Your Health & Safety Resource

1. Construction Specific Anti-discrimination & Anti-Harassment in the Workplace

 

Workplace discrimination and harassment can negatively impact mental health, which can lead to substance use.  Substance use can also impair a person’s ability to work safely, which is a concern for occupational safety. Additionally, discrimination and harassment can also lead to workplace violence. 

 

Mental Health and Harassment

​

Harassment can cause anxiety, depression, difficulty coping, and other psychological or physical health problems. Harassment can be based on mental health or addiction, which are protected under the Ontario human rights code and the occupational health and safety act.

​

Occupational Health and Safety

​

Workplace violence and workplace harassment may result in psychological injury. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) sets out the rights and duties of all those who have a role in dealing with workplace violence and workplace harassment.
 

The OHSA requires employers to:

• have workplace violence and workplace harassment policies and programs in place

• ensure that appropriate information is shared with workers about these policies and programs

 

We have developed an anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training program for construction workers in Ontario. ‘LET’S CHAT’ was created to bring awareness of stigmas and biases within the construction work environment, while educating workers on how to prevent discrimination and harassment.

 

The course and associated materials are 90 minutes in length and can be delivered to members, apprentices, union officers etc. Train the Trainer” (TTT) program.

 

After completing this course, participants will:

• Define discrimination and harassment, while identifying stigmas and prejudices within.

• Learn about the classes of discrimination and harassment, while recognizing the relevant legislation to support anti discrimination and anti-harassment.

• Recognize the personal triggers that can contribute to a chain reaction of discrimination and harassment.

• Preventing discrimination and harassment from occurring in the workplace.

 

The course is broken down into the following modules:

Model 1 – Stigmas and Prejudices 
Model 2 – Classes of Discrimination 
Model 3 – Prevention (Proactive vs. Reactive)

 

There is also a train the trainer component, that will take two days to complete. (Fix this)

 

2. Building Mental Health in Construction

 

The Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council has developed a “Building Mental Health in the Construction Workplace” training package for union educators to deliver to union members, apprentices, officers, and representatives. This is an approximately two-hour, instructor-led course focusing on the ecosystem of mental health in the construction workplace. This course can be tailored for classroom or online, instructor-led delivery. 

​

The resource has been developed in response to unions seeking guidance when supporting a member who may be experiencing a mental health condition. The workshop will be delivered by union educators to union members. Union educators are not required to have any prior knowledge, expertise or understanding of mental health conditions. 

 

The training aims to provide union members with information about mental health, with a focus on anxiety and depression, as these are the most common mental health conditions. 

 

Learning Objectives

Following the workshop, you will: 

• have a greater understanding of the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety 

• be confident to approach a worker they may be concerned about and initiate a conversation 

• understand potential mental health risks and protective factors in the workplace and how these may impact workers 

• know what supports and resources are available for workers to be able to deliver informal ‘toolbox talks’ to workers about mental health in the workplace

Course Structure: 4 Modules

•    Module 1                What is Mental Health
•    Module 2               Stress & Anxiety in the Workplace          
•    Module 3               The Relationship Between the Construction Workplace and Mental Health
•    Module 4               Taking Action to Support a Worker

TRAIN THE TRAINER” BUILDING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORKPLACE

Train-the-trainer course to equip union trainers with the tools and skills to deliver the program to union members.