Every two years, those interested in workplace health and safety attend the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety Forum.  The 2025 Forum, like those before it, provided attendees with an opportunity to learn and share knowledge and experience around current and emerging health and safety issues.

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Attendees in 2025 listened to a variety of thought leaders and subject experts from government, labour and workplaces, including:

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• Dr. Aviroop (Avi) Biswas: Scientist at the Institute for Work and Health on a recent study on the daily movement patterns of Canadian workers and which of these are associated with optimal heart health.
• Dr. Sarah Henderson: Scientific Director of Environmental Health Services at the BC Centre for Disease Control on climate change and considerations and implications for occupational health.
• Xabier Irastorza: Senior Research Project Manager at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work on insights from the latest European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER).
• Travis Woodworth: Health and Safety Planner at Glooscap Health and Safety on Indigenous perspectives on health and safety for workplaces and communities.

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The highlight was the end of forum presentation by Susan Aglukark, O.C., LL.B, award-winning Inuk singer-songwriter.  Her moving speech told the stories of her people, the Inuit of Arctic Canada, and themes of hope, spirit and encouragement accompanied by musical arrangements blended with the Inuktitut and English languages.

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A common theme amongst speakers was looking back to learn and go forward. Key takeaways were:

-Mindset is everything so hire with mindset as a skill set.  Work equals about 10,000 days of an individual’s life so the focus needs to be on the needs of the people in our workplaces. Mindset for workplaces need to include:

• Leadership, which in 21st century includes the ability to course correct when something new does not produce the expected results.
• Teamwork and collaborative work.
• Resilience and underscoring that asking for help at inflection points gets the organization through the hard parts of change.

-Employers should strive to optimize employee performance even when stress and mental health issues exist.  Stress and mental health includes a range of circumstances from a divorce to a family member being ill or a recent death in the family, to recent mental health diagnoses like ADHD or General Anxiety Disorder. Tools exist to facilitate employer – employee conversations to support staying at work or returning to work.

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-Cultural safety in the workplace is possible and its presence builds retention, confidence and long-term workplace success.  An Indigenous informed workforce means:

• Progress over perfection.
• Relationships over rules.
• Front line – first always.

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Family caregiving impacts talent recruitment so development of policies and practices to support flexible workplaces will support your workplace in the long-run.  New tools to help worker-carers are available.

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The world’s changing environment is impacting our workplaces so climate/the environment should be included in risk assessments.  Tools like the Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide should be considered when assessing the health and safety of activities at your workplace.

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If you would like to learn more how to create a health and safety conscious workplace, and more about the 2025 CHOHS Forum, please contact Fiona H. McFarlane.  Fiona works with employers to create policies that ensure compliance with human rights and health and safety legislation, while keeping up to date on the latest trends in health and safety.

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