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Tag Archive for: healthy workplace

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“Desk-ercise:” Keeping Active at Work

In a recent blog post, we introduced fitness programs at work and the role employers can play in promoting healthy, active lifestyles. As a follow up to this, we are offering some simple, fun and no to low cost ideas for employers and employees to try in an effort to increase daily physical activity during the work day.

·    Take the stairs: Even completing one flight of stairs is a great way to add some cardiovascular exercise into your day and stair climbing is also a great activity to promote strength in the lower limbs. Instead of taking the elevator, opt for the stairs any chance you get. For those that are ambitious, in addition to taking the stairs when you need to, walk or jog a few flights throughout your day or on your break.  Even if you take one flight then hop back on the elevator you have done something positive to get your blood flowing.

·    Walk and Talk Meetings: The concept is simple, but another easy and effective way to add movement to your day. Instead of sitting down for the duration of a meeting, allow employees to walk around the floor or building (outdoors is also a great option, weather permitting).

·    Regular Stretch Breaks: Sedentary lifestyles and long periods of static postures have been shown to have serious consequences for our health. Provide employees with diagrams and education on how to complete simple stretches from their desk or work station to help promote position changes, blood flow and flexibility. A good rule of thumb is to complete the stretches once every hour, or any time you begin to feel stiff.  Can you have a bell ring, have an email sent, or a message pop up to encourage employees to do a “7th inning stretch”?

·    At-Desk Cardio:  You don’t have to pay for cardio.  This can be as simple as jogging in place in front of your desk, lifting your knees high and walking on the spot, or doing jumping jacks. This can be broken up into 15-30 second intervals completed multiple times over the course of your day and can also be a fun way to relieve stress.

·    Wall-Sits for Strength: Find space along a wall or the wall of your cubicle and stand about a foot to a foot and a half away with your back facing the wall. Then lean against it and slide down until your knees are at about 90-degree angles. Hold this position as long as you can (a good rule of thumb is 20 to 60 seconds). Remember to keep your core contracted to help engage your abdominals and support your lower back.

·    Park Farther Away: It seems like common sense yet we have become a society of efficiency and effectiveness, and a prime parking spot that reduces the distance we have to walk is the preferred pick for most people. However, by parking further away, this is an easy way to increase the amount of steps you take in a day and increase your amount of overall body movement. Every step counts!

·    “Glutes” at your Desk: The “glutes” are a group of muscles in our buttocks region and are one of the strongest muscle groups in our body. You can discretely strengthen and tone your glutes simply through squeezing your glutes as hard as you can and holding for 10 seconds. Then fully relax and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise up to 10 times.

·    Walk it Out: Whether it be on your break, on your lunch, or a pre-determined “activity” break, fit light to brisk walks into your day. Whether it be laps around the office, outside in the parking lot, or around the block, walking helps to improve heart and lung fitness, build stronger bones, and maintain balance. Try walking with a co-worker or offer pre-established routes with information about distance and time so people can select different options to fit their schedules and needs.

·    Add Resistance Training to your “Desk-ercise”: Keep light hand weights in your desk drawer and complete different resistance exercises, such as bicep curls and shoulder presses, a few times per day (if you can’t keep weights in your desk, try using a water bottle). For some great tips on how to safely do these exercises, check out: http://greatist.com/fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise-work.

·    Bring out your Inner Jordan: Put up a basketball net behind the building, or in a non-traffic area on your property, supply a couple basketballs and encourage staff to go out and shoot hoops on breaks.  Or, for an indoor version hang a net on the back of your office door.

·    Be a Kid Again: Keep a stash of easy and fun equipment in the staff room that all staff can use like skipping ropes, Hula hoops and Frisbees. Can your lunch room accommodate a ping-pong table, indoor shuffle board, air-hockey?  Encourage staff play like kids inside or outside so that people can make use of these at any time over the course of the day.

