Safety & Health Week 2023

Posted on: May 17, 2023

This year, Safety & Health Week (previously called NAOSH week) occurred May 1st-6th. Safety & Health Week presents an excellent opportunity to focus, reinforce, and strengthen our commitment to occupational health and safety. The goal during this week was to focus the attention of employers, employees, partners and the public on the importance of preventing injuries and illness in the workplace, at home, and in the community. During this week, Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees (JOHSCs) were encouraged to promote and share the great work they are doing to keep staff safe.

New this year, JOHSCs were eligible to receive prizes to support their Safety & Health Week events/activities (prizes/swag provided by Health, Wellness & Safety). In order to receive prizes, committees had to fill out an application and describe their activity/event.

Several Island Health JOHSCs planned events and activities to celebrate Safety & Health Week! Lots of safety knowledge and fun was had! Events/activities included:

  • Safety quizzes
  • Contests (what's wrong with this picture?)
  • Games
  • Safety and emergency drills
  • Lunch & learns/BBQs
  • In-services and training sessions
  • Scavenger hunts
  • Information booths
  • Posters/messages in emails to staff
  • Introduction of JOHSC members at team meetings

Featured JOHSC Activities/Events

1. LMH​

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Image 1 Pictured here are some of the organizers and winners of the Scavenger Hunt with their prizes at LMH! 20 staff members participated in the scavenger hunt throughout the week!

(from left to right): Katie Strom, Lori Teather, Chloe Kaye, Heather Stone, and Erin Price Lindstrom

Image 2 (from left to right): Chloe Kaye, Heather Stone, Lori Teather, Katie Strom

 2. SI Surgical Services

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Image Description: Photos of the SISCS Prize Winners

SISC Safety & Health Week Activities:

  • JOHSC meeting rounding to units at the local site level
  • Code Orange binder creation and updates to staff
  • Code of the Month: Blue. PACU discussions, local response and revisiting EDRP manual for update and creating a local site response
  • Code Silver- Updated prox ID card stickers to reflect EMERGENCY codes
  • VRA Staff Violence Prevention Survey; PVPC refresher training/ Code White coach (facilitator training)
  • Role of the MSIP coach at SISC
  • PCRA: quiz; Reporting procedures and contacts; BBF Safe work practices, ECP and precautions; JOHSC bulletin board location

3. SI Public Health

The South Island Public Health JOHSC created a Safety Quiz as well as a poster to promote the week! Participants that filled out the quiz were entered into a draw to win prizes. For an extra entry into the draw they were asked to share 1 word that represents health and safety at work. They compiled the responses and created a Wordle.  ​​

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4. Campbell River CHS

CR CHS created a contest and poster – 'what's wrong with this picture? Spot the hazards!'

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5. Cowichan Lodge

JOHS Committee members Stephanie Sand & Julie Peters created an amazing Health and Safety Jeopardy game board in celebration of Safety & Health Week, and spread awareness about various safety resources available to staff! Topics included but were not limited to: Code Red, Violence Prevention, Reporting, Occupational Health & Safety, and Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention. JOHS Committee members also highlighted the importance of reporting psychological injuries to the Workplace Health Contact Centre. Staff had a fun time playing the game, learning, and received prizes for their correct answers. A wonderful way to celebrate the week – way to go Cowichan Lodge JOHSC! 

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6. Nanaimo CCFL, TVPC

Safety & Health Week Events Recap:

On Tuesday May 2nd, we sent colleagues on a Scavenger Hunt to find health and safety related items in the office!

Some items included first aid kits, flashlights, evacuation plans, fire extinguishers and much more!

This activity proved to be a great reminder to find items in case of an emergency, identified spaces that were missing some health and safety related items, and was also was a great introduction and onboarding tool for a new colleague on her very first day with the Tobacco & Vapour Prevention and Control program!​

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  • On Wednesday May 3rd, we sent colleagues on a Hazard Hunt!
    • Examples of hazards were placed around the office and colleagues had to find these hazards and identify what they were.
    • Our colleagues learned about what a hazard is, different categories of hazards and how to identify them.
    • Light refreshments were offered in the boardroom and colleagues found the activity enjoyable and helpful!
  • Finally, on Thursday May the 4th be with you, colleagues tested their newly gained knowledge with the Spin Wheel!
    • Colleagues came up to spin the wheel and were asked a question related to the Scavenger and Hazard hunt from the previous two days.
    • Questions were related both the Scavenger Hunt and the Hazard hunt which wrapped up the spin wheel activity nicely
    • Everyone was spinning with smiles 

For our first Health & Safety week, it was a success at our office. Almost everyone received swag as well.

All activities were simple, quick and informative. More importantly, they provided colleagues with a sense of confidence and newly gained understanding of how to respond and where to find these important items if health and safety related incidents occur.

Feedback was very positive from our office and we look forward to next year's health and safety week already!

7. NRGH

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital JOHS Committee set up a meet and greet table that was manned by members of the JOSH committee.

They had incident stats on display, reporting cards to give away as well as information on workplace inspections and where to find them.

They had a WOW on display to properly show how to report a hazard and how to fill out PSLS.

Swag was available as well as coffee and tea. ​

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8. QAC

The QAC JOHSC created a board game centred on the steps of Incident/Injury Reporting at Island Health.  Teams were able to play this game during their team meetings during Safety & Health Week. 

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9. SI CHS

The SI CHS JOHSC put together a JOHSC Quiz that got emailed out to all CHS staff during Safety & Health week. All participants were entered into a draw to win prizes!

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10. SI Home Support JOHSC

The SI Home support JOHSC put together a JOHSC Quiz that got emailed out to all Home Support staff during Safety & Health week. All participants were entered into a draw to win prizes!​