ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newly released numbers from WorkplaceNL, formerly known as the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, have revealed that the rate of incidences due to workplace injury or illness in Newfoundland and Labrador dropped to an all-time low last year. The province’s workers’ compensation authority announced on April 27 that the rate for 2015 was 1.5 incidents per 100 workers. In addition, about 260 fewer workers submitted short-term claims last year than in 2014, and about 200 fewer required healthcare-only assistance from WorkplaceNL in 2015 than in the previous year. The lost-time incidence rate for workers between 15 and 24 years old was 1.4 incidents per 100 workers, an 18 per cent drop from five years before. “Newfoundland and Labrador workplaces rose to the challenge and reduced the provincial lost-time incidence rate to the lowest level it has ever been,” WorkplaceNL CEO Leslie Galway said in a press statement. “We will continue to work with workplace parties, employer and labour groups, government and safety associations to bring even more workers home safe and healthy.” Despite the good news, the province has a rising rate of workplace violence, and there were 24 work-related fatalities last year, WorkplaceNL admitted.