Steps for Life - Walking for Families of Workplace Tragedy is a 5 km fundraising walk whose proceeds go to support families who have been affected by life-altering workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths. Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions became the local organizer for this event in 2019 as we feel this is an excellent way to educate our community about the devastating ripple effects of a workplace tragedy and to remember and honour those lives lost or injured due to a workplace tragedy. Furthermore, it is a day to collectively renew our commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses and deaths. You can make a difference too.

This year, Steps for Life 2021 - Kingston will be held on Sunday, May 2, 2021 and will be a blended event, with the option of doing the walk in-person or virtually. What is really exciting about a blended Steps for Life is the versatility! Community members can come to the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area and enjoy a nature-filled, socially distanced walk, plan their own walk with their household members, or plan a walk in any manner that respects local public health guidelines. Safety is always first with Steps for Life and we, as the organizers, are ensuring that all mandated Public Health protocols will be followed on the day of the event.

Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area is located at 1641 Perth Road, less than two kilometres north of Highway 401. All participants must register online this year. Click here for more information and to register!

The arrival of COVID-19 and the current ongoing pandemic has made all of us aware of the importance of maintaining a safe environment. Having control programs in place to protect all of us from the possibility of being exposed to or becoming infected, has become a priority in our personal and work lives. Having an infection prevention and control (IPAC) program is an integral component of a workplace’s occupational health and safety program and effective strategies need to be in place for the safety and protection of workers. Though often invisible to the naked eye, infectious hazards can have a devastating impact on our health. Infectious hazards may exist in every type of workplace. It is everyone’s responsibility (employer, supervisor, and worker) to recognize and control these hazards with the same diligence as other workplace health and safety hazards.

A new online training program is now available to help Ontario workers recognize infection hazards in the workplace and what can be done to prevent them. Developed in consultation with infection control consultants and epidemiologists, the Public Services Health & Safety Association, one of Ontario’s three Health and Safety Associations (HSAs), has recently developed and released a 30-minute e-learning program. This program will equip workers with the knowledge of how infections spread and what action can be taken to protect themselves and others from infectious hazards in the workplace.

The Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer at the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is encouraging all workplaces to distribute this training to all of their employees. Relevant for all workers across all sectors in Ontario, this course will teach you and your employees what IPAC is, why it is important, how infections are spread and the steps you and others can take to prevent and control infections in the workplace. Start learning today at http://www.pshsa.ca/ipacelearning.

Any questions? Never hesitate to contact us at 613.546.9814 or by emailing info@whss.ca.

At this point, all companies that were part of the 2020 program should have their documents for evidence and their evidence stories submitted to Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions for validation. If you have any outstanding documents, please contact either Sarah Salisbury at ssalisbury@whss.ca or Sheena Smith by at ssmith@whss.ca for next steps.

Registration for the 2021 program remains ongoing for both new and returning members. You can still register for the full program with Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions until March 31, 2021. As mentioned in our first 2021 Health and Safety Excellence Program meeting on March 4, 2021, we will be holding our next meeting in April focusing on choosing topics for implementation in 2021. We will be reaching out to our members individually regarding the topic selection process and setting up new action plans.

If you have questions about the program or would like to register for the 2021 program, please contact us at 613.546.9814 or by emailing info@whss.ca.