“NEW”

STANDARD:  PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN THE 

WORKPLACE

Maureen Grace

.......with a spin 

I’m going to challenge the “new” part

? ?

Canadian Standards Association

• Around since 1919• National consensus of producers and users• Often adopted by municipalities, provincial, 

and federal governments in their regulations  in the field of health and safety

Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Catalyst in creating this standard• Standard is to protect all….not just those living 

with mental illness• Workplace stress is one of 4 risk factors for 

mental illness• Goal of prevention

What is Psychological Safety  and Health?

Safety: Practices and Conditions which protect  against risks of injury to mental well being

Health: Ability to think, feel and behave so that  we can perform effectively at work, home and in 

society at large

http://workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com

www.guardingmindsatwork.ca

http://workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/

Psychological Health and Safety  in the  Workplace

A Workplace that promotes and protects  employees’

psychological well‐being and safety

Consortium for Organizational Mental Healthcare (COMH)www.guardingmindsatwork.ca

http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/

Elements of Psychological Safety and  Health

•The way people regularly interact

•The way working conditions and management practices are  structured

•The way decisions are made and communicated

•Promotion of workers’

psychological well‐being

•Prevention of harm to workers’

mental health innegligent, reckless or intentional ways

*From Draft Standards from BNQ and CSA under review and revision ‐

to be offered as a 

voluntary national standard for Canadian workplaces

Factors of Psychological Health and Safety

• 13 factors of Psychological Health and Safety

www.csa.ca

Healthy Workplace Practices

• Employee participation and decision making• Defining employees duties and responsibilities• Work‐life balance• Respectful workplace initiatives• Workload management• Continuous learning• Conflict resolution practices• Employee recognitionTaken from “The Healthy Workplace…Making it Work”

by the Workplace Stress Initiative 

2006

PresenterPresentation NotesSo first of all we’re going to try to prevent the problem and deal with the issue at the source. That would be creating a healthy working environment thereby reducing stress which we now know is a risk factor.The Workplace Stress Initiative, a group of businesses and organizations in Manitoba after much research, identified 8 major areas that cause stress in the workplace and from there came up with several “Healthy Workplace Strategies”.

New Standard Additions ++

• Psychological job fit• Organizational culture• Psychological support• Engagement• Psychological protection• Physical safety

All together now........• Psychological Job Fit• Clearly defined duties & leadership expectations• Employee involvement and influence• Work Life balance• Respect and civility• Workload management• Growth & development• Employee recognition• Conflict Resolution• Psychological support and protection

EQUALS.....=

• A healthy , supportive organizational culture       +

• Engaged employees

All I really I need to know I  learned in Kindergarten

by

Robert Fulghum

1990

Kindergarten Rules

• share everything• play fair• don’t hit people• put things back• clean up your mess• say sorry when you hurt 

someone• wash hands before eat• Flush

• warm cookies and cold  milk are good for you

• live a balanced life• nap every afternoon• hold hands & stick 

together• be aware of wonder

So let’s compare.....

• conflict resolution

• civility and respect

• employee participation  and decision making

• Balance• workload management

• don’t hit people, play  fair

• say you’re sorry , clean  up your mess

• hold hands and stick  together, play fair

• live a balanced life• take a nap every 

afternoon

The WHO and ILC says

• Occupational Health is…. 

the promotion and maintenance of the highest  degree of physical, mental, and social well‐being

of  workers

in an occupational environment adapted to their  physiological and psychological

condition      

PresenterPresentation NotesThe World Health Organization and International Labour Congress got together and defined Occupational Health as: (read slide)Note that it is not only the physical

Health & Safety Act

In Manitoba the purpose

of the H&S Act is:

the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being

of

workers

the placing of workers in an occupational environment adapted to their physiological and psychological

condition

PresenterPresentation NotesSo what has all this got t do with the JWH&S Committee? Historically H&S Acts were about physical safety but there seems to be an evolution to include mental and emotional safety as wellIn fact during my research I found one act to be in revision as we speak.But in both MB and similarly in SK it says…

New Standard Purpose:  Create and continually improve a  psychologically healthy and safe workplace 

including…….• Identification and elimination of hazards that pose a 

risk of psychological harm to workers• Assess and control the risks that cannot be 

eliminated• Implement structures and practices that support and 

promote psychological H&S• Fostering a culture that promotes Psychological H&S• …..sound familiar

Duties of health & safety committees – a shift in thinking

• Participation in the identification of risks to  mental well‐being

• Development and promotion of measures to  protect the psychological

safety, mental

health, 

and social

welfare of workers

• Development and promotion of programs for  education and information concerning 

psychological safety and mental

health of  workers

PresenterPresentation NotesWording may be different but the duties of health and safety Committees are.participation in the ID of risksthe development and promotion of measures to protect workersand the development and promotion of programs for education and informationAND it is not just for the physical safety

So I think you can see that the Mental Health of workers is the business of the JWH&S Comm. Our job today is to figure out what the role is and what part you want to play in this issue.

So really, tell me.......

What’s new?

?                            ?

...shameless self promotion

Resources

• www.hamiltongraceandassociates.com• www.mentalhealthworks.ca• www.guardingmindsatwork.com• www.mflohc.mb.ca• www.csa.ca• www.civilityexperts.com• www.qnet.ca       

http://www.hamiltongraceandassociates.com/http://www.mentalhealthworks.ca/http://www.guardingmindsatwork.com/http://www.mflohc.mb.ca/http://www.csa.ca/http://www.civilityexperts.com/

In closing...

• 2 suggestions/thoughts for when you are  back at work 

“NEW” STANDARD: PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE.......with a spin Canadian Standards AssociationMental Health Commission of CanadaWhat is Psychological Safety �and Health?Psychological Health and Safety in the WorkplaceElements of Psychological Safety and HealthFactors of Psychological Health and SafetyHealthy Workplace PracticesNew Standard Additions ++All together now........EQUALS.....=All I really I need to know I learned in KindergartenKindergarten RulesSo let’s compare.....The WHO and ILC saysHealth & Safety ActNew Standard Purpose: �Create and continually improve a psychologically healthy and safe workplace including…….Duties of health & safety committees – a shift in thinkingSo really, tell me..........shameless self promotionResourcesIn closing...