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Mental health is no longer an issue that businesses can afford to overlook. It has become a critical component of comprehensive workplace health and safety programs. Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) professionals find themselves at the forefront of this transformation, recognizing that a mentally healthy workforce is not only happier but also safer. We explore why mental health should be integrated into EHS programs, the connection between mental well-being and workplace safety, the role of EHS professionals, and actionable strategies for fostering a robust mental health culture. The Growing Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace Mental health concerns have skyrocketed globally, with 1 in 5 adults experiencing a mental illness in any given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Within the workplace, this creates significant implications—not just for employee well-being but also for productivity, morale, and safety. Unchecked mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, can impair judgment, reduce focus, and contribute to fatigue. Over time, this increases the likelihood of workplace accidents and injuries, making mental health a pressing concern for EHS professionals. Organizations are beginning to understand that prioritizing mental health is not just a moral imperative but also a key factor for sustainable business success. Integrating mental health initiatives into EHS programs is one proactive step to build a healthier, safer workplace. Understanding the Link Between Mental Health and Safety Mental health and workplace safety are inextricably linked. An employee experiencing emotional distress or burnout may struggle to maintain focus on tasks or follow safety protocols. This can lead to poor decision-making and increase the risk of costly mistakes. Consider these scenarios: Fatigue caused by chronic stress can slow reaction times, leading to accidents involving machinery or vehicles. Distracted employees dealing with personal or workplace insecurities may overlook minor yet critical safety checks. Anxiety or depression can affect muscle coordination or make individuals more prone to errors. On the other hand, fostering a workplace culture that promotes psychological safety helps employees feel secure and valued, encouraging them to work more responsibly. Psychological Safety as a Safety Issue Psychological safety goes beyond mental health awareness. It refers to creating an environment where employees feel safe to speak up about concerns without fear of negative consequences. This concept plays a central role in improving communication about hazards, reporting near misses, and fostering collaboration. By coupling traditional safety measures with mental health support, organizations can address both physical and psychological workplace risks. The Role of EHS Professionals in Promoting Mental Health EHS professionals have a unique vantage point when it comes to influencing workplace culture. While their primary role has often been associated with physical safety and environmental stewardship, addressing mental health issues offers a natural extension of their mission. Key Opportunities for EHS Professionals: 1. Education: Providing resources and training on how mental health affects safety. 2. Policy Development: Ensuring mental health considerations are incorporated into existing safety programs and policies. 3. Collaboration: Working with HR and leadership teams to develop integrated wellness initiatives. 4. Advocacy: Being vocal champions for cultural change within the organization to reduce the stigma around mental health. EHS professionals can bridge the gap between traditional workplace safety measures and holistic well-being, fostering environments where mental health is treated as a key safety metric. Practical Strategies for Integrating Mental Health Into EHS Programs The question remains: How can organizations and EHS professionals effectively integrate mental health initiatives into existing EHS frameworks? Below are actionable strategies to get started: 1. Conduct Mental Health Risk Assessments Just as physical hazards are assessed, consider how workplace conditions may contribute to stress or mental health challenges. Are workloads unmanageable? Are colleagues able to take breaks? Understanding these risks helps create targeted solutions. 2. Incorporate Mental Health Training Equip managers and employees with the tools to recognize and address mental health challenges. Training programs such as Mental Health First Aid can teach teams how to identify early warning signs and provide initial support to distressed coworkers. 3. Develop a Proactive Communication Strategy Ensure leaders regularly communicate the importance of mental health to encourage more open dialogue. Sharing personal stories or support channels can humanize the topic and reduce stigma. 4. Offer Well-Being Resources Provide access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counseling services, or mindfulness workshops. These programs show employees that help is readily available whenever needed. 5. Encourage Work-Life Balance Promote initiatives that support a healthy work-life balance, such as flexible hours, remote work options, or "no-meeting" days. Reducing burnout helps maintain focus and safety on the job. 6. Create Peer Support Networks Encourage employees to form buddy systems or peer networks. Sometimes, coworkers can provide the first line of emotional support before professional intervention is needed. Measuring the Impact of Mental Health Initiatives on Workplace Safety Like any other initiative, measuring the impact of mental health programs is essential to understand their effectiveness. Reliable metrics include: Incident Reports: Monitor whether there is a decline in accidents or near misses. Employee Surveys: Track changes in job satisfaction, stress levels, or feelings of psychological safety over time. Sick Days or Absenteeism Rates: A decline here may signal improved overall well-being. Turnover Rates: Employees who feel supported are more likely to stay. Regularly evaluating these indicators can help refine your approach and demonstrate the ROI of integrating mental health within EHS. Reducing Risks Through Holistic Safety Strategies Integrating mental health into EHS shouldn't be viewed as an added task but rather as an essential evolution of workplace safety programs. Organizations that prioritize this holistic approach not only create safer environments but also foster more engaged, productive workers. By addressing burnout, stress, and psychological safety with the same intent as physical hazards, companies can build cultures where everyone feels empowered to thrive. If your organization aims to lead in building a safer, healthier future for its workforce, now is the time to take action. A collaborative effort among EHS professionals, HR teams, and leadership can lay a foundation for sustained success.

