Canadian Occupational Safety

with working remotely, says Steve Tizzard, radio operator on the platform. "It adds a potential ele- ment of stress to our lives that people who go home each night may not experi- ence," he says. HMDC's mental health initiatives provide tools to address any issue, says Tizzard. The company provides training through Mental Health First Aid Canada's train-the-trainer program. "I train the other workers with a goal of having more people aware and ready to support col- leagues who are experiencing mental health issues," says Tizzard, who is a certifi ed trainer. HMDC also provides mental health awareness moments. "They're similar to a traditional safety moment presentation. But we use videos related to mental health awareness," he says. Topics for the mental health awareness moments have included tips on caring for your family from a distance, detecting and treating depression and anxiety and listening in a non- judgmental way. HMDC also provides Ezra Chaplaincy Services on the platform, says Tizzard, which is a non- denominational ministry. All these initiatives and resources have gone a long way toward breaking down stigma asso- ciated with mental health — offshore and onshore, says Dwyer. "If someone hurts their back or arm, every- one would ask them about it. But if someone has a mental health issue, as a society, we are less likely to ask about it," he says. "We need to change that." W orking away from your family for weeks at a time can certainly have an impact when it comes to mental health. But Hibernia Management and Development Company (HMDC) is fi nding innovative ways to help its workers ease that stress. HMDC operates the Hibernia platform, an offshore oil drilling operation off the coast of St. John's, N.L. Five hundred employees work three weeks on, three weeks off, with 270 workers on the platform at any given time. HMDC has pre-placement and periodic medi- cal process risk assessments for psychological safety hazards, says Paul Dwyer, offshore instal- lation manager. Licensed physicians conduct medical assessments and review the employee's past and current psychological health history including hospitalizations, diagnoses or prob- lems with working offshore. If it's discovered that an employee has a mental health issue, it gets addressed according to the individual circumstances, says Dwyer. "Depending on the nature of the issue we may refer the individual to their personal physician, a specialist or to the employee assistance program for support," he says. "On occasion an individual may have to be deemed temporarily unable to work offshore." Once on the platform, HMDC helps workers deal with the unique challenges that can come 22 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com G O L D PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY S I L VER Carillion T he dominant health and safety challenge in the hospitality busi- ness is an ever-changing landscape — whether it's revolving seasons, fl uc- tuating staff levels, varying client needs or new regulations. To ensure con- sistency and continuity in all things safety, the Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown London in Ontario has proven that persistence, proactivity and continuous improvement are key. "We can never rest on our laurels, no matter how successful we may have been in previous years," says Anna McNutt, the hotel's general manager. This ongoing diligence has not only kept lost-time injuries at bay, but also ensured that both staff and guests feel safe and secure. While seasonal issues include typi- cal Canadian winter concerns such as ice and snow on walkways, summers have seen a rising interest in out- door barbecuing by both staff and guests. Tony D'Ariano, maintenance manager and health and safety chair, points out that to ensure safe usage of the popular barbecue grills supplied by the hotel, guests and employees receive operating instruc- tions and a knowledge quiz. Training schedules are complicated by the nature of the business, which is marked by part-time staff, shift work and fl uctuating workloads infl uenced by guest registration and needs. To ensure that all 40 hotel staff get the same training, D'Ariano and McNutt developed a fl exible train-the-trainer program for department managers to include those who cannot attend large group sessions. Among the training support materials are video clips and PowerPoint presentations that are used in various scenarios, including lunch- and-learns and the daily 15-minute "morning huddles" where staff can raise any issue or ask any question. A growing part of the guest com- plement comes from corporate contracts, such as hospitals that refer out-of-town clients to the hotel. These could be cancer and diabetes patients coming into London for treatments who arrive with medical supplies, wheelchairs, walkers and the like. This means that staff needs to be trained in sharps disposal and other health procedures. Building in some fun also helps employees stay engaged. For example, the hotel recently held an election for a new joint health and safety committee member. The three candidates campaigned for votes with buttons, posters and promises, pre- senting their cases for why they should be elected. "The knowledge that our team mem- bers gain from our relentless training, documentation and communications efforts gives them the confi dence to safely handle any component of their jobs," concludes McNutt. G O L D HOSPITALITY have seen a rising interest in out- door barbecuing by both staff and guests. Tony D'Ariano, maintenance manager and health and safety chair, points out that to ensure safe usage of the popular barbecue grills S I L VER S I L VER Horizon North Camps and Catering The Fairmont Royal York YEARS A leading integrated support services company with extensive construction capabilities, Carillion has a substantial portfolio of Public Private Partnership projects and a sector-leading ability to deliver sustainable solutions. Carillion is proud to be the recipient of the 2015 Gold Canada's Safest Employers Award for Building and Construction and Silver in Psychological Safety. Making tomorrow a better place www.carillion.ca

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