Healthy Workplace Bulletin May 2015
Wo r k p l a c e We l l n e s s N e t w o r k i n g M e e t i n g Inside this issue: Workplace Wellness Networking Meeting
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Workplace Health & Wellness Policy Survey—Coming Soon ! ...2
Bike Month in Hamilton ...2
Sun Safety for Outdoor Workers ...3
New CCOHS Website ...4
Are you new to employee wellness or have you been providing initiatives in your workplace for some time? If you answered “yes” to either question, you are welcome to attend an informal session to discuss your successes and challenges with others in similar positions. The meeting will begin with guest speaker, Mark Cormier, Experiential Learning Technologist in the Health, Wellness and Fitness Program at Mohawk College. He collaborates with community partners to allow students to gain valuable experience related to their industry. Mark works to find opportunities that benefit both students and employers offering workplace wellness programs so that the community as a whole can strive to live a healthier lifestyle. In his brief presentation, Mark will talk about the Health, Wellness and Fitness Program at Mohawk College, the Living Learning Lab, and Partnerships and Placement Opportunities. Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 Time: 9:00am—11:00am Location: Nicolas Mancini Centre, Room 1D, 44 Hunt Street, Hamilton RSVP to workplace@hamilton.ca by May 22, 2015. Healthy snacks and beverages will be provided.
Workplace Health and Wellness Polic y Surve y — Coming Soon! We want to hear from you! Shortly, Hamilton Public Health Services will be inviting you to complete a survey asking about your experiences in workplace health and wellness policy implementation. We hope you will be able to participate. Survey results will be used to inform resources and services we will offer in the future regarding workplace health and wellness policy development and implementation. In the meantime, if there is something that you would like to share about policy development and implementation in your workplace, please contact workplace@hamilton.ca .
M a r k Yo u r C a l e n d a r s : B i k e M o n t h i n H a m i l t o n M a y 2 5 th t o J u n e 2 5 th This is a big year for cycling in Hamilton and the best way to celebrate is with the launch of the SoBi Hamilton BikeShare, the construction of Cannon and Hunter Bike lanes, and many other initiatives to make your commute to work smarter. Get involved in cycling today and throughout Bike Month!
Bike to Work Day – May 25th:
Annual kickoff event at Gore Park http://bikemonth.ca/biketoworkday-comingsoon
Bike to School Week – May 25th to 29th:
Students and teachers across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area celebrate the first-ever joint Bike to School Week http://bikemonth.ca/biketoschool Visit www.smartcommutehamilton.ca for more information on ways to encourage your employees to actively commute to work.
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S u n S a f e t y f o r O u t d o o r Wo r k e r s Spring is here and that means many seasonal workers will soon be starting in various positions working outdoors. Given the nature of their jobs, outdoor workers are often exposed to the sun for long periods of time when ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels are high (between 11:00am – 3:00pm). Employers can help combat the risk that working in the sun can pose by providing brief staff training on sun safety practices and precautions. Hamilton Public Health Services is happy to offer employers of outdoor workers ‘Toolbox’ or ‘Tailgate’ style training materials to use with their employees on the following issues: Sun Safety Extreme Heat Severe Weather Conditions
Tailgate style training usually takes place during the first 15 minutes of the work day or shift and provides staff with a quick overview of the training topic (i.e. sun safety) and what they can do to protect themselves from risks (i.e. wear a hat or long-sleeves, apply sunscreen). This type of training has proven helpful in the past for the following types of workplaces: landscaping, construction, camps, waste disposal and pool/park staff. Hamilton Public Health Services also offers an Employer Resource Guide to Sun Safety for Outdoor Workers. Contact workplace@hamilton.ca to request copies of the training materials or resources mentioned in this article.
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New CCOHS Website Website Puts Workplace Safety Information at Your Fingertips – Or Mobile Device The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has made practical workplace health and safety information, resources and tools easier to find and access with its newly redesigned website www.ccohs.ca. Featuring a new layout and design, the website was developed to comply with the Web Standards for the Government of Canada – a commitment to deliver websites and applications that are more accessible, usable, interoperable and optimized for mobile devices. Visit the website www.ccohs.ca. Quick facts
The redesigned website offers users a more powerful search function, improved navigation and the ability to toggle between languages (English and French).
Users can use the five key topic tabs in the main navigation bar to find information, products and services on a specific topic.
Users can quickly look up product and service categories like publications or ecourses by using the "I am looking for..." tab as a shortcut to programs and categories of products, services and information from CCOHS.
A new, easier to locate login tab is now available for clients to quickly access databases, purchased e-courses, and subscription services.
This launch represents phase one of the redesign project; the second phase will complete the migration of all remaining pages by summer.
On average the CCOHS website serves approximately 600,000 unique visitors each month.
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For more information, contact a Workplace Health Promotion Specialist with the City of Hamilton Public Health Services: Phone: 905-546-2424 x3065 or x3634 Email: workplace@hamilton.ca
Having previously signed up to receive electronic communications from the City of Hamilton Public Health Services Workplace Health Promotion Program, we are pleased to share with you the latest edition of the Healthy Workplace Bulletin. If you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please send an email to workplace@hamilton.ca with your name and “unsubscribe� in the subject line. The Healthy Workplace Bulletin (HWB), published by the City of Hamilton Public Health Services, is a source of ideas for planning and sharing workplace health in Hamilton. Contents of the HWB can be forwarded, posted on intranets, included in newsletters, memoranda and other communications within an organization, provided the contents are not changed and the source is identified. Some content may be subject to additional conditions set by other parties claiming intellectual property rights relating to the contents. The City of Hamilton Public Health Services will try to disclose these additional conditions in the relevant sections of the HWB, but it is ultimately your responsibility for ensuring that your use of the contents is authorized. The HWB provides general information and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. If you need medical or other professional advice, you are recommended to consult with a qualified health care professional. The City of Hamilton Public Health Services puts considerable effort into ensuring the quality of the contents of the HWB. However, it provides no warranty and makes no claims as to the reliability and accuracy of the contents. The City of Hamilton assumes no liability or responsibility for any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information in the HWB. The HWB provides links to external organizations’ websites for information purposes only. These websites contain information created, published and maintained by or for those organizations, independent of the City of Hamilton. The City of Hamilton does not necessarily guarantee or endorse the organizations or the information, views or advice found on their respective websites. The City of Hamilton assumes no liability or responsibility for the linking of any of these websites, the operation or content of any of these websites, or for the information, views or advice found on them. Page 5