CSA Z1003/BNQ 9700-803-5: Psychological health and safety in the workplace. An overview of the new standard, why it matters, and resources on getting started.

1. CSA Z1003/BNQ 9700-803-5:
Psychological Health and Safety in the
Workplace
Chrystal Brown
Consultant
Workplace Safety and Prevention Services

2. Why does mental health matter?
34-million
(people in Canada 2011)
7-million
will experience a mental health issue
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3. Why does mental health matter?
On any given week, at least 500,000 employed Canadians
are unable to work due to mental illness.”
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
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4. •
Economic burden
–
–
•
Legal landscape
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•
$51‐billion per year, almost $20‐billion from workplace losses
Leading cause of disability
• Absence + Presenteeism
• Stigma
Damages awarded for MH injuries up by 700% in last 5 years
Emerging legal duty
“ one in which every practical effort is made to avoid reasonably foreseeable
injury to the mental health of employees.” (Shain 2009)
Speech of the Honourable Michael Kirby on Workplace Mental Health
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/english/pages/default.aspx
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5. Perception vs. reality
82%
Number of executives who
state that their company
promotes a mentally healthy
work environment
Number of employees
who believe
their company
promotes a mentally
healthy work environment
30%
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6. “It is our vision to see the development of a National Standard of
Canada on psychological health and safety in the workplace … and
uptake by employers resulting in a measureable improvement in
psychological health and safety …”
(Consensus-based Statement on a National Standard of Canada for
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace - December 2, 2009 )
Initial Steps
Commissioned by the Mental Health Commission of Canada
(MHCC)
Financial support from the Government of Canada
Additional contributions from the Great-West Life Centre for
Mental Health in the Workplace and Bell
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7. Technical Committee
• Meets requirements for balanced matrix set by both
CSA and BNQ Directives
• Matrix consists of 5 interest categories:
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–
–
–
–
Organization interest
Employee interest
Regulator/Insurance/Policy interest
Service provider interest
General interest
Decisions follow rules for consensus
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8. Technical Committee
• Began meeting in January 2011
• Completed draft for public review October 2011
• Revised draft and completed standard June 2012
• Internal Editing and Quality Review
• Technical Committee Approval Ballot
• Second Level Review
• Approval as a National Standard of Canada
–
•
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Requires application to Standards Council of Canada
Release January 2013

9. The BNQ-CSA standard
Psychological health and safety in the workplace
Contributing Thoughts and Models:.
•
•
•
•
Human Needs Model
The Demand/Control Model (Adapted from Karasek and Theorell)
Effort-Reward Imbalance Model (Siegrist)
CSA Z1000 OHSMS Model
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10. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Model
Self-actualization
Personal growth and fulfillment
Esteem needs
Achievement, status, responsibility, reputation
Belongingness and Love needs
Family, affection, relationships, work groups, etc.
Safety needs
Protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.
Biological and Physiological needs
Basic life needs – air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sleep, etc.

11. The Demand/Control Model
(Adapted from Karasek and Theorell)
High
High
Control
Low

12. Effort-Reward Imbalance Model
(Siegrist)
rewards
salary
support
appreciation
recognition
respect
demands
pressures
responsibilities
efforts

13. CSA Z1000 Model of OHSMS

14. Overview of the Standard

15. A planned approach to address
workplace factors known to impact
psychological health:
 Scope
“… provides a framework to
create and continually improve a
psychologically healthy and safe
workplace …”
 Guiding principles





Commitment by Sr Mgt
Participation with all
Integration of PHS
Shared responsibility
Focus on health, safety,
awareness and promotion
Integration into
organizational
policies and
process
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Evaluation and
Continual
improvement

16. Overview of the Standard
Vision
A workplace that promotes workers’
psychological well-being and allows no
harm to worker mental health in
negligent, reckless or intentional ways

17. Overview of the Standard
Key Drivers
Risk Management
Recruitment &Retention
Organizational Excellence &
Sustainability
Cost Effectiveness

18. Overview of the Standard
Strategic Pillars
Prevention
Promotion
Resolution

19. How CSA Z1003 Addresses Workplace
Factors That Impact Psychological Health
13 Workplace Factors
Organizational
Culture
Psychological
And Social
Support
Clear
Leadership &
Expectations
Civility and
Respect
Psychological
Demands
Growth &
Development
Recognition &
Reward
Involvement &
Influence
Workload
Management
Engagement
Balance
Psychological
Protection
Protection of
Physical Safety

20. 1. Organizational Culture is Psychologically
Healthy and Safe
Is a mix of norms, values, beliefs, meanings and expectations that a
community hold in common and use as behavioral and problem solving
cues
A psychologically health and safe work culture
is characterized by trust, honesty, respect, civility
and fairness
Values psychological and social support, recognition and reward

21. 2. Psychological and Social Support
Refers to the degree of social and emotional integration and trust among
co-workers and supervisors. Considers the level of help and assistance
provided by others when performing tasks.
Employees perceive their organization:
• Values their contributions
• Are committed to ensuring their psychological well-being and
• Provides meaningful supports if this well-being is compromised
Coworkers and supervisors
• Are supportive of employees’ psychological and mental health
concerns and
• Respond appropriately as needed