·    Free Fitness Classes at Work: Organize “activity trial” days with different forms of exercise and physical activity and help from an instructor for staff to try. Many community groups or local fitness organizations are willing to do a promo or trial class for free in hopes of marketing and promoting their business. However, this can also be a fun and healthy way for staff to bond, manage stress and try new things, all while being active. If possible, offer information to help connect staff who enjoyed a particular class or activity to the corresponding organization or community group in hopes of also encouraging regular participation in physical activity outside of work.  Consider yoga, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Self-Defense, Dance, or even Zumba as some fun options.

For more ways to keep healthy at work, check out our Healthy Workplace page.

Resources

http://www.ualberta.ca/~active/workplace/beforestart/benefits-bottom-line.html

http://greatist.com/fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise-work

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‘Work’-ing Out: Incorporating Physical Activity into Your Workplace

Guest Blogger:  Samantha Langan, Occupational Therapist

Wellness in the workplace is about supporting healthy behaviours in the workplace to improve health outcomes. This includes emotional, cognitive and physical health. Now everyone knows that physical activity is essential to remaining in good health, yet a recent bulletin published by The Conference Board of Canada (2014) highlights that currently only 15% of Canadian adults are getting the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Moreover, with the majority of working age adults spending at least 7-8 hours a day in sedentary jobs, this is leading to serious consequences for both our health and our economy.

Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles increase the chance of developing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. While this is concerning when considered on its own, it is essential to remember that these health conditions can also have a myriad of consequences that impact a person’s ability to perform at work. For employers, factors such as reduced productivity, presenteeism, absenteeism, increased health care or disability costs and staff turnover are all by-products of having an unhealthy, inactive workforce. In 2012, direct costs related to absenteeism alone was estimated to be $16.6 billion in Canada. That is a substantial loss for the Canadian economy. However, many businesses are beginning to recognize the role of promoting and incorporating physical activity into their work environment in order to support improved employee health and wellbeing, as well as to support improvements in their bottom line. If you are thinking of incorporating physical activity into your workplace, here are some things to consider before starting:

1.  Build support from the top down: Make the business case for increasing employee physical activity, and develop workplace policies regarding physical fitness in the workplace to support this. In order to be successful, there needs to be commitment from leadership as well as having this reflected in corporate policies and practices, including having the financial means to do so.

2.  Provide resources and education: Ask your employees what sorts of physical activities and programs they are interested in, and offer resources and education on a variety of programs so that everyone can find something that suits their wants, needs and interests. Consider offering newsletters, bulletins, or guides on upcoming community events or health fairs, as well as inviting guest speakers from your community regarding local fitness events and activities. Help your staff find a support group or “buddy” from work to encourage one another and be accountable for being active.

3.  Provide incentives: Not only does management need to be on board, but in order to make regular physical activity a part of your workplace, you also need your employees to be engaged. Some workplaces create a friendly competition for staff to participate in as a way to entice participation. Consider offering incentives to staff such as a bonus, additional time off, or reduced insurance premiums. Recognize those members of your team who are incorporating physical activity into their daily routine. Some businesses also partner with local fitness organizations to offer staff reduced rates at local fitness clubs as another incentive to get employees moving.

4.  Be flexible: Offer flexible working hours, such as being able to arrive a little later, or leave earlier in order to add physical activity to the day. Consider allowing staff to take an extra half hour break a couple times a week to walk or participate in the physical activity of their choice.

5.  Incorporate time to be active directly into the work day: Start each workday or shift with a stretching program, or map a 10 minute walking route inside or outside your workplace and encourage your staff to take a mid-morning or afternoon activity break. Depending on your workplace lay out, encourage the use of the stairs or walk-and-talk meetings, where staff walk for all or parts of a meeting. Depending on the needs of your organization, active breaks can be customized to fit what works for you.

Investing in the physical activity levels of your employees can be achieved through even small, affordable changes and can lead to improved employee health and wellness, enhanced corporate image, a positive workplace culture and gains in staff productivity, all while reducing presenteeism and absenteeism rates and a better bottom line.

