Special Guest - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Labour

Leading @ the Speed of Change

Leading is easy when things are smooth. It's when the going gets tough that our leadership is truly tested - and most needed. How we respond - as Leaders, Followers, or Wallowers - determines our personal effectiveness and organizational culture.

Presenter: Jim Clemmer

Leadership within the System

The Canadian OH&S system is based on the principle of the Internal Responsibility System (IRS). This approach has been fairly successful over the past 30 years in reducing rates of injury and disease. It is also recognized that leadership and management commitment are necessary to accomplish significant impact in OH&S.

Presenter: Dr. Julian Barling

Employer and Labour Perspectives on Leadership and Responsibility

In this interactive session, panelists will share their observations and provide answers on the internal responsibility system, management commitment, and leadership, from the perspectives of employers and labour.

Frank Saunders will share his insights from the perspective of employers. What is management leadership in health and safety? How does it lead to high levels of health and safety? How does the role of management impact worker involvement and the safety culture? What changes will improve the IRS?

Cathy Walker will speak from the workers' perspective. To the extent the IRS has given workers and unions a voice through the joint health and safety committee system, it has been a success. But a stronger voice for workers could be more effective. By looking at other countries in Europe, as well as Australia, where workers are empowered to ensure health and safety requirements are implemented, we will discuss ways in which the IRS can be improved in Canada.

Presenters: Frank Saunders, Cathy Walker

Implementing Successful Participatory Ergonomic Programs: Opportunities and Challenges

Participatory ergonomic (PE) programs which include the collaboration of workplace parties such as management, health and safety representatives, unions, supervisors and researchers in the research efforts are an increasingly important part of health and safety in many workplaces. These programs provide a valuable opportunity for workplace parties to collaborate on reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Presenter: Dr. Nancy Theberge

Successful Implementation of Participatory Ergonomics

How can participatory ergonomics be successfully applied in the workplace? Two perspectives on this question are detailed in this session.

One case is told from a management perspective at a manufacturer of polyurethane foam products. Dan Dubblestyne describes the challenges and barriers to implementing ergonomic changes in the workplace, why it's important to understand these issues, and what can be done to resolve them.

The other case is told from a worker's perspective in the automotive industry. Wyatt Clark recounts a particularly thorny problem discovered at the design stage right through to its final solution and implementation at full production.

Presenters: Dan Dubblestyne, Wyatt Clark

Towards a National Prevention Strategy for Workplace Violence in Canada

Workplace violence, although not epidemic, can no longer be ignored within the Canadian workplace - particularly within the service industries such as health, education and retail. Increasingly, employers and unions are voicing their concern over an escalating trend in workplace aggression and other forms of conduct that can jeopardize workplace health and safety. Legislators and the courts are now turning their attention to this troubling and complex issue as signaled by the introduction of regulations at the federal level and enhancements made to provincial occupational health and safety legislation throughout Canada.

Presenters: Glenn French, Anthony Pizzino

Four Generations - Four Approaches to Work: Enhancing Training & Coaching for All

Organizations today face the challenge of creating high-performing environments that produce results, while maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. Your workplace is comprised of four generations (Traditionalist, Baby Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y). Each of these cohorts possesses unique identities that translate into different behaviors in the workplace. It is important for leaders and colleagues alike to be able to tap into the values and expectations of each generation in order to increase levels of engagement, team performance and health and safety.

Presenter: Giselle Kovary