COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces
This COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces provides basic information only and contains recommendations for businesses or organizations for COVID-19 screening as per Ontario Regulation 364/20. It is not to be used as a clinical assessment tool or intended to take the place of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Where the document includes references to legal […]
The Future of Workplace Drug Testing
Recent changes to the legal status of cannabis have raised important questions for Canadian employers as existing guidelines are evolving. These new challenges can be confusing for employers who are keen to ensure a healthy and safe workplace. Cannabis impairment and drug misuse in the workplace can be dangerous, especially in high-risk or ‘safety sensitive’ […]
Workplace COVID-19 Outbreaks Are Not Listed in Toronto: Why That Could Change Soon
Toronto’s Board of Health is calling on the city’s top doctor to begin publicly releasing information about workplace outbreaks of COVID-19. The motion, which was unanimously passed during a recent meeting, asks Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa to “implement a system to publicly share details about workplace outbreaks without compromising individual privacy”, […]
Bracing for a Second Wave
In March, a sucker punch from COVID-19 knocked the wind out of the Canadian economy as much of the country’s commerce ground to a halt. Today, business owners are dusting themselves off and are preparing to get in the ring for another round as the country braces itself for a second wave of the novel […]
Ontario Hiring Largest Number of Labour Inspectors in Its History
Ontario is investing $11.6 million to hire 98 frontline health and safety inspectors who will ensure workplaces across the province are doing their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The hiring will push the number of active inspectors in the province from 409 to 507, an increase of 24 percent. With these new hires, […]
8 Steps to Creating a Wellness Program in your Workplace
Physically and mentally healthy employees are happier, safer, and more productive. An employee wellness program can provide support to employees facing challenging times and help all employees with their overall wellness. More and more companies are hopping on board the wellness wagon because they understand the connection between wellness and work, such as increased productivity, […]
COVID-19 Has Changed Workplace Safety Forever
Although technology trends will remain incredibly important to safety moving forward, COVID-19 now dominates every headline and conversation. Without question, COVID-19 has brought about the largest shift in modern culture ever. And not just with safety. As a safety professional, it’s fascinating to see such an embrace of – and commitment to – standard safety […]
Ontario Releases Guide on How to Develop a Workplace Safety Plan
As more regions enter advanced stages of reopening, the Ontario government wants to give businesses the tools and resources they need to adapt and succeed in this new environment. Therefore, the provincial government is providing employers with a new general workplace guide, which will help them to develop a safety plan to better protect workers, […]
Occupational health nurses to become new front line as Ontario reopens, advocate says
Lina Di Carlo, occupational health nurse and former president of Ontario Occupational Health Nurses Association (OOHNA), told CTV’s Your Morning that her profession will face added challenges as more people in the province return to work. The foundation of their jobs are to maintain, promote, and restore health and safety in the workplace. They work […]
COVID-19, the new ‘occupational disease’?
Workers compensation boards across Canada have received thousands of claims from employees who say they contracted COVID-19 on the job, underscoring how the pandemic has become a new workplace hazard for many Canadians. Statistics from some of the provinces hardest hit by the virus also reveal which job categories have been most affected. Nurses, orderlies, […]
