The question sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but the answer is anything but: they have fewer workplace injuries than continuing care workers. This reality is surprising to many. But more importantly, it raises a crucial question: What can we do to take better care of those who take care of others? In launching our “Be Care Aware” campaign, we have two simple goals: spark the conversation around workplace safety, and create a call-to-action to initiate change. We are challenging you as someone working in the sector to create positive change. Everyone, regardless of their role within an organization, has something to contribute. You can “Be Care Aware” by:

•  Building a culture of safety. In our recent survey, 90% of employers and managers rated “creating a culture of safety” as very important. Creating a culture of safety is predicated on aligning words with action – you “walk the talk”, so to speak. Everyone has something to contribute to this – whether it’s modelling safe behaviour by using a lift to transfer a resident, or encouraging your coworkers to report potential hazards.
•  Being a life-long learning. Learning how to stay safe and provide quality care is a continual process. Understanding how to prevent musculoskeletal injuries, how to address responsive or aggressive behaviour, and how to provide care to people with dementia is critically important given how care providers are most likely to be injured. In fact, when surveyed earlier this year, more than 80% of employers, managers, and frontline staff rated training as “very important” in these three topic areas. As a life-long learner, you attend workshops, share resource materials, and read up on the latest to stay current and stay safe.
•  Recognizing excellence. When someone chooses a safer course of action, do you recognize it? Recognition can be as simple as giving positive feedback – and that’s something everyone can do. Other examples include nominating a “safety person” of the month, or hosting an event for staff for achieving a particular safety milestone.

• Spreading the safety message. Change needs champions. We encourage you to start the dialogue with your coworkers on safety. It can be as simple as sharing our poster or infographic, using the Twitter hashtag #BeCareAware, or having a conversation with your coworkers about why being safe matters to them.

Join us in our journey to “Be Care Aware”. Advocating for safety in the workplace, after all, starts with you.