“This collaboration is about empowering Ontario workplaces to take proactive control of the invisible health hazards workers face every day,” says Mike Parent, president and CEO of WSN. “We’re proud to lead this important work alongside our health and safety partners.”
Workers want both a clean and disinfected workplace, according to a previous report.
Best practices for HR leaders, employers
For HR professionals and safety managers, the path forward includes practical, implementable best practices, says Schiewek. Equip staff with the right tools and knowledge, build monitoring into everyday routines, and never overlook what can’t be seen, she says.
“To keep people physically safe, you want to make sure that those who are looking after individuals in a supervisory role understand safety hazards, but also have health hazards right. And levels of awareness need to be raised.”
It’s also important, she says, for employers to challenge people “to not just think of the things you can see, but to think of the things that you can’t see.”