Employers want to keep their employees happy and healthy at work. Regular risk assessments as well as safety tools and measures are a large part of this. When assessing the risks associated with a workplace, air quality may not make it to the top of the list, however it is a component of the environment that should not be overlooked.   Air quality can be a contributing factor to occupational illness that can result in temporary time loss or permanent disability for employees. Air quality becomes the employers responsibly if there is a risk of significant workplace exposure to harmful substances such as particulate, fumes, or pathogens. When...

All employers have the responsibility to provide a healthy and safe place to work. Whether a business is small or large, employers are required by law to take all reasonable precautions to protect their workers from illness or injury. Employers should be aware of the Occupational Health & Safety legislation for each province they have employees working in. A key success to providing a safe work environment is preventing injuries from occurring in the first place. This can be achieved by establishing a health and safety program, providing training to employees to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to perform their jobs safely, having first aid certified...

As summer is now in full swing, workers will now want to enjoy the warm weather. There are several factors one must plan when they are getting ready for their summer vacations. One of these facets is informing your employer of your upcoming time away from work and discussing how you wish to apply your vacation pay during this period. Employees in Canada receive certain amount of agreed upon paid time off each 12-month period. While this vacation can vary for each worker, it is legislated that every employee is entitled to vacation time off and at minimum two weeks of vacation pay. These two weeks of pay...

Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for our overall health, which is why most employers make sure to include dental plans in their employee benefits packages. Even if you follow a diligent oral hygiene routine, it is always good to take advantage of your dental benefits to be certain there are no surprises. Your dental hygienist is a professional doctor that is looking out for your health and you should visit them just as often as you would your family doctor. It is highly recommended that adults visit their dentist regularly at least once a year, however some people may go sooner if their benefits plan allow them...

If an employee is injured at work, there are responsibilities on both the employee and the employer when a claim is made through the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). It is important to note that all workers have a right to make a WCB claim if they are hurt at work and that it is against the law for an employer or supervisor to ask an employee not to report an injury. The first step is to inform your employer of your injury. Try to give as much detail as possible if you are able to immediately. In the event your treatment requires more than basic first aid, you...

March is Nutrition Month in Canada, which is a great reminder to employers to take a look at promoting healthy eating in the workplace. Food has a direct impact on performance and productivity, and healthy foods will provide energy and happiness to employees – which in turns makes them more engaged, creative, and effective during the day.  There are many different ways to engage and empower your workforce to explore healthy eating in their daily routines: Start by offering opportunities for employees to educate themselves on healthy eating practices. Catered lunch-and-learn sessions, inviting a nutritionist onsite for a workshop, or even posting nutrition information and resources in a...

Canadians may have life insurance, pensions, group retirement services, and other savings to help protect our loved ones in the event that something happens to us. But do you know who is listed as your current beneficiary on these policies? Many of us set the beneficiary designations when we initially enroll or sign up for retirement savings plans (RSP), group retirement services, and other programs, and then we tend to forget about them. We all encounter many changes throughout our lives and we need to be aware that these changes should be reflected in who we want as beneficiaries in the event something dire should happen. It is...

As we ease into the holidays and things begin to slow down a bit, you may recognize that you’re not quite feeling yourself. Maybe you have a persistence headache, sore muscles, or just slowed reflexes. Or it could be that you are more irritable than usual, or les productive. Is it just the time of year, or could it be that fatigue has you feeling not so festive? Fatigue is a feeling of constant tiredness or weakness and can be physical, mental or a combination of both. This could be resulting from insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Fatigue can...

Its common these days to intermingle our work and personal lives, especially with COVID-19 shifting many of our office cubicles right into our own homes. Where there used to be a solid line of clocking out of one space and commuting back to the other now lies a blurred boundary that we must navigate as best as we can. Balance can seem impossible to achieve when our professional and personal lives are mixing so regularly, but its important to maintain some sense of harmony to ensure we’re taking care of our mental wellness. One of the biggest indicators that our work-life balance is out of sync is burnout....

Ergonomically setting up a workstation should maximize a worker’s efficiency and safety, while reflecting the specific needs of each individual. No two people have the same body type, and just as clothing comes in different sizes to fit you best, you need to adjust your workstation so it best fits you. Performing repetitive tasks in an unnatural position can cause fatigue, back pain and repetitive stress injuries. However, a properly set up workstation can increase efficiency, productivity, and comfort. The most important item of your workstation is your chair. In order to ensure a comfortable ergonomic fit, stand in front of your chair and adjust the height so...