HUMAN RESOURCES
www.wr meadows . c o m
So, what does it really mean to
have a psychologically safe work-place?
Is a psychologically and psy-chosocially
safe workplace related to
workplace culture? Can both internal
and external factors impact work-place
culture or cause short or long-term
harm?
When you think of a workplace
accident or injury, you probably think
of someone lifting something too heavy
and hurting their back, or a worker
being accosted by a patient in their care.
These are the kind of incidents that may
result in physical injuries we can see. But
what if you can’t see the injury? Psychological
injuries are not unlike physical ones. Physical
injuries may become a causation of psychologi-cal
injuries and a significant barrier to recovery
if not addressed.
Psychological injuries can have a profound
impact on an individual’s health and ability to
earn a living. One of the biggest issues still fac-ing
employers and their workforce today is that
mental injuries can be hard to prove; if you can’t
see it, it’s not real – right?
Before we dig into these and other questions, con-sider
the following:
• Physical injury: Physical injuries are the result of harm
caused by some type of incident (physical, chemical,
biological). While WCB (or other provincial agencies
like WorkSafe BC, WSIB, etc.) will generally cover
costs including lost wages, medical and rehabilitation,
psychological or psychosocial injuries may be more
difficult to prove.2
• Psychological injury: Mental health is impacted due
to job factors or trauma from a workplace-related
incident(s). While, for example, it is medically possible
Experience Counts!
High Performance Cold-Patch - Cold-Pour Crack Filler
Asphalt Maintenance Equipment - Hot-Pour Crack Sealant
Tack Oil - Concrete Curing Compounds
Concrete Restoration Products
Waterproofing Membranes
Phone: (780) 400-1772
21 Streambank Avenue
Sherwood Park, Alberta T8H 1N1 Authorized Distributors for:
Deery American - Marathon/Titan
Cascade Asphalt Sealer / Ennis Paint
Providing advanced building materials since 1926.
lightwise/123rf
26 www.albertaheavy.ca
/www.wr
/www.albertaheavy.ca
/