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Benefits of Inspection in Web Automation & Testing

Software/UI Automation (like your Selenium script) Quality Assurance or Compliance Inspections Manufacturing or Engineering Inspections Vehicle or Safety Inspections

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ISO 45001/14001 checklists?

Hi all, posting to see if anyone has handy dandy checklists/templates to do a self-audit and/or track progress for ISO 45001/ISO 14001 standards? I'd like to have an all-encompassing document that I can bring to our audits and link to our policies, procedures etc. instead of scrambling through our Teams files. Something that had a list of each requirement from the ISO standards, the text of the standard itself, and then a place where I could drop in a link/documentation to what we're doing to fulfill that standard would be ideal. If anyone has a template they'd be willing to share, i'd be super appreciative! It'd save so much time over writing a template out from scratch. :)

Compressed Air

Can compressed air guns be higher than 30psi as long as the dead end pressure stays below 30psi?

Headphones/Speakers

Hi all. I've been a lot of push back enforcing our no headphones policy on the manufacturing floor. We allow radios and speakers, but nothing in the ears. I've had multiple people come to me about wearable speakers that wrap around your neck. It sounds like a silly issue, but I've got people stating they are looking for union representation over this! What are your thoughts on these speakers and or other headphones that state "OSHA Compliant" (I am aware OSHA does not certify products).

Safety Management Systems

Currently shopping for a new SMS. Who do you use? What do you like about it? What is the biggest pain of the system?

Warehouse paging system

Any recommendations for good paging system? This would be used to alert employees about bad weather or if they're needed to the front office.

November 21, 2024 | SK Analytics

Total user count: 4048 Signups this week: 4 Posts this week: 6 Comments this week: 31 Unique pageviews this week: 741 Active users this week: 301

Amerlock

Curious if anyone had experience working with Amerlock...is the potential for exceeding the pels when applying with a brush(no spraying) moderate or higher? We're looking into IH monitoring but in the meantime wanted to see if anyone had any practical experience with this stuff. Thx https://buyat.ppg.com/EHSDocumentManagerPublic/pdf_main.aspx?StreamId=6455416f46ed553b0000&Id=6455417046ee56420001 https://buyat.ppg.com/EHSDocumentManagerPublic/pdf_main.aspx?StreamId=65339008a7ceea040000&Id=6533900ca7f9fa940001

Company Volunteer Events

Looking to see how others are integrating their safety programs with company volunteer events. For example, the company has 20 volunteers that are assisting a local non-profit by performing manual labor around the facility. How are others handling this from an EHS perspective? For example, are you holding pre-event meetings to work out potential hazards, are you offering PPE, are you assigning first aid kits, etc., etc., etc.,? My company does not have any programs in place for volunteer events, so I'm looking to see what others are doing.

OSHA OTI certificates and credentials

The OTI in my area recently revamped their certificate and credential offerings based upon classes they offer through our local state university. To my research, this is inline with other OTI extensions around the country. Has anyone engaged in these new offerings? Your opinions?

Make it RAIN!

