An annual HS policy review is a great first step for setting safety program quality improvement goals.

How should a small business manager approach identifying OHS quality improvement priorities?   An annual review of the business HS policy and program is a good place to start.

Smaller businesses often have difficulty achieving high quality safety programs. This can lead to not meeting legislated workplace health and safety requirements or workplace injury incidents. Issues related to lack OHS knowledge and human resource, time or budget constraints all affect the decisions small business managers make about safety program quality improvement.

Quality expectations develop from the demands of the business’ stakeholders. Stakeholders, such as employees, customers, vendors, local community members and government organizations, have various expectations regarding the safety standards of a business’ products, services and work practices. Meeting stakeholder safety expectations is important.  Safety focused businesses save money with fewer injuries and illness costs, improved profits due to satisfied customers and improved employee retention.

The OHS expectations that stakeholders have can become HS quality improvement goals.  Common quality expectations for small businesses include:

• Low incidence of workplace injuries and illness;
• Safe, efficient work practices using proven procedures, techniques, modern technology and training;
• Easy to manage HS program including clear communication to stakeholders;
• Minimal use of resources, such money, time and people, to administer the program;
• Achievement of legal and moral due diligence.

Small business owners must commit the time necessary to learn about and innovatively develop affordable, easy to manage OHS procedures within their resource-limited operations. The first step is to identify OHS quality improvements goals based on the unique demands of the business’ stakeholders. Diligently and creatively working on safety program quality improvement will result in satisfied stakeholders and optimize business success.

Workplace safety best practices are developed based on occupational health & safety research findings.

A large body of OHS knowledge, originating from research, exists about how to maintain worker health. Occupational health & safety research results are used to improve workplace safety programs and keep workers safe.

It is useful for employers to learn about OHS studies and their results. Workplace health researchers often have difficulty getting news of their research discoveries to end-users, employers and employees in workplaces. Valuable research findings that could improve the quality of business operations are often slow to be implemented in workplaces.

The Institute of Work & Health (IWH) regularly reports OHS studies worth considering for application in workplace safety programs.   Interesting examples of recent occupational health & safety research studies include:

1. Strong evidence shows workplace-based resistance training exercise programs can help prevent and manage upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and symptoms.
2. In a patient lifting study, a peer coaching training program led to 34 % reduction in lost time injury rates during the study & 56 % drop after the study ended. This research suggests peer coaching may be an effective OHS training strategy.
3. Health and safety inspections with penalties reduce work injuries.
4. Employee vulnerability to work injury and illness differs based on worker experience of three factors: inadequate policies and procedures, low awareness of their health and safety rights and responsibilities, and/or lack of empowerment to voice their health and safety concerns.

Occupational health & safety research scientists are expected to communicate their research results to educate employers, workers, government and industry experts about effective, research based practices that can improve employee safety. By transferring useful research  findings from research to work settings, the quality of workplace safety can be improved leading to less occupational injury and disease.

Read about other interesting OHS research findings. http://www.iwh.on.ca/5-things-we-think-you-should-know

Managers should maintain open communication with sick employees when professional case managers are not available to help with disability management.

Open communication with sick employees can be difficult. Managers usually have more experienced dealing with business issues than disability cases. A sick employee often seems fragile. Employers worry about doing or saying something that may upset the employee or increase costs related to down-time.

Effective communication between employer, sick employee and stakeholders such as health and insurance professionals, helps a worker’s recovery and return to work. It is important to remember that everyone is on the same team. Spending time listening, understanding and acknowledging the issues that the sick employee is experiencing helps plan return to work strategies.

Even though they are not expected to be counsellors, managers should understand that sick employees are affected by many issues that complicate recovery and return to work. A sick employee may be coping with:

• reduced physical abilities due to current illness, treatment or flare-up of pre-existing health problems;
• anxiety about slow or incomplete recovery;
• frustration about inability to manage daily life, including returning to work;
• miscommunications, confusion and lack of understanding about treatment, prognosis and return to work options;
• financial stress and worry;
• difficulty connecting or communicating with key stakeholders causing uncoordinated health care, financial and return to work planning;
• lack of empathy from employers, co-workers, family and even health care professionals, especially with prolonged illness;
• workplace procedures such as modified work that is not meaningful or physically manageable; and,
• decreased confidence and self-esteem.

Communicating openly with sick employee helps both the employee and employer gain information and effectively plan and be involved in the rehabilitation process. Actively participating in rehabilitation is known to help individuals recover better and quicker. This is why returning to work as soon as possible with appropriate modified work is considered a best practice in disability management.

