Health and Safety ReportVolume 24, Issue 02

During the Olympics, our attention naturally turns to elite performances, record-breaking moments, and medal counts. What is often less visible is the work behind these efforts, and the health and safety hazards athletes face every day as part of their sport. Whether competing on the world stage or training locally, the health, safety, and well-being of athletes deserve the same care and planning as any other job.

Understanding the demands

Athletes perform highly physical work that places repeated stress on the body. Their tasks often involve running, jumping, lifting, pushing, and other forceful or repetitive movements that require strength, endurance, balance, and coordination. In addition to physical demands, athletes rely heavily on cognitive skills such as concentration, quick decision-making, and problem solving, often under intense pressure.

Over time, managing both physical and mental loads can take a toll. Without appropriate rest, recovery, and support, these demands can lead to injury, fatigue, mental health impacts, or long-term health effects.

Common health and safety concerns

Concussions remain one of the most serious health concerns. A concussion can result from a direct blow to the head, a fall, or a forceful impact to any part of the body that causes rapid movement of the head. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory issues, or difficulty concentrating.  Also watch for changes in behaviour which are not always immediate or obvious (such as being unusually quick to anger or overly anxious). Immediate emergency medical attention is needed when more serious symptoms are experienced, such as double vision, slurred speech, or loss of consciousness. Early recognition of potential concussions and medical assessments by healthcare professionals are essential, as returning to play too soon can lead to further injury and long-term health consequences.

Other health and safety issues for athletes include sprains and strains, fractures, dislocations, other soft-tissue injuries, and lower back and knee pain. They may also experience dehydration, heat-related illness, or exposure to ultraviolet radiation during outdoor training and competition. There’s also the chance of infectious diseases from close contact with infected individuals or travel, plus the risk of slips, trips, or falls.

Mental health matters

Athletes can also experience significant demands on their mental health. Pressure to perform, irregular schedules, public scrutiny, job insecurity, and repeated injuries can contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Mental health challenges may increase during injury recovery or career transitions, such as retirement from sport.

Recognizing the importance of good mental health helps reduce stigma and encourages athletes to seek support early.

Prevention through planning and safe practices

Preventing injury and illness starts with thoughtful training design and day-to-day safe practices. Avoid overtraining and allow adequate recovery time. Make sure athletes stay hydrated, use proper techniques, and wear appropriate, well-maintained clothing and equipment.

Regularly inspect facilities and equipment and establish clear procedures for injury reporting, emergency response, and return-to-play. Health and safety improves when expectations are clear and concerns are addressed promptly.

Supporting injury management and recovery

Even with strong preventive measures in place, injuries can still occur. When they do, access to appropriate medical care, timely recognition and reporting, and sufficient recovery time are essential. Continuing to train or compete while injured can delay healing and lead to longer-term health issues. Emergency procedures for responding to serious injuries and other events must also be developed and followed.

Support during recovery matters. Athletes benefit from access to rehabilitation services, mental health support, and encouragement to follow recovery plans without pressure to return too soon.

A shared responsibility

The health and safety of athletes is a shared responsibility. Athletes play a role by reporting injuries, following safe practices, and listening to their bodies. Employers, organizations, coaches, and support staff contribute by creating environments that prioritize prevention, recovery, and long-term well-being over short-term results. Treating athletic work with the same care as any other high-demand occupation helps protect athletes throughout their careers and beyond.

Resources

• Athletes, CCOHS
• Burnout, CCOHS
• Safety in Sport, Government of Canada

Over time, repetitive tasks like bending, twisting, lifting, and pulling can cause repeated stress to the body and lead to painful disorders of the muscles, tendons, and nerves. Repetitive strain injuries, part of a bigger group called musculoskeletal disorders, are not only debilitating but they are also a leading cause of lost-time injuries in Canada. To mark Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day on February 28, take these steps to prioritize prevention and protect workers from common workplace injuries.  

• Assess your workplace – Conduct regular ergonomic risk assessments. Look for risk factors like pushing and pulling with excessive frequency and force, and awkward body postures and working positions.  

• Address hazards at the source – Eliminate repetitive work by mechanizing certain jobs. Provide assistive devices, such as carts, lifts, and hoists, to help with tasks that require heavy and frequent lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, or holding.   

• Create a well-designed workspace – Design workstations so they can be adjusted to fit the worker. This may include providing adjustable chairs or workbenches for sitting, standing, or sitting-standing positions. Train workers on how to adjust their workstations to fit their tasks and individual needs.  

• Provide the right tools for the job – Make sure workers have appropriate, well-maintained tools and equipment to perform their jobs safely. Ergonomic tools with non-slip grips and reduced vibration can help minimize the force needed to complete tasks, prevent muscle strain, and avoid awkward positions.  

