Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/358709
8 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS Better return-to-work strategies needed for depression: Conference Board By Sabrina Nanji D epression is a silent, unseen hurdle that is one of the most diffi cult mental health issues for workers to overcome. A recent study from the Conference Board of Canada found two-thirds of employees returning to work after being treated for depression still experience lingering challenges. Of the 1,277 workers surveyed, two-thirds had trouble concentrating, remembering, making decisions and performing tasks — despite being medically cleared to go back to work. The study, Depression in the Workplace: Insights from Employ- ees and Supervisors, also involved more than 700 front-line supervisors, who reported diffi culty when implementing return-to-work strategies. The fi ndings suggest a need for companies to re-evaluate return-to-work policies for those who suffer from depression. About 16 per cent of women and 11 per cent of men will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime, according to Health Canada. "Mental health issues have defi nitely esca- lated in the Canadian workplace, at least in the last decade," said Louise Chénier, senior research associate at the Conference Board in Ottawa and the study's lead author. Increasingly stressful lifestyles are one major factor for the spike in depression, she said. For employers, that could mean a rise in absentee- ism and a drop in productivity, not to mention an unhealthy workplace overall — which could be costly. "The reality is, the whole category of mental health, it's a growing area of concern for busi- ness because apart from the fact that no one wants to see people going through diffi culties, it's also very expensive from an employer per- spective," said Keri Alletson, senior consultant at HR consulting fi rm Towers Watson in Toronto. "The thing that is very common with things like depression and anxiety is that (employees) don't ask for help. They struggle and they try to keep up and they try to do everything. And then what happens is, because we spend so much time in the workplace, something in the workplace can be a trigger, can just be the straw (that breaks) the camel's back, if the person hasn't spoken up and asked for help." Perhaps the fi rst step to implementing a suc- cessful return-to-work strategy is to take a look in the mirror, said Alletson. That includes self- evaluating to ensure individual workers have the tools they need to perform at peak productivity levels. For instance, an outdated computer could impact a staffer's ability to do his job effectively. Another clue might come from aggregate reports and the company's benefi ts plan. Look- ing for trends across aggregate reports, employee assistance programs (EAPs) and benefi ts plans can provide clues regarding the overall culture of the workplace, said Alletson. "See what percentage of their total popula- tion is taking drugs for anxiety, depression, sleep aids, things like that. That's a clue to action. Analyze the data you have and understand the degree to which it's affecting your business." Managers are also in a tricky position when it comes to recognizing whether their staff are suffering from depression. While it is not their job to diagnose or point fi ngers, they should be able to recognize when one of their worker's attitude changes — such as looking out for dips in productivity or engagement, or increased distractedness and irritability. Employers are also starting to create over- arching mental health strategies. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has developed a series of best practices to help managers reintegrate staff. Employers should treat employees returning to work after experiencing depression just as they would an employee coming back after a physi- cal injury, said Emma Nicolson, a health and safety specialist at CCOHS in Hamilton. Often that requires taking stock of the employee's functional abilities. "Do they need a quiet work environment? Do they need to have a pen and paper ready so they can write things down? You're not looking at the symptoms, but how do we keep the worker functional?" she said. "Another thing is knowing there is a safe place that they can go to when they're feeling overwhelmed. That should be identified, such as a fi rst-aid room or empty conference room where they can go to refresh on their coping mechanisms." As well, an effective return-to-work strategy should include regular followup, as individu- als can often experience speedy recoveries or relapses. Another challenge is communication, said Nicolson. Employers often tread lightly when recognizing there could be a problem, and then bringing it up with that employee — which can sometimes have an adverse affect. "Stigma is still a big thing, we still need to break that wall down," she said. "If someone breaks their leg, often we rally around them, we do whatever we can to help them — we drive them places, we get groceries for them — but when someone is suffering from depression or another mental illness, we shy away and we're so scared of saying the wrong thing. And that has a further negative impact on that individual. So if we can treat it like any other health issue, we can remove that stigma." Sabrina Nanji is a news editor with Canadian Labour Reporter, a sister publication of COS. Workplace cancer prevention guide released in Quebec By Zachary Pedersen A "quick and easy" guide to cancer prevention in the workplace has been published by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), a scientifi c research organization funded by Quebec's workplace compensation board, the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST). The brochure, Are There Carcinogens in Your Workplace? It's Time to Act!, is intended for occupational health and safety offi cers, employers and workers. The Canadian Cancer Society has welcomed its publication, according to the IRSST in Montreal. The brochure helps identify carcinogens in the workplace, provides examples of preventive measures and best practices for controlling exposure, and proposes a model action plan for eliminating or reducing exposure. "The CSST currently compensates more cases of death due to cancer than to workplace accidents. Scientifi c estimates indicate that between three per cent and 10 per cent of all new cases of cancer are due to workplace exposure," said IRSST epidemiologist France Labrèche, who also served as the brochure's lead author. A summary sheet specifi cally for workers will also be available to encourage them to adopt best practices and reduce their risk of exposure. "New products and processes enter the workplace every day and just because they're on the market, it doesn't mean they're all safe," said Labrèche. "We have to consider fi rst whether the products, materials and processes we use — and the work environment — expose us to carcinogens, and do all we can to mitigate, or even eliminate, exposure. But we also have to remain vigilant and review preventive measures regularly." Researchers estimate Quebec will see between 1,500 and 4,900 new cases of occupational cancer in 2013 resulting from exposure decades ago, the IRSST said. The law firm that helps you manage your workers' compensation claims. At Fasken Martineau, lawyers and consultants work together to assist clients and their organizations in developing and reviewing components of workers' compensation, including workers' compensation claims management programs, early and safe return-to-work programs, cost relief, cost transfer applications and responses, appeals and Workwell Audit preparation. We can help your organization reduce its workers' compensation costs. VANCOUVER CALGARY TORONTO OTTAWA MONTRÉAL QUÉBEC CITY LONDON PARIS JOHANNESBURG Norm Keith, B.A., J.D., LL.M., CRSP Partner +1 416 868 7824 nkeith@fasken.com