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6 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS Sedentary lifestyle, stress top employee health risks By Amanda Silliker W ork-related stress and sedentary lifestyles are the top major health risks affecting Canadian employees, according to the Sun Life-Buffett National Wellness Survey. Nearly one-quarter (24 per cent) of employers surveyed said stress is a major health risk for their employees, and another 24 per cent cited sedentary lifestyle. "With an increase in illnesses relating to both stress and sedentary lifestyles, the need for employer-sponsored well- ness programs is growing rapidly," said Lori Casselman, assistant vice-president, health and wellness, group benefi ts, at Sun Life Financial in Toronto. "Employers can positively infl uence the health of the workplace by implementing initiatives that encourage employees to understand their current health risks and, ultimately, to lead healthier lives." Six in 10 (61 per cent) survey respondents in large organizations reported work-related stress as their number one concern. Anxiety and depression are the second most frequent concerns reported by large organizations at 43 per cent — an area cited by only nine per cent of small organizations. Increasing concerns about risks related to a sedentary lifestyle signal a signifi cant shift, growing since 2011. Sedentary lifestyle is now on par or higher in some segments than work-related stress. Companies with less than 50 employees rank it as their number one concern. In addition, the downstream effects of a sedentary lifestyle — including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity — all rank among the top 10 concerns, found the survey. Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) organizations do not measure the health status of the majority of their employees, leaving many unaware of the risks they may be facing and the necessary response. For example, blood pressure screening and smoking cessation programs are offered by fi ve per cent of employers despite 19 per cent and 18 per cent of employers, respectively, recognizing these as major employee health risks. The survey found 62 per cent of organizations currently offer wellness initiatives. The most popular wellness offerings are fl exible work programs (49 per cent), fi rst aid/CPR courses (36 per cent) and staff appreciation events (28 per cent). "Workplace wellness programs are effective in supporting the well-being of employees while creating a more engaged and productive workforce," said Stuart Monteith, senior vice-president, group benefi ts, at Sun Life Financial. "Major health issues are not only taking a toll on the overall well-being of employees, but also have a signifi cant impact on the sustainability of our health-care system." According to Sun Life, successful wellness programs must include initiatives that address the health concerns of employees, such as heart health and diabetes screening clinics, smoking cessation programs, fi tness subsidies or on-site fi tness programs, nutrition and stress management education. P.E.I. Workers' Compensation Act to be amended T he Prince Edward Island Department of Environment, Labour and Justice is recommending amendments to the Workers Compensation Act, said the department's minister Janice Sherry. The changes will "make workers' compensation more generous to employees while continuing to keep the system fi nancially sustainable for the employers that fund workers' compensation in Prince Edward Island," she said. Following a series of consultations and reviews carried out by an advisory committee in 2012, the department is proposing legislative changes that would: • Maintain or achieve fully funded status: Being in a fully funded position means the board is in a position, if it were to close its doors today and collect no more assessments from employers, to pay all benefi ts injured workers are entitled to until the last of them and their dependants are deceased. The Prince Edward Island Workers Compensation Board (WCB) was funded at 103 per cent in 2010, and at 108 per cent in 2012. The WCB has a policy of maintaining full-funded status and that policy would be incorporated into law under the proposed changes. • Reduce wait period from three days to two days: The wait period in P.E.I. is three-fi fths of one week's wages, and is likened to a "deductible" in an insurance policy. The proposed wait period would be equivalent to two-fi fths of the worker's weekly wages. • Increase wage loss benefi t from 80 per cent to 85 per cent of net insurable earnings: P.E.I.'s wage loss benefi t is 80 per cent of net insurable earnings for the fi rst 38 weeks on claim and 85 per cent thereafter. Under the proposed change, benefi ts would be set at 85 per cent of earnings throughout the claim period. The injured worker does not pay tax on this benefi t. • Increase indexation of benefi ts from 75 per cent to 80 per cent of CPI: Currently, the Workers Compensa- tion Act provides for an adjustment of benefi ts on July 1 of each year in an amount equal to the lesser of either a change of four per cent or 75 per cent of the percentage change in the Consumer Prince Index (CPI) for Charlottetown and Summerside. MAJOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH RISKS Sedentary lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . 24% Work-related stress . . . . . . . . . 24% Obesity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23% High blood pressure . . . . . . . . 19% Smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19% High cholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . 13% Poor nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12% New legislation in Manitoba would protect workers in construction zones P roposed amendments to Manitoba's High- way Traffi c Act would double the speeding fi nes for drivers who speed through construction zones, said Labour and Immigration Minister Erna Braun, who introduced the legislation in November. While clarifying the fi nancial penalty for speeding in a construction zone, the proposals would also allow for clear signage indicating when reduced limits are in effect, what they are and when they end. "When you enter a construction zone, you are entering someone's workplace. We want to ensure the safety and protection of construction workers," said Braun. "In addition to this impor- tant legislation, Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health will be stepping up enforcement measures to ensure that worker safety standards are main- tained at the highest level during construction." The proposed legislation would also enable the creation of regulations that would: • establish strong requirements for traffi c safety management in construction zones • require the use of specifi ed traffi c control devices such as barriers, rumble strips and speed readers as appropriate in construction zones. "We are going to have a lot more workers on the roads over the next fi ve years as we meet our commitments to build infrastructure vital to economic growth," said Infrastructure and Trans- portation Minister Steve Ashton. "These women and men deserve a safe workplace as they help to build our province for the future." "With these changes, drivers, workers and employers will know what's expected of them to ensure everyone is safe and does the right thing," said Kevin Rebeck, president, Manitoba Federa- tion of Labour. This legislation would be a further step in Manitoba's recent efforts to protect those most vulnerable on the province's roads, the infra- structure minister noted, adding this includes the introduction of legislation to reduce speed limits when passing emergency workers and allowing municipalities to set reduced speed limits in school zones.