For more great articles related to workplace wellness, please visit our Healthy Workplace page.

Resources

http://wraln.com/userContent/documents/6436_MovingAhead_Economic%20ImpactBR-EN.pdf

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/active_living.html

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/07/employee-wellness-program.aspx

http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/implementation/topics/physical-activity.html

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/downloads/Steps2Wellness_BROCH14_508_Tag508.pdf

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Nurture The Mental Health of Your Employees

Nearly half of all Canadians experience some form of mental health concerns at work. Mental health issues are the number one cause of short term and long term disability leave.  So what can be done to create happier, healthier employees who are more productive and miss less time off work?

In Episode 5 of our Occupational Therapy Video (OT-V) Series we discuss how employers, employees, Occupational Therapists and medical teams can help employees overcome mental health stressors and other stressors at work.

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Safety 1st At Work

April 28th is recognized as The World Day for Safety and Health at Work. It is held as an annual international campaign that seeks to promote safe, healthy and decent work environments.  April 28th is also The National Day of Mourning in Canada, which commemorates people who have had an accident or injury in the course of their job. It is important that we are all involved in the initiative to create healthier and safer places of work – workplace safety should not be optional.

The following infographic from Health and Safety Ontario provides you with a snapshot of injuries in Ontario.

PIP-2013-Info-graphics-posterLR_Finalb

Consider these four steps to make sure that health and safety are paramount in your organization:

1.    Get on board: You don’t have to be an owner or boss to be concerned about safety. Everyone is responsible for contributing to a safe workplace.

2.    Get in the know: Understand the hazards and risks at your own workplace.

3.    Get involved: If you see a hazard on the job, speak up and offer your insight and possible solutions.

4.    Get more help: All workers have the right to refuse work if they have reason to believe it is dangerous. Speak to a supervisor if you have concerns, or seek guidance from the Ontario Health and Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008.

Or, if you are off work due to injury or illness and need help returning, would like solutions to help you work more comfortably, or are concerned about the impact of your job on your physical, cognitive or emotional health, consider contacting an occupational therapist. We are here to help.

For more information on creating a healthier and safer workplace, please visit our Healthy Workplace page.

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Administrative Stress Reduction

Today is the day to celebrate the backbone of every organization:  Administrative Professionals.  Working in an administrative role is often high stress due to the constant internal and external demands and challenges faced.  On Administrative Professionals day we focus on how to cope with work-related stress and encourage a stronger work-life balance for the employees no organization can live without.

CDC:  Administrative Professional Health and Safety Tips

Looking for more ways to promote workplace wellness?  Check out our Healthy Workplace page.

 

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Top 10 Ergonomic Tips

In one of our earlier blog posts for “Workplace Wednesday”, we introduced the concept of ergonomics. Ergonomics addresses well-being and performance in relation to one’s job, equipment, tools and environment, with an overall goal to improve health, safety and efficiency of the worker and workplace. While the concept of ergonomics is no longer new, it involves much more than making sure your office chair is of the latest style. Due to the many different components involved in utilizing ergonomics to promote wellness and safety at work, some find it overwhelming and don’t know where to start. We’ve combined some of the most important and effective ergonomic tips together to make a quick reference guide for those looking for a starting point or those looking to brush up on their current strategies.

1.      Take frequent breaks: We’ve said it before and we will say it again. Regardless of the job and job demands, humans were not meant to remain in static positions for long periods of time. Taking regular, brief breaks throughout the day allows us to avoid maintaining static positions, awkward postures and repetitive motions that lead to injuries. It is also important in terms of our cognition as this allows us to recharge and refocus to maintain productivity. Consider taking a 2-3 minute break for every 30 minutes of work.

2.      Follow the rule of 90s: For those who are required to maintain sitting positions for long periods of time at their workstation, the rule of 90 degrees should be followed. This means that while sitting at a desk, a person’s knees, hips and elbows should each be resting at 90 degrees. This angle falls in line with our natural body proportions and biomechanics, and helps support proper posture and body positioning.

