This has been a watershed year for the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). We have been cultivating relationships across the country with a large cross-section of industries, OSH organizations and institutions. We have leveraged these relationships into mutually beneficial collaborations that have expanded our product offerings, accessed new markets, and increased our recognition factor across Canada.
I take a look back with great pride in our success from all of our business units. We have had an extremely successful national Forum that highlighted our ability to draw together representatives from a cross-section of groups to dialogue on solutions that affect all Canadians. Collaborations with groups such as CARMHA, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Carex Canada, NIDMAR, VuBiz, Institute on Gender and Health (IGH), ILO and High Point Wellness have resulted in new programs and products that have introduced CCOHS to new stakeholders and have increased the profile of the prevention of occupational injury and illness across all jurisdictions. We have also taken a leadership role in the communication of federal GHS legislation, mental health standards, and initiatives for vulnerable workers, and making OSH programs accessible to small and medium sized enterprises and remote regions.
But, my greatest sense of pride is reserved for our leadership team and staff for their dedication and ability to adapt to evolving internal changes and a constantly shifting external environment. It is our adaptive capacity and nimble decision-making that have come to define our organization and serve as the platform for all our successes.
My best wishes to everyone for a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year.
This week, CCOHS had a successful conclusion to the first phase of our most recent project in China. The project is directed at policy development and implementation of legal protection for the psychological health and safety in the workplace of migrant labourers in Chongqing. CCOHS’s representative, Dr. Abeytunga, met with a large group of local and state government representatives in Chongqing. Also present at the meeting was a senior official from the central government who came to lend his support to our project and stated that the success of this was “very important to him.” I was extremely pleased to hear this from Abey, as were the Chinese officials who were present, as it served as strong affirmation of the work we are doing.
Members of the Chongqinq delegation visit with CCOHS in December.
Several factors led to our working with the local Chinese government on this project. First, in 2012 the State Council enacted a special regulation requiring employers “to take preventative measures against sexual harassment.” This marked a shift in the focus of Chinese OHS labour laws and regulations from strictly the protection of physical health to the protection of mental health. Secondly, there are almost nine million migrant labourers within Chongqing municipality, and they constitute an integral part of the labour force in Chongqing City. Unfortunately, a series of suicides of migrant workers in a foundry in Shenzhen in 2010 underscored the importance of addressing mental health issues among the new generation of migrant workers in order to prevent similar tragedies.
Workplace violence, harassment and bullying, the pressure to work long hours and disrespect towards workers all contribute to the mental health of migrant labourers. It’s imperative to establish local laws and regulations to ensure employers promote and protect the mental health of migrant workers, so that we can better their overall workplace health and safety.
I am at the 50th Annual meeting of the collaborating centres of the International Labour Organization (ILO). CCOHS is one of those collaborating centres, with 60 member countries represented here.
Steve Horvath, far right, presenting at the meeting.
I led off the meeting with a summary of initiatives and discussions in the last year.
There has been a fundamental recognition of the impact of changing technology and environment on the structure and strategy of the collaborating network within the ILO. I presented to the ILO the feedback from the ILO collaborating centres’ input to date on the re-focus of the ILO strategy on occupational health and safety systems, programs and products.
I am committed to the framework of a network of collaborating centres – but it must be adaptive and responsive to present realities. We have to shift our focus regularly and ask whether we are being effective as an organization in our initiatives and able to demonstrate progress. In this context, CCOHS is committed to working within the network towards a needs-based approach and to support the mobilization of available expertise and products.
The second day of meetings of the ILO network began with my being voted to chair their “Knowledge and Information Sharing Tools” group.
These are always lively discussions that highlight the opportunity to share established solutions and resources. This dialogue underscores the stark differences between the developing and developed countries, but, for me, the even greater issue is the significant commonality in challenges between all countries. Everyone is struggling with diminishing resources, increasing needs, accessing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and training of vulnerable or migrant workers – to name a few.
There is a compelling need created by the new environment for collaboration and the exchange of expertise to ensure we meet our common goals. These networks have to be built on a platform of reciprocal relationships, where resources are exchanged freely to the benefit of all.
I am looking forward to working collaboratively within these networks to meet the challenges that lay ahead.
There were 26 countries represented at the Mainstreaming OSH into Schools: Towards a Culture of Prevention meeting in Turin at the ILO training centre in Turin last week, and as I review the event, it has become apparent that Canada’s resources and expertise were very much in demand from other regions in the world. Some were developing countries looking for assistance in launching initiatives to address the needs for teaching OSH to students prior to entering the workforce. A number also had issues with child labour, an active informal economy, and increasing numbers of youth in precarious work that makes training and enforcement challenging.
CCOHS has resources to offer, in addition to support. Our programs, web sites, and databases are readily accessible. But, as I listened, there was also a real need for leadership and guidance by institutions and countries that have established regulations, standards, procedures and resource materials. We at CCOHS have a lot to contribute to the promotion of integrating OSH into the education curriculum.
I spoke of collaborating with educators at the early stages of curriculum development and the need to understand their processes in order to achieve a seamless integration into the lesson plans of teachers, instead of a distinct program requiring their time commitments outside their measured educational goals.
We have success stories here in Canada; in particular, and one of the ones presented here by Sue Boychuk, was the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Live Safe! Work Smart! program. The results in terms of injury rate reductions over 10 years amongst teens (a 67% decrease) have been dramatic.
I also supported the concept of a mentorship program between developed and developing countries. Our resources and learning materials can benefit and pave the way, in a much more direct way.
