News

OFL and Prevention Link Welcome Ontario’s New Chief Prevention Officer

March 6, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement from Rob Halpin, Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of Labour and Prevention Link

(TORONTO, ON) ─ The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) and Prevention Link warmly welcome Ron Kelusky, a veteran in the occupational health and safety sector, as the new Chief Prevention Officer for the province.

We are all responsible — employers, supervisors and workers — for preventing workplace illness and injury and the voice of Labour is a crucial ally and advocate in this effort. We look forward to working with Mr. Kelusky in placing increased emphasis on the links between primary and secondary prevention of occupational injury, illness and disease in workplaces throughout the province.

We applaud George Gritziotis, Ontario’s first Chief Prevention Officer, for assisting us in expanding and revitalizing the Prevention Link Program which builds on more than 25 years of success operating as the Occupational Disability Response Team as one of Ontario’s comprehensive prevention programs.

Collaboratively with Mr. Kelusky, we hope to diversify our holistic and comprehensive disability prevention program and continue to drive the vision, goals and priorities outlined in the Chief Prevention Officer’s strategic framework for building healthy and safe Ontario workplaces.

Prevention Link, a Government of Ontario supported initiative, governed by the Ontario Federation of Labour Executive Committee, is the leading provider of training and advisory support on secondary prevention of workplace injury in the province. For information visit preventionlink.ca and follow @PreventionLink on Facebook and Twitter.

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

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For further information:

Ogho Ikhalo
Senior Communications & Outreach Specialist
Prevention Link
416-443-7654
oikhalo@preventionlink.ca

sf/cope343

Work Shouldn’t Hurt: Repetitive Strain Injuries Awareness Day 2018

February 28, 2018

Approximately 2.3 million Canadian adults are crippled, annually, by repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), seriously limiting their daily activities.

RSIs are one of the most common types of injuries in the workplace. RSIs or MSDs painfully effect muscles, nerves, and joints in the neck, back, chest, shoulders, arms, and hands.

As we recognize Repetitive Strain Injuries Awareness Day, on February 28, the Ontario Federation of Labour’s Prevention Link encourages every Ontarian to support the many workers who fall victim to one of the most common types of injuries in the workplace.

Work shouldn’t hurt! The majority of RSIs or MSDs are preventable There are crucial steps you can take to help build awareness around RSIs, including:

Early reporting of symptoms and hazards to supervisors
Implementation of ergonomic prevention solutions
Worker involvement in suggestions and implementation
Timely reporting to the WSIB of work-related MSD
Quality training to address these issues and more

Through our work, Prevention Link aims to prevent more MSDs workplace injuries. Our Lighthouse Initiative serves several categories of vulnerable workers: those returning to work after an injury; and those who may not have been injured but have limited knowledge of occupational health and safety laws and available resources.

Bell Let’s Talk: Occupational Mental Health

January 30, 2018

Prevention Link is pleased to recognize Bell Let’s Talk Day.

It’s a disheartening fact that one in five Canadians will suffer from mental illness at some point in their lifetime. Stigma is one of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness and remains a significant barrier that discourages many Ontarians from talking about mental illness in the workplace.

Statistics reveal that:

64 per cent of Ontario workers would be concerned about how work would be affected if a colleague had a mental illness;
39 per cent of Ontario workers indicate that they would not tell their managers if they were experiencing a mental health problem; and
40 per cent of respondents to a 2016 survey agreed they have experienced feelings of anxiety or depression but never sought medical help for it.

While there are significant gains to be made, the addition of Chronic Mental Stress as a compensation coverage under Ontario’s workers’ compensation system, effective January 1, 2018, is a victory to be celebrated. Under the new Traumatic Mental Stress policy, a worker is entitled to benefits for traumatic mental stress arising out of and in the course of the worker’s employment.

Everyone has a pivotal role to play in preventing work-related chronic mental stress.

Prevention Link can help!

Our Occupational Mental Health and Illness 101 workshop aims to educate Ontario workers on the basics, including the language used to describe mental illnesses in the workplace and current facts of mental illness that will enable participants to better dismantle stigma in their respective workplaces.

Additionally, if you or a co-worker are challenged with a mental health concern at work, visit The Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) for more information and help today. OHCOW also offers StressAssess, a free evidence-based online survey tool designed to assist workplaces in identifying psychosocial hazards that can lead to stress and mental injury, providing suggestions and pathways to address them, and thus preventing harm.