3.      Seating matters: In a similar manner, seating is a key component when looking to support ergonomics. Chair height should be adjustable such that the back is firmly supported, thighs remain parallel to the floor and the feet are able to rest flat on the floor or a foot rest. The chair itself should have a sturdy support base and wheels, to allow easy mobility over flooring as well as the ability to swivel 360 degrees to avoid twisting, reaching and bending to access other items around the workstation.  The more adjustable the chair the more you can fit it to YOU.

4.      Change positions regularly: Just as with taking frequent breaks, regular position changes are important to avoid injuries. Whether it be taking a break to walk to the filing cabinet, or standing while having a phone conversation, make sure that regular changes in body position occur over the course of the day. Some companies are moving towards installing mobile workstations, which can be transferred from sitting to standing height to allow employees to alternate between periods of sitting and standing to complete work tasks, making regular position changes a habit is an effective and free way to avoid injury.

5.      Inspect your screen: Many jobs today require long periods of screen time. If this is the case for your workstation, make sure that there is an arm’s length distance between your eyes and the screen. Also make sure that the top of the monitor or screen is level with your forehead. This allows for the head and neck to remain in a neutral position by avoiding continued periods of looking up or down. If a job requires frequent paper reading or phone use alongside computer use, consider a document holder or headset.

6.      Keep tools and frequently used items close to your body: Whether it be having your chair tucked in close to your desk, or the location of your keyboard and other frequently used items like the mouse and telephone, ensure that these items remain close to the body. This allows you to avoid reaching, twisting at the trunk or adopting other awkward postures to obtain and use these items.

7.      Stretch: This tip goes hand in hand with the use of regular breaks and position changes. Engaging in gentle stretching on a regular basis over the course of the day can address body stiffness and muscle tension in areas like the neck, shoulders and back. It also serves as a preventative strategy to keep the body moving and avoid injury before it happens.  Grab a list of some simple stretches for your neck, shoulders, wrists and back and do these a few times a day.

8.      Keep wrists neutral: Whether it be for keyboarding, use of a mouse or desk work, it is important that wrists are maintained in a neutral posture. This avoids potential for overuse and injury due to fixed postures of flexion. Try altering positions or using equipment such as a wrist rest to support the forearms.

9.      Lighting matters: Improper lighting at a workstation can lead to glare, visual strain, headaches and reduced concentration. Make sure that lighting is neither too bright nor too low and that the location and angle is appropriate for the specific work task.

10.  Ask for help: These tips are basic in nature and are meant to serve as general information. However, if you have more specific questions related to implementing ergonomics in your workplace, for a specific job or employee, seek the services of an Occupational Therapist. An OT can provide more thorough assessments and recommendations to maximize safety, health and efficiency at work.

Keep these principles in mind anytime you are in a static posture and are using a computer or workstation.  Prevention is always the best medicine to avoiding injury and lost work time that can be so disruptive for you and your employer.

Check out our free e-book “Cost Effective Ergonomics Solutions” for more ergonomic solutions.

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Your Brain at Work: The Cognitive Job Demands Analysis

Many employers know that a Physical Job Demands Analysis involves a health professional outlining the physical aspects of a specific job position.  These are common in manufacturing or production industries where jobs can be heavy, repetitive, or require high physical demands.  But these reports are seldom helpful if an employee suffers a brain injury, cognitive or emotional impairment and their return to work issues relate to cognitive or psychological changes and not necessarily physical impairment.

A Cognitive Job Demands Analysis is an objective evaluation of the specific cognitive, emotional and psychological skills required to perform the essential job duties of a given position. As mentioned, traditional Job Demands Analysis typically address only the physical components of the essential job duties.  Yet, jobs are multifaceted and performance at work depends on the interplay of human physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and environmental factors.  As such, having a cognitive job demands analysis in conjunction with a physical job demands analysis is ideal, or these can be completed as a standalone assessment if required.

