Safety and Health Week is celebrated annually in North America during the first week of May. The week highlights the importance of preventing workplace incidents, injuries, and illness. In 2026, Safety and Health week is happening from May 4 to May 9.
The WSCC wants to encourage employers and workers in Nunavut and the NWT to celebrate in a way that speaks to northern workplaces. For every workplace, one thing remains true, every worker has three fundamental rights: The right to know, the right to participate, and the right to refuse. So, we are encouraging all employers to use the week to raise awareness of what workers’ rights mean in the context of your workplace.
You can request free printed materials that can be used to start a discussion of the important topic of workers’ rights. Submit your requests by April 15 to have printed materials in time for Safety and Health Week. Make sure to include: Your name, mailing address, an approximate number of posters and brochures, and the language(s) you’d like to have sent to you. Send your requests to the Communications and Public Affairs team.
What are the three workers’ rights?
Every worker has three fundamental rights regarding workplace safety:
To Know how to do their job safely
To Participate in making sure the workplace is safe, and
To Refuse work that feels unsafe for them and their coworkers.
In reality, this means that we all have an important role to play in workplace safety. Whether it is cleaning up coffee that has spilled on the floor, advocating for change when we identify something unsafe, or stopping work to address a safety concern with a supervisor before continuing, every individual has a place and a voice when it comes to safety in the workplace.
You can find a more detailed explanation and free resources on our Know Your Rights page.
What is the Work safely. It’s everybody’s job! campaign?
In 2025, the WSCC launched this campaign to discuss the important topic of workers’ rights. The material for the campaign features northern musicians and artists, and it was designed to explain workers’ rights in the familiar context that would resonate with northern workers.
Because this message is essential to every worker across the north, we ensured that this material was available in every official language of Nunavut and the NWT. You can learn how to use this campaign in your workplace by visiting our Workers’ Rights Resources page.
How can I talk about workers’ rights in my workplace?
Use the Work safely. It’s everybody’s job! material to guide and support your discussions in the workplace. The WSCC has laid out a 4 step process for starting the conversation using these resources.
Don’t forget, it’s important to personalize the conversation for your workplace. Think up scenarios and situations that your workers may face to ensure they understand how to take the workers’ rights from theory into action.
How can I request printed material?
The WSCC has printed copies of all our Work safely. It’s everybody’s job! material in every official language of Nunavut and the NWT. Reach out to the WSCC’s Communications and Public Affairs team with your name, mailing address, an approximate number of posters and brochures, as well as the language(s) you’d like to have sent to you.
Please note: Submit your requests no later than April 15, 2026 in order to get the printed material in time for Safety and Health Week. Don’t worry if you miss that deadline, we will still be happy to fulfill your request after Safety and Health Week as these posters are great for year-around promotion of safety!
