Occupational Fatalities

Occupational fatality information presented here reports on fatalities accepted by the Workers Compensation Board - Alberta (WCB) and workplace incident fatalities investigated by Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).

The WCB is a not-for-profit organization legislated to administer the workers' compensation system for the province, protecting workers and employers covered by the Alberta Workers’ Compensation Act.

OHS is part of Alberta Employment and Immigration, and develops and implements programs so Alberta has a fair, safe and healthy work environment. This includes enforcement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation, and Code.

WCB Accepted Occupational Fatalities

A WCB accepted occupational fatality is defined as the death of a worker, resulting from a work-related incident or exposure, which has been accepted by the WCB for compensation. WCB accepted occupational fatalities are broken down by three main types: workplace incident, occupational disease and occupational motor vehicle fatalities. The reports presented here provide descriptions of the fatalities, broken down by major industry sector.

OHS Investigated Workplace Incident Fatalities

OHS investigates only workplace incidents. Occupational motor vehicle incidents are normally investigated by local police authorities and deaths due to occupational disease are reported by a physician. OHS prepares reports based on the findings of their investigations. Reports presented are listed by the calendar year in which the incident occurred. Reports are only published on this website after the investigation is complete, and if after the file has gone to Alberta Justice, all court proceedings have been completed. A summary of the most recent investigated incidents is also available.

Note: Figures for workplace incident fatalities accepted by WCB, and workplace incident fatalities investigated by OHS differ. Common differences in reporting include differences in legal jurisdiction, coverage of applicable Acts and timing.