Back To Work?
It’s the dog days of summer, Labour Day is fast approaching. That means cooler weather is on its way and with it comes new challenges as we try to find our footing in a post-pandemic world. Virtually every business has been affected by the lockdown and safety precautions that COVID-19 has necessitated, whether it was lay-offs, working from home, providing essential services, operating with a skeleton staff or finding innovative ways to provide goods and services. The full impact of COVID-19 is yet to be realized but we do know that it has taken a toll on our economy, our lifestyles, our livelihood and our mental health. It’s undeniable, COVID-19 has changed us, at work, rest and play. It has changed the way we do business, the way we interact, the way we travel, the way we shop, the way we entertain ourselves and the way we receive healthcare. Some […]
Hand Hygiene: Help vs Harm
Whether you sing the Alphabet Song, Happy Birthday, Stayin’ Alive, count slowly to 20 or use a timer, we all know the drill by now – washing your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. While this seems like a simple solution to a complex situation, frequent hand washing and excessive use of hand sanitizers can pose a serious health hazard. The outermost layer of our skin is composed of oils and wax, and it acts as both a shield from the outside and a guard that maintains natural moisture in the skin. Soaps, no matter how mild, and hand sanitizers do not discriminate between unwanted oil, germs, debris and natural oils in the skin and if this natural barrier is broken down, the skin can become dry, red, itchy and […]
Getting Back to Work in the Post-COVID-19 World
There are some encouraging signs that the peak of the current wave of COVID-19 has passed, restrictions are easing off and the economy is starting to reopen. While this is good news, it doesn’t mean that we are out of the woods yet. How organizations get back to business and the precautions they take could make all the difference of how successful the next phase will be. Resuming operations following the pandemic may seem like a daunting task but a step by step approach can make the job more manageable. The safety of all workers must be the primary focus of any business when attempting to reopen or increase operations and implementing COVID-19 protocols that conform with government and health care regulations is a key component. The following outlines 5 tips to consider when reopening or ramping up your business: 1. Keep employees safe: We all know the drill by […]
Bullying & Harassment: Is it an Acceptable WCB Stress?
While there was a time when the stress of your job did not constitute the basis of an acceptable workers’ compensation claim, the times they are changing, or so it may seem. With the emergence of campaigns like anti-bullying, #MeToo, and #BellLetsTalk (coming up later this month on January 29th), discussions around mental health issues and their impact on how we live has become more prevalent. Issues like bullying (including cyber-bullying), harassment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are being more widely recognized, acknowledged and accepted in a work-related context. Although ‘stress’ is not a medically accepted diagnostic term, mental stress is commonly used to describe a person’s non-specific physical and psychological response to the events or changes that occur in his or her life. These events are known as stressors and stressors are a normal part of life. If a person’s ability to cope with stressors is overwhelmed; distress, a […]
Slips, Trips and Falls Happen
Slips, trips and falls happen— at home and at work. They account for 15-20% of all work-related accidents and are the leading cause of ‘time-loss’ injuries in Canada. Slips, trips and falls happen. They happen on construction sites, in offices, at schools, on oil rigs, in kitchens, at hospitals and on farms. They happen at heights and on the ground, in parking lots and on stairs, when you’re looking and especially when you’re not. Slips, trips and falls happen. And they are costly, not just in the direct costs of treating the resultant injury but also in the indirect costs like lost time, lost productivity, lost earnings and increased WCB premiums. What are slips and trips? Slips happen when there is too little friction or traction between the foot (or footwear) and the contact surface. Common causes of slips are : Wet or oily work areas Accidental spills […]