WCB Workplace Health & Safety Conference
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Thursday, April 20, 2023 |
The 2023 WCB Workplace Health and Safety Conference features workshops on a wide range of workplace safety topics, as well as a comprehensive trade show of products and services of interest to the region’s workplace health and safety community.
Resilience in Times of Disruptive Change: What does a resilient workplace look like and how can leaders enhance employee and organizational resilience?
In this keynote presentation, Dr. Linda Duxbury will define disruptive change and challenge leaders to think about what major disruptions they are likely to face over the next several years. She will outline current research on employer and employee resilience and share insights into how leaders can create an environment which nurtures resilience through adaptive leadership. Click here to read Dr. Duxbury's biography.
In addition to the keynote presentation, delegates may choose three (3) workshops throughout the day to create their own customized learning experience. This year’s conference workshops are described below.
Violence in Healthcare - Workplace violence continues to be a significant concern in the healthcare sector. Often, healthcare employers consider violence as an “OHS issue,” but violence needs to be considered a care issue - there is no hope for quality care without considering worker safety. In this session, we will discuss the complex issue of workplace violence in healthcare, as well as the leading practices currently in place across Canada. The workshop leaders are Heather Matthews and Susan Dempsey from AWARE-NS. Click here to read their biographies.
The Roles of OHS Personnel - Ever wonder what it is like to spend a day as an OHS Officer or OHS Educational Consultant? This moderated panel session will give participants an interactive opportunity to learn the ins and outs of working in these rewarding professions from two (2) current OHS staff working in the field. The workshop leaders are Jeremy MacEachern and Joe MacAulay from the WCB of PEI. Click here to read their biographies.
Orientations for the Next Generation - All workplaces in Prince Edward Island are subject to compliance to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations. A major part of compliance - and keeping your workplace safe - is how you instruct, train, and monitor your workers for health and safety performance. This session will discuss how using continuous improvement approaches, adult education principles and new technologies can strengthen your orientation programs and help you achieve health and safety success. The workshop leader is Lee Lawrence from Gemba Group Solutions. Click here to read Lee's biography.
Lessons from Mother Nature - Back–to-back natural disasters and emergency events of the last three (3) years brought unique challenges to our communities and emergency management responders. In this presentation, we will explore what actions we can take together to reduce our disaster risk and invest efforts in resiliency and preparedness instead of focusing solely on response and recovery. The workshop leader is Tanya Mullally from the PEI Department of Justice and Public Safety. Click here to read Tanya's biography
Keeping the Human in Human Factors and Ergonomics - Human factors and ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the interactions between humans and other elements of a system to optimize human well-being and system performance. Put another way, it is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes and systems. Regardless of how we describe it, we must remember that the human is at the center of it all. Join this conversation about musculoskeletal injury prevention, psychosocial risk factors, and how to keep yourself, and your people, safe and healthy at work. The workshop leader is Todd Hickey from WorkSafeNB. Click here to read Todd's biography
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace - We often think of safety as a concept limited to physical risk. However, safety isn’t always about what might hurt your body, but also what might hurt your mind. In this session participants will learn about The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard) and explore the 13 factors that influence psychological health and safety in the workplace. The workshop leader is Matt MacDonald from the WCB of PEI. Click here to read Matt's biography
Cancer-causing Agents in the Workplace – What’s the Story? - Cancer is a complex, costly and devastating disease. Understanding how and where cancer-causing agents may occur in the workplace is essential to reducing worker exposures and preventing work-related cancers. This session will introduce the topic of occupational carcinogens and how they are classified before outlining some common workplace carcinogens and control strategies. Topics include solar radiation, crystalline silica, welding fume and night shift work. The workshop leaders are Katriona MacNeill, WCB of PEI, Colleen Rodgerson, NS Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, and Amy Hall, Verterans Affairs Canada. Click here to read their biographies.
Workplace Harassment: Lessons Learned - This session will review the essentials of what every employer needs to know about PEI's Workplace Harassment Regulations, including guidance in developing and administering a harassment policy. The seminar will provide case study information and lessons learned since Workplace Harassment Regulations came into effect in July 2020. Participants will walk away with increased knowledge and the confidence to deal with harassment complaints in their workplace with fairness and expediency. The workshop leaders are David Follett and Stephen Carpenter from the WCB of PEI. Click here to read their biographies.
Respiratory Protection Programs: Breathe Easy - When respirator protection is required in the workplace, employers must meet certain standards to ensure worker safety. This session will provide an introduction to PEI legislation related to respirators, the applicable CSA Standard and some helpful tips on developing a respirator program. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to improve an existing respirator program, this session has something for everyone. The workshop leader is Katriona MacNeil from the WCB of PEI. Click here to read Katriona's biography.
Protecting Vulnerable Workers in Your Workplace - What does it mean to be a vulnerable worker? Vulnerable workers are those who have greater exposure than most to workplace injury or illness. Generally, this may be due to lack of experience, unwillingness to ask questions, language or communication barriers and the type of work or tasks being completed. In this session, we will further explore the definition of vulnerable workers, gain an understanding of different working conditions that increase vulnerability and discuss what employers can do to protect workers. The workshop leader is Erin Carver from the WCB of PEI. Click here to read Erin's biography.
Hearing Conservation - Exposure to excessive noise on the job can result in hearing loss. Early detection and prevention are keys to maintaining hearing health. This interactive session will answer all the questions you have about hearing conservation, tools and products, technology and CSA standards. Expect product demonstrations and the latest in technology to view and try. The workshop leader is Alton Newman from 3M. Click here to read Alton's biography.
Supervisor Responsibilities - While workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility, supervisors often have additional responsibilities to protect the health and safety of workers. This session will introduce participants to the roles and responsibilities supervisors have for worker safety and answer all your questions about managing safety in the workplace. The workshop leader is Lee Lawrence from Gemba Group Solutions. Click here to read Lee's biography.
Exhibitors, please click here for trade show opportunities.
For more information about this year's conference, please contact the Conference Administrator at the Workers Compensation Board at conference@wcb.pe.ca or 902-368-5697.
