The Canadian Labour Congress, in partnership with the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University and the University of Toronto, has launched a survey on violence and harassment in the workplace.
Every year, the HSA Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committee awards the David Bland Award to an HSA member who has demonstrated leadership to improve occupational health and safety at their worksite and beyond.
The award was established in 2007 and honours the memory of David Bland, a vocational counsellor and HSA member from Richmond Mental Health who was killed at work by a former client. His death is an important reminder to take action to prevent workplace violence.
By Tristyn Kellner
HSA Member
HSA welcomes today’s release of In Plain Sight, the report by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond addressing Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in BC’s health care system.
The report includes 24 recommendations for action, all focused on addressing the unacceptable experience of Indigenous people in the province’s health care system, as described in the report:
HSA is again calling on employers to improve supply of personal protective equipment and preventative occupational health and safety measures for health care workers working through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, all members are advised to ensure they have access to appropriate PPE, and to exercise their right to refuse unsafe work if the appropriate PPE is not provided.
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – Level One Mental Health and the CSA Standard
Dates: October 8, 2020 or November 12, 2020
Time: 9am – 4:30pm
Location: Virtual WebEx – Details to follow
Each year in Canada, one in five people will experience a mental health problem or illness. Over a lifetime that number increases to 1 in 3. The cost of mental health problems or illness costs our economy more than 51 billion dollars.
COVID SAFETY PLANS
Dates: October 7, 2020 or October 29, 2020
Time: 9am – 4:30pm
Location: Virtual WebEx – Details to follow
A serious occupational health and safety issue related to PPE in hospital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) departments has been uncovered regarding the safety of certain masks and respirators in an MRI setting.
HSA has called on health authorities and the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Committee to provide details on the steps underway to identify and remove any masks or respirators that may not be compatible in MRI departments, and to ensure they are not reintroduced into MRI departments.
The BCFED OH&S Centre has scheduled free COVID-19 related online webinars as follows:
OH&S Committee role during COVID-19
Tuesday May 26, 2020 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
TO: HSA members working in Long Term Care
In an effort to slow the transmission of COVID-19 in BC’s hard-hit Long Term Care facilities, BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, issued two province-wide orders aimed at restricting movement of health care staff between Long Term Care facilities. The orders went into effect yesterday, Thursday March 26, 2020