• Educate workers on safe work practices – Provide training so workers can identify the causes of repetitive strain injuries, understand how to prevent them, and know how to recognize and report symptoms early.  

• Assign different types of tasks – Structure roles so workers can rotate through a variety of activities using different muscle groups.  

• Encourage scheduled breaks – Distribute work evenly and make sure workers take short, frequent rest breaks. Introduce stretching routines or microbreak protocols that target specific muscle groups and encourage overall wellness. 

For more tools and resources to create awareness and prevent injuries, visit our Repetitive Strain Awareness Day page. 

More CCOHS resources:  

• Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) - Risk Factors fact sheet 
• Musculoskeletal Disorders infographic 
• Manual Materials Handling poster
• How to Lift Safely poster 
• Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention and Ergonomics course 
• Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders manual 

Supporting your returning-to-work employees or those who need accommodation just got easier. Supporting Employee Success offers a practical, psychologically safe approach to helping your employees succeed while maintaining safe and productive work. 

The free online tool helps employers collaborate with employees on strategies that support their ability to meet job expectations at work. It can help you clarify expectations during onboarding, manage performance, create a sustainable return-to-work strategy, and identify formal or informal accommodations. 

Now enhanced with new features, the tool is easier to use than ever: 

• Get an overview of your progress and move easily through the tool with the new navigation panel
• Save custom job expectations and solutions to use in the future 
• Easily access PDF reports anytime
• Better manage your employee list 

To get started or learn more, visit: www.supportingemployeesuccess.com. 

This tool is part of a suite of free resources to help advance psychological health and safety at work, offered through a partnership between Canada Life’s Workplace Strategies for Mental Health and CCOHS.

Featured podcast: Supporting Workers with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 Canadians. It may occur after an injury has healed, or without a known cause. Dr. Andrea Furlan, a pain doctor from the University Health Network at the University of Toronto, joins us to discuss how employers can support workers affected by chronic pain, and how workers can find relief. 

Listen to the podcast now.

Encore podcast: Health Impacts of Physically Demanding Work

Do physically active jobs lead to healthier workers? Not necessarily. In this episode, Dr. Avi Biswas, scientist at the Institute for Work and Health, shares recommendations for safe, practical physical activity designed to meet the diverse needs of workers.

Listen to the podcast now.

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

The WHMIS transition period for the 2022 amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations is now over. The key changes in the amendments include: 

• A new physical hazard class, Chemicals Under Pressure
• A new hazard category for non-flammable aerosols and new subcategories for flammable gases
• Expanded safety data sheet requirements
• New disclosure requirements for hazardous ingredients
• A requirement for labels and safety data sheets to conform to the new regulatory version   

Our WHMIS for Workers course can help you meet your legal requirements as an employer to provide education that reflects the latest amendments to WHMIS. Updated with a more engaging and user-friendly experience, this one-hour online course is suitable for workers in organizations of all sizes, in all industries and occupations where hazardous products may be found, and for those involved in emergency response. 
 
More WHMIS resources from CCOHS 

• WHMIS Pictograms poster 
• WHMIS Labels poster
• WHMIS Overview fact sheet
• WHMIS - Legislation fact sheet
• WHMIS - Education and Training fact sheet
• WHMIS for Managers and Supervisors course
• Office Health, Safety and WHMIS course 
• WHMIS Instructor’s Toolkit 
• WHMIS Participant Workbook 

Got a few minutes? We'd love for you to take our Health and Safety Report Readership Survey. 

Tell us what you want to see in the newsletter and what you need to help you and others work safely. 

Complete the short survey by March 6, 2026, and you could win a $100 Canadian Tire gift card. 

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Register now to take advantage of the discounted early bird rate for CCOHS Forum: The Changing World of Work, taking place October 28 and 29, 2026 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.   

Gain insights from subject matter experts on current and emerging health and safety issues, plus discover solutions sure to inspire positive action in your workplace. Your registration includes all speaker sessions, the showcase of innovations, networking and interactive events, refreshments, and lunches. 

Plus, make the most of the event by exploring the natural beauty and rich history of St. John’s. From scenic trails and vibrant streetscapes to historic sites with majestic views, the coastal city has much to discover. Get activity suggestions on our Forum web page. 

Need accommodations? As a Forum attendee, you get special rates for the venue hotel, Delta Hotels St. John’s Conference Centre. A limited number of rooms are available.  

To register and for the latest updates, visit www.ccohs.ca/forum.

The Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest is now open to youth across Canada. To enter, create a video that illustrates what workplace health and safety means to you. You could win cash prizes of up to $2,000!

Make sure to check out the full contest details, as the entry deadline depends on your province or territory. Winners of the national contest will be announced in May 2026 during Safety and Health Week.