Canadian Occupational Safety

20 www.thesafetymag.com/ca F E A T U R E employees that may have been exposed to COVID, notably "long haulers" (people who experience prolonged symptoms of the disease), and ensuring that they are able to return to work in a safe environment that is conducive to both mental and physical health. Women in the field Oil and gas has traditionally been a male-dominated field: "Early in my career, I would often find myself being the woman in the room – whether it's in the field, the office or in the boardroom but that is changing," says Campkin. "I think we are making good progress," she says. "You're starting to see more women in the trades, in STEM (science, technology, engineering and And this push toward safety goes beyond procedures; Fequet stresses that culture plays a key role, too. "There is a real shift away from looking only at the policies and practices inside of a safety program and really focusing on overall culture — this is key to creating a safe environment," he says. This includes making sure that a company's core values are espoused by every level in the company, as well as understanding individual cultures and how that culture can be synergized into the workplace. Mental health and wellness As mentioned before, the industry has been doubly hit by the pandemic and a depressed market, which has resulted in thousands of jobs lost. This has and will continue to have an effect on worker mental health. In addition, certain employees working from home may feel isolated and separated from their co-workers. "We're seeing a lot of people that are losing jobs or their jobs are changing," says Campkin. "So, we are seeing a definite uptick in mental health concerns, whether it is access to employee assistance programs (EAPs) or absenteeism; that is something that we're going to have to keep a very close eye on." The silver lining is that this is pushing the industry to open up about mental health. "There's a real shift around mental care and a focus on it throughout all workplaces," says Fequet, who is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. "Companies are really starting to commit to creating a positive mental health experience in the workplace." Campkin also says that it is also important to consider the wellness of "Companies are having to get a lot more efficient. Rather than each company doing things on their own, let's get together as an industry and standardize and harmonize across the provinces." Paula Campkin, Energy Safety Canada mathematics) roles and also at senior levels of companies and on boards of directors." But there is still definitely quite a way to go. Furthermore, "It's not just women, it's inclusivity on a number of different factors … I'm starting to see more and more diversity, which is a great thing. You can only have a stronger company and industry when people who are working there are reflective of the greater population," says Campkin. Indigenous communities Another key point is the industry's key focus on Indigenous communities. "The focus has really shifted away from trying to simply get Indigenous people employed to focusing on Indigenous businesses and trying to support them within major construction activities," says Fequet, whose company is focused on driving employment for local Indigenous and partnering communities. "Our company's mandate — and my personal mandate — across Canada is to ensure that there is Indigenous inclusion at the ownership level in major projects in the oil and gas and energy sector," Fequet continues. In Canada, it is important for all businesses to understand Indigenous culture, beliefs and traditions. And it is important that this understanding becomes a part of a company's core values and manifests through corporate policies. "It's so important, because much of our work is on Indigenous land," says Campkin. "It's critical that we're working with Indigenous people and making sure that there is equal opportunity and engagement." Renewable energy Something big that the sector must contend with is renewable energy. "There is a major shift toward renewables," says Fequet. Whether it be solar, water or wind technology, he says that all things renewable are getting a lot of support from the government, which is keen to invest in innovation. Throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta, there's a big push as far as other forms of energy

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