It was our pleasure to host Israel Shreibman, Director of the Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene (IIOSH), last week. Mr. Shriebman came to CCOHS to review our operations and to get an understanding of the challenges facing our organization and how we have been addressing them. At the same time, it was an opportunity for me to hear some of the unique solutions IIOSH have adopted for their workers – of particular interest during our discussions was our programs for agricultural and immigrant workers, and accessing small enterprises for training.
As unique as the Middle East may seem to us, the challenges in the occupational health and safety field are strikingly similar. So it is particularly beneficial to CCOHS to hear a different perspective on a common issue and learn of new ways to address them. As well, each organization has their own areas of expertise, and there was agreement to support each other’s initiatives, and to look for opportunities to collaborate on projects to avoid duplication.
Recently I had an opportunity to sit down with professor Obi Ejim, Vice Chancellor of Renaissance University in Nigeria, regarding the establishment of an undergraduate degree program and faculty in Occupational Health at the University. The needs in Nigeria, and Sub-Saharan Africa in general, are daunting, and CCOHS is proud to support such worthy initiatives that will have a positive future impact in the region. During our meeting, we established a collaborative memorandum of agreement with the University to support the establishment of a faculty committed to improving the working environment in their region.
And with the looming end to the summer and the imminent start of the new school year, our thoughts here at home also turn to students in pursuit of a post-secondary education in health and safety. Fortunately, there are many institutions across Canada which offer established, comprehensive occupational health and safety degree, diploma, and certificate programs, some of which are also available online.
To help students tap into CCOHS’ extensive network of information and resources throughout their studies and beyond graduation, we created a Student Membership program for full- and part-time students. CCOHS also offers a national scholarship, open to Canadian students pursuing a certificate, diploma, or degree in occupational health and safety. The Dick Martin Scholarship was established in 2002, and the annual deadline to apply is January 31. Listen to a podcast with two past winners.
CCOHS is committed to supporting the next generation of leaders in workplace health and safety.
We had a very productive and informative meeting of the CCOHS Council of Governors last week. Held at our offices here in Hamilton, it was our first meeting under our new Chair, Kin Choi. We also welcomed three new Council members, Shelly Dauphinee from New Brunswick, Bill Reid from PEI and Shelley Rowan from Nova Scotia. Regrettably, we also said goodbye to three of our long-standing, devoted members: Jean Dalton from Arcelor Mittal; Stuart MacLean from Nova Scotia; and, Nancy Hutchinson from the OFL, who each served two terms on our Council. Their contributions to the success of our organization are greatly appreciated, and they will be sorely missed.
The meeting is as much an occasion for CCOHS to “put its best foot forward” and showcase our organization’s accomplishments, as it is to discuss our challenges moving forward. It is an opportunity to look outwards and talk about our future and share our visions within a forum of differing perspectives, but common goals.
It is also our opportunity to listen: to understand the changes that the provinces, industry and labour are undertaking and how they will shape our environment. I believe CCOHS’s role is to turn their challenges to our opportunities.
There were also a number of positive initiatives in the provinces and sharing of best practices during roundtable discussions that will benefit all.
CCOHS is fortunate to have such a reservoir of knowledge to draw from and I am confident our organization’s future is bright.
Recovering from a lunchtime walk outside, it occurred to me that many of us are not adjusting our daily routines in consideration of some of the extremely hot, humid weather this summer. Heat stress can have a severe impact on people’s health, particularly when we consider factors of underlying medical issues, obesity, age and level of physical fitness.
We are determined to maintain our work routines and daily schedules without stopping to consider the impact extremes in the physical environment are having on our bodies. In the hot summer climate we should all consciously be thinking about staying hydrated and taking periodic breaks from the heat throughout the day – waiting until you are thirsty or until your next scheduled break is usually too late. This heat requires the body to increase its physiological activity to maintain your normal body temperature. Consequently, we should be maintaining a constant hydration level so the body does not have to compensate for large swings in fluid levels (consider two marathon runners; one who takes in water at regular intervals throughout the race, and another who drinks an equivalent total only at the end of the race).
Periodic rest and intake of fluids are a necessity to avoid heat stress, particularly for those working outdoors. It is imperative that we all familiarize ourselves with the early signs of heat stress so we can support our fellow employees and avoid potentially hazardous situations.
I encourage you to review the CCOHS resources below about the health effects of excessive heat.
As well as attending sessions on establishing national standards at CSA‘s annual conference and committee week, I had the pleasant opportunity to sit down over dinner on Sunday night with the two co-chairs of the technical committee on Mental Health in the Workplace, the committee establishing the national mental health standards that we have all been discussing.
Mary Anne Baynton and Roger Bertrand were engaging and had a lot of insights into the process and goals of the new psychological health standards. We shared a common vision, and there was commitment to address all the issues on this complex topic. CCOHS can certainly have an active role in promoting the standards as well as the “Guarding Minds at Work” online assessment tool to help organizations implement a healthy workplace program.
I also had an opportunity on Monday to sit down with Bonnie Rose, President of CSA, to discuss mutual interests and areas for collaboration between CCOHS and CSA. Our goals are complementary and we can develop synergies between us by working together.
Dr. Abeytunga, 8th from the right, at the APEX Awards Ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, on May 28.
On Monday night, I was pleased to represent CCOHS at the awards gala hosted by the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX). The APEX award is the highest honour bestowed upon an executive of the federal public service in recognition of outstanding contribution to Canada. It was with great pride that I watched APEX recognize our own Dr. Abeytunga with an APEX award for career contribution. It was particularly heartening because it was not about a single success, but instead acknowledged his 32 years of contribution both nationally and internationally to the advancement of health and safety and to the growth of CCOHS as a global centre of excellence for the prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses. Congratulations, Abey! I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.
