Is workplace Health and Safety being taken as seriously as it should be?

I think everyone is concerned about it to some degree, and it definitely varies depending on the type of work being done of course. It is talked about, signs are put up onto a board, and trainings are given to employees.

There are workplace settings that deal with equipment.

There are workplace settings that offer services to the public.

There are workplace settings that are simply office spaces.

Does this change the seriousness of Health and Safety? Answer, no. Things may differ, but workplace Health and Safety should always remain a priority. Whether Staff is working with machinery, cleaning equipment, dealing with the public, or simply working together as co-workers; all of it is important when it comes to Health and Safety.

And the learning behind it: WHMIS training, mental wellbeing in the workplace, first aid, AODA, etc… even just your basic Health and Safety; they are all important and depending on your work setting, should be looked into and talked over.

I myself took an interest in Health and Safety back in 2005 when I became a workplace representative at a hotel I worked at. We never really formed a committee, but I did make regular inspections and reports, and I went through training with CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety).

Since that time, I have learned quite a bit more concerning Health and Safety. One thing that always remains a constant, is that the landscape of it is always growing and changing with new guidelines being frequently put into place (I quite often am putting new things onto the board at work to stay current). The practice of Health & Safety is everyone’s responsibility and should continually be revisited and relearned as a reminder; I find it is often the simplest of standards that is forgotten…. like self-care.

There are many websites to visit for updates, here are a few of the most used ones:

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Health and Safety/Ministry of Labour

Workplace Posters

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

Health & Safety Ontario

Health and Safety isn’t necessarily about doing the right thing, it’s about all of us trying to live and be safe the best way possible.

By Mark Koning

Mark is the Communications & Administration Coordinator with the AIDS Committee of York Region. Mark is also an Author and Blogger of Challenging Barriers and The BIST Blog. (Brain Injury Society of Toronto)

 

 
 
 
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