or Road Construction
  • ⁠Sandblasting
  • ⁠Demolition or Renovation
  • ⁠Commercial or Residential Construction
  • ⁠Radiation

There is a requirement under Nunavut and NWT health and safety legislation for employers to notify the WSCC of high hazard work projects and activities a minimum of 30 days before the start date. If the work that you are about to undertake fits into any of these categories, you must submit a High Hazard Work Notification to the Chief Safety Officer at the WSCC through the established notification process. As of April 10, 2025, this process is through WSCC Connect.
 

If my work is not on the list, do I have to do anything?

If the work you do does not fall under one of the types of high hazard work listed in the WSCC Connect tool, you do not have to submit a notification. However, all employers still have a responsibility to provide a healthy and safe workplace for all of their employees.
 

Who is responsible for submitting a High Hazard Work Notification?

The person responsible for the worksite is required to submit the High Hazard Work Notification. This person or business is at times referred to as the ‘principal contractor’. However, the individual who can submit the notification could be the owner of the company, a site supervisor, the project manager in charge of the work, or the person responsible for safety on the job site. 

If you are an employer who has hired a contractor to take on the project work, it is the employer’s responsibility to submit the High Hazard Work Notification unless you have designated the responsibility to a sub-contractor in charge of the project through your project contract. However, the principal contractor may still be held liable if the sub-contractor does not comply with this regulation. So, it is good practice to ensure that they have followed and documented correct procedures. 

What happens when I have submitted a High Hazard Work Notification?

Once you have submitted your High Hazard Work Notification via WSCC Connect, you will receive a confirmation email, which will include a High Hazard Work Notification number. When your project start date arrives, print off this confirmation and post it on your job site’s safety board. We also recommend filing a copy in your digital or printed records. 

If you need to make any updates to your notification (e.g. changing the project end date), simply log in to WSCC Connect and open the High Hazard Work Notification tool. There, you will find a record of past and current notifications for your business. Open the notification you want to edit, make the necessary changes, and click ‘save’. You will receive a confirmation email of your update. Ensure that you print off any updates and post the email confirmation along with the original notification.

Project End Date

You will receive email notifications five working days before the end of your project. If the project is still ongoing, it is important that you log in to WSCC Connect and make updates as soon as possible, as you will no longer be able to make edits after the reported end date.

The final notification will be emailed to you once your project end date has passed. If at this point your project is still ongoing, you will be required to submit a new High Hazard Work Notification, which will result in project delays. 
 

What if the scope of my work or project timeline changes from my original submission?

You can log in to WSCC Connect at any time to access a record of all ongoing and past High Hazard Work Notifications. For any current High Hazard Work Notifications, you can edit and resubmit any additional notes, details on the work being undertaken, and date changes that occur up to the close of your project. 

If the type of work changes or your project has already closed, you will need to submit a new High Hazard Work Notification. Please keep in mind that any new notifications that are submitted less than 30 days before the start date of the work may result in project delays. 

What if I have an active High Hazard Work Notification that is already submitted to the Chief Safety Officer?

After April 10, 2025, the WSCC will enter any existing or recently submitted High Hazard Work Notifications into WSCC Connect. A WSCC staff member will reach out to your project contact to help you get set up with the tool. You will then be able to manage your notification online. 

What does this mean for Asbestos Notifications?

We are replacing the online Asbestos Notification tool with the High Hazard Work Notification tool, which will cover every category of high hazard work including asbestos work. 

Once you click on the High Hazard Work Notification icon, you will be directed to a selection tool where you can choose either ‘Demolition and Renovation’ or ‘Residential and Commercial Construction’. Both categories contain asbestos as possible activities you can select as part of the scope of work. 

If you have already submitted an Asbestos Notification, WSCC staff will be manually entering it into our High Hazard Work Notification tool so you can manage your project after the Asbestos Notification tool is taken down. If you have any questions or concerns over the status of your project, please reach out to the WSCC today.