Cognitive job demands analyses can be helpful in providing a baseline measurement tool against which an individual’s cognitive and psychological capacities may be compared, such as when hiring new employees, developing and implementing training programs, or to assist in return to work post injury or illness. These comprehensive and detailed assessments can be utilized when any health condition (cognitive, physical, or emotional) impacts an employee’s thinking, cognition and/or their interpersonal processes and abilities.

Much like with a physical job demands analysis, a cognitive job demands analysis involves an on-site observation of a worker(s) completing the job in question and usually includes objective measurements, and sometimes interviews with employers and co-workers. Some of the more specific aspects examined include:

·         Hearing, vision and perception

·         Reading, writing and speech

·         Memory, attention, and higher level cognitive abilities, like problem solving, insight and judgement

·         Safety awareness

·         Work pace

·         Self-supervision

·         Deadlines and work pressure

·         Interpersonal skills required for the job

·         Self-regulation and the need to work independently, with supervision, or in a group

A comprehensive job demands analysis should include comparisons of the information obtained to standardized classification data related to occupations, such as those outlined by the National Occupational Classification 2011 proposed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. After a report is generated, recommendations and interventions for consideration can be developed.

Do you feel that your organization has positions that need to be outlined via a cognitive job demands analysis? Do you have more questions on how a cognitive job demands analysis can be used in the return to work process? If so, seek out the services of an Occupational Therapist, or contact Entwistle Power for a free consultation.

For additional informative posts on workplace health and wellness please refer to our Healthy Workplace page.

Resources

Haruko Ha, D., Page, J.J., Wietlisbach, C.M. (2013). Work evaluations and work programs. In H. McHugh Pendleton and W. Schultz-Krohn (Eds.) Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction (337-380), St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.

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Brown Bag It!

As nutrition month comes to a close we want to remind you of the importance of eating well 9 to 5 to boost your health and productivity.  The best way to ensure you are consuming the nutrients you need, while avoiding ingredients that can be detrimental to your health, is to make and take your own lunch every day.  The following from nutritionmonth.ca provides you with helpful tips and recipes to create healthy snacks and meals to keep you at your best all day long.

Nutritionmonth.ca:  Make It and Take It

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The Physical Demands Analysis – Risk Reduction for Employers, Employees and Physicians

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

As occupational therapists, we are often asked to coordinate return to work programs.  Often, this starts with an injured employee who has a note from his doctor saying he is fine to return to work – sometimes with a comment about modified hours or duties.  While it is great that doctors may recognize the difficult transition of going back to work after an absence or injury, I am always fascinated that they seem to approve return to work without having documented evidence of the demands of the job.  I see this omission as forming considerable risk to the employer, employee and doctor as I will explain.

However, before talking about risk, let’s clarify what I mean by a “Physical Demands Analysis”.  These are assessments of work positions that serve to outline all the different physical demands (and / or cognitive demands) of that specific job.  These are analyses of the JOB, not the PERSON, thus they showcase what any one person would need to do in order to complete the job successfully.  They cover demands (with objective measurements) for walking, lifting, standing, sitting, carrying, bending, climbing, stooping, crawling, finger dexterity, neck positioning, reaching, etc. and categorize these as things that are completed “never, occasionally, frequently, or constantly” to complete the job requirements.  Cognitive Demands Analysis are similar and include things such as attention, memory, visual perception, concentration, etc. – focusing on the mental demands of the position.

Now let’s talk about risk.