Do you know what to do if you discover a HAZMAT incident that you're not trained and/or authorized to respond to? Remember the acronym "R-A-I-N": - RECOGNIZE the hazard by looking for indications of a chemical leak/spill/release, such as unusual odors and/or sounds, visible leaks, etc.; - AVOID the hazard/area so that you're not exposed to toxic concentrations of the hazardous chemical(s); - ISOLATE the area to prevent exposing others to danger by putting up barricades, danger tape, or some other type of barrier from a safe distance, as well as evacuating others from the area (if it's safe for you to do so); - NOTIFY internal and external responders by following your organization's emergency action plan (EAP), calling 911, and initiating other site-specific procedures. This acronym/concept is often taught during HAZMAT/WMD Awareness courses to help students remember what they're trained to do. What other HAZMAT-related acronyms have you heard or used?

November 14, 2024 | SK Analytics

Total user count: 4044 Signups this week: 2 Posts this week: 9 Comments this week: 25 Unique pageviews this week: 475 Active users this week: 154

Favorite/preferred air monitors for confined spaces?

Good afternoon y'all! We need to replace our archaic 4-gas monitor with something from this century. It's an MSA brand, and it's OKAY, but i've been having technical issues with it. Not sure if that's because of its age or because of the brand. Does anyone have any favored air monitor calibration/bump station and monitor unit combos that they prefer? I want something that is easy and simple for my folks to use. One-button press for on/off and automatic daily bump test/auto calibrations are a MUST. Pic for attention. :)

CHMM Exam Prep

It's been about 3 years since someone has asked for CHMM exam prep suggestions. Looking to take the exam soon and for some online study guides and exam prep. What do you like (or not like)?

Is the SMS Credential Gaining More Recognition?

I had a colleague mention that his Safety Management Specialist (SMS) credential from BCSP holds equal weight to my Certified Safety Professional designation and even stated it was more difficult to obtain. I’ve always assumed the CSP was the gold standard in the safety profession. For the lesser-known certifications, like the SMS, should it really be considered equal? What’s driving this sentiment? Are these newer credentials gaining traction, or is the CSP still seen as the benchmark?

Scaffolding

I posted some time ago about us looking into scaffolding for one of our locations. I was hoping that with eventually getting a new building we could get rid of any thoughts of scaffolding but sounds like they are still leaning towards having some scaffolding in our wreck bays along with also using scissor lifts in our shop. We've never had anyone listed as a "competent person." Thoughts on some of the training I've seen online and with some of the NSC chapters? Also, when it comes to fall protection, do they anchor to the scaffolding? I know I'm sounding dumb but when I was younger and used them I obviously was never trained in this stuff.

Independent Swing Stage On-Site Trainers in Central or Northern California?

Outside of an installing contractor like PCI, are there any independent swing stage on-site trainers anyone here is aware of, preferably in central or Northern California?

NSF Research Infrastructure Knowledge Gateway

While researching Stop Work Authority, I came across a workshop titled, Reinforce the Stop Work Authority (SWA) Culture. (Watch it on YouTube or download the presentation) On the NFS's Knowledge Gateway use the search engine to search "safety" and there are a number of interesting topics. Some examples: * Best Practices from Planning and Conducting Critical Lift Operations * How to Conduct a Safety Incident Investigation https://researchinfrastructureoutreach.com/knowledge-gateway/ Another interesting place I ran across was https://learning.thecapacitymodel.com/ *Understanding The Capacity Model *STKY Controls for Crews Share the places you get your ideas and inspiration from so we can all improve our Safety Programs.

PPE Assessment

When is the last time you evaluated your PPE program? And... what drives you to explore new PPE options for your team? Is it because an incident occurred? Are employees not wearing their PPE because it is uncomfortable and/or counter productive? Do you just want to see what's new out there in the PPE world? I know there are different reasons, but I'm curious to hear it from the safety pro's! At PIP, we have an on-site assessment program where we come onto your site and evaluate your PPE usage by department. The goal is to consolidate PPE items and drive costs down... and of course to help eliminate injuries! Have you used this type of program before at your place of work? If so, were the results positive?

November 07, 2024 | SK Analytics

Total user count: 4042 Signups this week: 5 Posts this week: 7 Comments this week: 30 Unique pageviews this week: 608 Active users this week: 211

Angle Grinder Guarding

I have always been told angle grinders need to have the guard and handle on them at all times. This is something that I crack down on. However, it has been an on-going debate among the company if our "soft-discs" for sanding require a guard. I looked at the user guide for the specific disc and it does not mention anything about guarding. Has anyone else ran into this before or can guide me to the right direction?