22. 3. Clear Leadership and Expectations
There is support that helps employees know:
• What they need to do
• How their work contributes to the organization
Leaders are transformational:
• Change agents who motivate to do more than what is expected
• Concerned with long-term objectives
• Transmit a sense of mission, vision and purpose
• Have charisma
• Give individualized consideration to their employees
• Stimulate intellectual capabilities in others, and inspire

23. 4. Civility and Respect
Employees are respectful and considerate in their interactions with one
another, as well as with customers, clients and the public
Show esteem, care and consideration for others,
and acknowledge their dignity

24. 5. Psychological Demands
Psychological demands are documented and assessed in conjunction
with the physical demands of the job.
Assessments consider time stressors, breaks, incentive systems, job
monotony and repetition and type of work
Employees possess:
• Technical skills and knowledge for their position and
• Psychological skills and emotional intelligence to do the job

25. 6. Growth and Development
Employees receive
• Encouragement and support in the development
of their interpersonal, emotional and job skills
• Internal and external opportunities to build competencies
– That will help with current jobs, and
– Also prepare them for possible future positions

26. 7. Recognition and Reward
Acknowledgement and appreciation of employees’ efforts provided in a
fair and timely manner:
– Appropriate and regular feedback
– Team celebrations, recognition of years served, and/or
milestones reached

27. 8. Involvement and Influence
• Employees included in discussions about how their work is done
and how important decisions are made
• Opportunities for involvement may include:
– Worker’s specific job design or function
– Team or department activities
– Organizational issues

28. 9. Workload Management
• A work environment where assigned tasks and responsibilities can
be accomplished successfully with the time available
• Ensure there is enough work but not too much to do
• Ensure adequate resources, equipment, support to do the work

29. 10. Engagement
Work engagement can be physical, emotional and/or cognitive,
examples include:
• Physical exertion put into the job, and energizing
• Emotional engagement exhibits positive job outlook and passionate
• Cognitive engagement includes absorption and attention
to work
Employees feel:
• Connected to their work
• Feel motivated to do their job well
• Committed to the overall success and mission of their company

30. 11. Balance
Balance at work is the acceptance of the need for harmony between
the demands of work, family,
and personal life
• Everyone has multiple roles: e.g., worker, parent, partner, soccer
coach
• Allows fulfillment of individual strengths and responsibilities
• Risk of conflicting responsibilities leading to conflict
or overload

31. 12. Psychological Protection
Work environment ensures that worker psychological safety is ensured
and actively promotes emotional well being as well as minimizing
threats to worker mental health
Workers feel able to:
• Ask questions
• Seek feedback
• Report mistakes and problems
• Propose a new idea
• Without fearing negative consequences to themselves, their job or
their career

32. 13. Protection of Physical Safety
Physical safety is protected from hazards and risks related to the
workers physical work environment.
Workers have a sense that:
 Organization cares about the physical work environmental impact on
mental health
 Workers feel safe
 Rest and schedule of work pace is reasonable
 Health and safety concerns are taken seriously
 Training is provided
 Psychological demands of the job and environment
are conducted

33. Overview of the Standard
Annex
• Supplemental Background and Context
• Resources for Building a PHS Framework
• Sample Implementation Models
• Case Studies
• Sample Audit Tool
• Discussion of Relevant Legislation or Regulation as of
Sept 2011
• Related Standards and Guides
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34. Getting Started, Consider:
• Guarding Minds@Work (www.guardingmindsatwork.ca)
• Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Resources,
including: Psychological Health and Safety: An Action
Guide for Employers (www.mentalhealthcommission.ca)
• Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
(www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com)
• Your Own Benefits and EFAP Program
• WSPS Healthy Workplace Resources
(http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/bundles/wsps/index.html)
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35. Guarding Minds @ Work
• A free, evidence-based strategy
• Designed to help employers protect and promote
psychological safety and health in their workplace
• Comprehensive set of resources
• 13 PSRs identified by researchers
– Based on extensive research and review of empirical data from
national and international best practices
– Also determined based on existing and emerging Canadian case
law and legislation.
http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/info/index
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36. Mental Health Commission of Canada
•
Tracking the Perfect Legal Storm- Dr. Martin Shain:
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/
•
More Background on the Standard:
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/Pages/workplace_guide.aspx
•
The MHCC Leadership Initiative:
http://www.mhccleadership.ca/
•
The Peer Support Project:
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/Pages/PeerProject.aspx
•
Psychological Health and Safety - An action guide for employers
http://www.nxtbook.com/dawson/redlabel/mhcc_onlineguide_201201e/index.php?startid=33#/0
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37. Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
Website
• Resources for manager, supervisor and employee
training-Managing Mental Health Matters
• Psychological Health and Safety Management System
implementation resources
• On the Agenda (13 organizational Risk Factors)
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38. • Obtain a copy of the standard and review
• Standard will be offered at no cost for the first 5
years
• Standard available from BNQ and CSA:
BNQ (www.bnq.qc.ca) and CSA (www.csa.ca)
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39. Health is a shared responsibility.
The organization is not always part of the problem,
but it can always be part of the solution
What about time spent at work?
2/3 of Canadians are at work 60 % of their time …
Why wait to take action ?
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40. For more information please contact:
Chrystal Brown, WSPS
Chrystal.Brown@wsps.ca
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