
12 months of safety for May | Mental Health
Mental health is just as important as your physical health.
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year. We often spend more time at work than with our families. Let’s work together to raise awareness toward battling stigma and discrimination and encouraging mental health conversations.
Talking about mental health or using self-care strategies does not mean that we need always to know exactly what to say or be happy all the time, but proactively investing in mental health education and self-care coping strategies are helpful to our overall well-being and a contributing part to living an engaged and productive life.
Learn more about mental health:
Have questions about workplace mental health? Ask us.
Mental health resources
-
Care for Caregivers
Mental health resources for healthcare workers in British Columbia.
-
Care to Speak
Confidential peer support service that provides emotional and psychological help to healthcare workers.
-
Safety huddle | Respectful return to work
Use this Safety Huddle to discuss how to respectful handle a return to work of a co-worker.
-
Civility matters checklist
Review the questions in this document and tick-off those situations that you have actively participated in. Remember that bullying is repeated and persistent unreasonable behavior and not necessarily a one-time occurrence only!
-
Civility matters toolkit
Check out our Civility Matters Toolkit for strategies and resources to address workplace incivility and create supportive workplace relationships.
WEBINAR | Stress management for healthcare workers (on-demand)

12 months of safety for January | Violence prevention
Acts of violence towards healthcare workers are the second leading cause of injury for long-term care workers and the third leading cause of workplace injury for home and community health support.
By investing in violence prevention policies, procedures and education we can work together to reduce the risk of injury. When this happens, we create a more positive working environment, resulting in a higher quality of care for residents and clients. We’ve created a collection of resources and information to help you create a more positive work environment that reduces injuries or acts of violence in your workplace.Learn more about violence prevention at the links below
Have questions about violence prevention in your workplace? Ask us!
More health and safety topics

Mental Health
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Conditions such as stress, anxiety, and loneliness can negatively impact your overall well-being.

Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention
Musculoskeletal Injuries come from the strain we put on our bodies—often as a result of some of the tasks performed at work, such as lifting and reaching.

Respiratory Protection
Respirators—such as N95s—are an important layer of protection against infection. Respiratory hazards can include airborne contaminants, such as biological contaminants, dusts, mists, fumes, and gases.

Responsibilities
In British Columbia, everyone in the workplace has specific responsibilities when it comes to health and safety – whether you’re a worker, supervisor, employer, owner, or contractor.

Road safety
Community and home care workers will often drive, or take transit, to a client’s home as part of their job. This means that if you are driving, your car is your mobile workplace while you are visiting clients. Being on the road can be dangerous if you are not prepared.
Safe Handling
According to WorkSafeBC statistics, musculoskeletal injuries are the number one cause of staff injuries in BC’s continuing care sector. The economic cost of these injuries is easy to measure. It’s

Slips and falls
Slips, trips and falls are the second most common injury for home and community health workers. As you enter a client’s home, there may be uneven or slippery surfaces outside. Weather, outside environment, and clutter inside the home may result in tripping hazards.

Unrestrained animals
Unrestrained animals, either on approach to a home or inside the home, can create an unsafe work environment.

Violence Prevention
Violence-related injuries are a growing concern in the continuing care sector.

Working alone
When working alone, you may face a risk of violence, as the care you are providing may cause a client to feel nervous or agitated. Being exposed to violent or aggressive behaviour is not part of your job.