Health and Safety ReportVolume 21, Issue 4

Some lives are forever changed by a workplace tragedy. On the National Day of Mourning, held annually on April 28, we remember those who have lost their lives, were injured or became ill from their work, and renew our commitment to health and safety in the workplace.

At 11 am, observe a moment of silence to honour workers who have died or experienced a work-related tragedy, and their loved ones, friends and co-workers who have been deeply impacted.

To help show your support, display our new reflection and dandelion posters, watch this video, and share these social media messages using the hashtag #DayOfMourning. You can also listen to podcasts featuring the personal stories of family members who have been deeply impacted by workplace loss.

Together, let’s strengthen our resolve to establish safe and healthy working conditions to protect workers and prevent further workplace tragedies.

Join Your Local Steps for Life Walk

Participate in Steps for Life, an annual walk organized by Threads of Life to raise awareness and funds in support of families affected by workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.

Events take place in communities across the country. For more information, including locations, dates and how to register, visit the Steps for Life website.

To provide information and resources supporting farmers, farm families, farm workers and farming communities, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) has launched a new online farm safety and mental wellness hub.

The collection of farm safety and mental wellness resources provides information and programming highlights from other organizations, links to national, provincial, and international resources, links to reports and research, and includes news and events linked to agriculture safety and mental wellness.

The hub is available on CASA’s website at www.casa-acsa.ca/mental-health.

CCOHS releases new podcasts each month to help you stay current and informed on workplace health, safety, and well-being in Canada.

New Podcast: Day of Mourning: Donna Van Bruggen's Story

“He had big hands, big feet, and a great big heart.” Donna Van Bruggen's life was forever changed the day her son David didn’t come home from work. Hear her powerful story, and how getting involved with Threads of Life has helped her process her grief.

Podcast runs: 18:29. Listen to the podcast now

Encore Podcast: New and Young Worker Orientation

Employee orientation is the process of introducing any new worker to the organization, their supervisors, co-workers, jobs, and especially to health and safety. In this podcast we focus on what employers can do to help their new and young workers start a new job on the right foot and stay safe at work.

The podcast runs 8:00 minutes. Listen to the podcast now.

See the complete list of podcast topics or, better yet, subscribe to the series on iTunes or Spotify and don't miss a single episode.

Safety and Health Week runs from May 1-6, 2023. The week will feature thought-provoking sessions on psychological health and inclusion in the workplace and wrap up with a relaxing guided meditation. Join health and safety enthusiasts from across the country and beyond to learn how we can create safe, thriving workplaces and communities.

Live French audio interpretation will be available for all sessions. American Sign Language (ASL) and Quebec Sign Language (LSQ) interpretation will be available for select events.

National Launch - Monday, May 1 | 11 am EDT

Join our national partners from across the country as we kick off Safety and Health Week 2023. Hear inspiring stories, watch the finalist videos from the Focus on Safety National Youth Video Contest, and share in the excitement as the winner is announced.

Your Role in Workplace Psychological Health, Tuesday, May 2 | 1 pm EDT

Mary Ann Baynton, Director of Collaboration and Strategy at Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, and Emma Ashurst, Inquiries and Technical Services Manager at CCOHS, discuss why having a psychologically healthy workplace is important and how all levels of employees can participate.

Fostering an Inclusive Workplace - Wednesday, May 3 | 1 pm EDT

Sharon DeSousa, National Executive Vice President at the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Yvone Defreitas, Director of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness at CCOHS, have a conversation about how to make space for others and talk through employees’ needs in the workplace.

Midday Meditation - Thursday, May 4 | 11:30 am EDT

Improve your focus, lower your stress, and increase your productivity with a midday break. Pause, relax and reflect as you exercise your brain by joining in a short, guided meditation session, led by CCOHS’ Sonya Tonkovich.

For other ideas on how you can celebrate and to access tools and resources to help you plan and promote your own events, visit the national Safety and Health Week website.

97% of Forum 2019 delegates said they would attend again. From the future of work to the power of kindness, get inspired to create positive changes in your workplace with our Forum 2023 speaker lineup:

• Linda Nazareth, economist and futurist, on how demographic, workplace, and economic trends will shape the future of work.
• Tareq Hadhad, Syrian-Canadian entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, on offering kindness to accelerate the integration of newcomers.
• Peter Smith, president and senior scientist at the Institute for Work and Health, on a new approach to measure vulnerability to improve injury and illness prevention activities.
• Dr. Julian Barling, Borden Chair of Leadership in the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, on the brave new workplace.
• Anya Keefe, occupational and public health consultant, on women’s experiences with personal protective equipment in the workplace.
• Dani Gomez-Ortega, diversity and inclusion champion, on creating safe and inclusive workplaces for trans and non-binary people.
• Stacey Maguire, health and safety professional, on the health and safety needs and realities of Indigenous communities.
• Francy Munoz, from the C.A.R.E. for International Workers Program, on supports for newcomers and guest (migrant, temporary foreign) workers.

Featuring perspectives on current and emerging issues, an innovation showcase to learn about new tools and resources, and opportunities to discuss and exchange ideas – Forum is designed to be an intimate event, with opportunities to interact with others who share a passion for creating healthy workplaces.

Registration includes all speaker sessions, interactive events, the innovation showcase, lunches, and light refreshments. Delegates will also have access to exclusive room rates at the venue hotel, the Westin Nova Scotian. A limited number of rooms are available.

Have you taken advantage of our early bird rate? Be sure to register by June 15, 2023. A student rate is also available.

For more information and to stay up-to-date, visit https://www.ccohs.ca/forum/.

Health Canada and CCOHS have created technical decision trees that illustrate a sequential logic flow to support suppliers in classifying the health hazards of hazardous products destined for Canadian workplaces.

The decision trees follow the classification requirements of the former Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR), which came into force on December 15, 2022, and will be hosted on WHMIS.org during the 3-year transition period for suppliers transitioning from the former HPR to the amended HPR, ending on December 14, 2025.

The technical decision trees are intended to supplement the HPR and the Technical Guidance on the Requirements of the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) and the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) – WHMIS 2015 Supplier Requirements from Health Canada. They do not introduce different or additional requirements beyond those of the HPR.

A second set of decision trees is in development that will follow the classification requirements of the amended HPR. Suppliers interested in learning more about the amendments to the HPR can refer to the Amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations webpage.

Resources:

• Technical Decision Trees, WHMIS.org
• Former Hazardous Products Regulation (HPR), Hazardous Products Regulations, Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada
• Amended Hazardous Products Regulation (HPR), Hazardous Products Regulations, Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada
• Technical Guidance on the Requirements of the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) and the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) – WHMIS 2015 Supplier Requirements (‘Health Canada Technical Guidance’), Health Canada

CCOHS is asking for feedback from the users of our services, the public, and members of the media regarding our accessibility for persons with disabilities, so we can best meet your needs as well as comply with the Accessible Canada Act.

Your input matters and will help us reach our goal of making our services accessible to all. The survey runs until April 30, 2023.

Complete the short survey.