Initially, a sick employee may have difficulty answering questions or making decisions. Regular engagement with an empathetic and honest manager can help sick workers feel supported and empower them with the information they need to plan recovery and return to work.  Similarly, open communication with sick employees gives managers important information that they can use to make business decisions.

Disability management is challenging for small business managers without support staff. The sick employee is the central figure in the disability management process. Open and non-judgemental communication with sick employees is a key strategy to help employers manage employee disability and return to work.

October is Healthy Workplace Month in Canada, a time to think about workplace health promotion. 

Workplace health promotion is described by the World Health Organization as the combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work.  Workplace health promotion activities include business procedures and programs that support employees at work and educate them about how to work productively while remaining healthy and happy.   

How does developing a healthy workplace help organizations and their employees?  Health promotion at work develops  employee knowledge, skills and resilience.  These activities teach workers how to do their jobs well and safely.  Safe work training, micro-breaks to stretch and lunch and learn sessions about working effectively with others are all examples of workplace health promotion activities. 

Employees at healthy workplaces want to be physically, mentally and socially capable of working productively.  This benefits organizations, workers and communities.

Employee benefits include:
• a safe and healthy work environment
• enhanced worker self-esteem
• reduced stress
• improved morale
• increased job satisfaction
• increased skills for health protection
• improved health
• improved sense of well-being.

The business case for workplace health promotion includes:
• a well-managed health and safety program
• a positive business image
• improved staff morale
• reduced staff turnover
• reduced absenteeism
• increased productivity
• reduced insurance and health care costs
• reduced risk of fines and litigation

Even communities benefit from healthy workplaces through improved local employment, decreased poverty, better worker and family health, and pollution reduction. 

Employers and employees influence workplace health and happiness with their choices and attitudes.  Shared interest among employees about workplace health promotion initiatives will lead to a more productive and healthier workforce. 

Learn more about workplace health promotion.

Ontario OHS Legislation Update – WHMIS Regulation changed

WHMIS (Amendment to Regulation 860/90) – On July 1, 2016, the province enacted changes to Ontario OHS legislation involving WHMIS to meet federal and international standards for classifying and labelling workplace chemicals.

How does this affect Ontario workplaces?  

• Employers must begin implementing the new requirements for workplace WHMIS programs for classifying and labelling chemicals.  
• Until May 30, 2018, WHMIS labels using either the old or new format may be used in the workplace.
• By December 1, 2018, the transition to the new WHMIS system must be complete.
• While both the old and new WHMIS systems are in use in the workplace, employers with hazardous materials at the work site must train workers about both.

The updated WHMIS regulation includes new language on labels and information sheets which will require employee training about the new WHMIS – Workplace Hazardous Material Information Systems in Ontario. 

Read more about Ontario New WHMIS regulations and employee training here.

Looking for more information on Health and Safety? Download our free manager guides from the Fusion Industry Resources Page.

Business owners must prove OHS due diligence by producing written workplace safety records.

When workplace safety incidents occur, government safety inspectors or legal authorities often ask employers to show that their company has done everything possible to keep workers safe. To avoid fines and other penalties, employers often must prove OHS due diligence by producing written workplace safety records.  Current records documenting safety procedures, training and workplace safety checks are the best evidence to show the work done to maintain employee safety and prevent workplace accidents.

Beyond complying with health & safety laws, OHS due diligence means an employer must do what another reasonable Canadian would do under similar circumstances. It is not enough to simply create a corporate health and safety policy and have an understanding of legal OHS requirements. Employers must use common sense and operate their businesses ethically.  It must be evident that keeping people safe is an active priority.

Maintaining up to date business records about safety planning and initiatives proves the business diligently monitors safety and enforces safety rules. Corporate OHS programs must include documentation of safety planning, procedures, checklists and training records. Written records show that safety activities really do occur in the workplace.

The following are examples of occupational health and safety documentation and record-keeping:

• Management & Health & Safety committee meeting minutes
• Work procedures and safety manuals
• Employee orientation & training records
• Workplace inspections, equipment maintenance log books, sampling and monitoring records, safety procedure forms & checklists (including details about corrective actions)
• Accident / Incident reports (including details about corrective actions)
• Supervisor safety related notes (inspections, training, meetings)
• Emergency response drills records
• Discipline / enforcement of safety procedures
• Statistic tracking for injury and incidents

Employers, supervisors and workers should be in the habit of making notes and completing checklists to document safety activities such as inspections, training or policy updates.  Computerized or paper filing systems help by creating a place to store and retrieve documents for review.  It is easiest to prove OHS due diligence when safety work is documented and available for review when necessary.