Across Canada and the world there is consensus on the need to create mentally safe and healthy workplaces, both from a workers’ wellbeing and employer economic benefits viewpoint.
 
The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that 70 per cent of Canadian workers are concerned about the psychological health and safety of their workplace, and 14 per cent don’t think theirs is healthy or safe at all. Such workplaces can take a detrimental personal toll as well as contribute to astounding economic costs. The total cost from mental health problems to the Canadian economy exceeds $50 billion annually.

So, how do we meet the need for prevention?

To help workplaces create healthier, safer work, Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC), Ontario’s official occupational health and safety training centre supports workers, their representatives, supervisors and employers with programs designed to:

• identify mental health hazards,
• encourage discussion on preventative and protective measures for safer and healthier work and,
• provide the tools to identify signs of stress related impacts,

thereby increasing worker wellbeing and decreasing lost time claims. 

Our Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Mental Health and Stress in the Workplace training programs are offered this fall in our scheduled, in-person or virtual classrooms, and always instructor led. We can also work with you to deliver training at a time and location that works for your workplace.
 
WHSC’s three-hour comprehensive Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Mental Health training program provides a basic understanding of psychosocial work hazards and how they may impact workers’ mental health. It outlines the health effects associated with psychosocial hazards and explores a range of workplace factors from job demands/job control and worker engagement to civility and respect. Equally important, participants will discuss a host of methods to identify and assess psychosocial hazards including policies and programs, physical and cognitive demands analysis and workplace surveys. The program concludes with a discussion on preventative and protective measures for a safer and healthier workplace. The use of video clips and case studies engages learners and helps them identify and understand contributing workplace factors and gain a basic understanding of the accommodation process.

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Stress in the Workplace training program is designed to equip participants with information helping them to understand the tell-tale signs in those suffering stress-related health impacts. The many aspects of work that can be stressful to workers are explored along with strategies to eliminate or reduce exposure. This program includes several practical tools participants can use in their workplace for assessing harmful working conditions and related health impacts, including the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ).

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Other WHSC related programs scheduled for this fall include Critical Incident and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Workplace Violence and Harassment.
 
For more information about on-site delivery, please contact a training services representative in your area. Be sure to also check out our complete schedule of online virtual classroom training, including Certification Part I, Part II and Refresher training. Properly trained, certified joint health and safety committee members can play a critical role in building psychologically safe and healthy workplaces.
 
Need more information?
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit: whsc.on.ca
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