Six leading Canadian organizations focused on occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational hygiene, and ergonomics have come together to explore enhanced collaboration. These organizations are the Association of Canadian Ergonomists (ACE), the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP), the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists (CCCPE), the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH), Health and Safety Professionals Canada (HSPC), and the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario (OHAO). The groups were selected to obtain equal organizational representation from a cross section of safety, ergonomics, and occupational hygiene, with each discipline having a member organization and a certification body at the table.
The primary goal of this collaboration is to establish a stronger, more unified approach to workplace health and safety in Canada. This collaboration aims to:
- Foster and enhance communication and cooperation among the organizations.
- Define when to work together on initiatives versus when to address them individually.
- Strengthen awareness of the multidisciplinary nature of health and safety and encourage cross functional solutions.
- Support self-regulation and professional recognition as appropriate.
Several external trends are driving this need for collaboration, including the desire for greater OHS regulatory harmonization across provinces, increasing legal findings regarding due diligence, the evolving perception of OHS as a business asset, the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in workplaces, challenges for academic institutions including funding, program development and expansion, and a general mistrust of expertise.
By working together, we aim to achieve several benefits, such as developing unified messaging on key OHS issues, sharing best practices and resources, enhancing professional development opportunities, and having a stronger collective voice with governments and regulatory bodies and the public.
The initial steps involve forming a sub-committee with representatives from each organization that will meet regularly and is focused on unified communications and identifying areas for immediate collaboration. Key priorities include creating an infographic to explain the roles of each organization and the professional fields they represent, and coordinating messaging to increase the credibility of OHS professionals.
Ultimately, this collaboration seeks to create a more impactful and cohesive OHS landscape in Canada, benefiting both professionals in the field and the health and safety of workers across the country.