Employer Risk

Employers need to understand the physical demand requirements of the positions they fill.  And each workplace is unique regardless of similar positions and titles.  For example, the job of a Long Haul Trucker, Delivery Driver, Shipper / Receiver, or Stock Clerk are going to vary considerably based on the weights of the items, the distances to traveled or walked, and the positions the body needs to assume to get the job done.  Knowing this as an OT who analyses jobs, I wonder how employers not only hire for these positions when the demands are not typically transparent, but even more so, ensure appropriate medical clearance is obtained when an injured worker is returning.   I would worry, as an employer, that I would be liable for injuries caused to the worker had I not reviewed with them the demands of the position (via a detailed report) before they started.  Or, the risk of accepting and accommodating a worker’s return when they “told” their doctor what the job entailed and half of the information was not accurate.  In some cases it is important for employers to pre-screen people for the work they will be doing to determine the right physical fit.  This not only adds protection for the employer from a compensation claim, but also protects the worker from accepting a position that they don’t yet know exceeds their abilities. Further, if someone is injured (on or off the job), the employer should be ready, Physical Demands Analysis in hand, to send this report to any doctor, insurer, or rehabilitation professional that requires it.  Only then will you know for sure that the person is rehabilitated properly and any return to work has been based on the accurate demands of the job they need to return to.

Employee Risk

Not all jobs are suitable for all people.  That explains why some positions are more gender biased, why others require specific training, and why some can be competently done by high school students.  As an individual looking for work, it is important that people understand the nature of the job they will be completing.  This is more than just a job description.  For example, “filing” is fine as a job task, but maybe not if the cabinets are in the basement, there are two sets of stairs to get there, the files weigh 10 pounds each, and the employee has a previous knee injury.  Accepting a job is just as much about the employee feeling it is the right fit for them, as it is the employer feeling they can do the work.  People need to make informed decisions about the positions they are considering, and this needs to include the physical work that will be required, the environment in which it will be completed, and the risks involved from repetitive strain to lifting, carrying and reaching.  A Physical Demands Analysis tells them all this.

Physician Risk

I get that some people want (need) to return to work before they are ready.  And I also get that some never feel ready to return, or have other motivating factors to stay home.  In return to work cases the doctor (family doctor or hired physician usually by an insurer) becomes the gatekeeper between back to work and not.  What baffles me though is the doctors that make return to work decisions when they are uniformed.  I say “uniformed” because often this decision is made without the supporting documentation provided by a Physical Demands Analysis.  If the person says to their doctor “I can work” they often get a note.  If they say “my job is too heavy” then they don’t.  But what if both of these patient-driven comments are untrue?  Someone wanting or needing to work fearing ongoing loss of income or job security may not be able to meet the demands of the job, know this, but tell their doctor to sign them back anyway.  Then they become reinjured.  Or, one client that I saw told her doctor she had to lift 50 pounds so he would not approve a return, when after we analysed the job the maximum lifting requirement was 10 pounds.  Ideally, before anyone returns to work post injury, they should participate in a battery of tests that match their current physical abilities to the demands of their position.  Yet, these tests cannot be done without a confirmed and documented Physical Demands Analysis.  Lastly, the Physical Demands Analysis can also contain information about “modified duties” that would be available to an employee if injured.  Thus, if a doctor was not able to say that someone is cleared to do their previous job, they could reference the list of alternatives and provide clearance to an alternate position.  That gets people back to work faster while reducing liability risks to the employer, employee and physician.

In the end, having a Physical Demands Analysis report on file for every position within a company is an ideal way to reduce liability risk when hiring, to return injured workers to the job, and to prevent injury in the first place.  This report needs to be accurate, complete, and should outline the physical and cognitive demands of the position, in addition to recommendations about how to reduce injury and any return to work options for an injured person.  Employers need to be proactive – they should not wait for a lawsuit to expose this business risk.

And who is better to complete your Physical Demands Analysis than an “Occupational” Therapist?

For more on workplace health and wellness please refer to our Healthy Workplace page.

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Accessibility in Ontario: Is Your Company Compliant?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Ontario is the first in the world to enact the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) – a law requiring businesses to provide accessibility standards for people living with a disability. This is a multi-year plan that requires all public, private and not-for-profit businesses to make their organizations accessible for everyone by 2025.

