Alberta targets workplace accidents

Alberta is hiring 30 new occupational health and safety officersto improvethe province's record on workplace accidents.

"I hope this sends a strong message to any company or worker in Alberta who feels the law doesn't apply to them," said Employment Minister Thomas Lukaszuk.

"Albertans demand safe workplaces and there shall be safe workplaces."

The officers will be hired over the nextthree years, meaning the province will have 132 officers by 2014, a number that includes the 16 officers hired last year. That compares toonly 86 in early 2010.

The ministryis alsodividing the province into three enforcement regions instead of two. This willallow for a greater focus in northern Alberta, where the province is seeing the greatest industrial growth, said Lukaszuk.

"It's hard not see this as a bigstep in the right direction," said Gil McGowan with the Alberta Federation of Labour."However I think it needs to be put in context."

"Here in Alberta we've actually suffered probably 15 or maybe even 20 years of underspending on health and safety, and [worksite] inspection in particular."