The Prevention Link App is Here

November 1, 2017

We are incredibly excited to introduce you to the Prevention Link App.

Our convenient new tool includes interactive fact sheets, informative quizzes, tips and links on what Prevention Link can offer you.

The App is currently available on Google Play, and will soon be available on the Apple Store and BlackBerry World.

Download now to start exploring!

OFL and Prevention Link Proudly Support Mental Illness Awareness Week

September 29, 2017

(TORONTO, ON) ─ This October 1-7, we recognize Mental Illness Awareness Week across Canada and rise in solidarity with our many Ontario sisters and brothers who live with the debilitating reality of mental illness every day.

In any given week, at least 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to mental health challenges, with the stigma associated with mental illness a primary reason that keeps many Ontarians from talking about mental illness, in their workplace or at home.

“There is a critical need for increased conversation about occupational mental illness and awareness in our workplaces,” said Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates. “That’s why we successfully introduced an Occupational Mental Health and Illness Awerness 101 workshop to expand the conversation around the various mental health challenges many Ontario workers face, and to end the associated stigma.”

To date, the popular half-day session led by mental health nurse, academic, and advocate Dr. Wendy Stanyon, has welcomed more than 250 working Ontarians in seven cities across the province. The next workshop is scheduled for the week of October 22.

“Having attended the workshop several times myself, along with our OFL team, I have become more aware of the basic language used to describe mental illnesses in the workplace and some truly important facts on mental illness that is helping our team to better dismantle stigma in our workplaces,” said Coates. “I strongly encourage our sisters and brothers to join the conversation on mental illness and help break the stigma.”

To help spread the word about Mental Illness Awareness Week, post or tweet #MIAW17.

If you or a co-worker are challenged with a mental health concern at work, visit The Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) for more information and help today.

Prevention Link, a Government of Ontario supported initiative administered by the Ontario Federation of Labour Executive Committee, is the leading provider of training and advisory support on secondary prevention of workplace injury in the province. For information, visit preventionlink.ca and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

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For further information:

Ogho Ikhalo,
Senior Communications & Outreach Specialist
Prevention Link
416-443-7654
oikhalo@preventionlink.ca
ph/cope343

Together, We Can Prevent Occupational Injuries, Illnesses and Deaths

April 25, 2017

On this 33^rd annual National Day of Mourning, Prevention Link remembers and pays respect to the many Ontario and Canadian workers who have been killed, injured or suffered illness because of work-related incidents. We also honour the many families and friends who have been deeply affected by these tragedies.

“Every worker has the right to return home safe and sound at the end of each work day,” said Rob Halpin, Executive Director of Prevention Link. “Our team remains boldly committed to working with employers, workers and our health and safety partners to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses and deaths.”

Approximately 230,000 Ontario workers are injured or made sick at work every year, thousands of others pass away years later due to resulting health complications and still other cases, undoubtedly, go unreported or unacknowledged.

“It is additionally crucial to recognize that mental health and illness is increasingly claiming the lives of more workers in many occupations across the province each year due to lack of conversation and acknowledgement of the disease as a significant health complication,” said Halpin.

Beginning May 6, Prevention Link will launch its new Occupational Mental Health and Illness 101 workshops. The half-day workshop, guided by Dr. Wendy Stanyon – a mental health nurse and academic – aims to open the conversation around mental health challenges in workplaces across Ontario.

“Occupational injuries and illnesses are a preventable workplace epidemic that continues to cost tens of thousands of lives and impact many working families in Ontario. We must continue to work collaboratively to ensure every working Ontarian gets home safe.”

Prevention Link staff will be attending National Day of Mourning events around the province.

Click here to read Prevention Link’s article in the Toronto Star’s “The Vicious Circle Of Workplace Injuries” insert.

Prevention Link, a Government of Ontario supported initiative governed by the Ontario Federation of Labour Executive Committee, is a leading provider of training and advisory support on secondary prevention of workplace injury in the province. For information, visit preventionlink.ca and follow @PreventionLink on Facebook and Twitter.

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For further information:

Ogho Ikhalo,
Senior Communications & Outreach Specialist
Prevention Link
416-443-7654
oikhalo@preventionlink.ca
sf/cope343