The Government of Ontario Legislative Assembly designated that public sector organizations, and large organizations must establish, implement and document a multi-year accessibility plan that outlines their strategy to prevent and remove barriers to meet these standards. Plans are to be maintained every five years, posted on the business’ website, and modified to be specific to each individual upon request. Timelines and details for the following policy implementation will depend on the type and size of business.

Do you know if your business is accessible? Are you complaint to the legislation?  Here is some helpful information and resources to help you find out.

5 Areas of Accessibility Standards

1.  Customer Service – this refers to the services provided to disabled persons, beyond just the specifics of the building itself.  It also includes training of staff to be able to communicate with people who are using assistive devices, service animals, and support personnel.

2.  Employment – this involves including employee accessibility needs in human resource practices.  It covers the need to notify employees and new applicants of work accommodations, and outlines the requirement of developing a written process specific to each individual requiring accommodation.  Lastly, also includes an individualized emergency response plan if deemed necessary, return to work processes, performance management, career development and redeployment parameters. Private or non-profit organizations must comply by 2016.

3.  Information and Communications – this refers to employers providing accessible feedback options, educational and training resources and materials, along with how the employer is making internal communication accessible (i.e. electronic, Braille, audio formats, large print, text transcripts, note taking, captioning, augmentative or alternative communication devices, sign language and repetition or clarification of information).  Refer here for further information.

4.  Transportation – The standard applies to conventional services such as the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) or specialized transportation such as DARTS in Hamilton, certain ferries, public school buses, or hospitals, colleges, universities that provide services such as shuttles. Electronic pre-boarding and on-board announcement requirements must be in place by January 1, 2017.

5.  Design of Public Spaces – The Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment focus on removing barriers in two areas: buildings and public spaces. As of January 1, 2015 new construction and renovations will be required to abide by accessibility requirements. This includes recreation trails and access routes, outdoor public eating areas, outdoor play spaces/parks, outdoor paths of travel (sidewalks, ramps, rest areas, and pedestrian signals), parking, service counters, fixed queuing lines and waiting areas, and the maintenance and restoration of public spaces.  Specific measurements for development are listed in the policy guidelines.

Steps for Compliance

1.  Determine what you have to do with use of this helpful wizard –   This survey provides you with:

  • Accessibility requirements your company has already met
  • Upcoming requirements for January 2016, based on the information you provide.

2.  Assess your level of accessibility –   Does your company have barriers? Barriers are obstacles that make it difficult, even impossible, for people with disabilities to take part in society to do occupations such as working, shopping, attending appointments or taking public transit. Service Ontario provides a great description of barriers to accessibility.

3.  Develop accessibility policies and a plan –  Statement of commitment: All public organizations and private and not-for-profit organizations with 50+ employees are required to develop an available statement of commitment explaining their vision and goals.

4.  Train your staff on accessibility standards –  Training employees and volunteers about this law (Public sector organization of 1-49 employees AND private or non-profit organizations of 50+ employees by 2015, or private and non-profit organizations of 1-49 employees by 2016).

5.  Put it in writing – You can combine your statement of commitment, policies and plan in one document or in a way that best suits your organization. It’s also up to you to determine the level of detail in your accessibility policies and plan. It will likely depend on your accessibility goals and when you hope to achieve them. Check out this useful template with timelines.

6.  Let people know – Report your progress online and let customers know how to find your plan.  Consider using your website or other circulations or media to notify others about your compliance.

Lastly, consider Occupational Therapy.  As the profession that deals exclusively with helping people with disabilities to manage safely and independently at home, work, school or in the community, we have a plethora of knowledge about issues of accessibility.  Consult with an Occupational Therapist for creative and compliant solutions to this legislation, or to assist with staff training.

For more helpful tips on workplace health and wellness please refer to our Healthy Workplace page.

 

Resources:

The free accessibility compliance wizard and detailed information: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/accessibility/.

The succinct schedule of compliancy dates: http://www.cfib-fcei.ca/cfib-documents/br1035.pdf.