Rob Halpin

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

Prevention Link Rolls-out Mental Health Workshops for Ontario Workers

January 25, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement from Rob Halpin, Executive Director of Prevention Link

(TORONTO, ON) ─ “As Canadians recognize Bell Let’s Talk Day, on January 25, Prevention Link is pleased to announce the launch of a series of mental health workshops, aimed at opening the conversation around mental health challenges in workplaces across Ontario, beginning this Spring.

“Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada. In fact, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) notes that the burden of mental illness and addiction in Ontario is 1.5 times higher than all cancers put together and more than seven times that of all infectious diseases.

“We have long recognized that mental illness is a leading cause of workplace disability in Ontario. The hope with our upcoming mental health workshops is 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.

“Stigma is notably among the leading reasons that discourages many Ontarians from talking about mental illness in the workplace. In fact, the most recent statistics reveal:

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.
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.

“It is alarming that approximately 90 per cent of adults with serious mental illness are unemployed because the prevalence of discrimination prevents them from finding meaningful employment or returning to work. Prevention Link stands in solidarity with working Ontarians in bringing awareness about mental health in the workplace.

“Prevention Link’s first round of mental health workshops will be held in Toronto, Ottawa, London and Sudbury.

“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, which is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Prevention Office and governed by the Ontario Federation of Labour’s 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.

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For further information:

Ogho Ikhalo & Anastasia Kemp
Prevention Link
Communications
416-443-7654
oikhalo@preventionlink.ca

sf/cope343

Pricing Refresh

November 23, 2016

Recently, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) launched Prevention Link – a program designed to promote a culture of safety and improved return-to-work outcomes throughout Ontario. Building on the more than 25 years of success of the Occupational Disability Response Team (ODRT), which resulted in training more than 15,000 advocates and workplace representatives on Workplace Safety and Insurance Board matters across Ontario, Prevention Link will use the latest industry and sector data available to educate and further improve the knowledge transfer to Ontario workers on workplace safety and secondary prevention techniques.

As a registered non-profit organization, Prevention Link relies on grants and a cost-recovery model for the delivery of services and the distribution of valuable content through our compulsory printed materials. To ensure the program remains sustainable, it is critical to continuously assess our business practices, including volume production, customization and the manufacturing process of all our products which have been impacted by various industrial cost increases throughout the years.

As such, Prevention Link has implemented a price adjustment on all materials effective December 1, 2016, to enable us to keep up with current market trends.

We are pleased to note that the price amendments will empower us to continue offering a 35 per cent price reduction for affiliate members and non-profit organizations and that this discount is reflected in our updated pricing.

The revised price list is as follows:

Prevention Link Pricing Effective December 1^st, 2016

Courses	Pricing effective December 1^st 2016
Level 1 & 2 (In house)	$995
Return-to-Work	$1200
Medical Orientation	$ 995
Occupational Disease	$1200
Level 3 (In house)	$1800
W/E Level 1 & 2	$ 250 each
Topical Workshops	$ 200
Instructor Training	$ 2495 plus

Materials	Pricing effective December 1^st 2016
Level 1 & 2	$ 39 each
Return-to-Work	$ 139
Medical Orientation	$ 139
Occupational Disease	$ 139
Level 3	$ 139
W/E Level 1 & 2	$ 39 each
Topical Workshops	$ 39 each
Instructor Training	Included

If you have any questions, or need any special assistance, please contact Prevention Link by phone at 416-443-7686 or via email at info@preventionlink.ca.