Canada is experiencing an opioid crisis. According to Health Canada, there have been more than 44,000 opioid-related deaths in our country since 2016. Between 20% and 40% of those deaths were among working adults, which led the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) to investigate this issue. In a study published earlier this year, IWH found that workers who previously experienced a work-related injury demonstrated higher rates of opioid-related harms, including overdoses. We know opioids reduce the perception of pain, but they can also cause drowsiness, confusion, euphoria, nausea, and constipation. At high doses, they can slow breathing, which can lead to death.

Don Patten, a Specialized Consultant with WSPS, has also been looking into this problem. As an ergonomist, Don is very familiar with the chronic pain workers may experience as the result of a musculoskeletal disorder or other workplace injury. He also understands why someone may use painkillers, such as opioids, to numb that pain so that they can continue working.

“People are often dependent on their jobs for their livelihood. We need to earn money to provide for ourselves and our families and contribute to our life satisfaction,” explains Don. “When someone is injured or made ill as the result of work and pain prevents them from doing their job, they may turn to something to help them cope with that pain so that they can continue to work.”

What can you do as the employer?

The first thing an employer can do to help mitigate this risk is prevent workplace injuries from happening in the first place. “Having a strong workplace safety culture is so important,” says Don. “When you reduce the risk of your workers becoming injured, you are helping to prevent opioid-related harms later on.” Don also points out that having a strong safety culture includes fostering a psychologically safe work environment and having a robust reporting culture. “When workers are encouraged to report pain at work, the issue can be addressed before the pain becomes chronic,” says Don.

The second thing an employer can do to mitigate the risk of employees experiencing opioid harms is to have solid assistance in place for injured workers. “A strong workplace culture would include supports to help an injured worker as they recover and allow them to return to work safely,” Don says. Here are five points employers should focus on to support an injured worker.

1. Good benefits that give workers the required time off to heal. “There can be a lot of financial pressure to return to work before you’re ready,” says Don. Some of that pressure can be eliminated by a good health benefits package that provides access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program and the financial support needed for the worker to recover at home and get the physical and mental health support they need.
2. Job security. Similar to the financial pressure an injured worker may experience from being off work, they may also worry about losing their position if they do not return right away. Having good policies will help injured workers feel secure that their job will be there when they are ready to go back to it.
3. Valued relationships. Good relationships between co-workers and management fosters positive mental health for an injured worker during their recovery.
4. A supportive return to work plan. To help an injured worker have a successful return, flexibility and accommodation may be necessary, but the work also has to be meaningful.
5. Transparent and safe reporting. When workers feel safe and supported, they are more likely to be honest about any discomfort they are feeling or the progress of their recovery. When the stigma is removed, workers are more likely to report their pain, which reduces the risk of turning to opioids to mask it.

How WSPS can help

Consulting

Connect with WSPS experts to learn more about reducing the risk of injury in your workplace.

Training

• Hazard and Risk: Identify, Address, Control, and Evaluate (eCourse, 3 hours)
• Managing Hazards and Risks (Online Instructor-Led, 3.5 hours)
• MSD Prevention Awareness (eCourse, 1 hour)
• Workplace Mental Health: What Health and Safety Committees Should Know (Online Instructor-Led, 1 day)
• Substance use in the trades: Supporting your well-being (eCourse, 15 minutes)
• Substance use in the trades: Harm Reduction (eCourse, 15 minutes)

Resources

• Introduction to Return to Work (video)
• Return to Work Flowchart
• Safety in 60 Seconds – safety tip videos on naloxone in the workplace
• Naloxone kits and addictions in the workplace: balancing privacy with responsibility

Events

• Register for WSPS’ Partners in Prevention Health and Safety Conferences this fall in Kitchener, Thunder Bay and Niagara Falls. Attend this session on opioids and the workplace:
  • The Opioid Crisis: Breaking Stigma and Saving Lives – Mark Barnes, Pharmacist/Owner, Respect RX Pharmacy – Join Mark as he highlights the pervasive nature of opioid misuse and underscores the importance of proactive workplace measures to mitigate risks. Participants will gain insights into recent drug use trends, acquire essential knowledge to recognize high-risk behaviors, and learn how to identify an overdose and take immediate action. Don’t miss this opportunity to safeguard your workplace and ensure the safety and well-being of employees in the face of this pressing public health concern.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date

Grocery and convenience stores that are gearing up to sell alcohol in the coming months also need to prepare for possible impacts to the health and safety of staff, says Amanda Gorman, WSPS Healthy Workplaces Consultant.

Ontario recently announced that beer, wine, cider, coolers, seltzers, and other low-alcohol ready-to-drink beverages can be sold in convenience stores beginning September 5, 2024, and additional grocery stores on October 31, 2024. Stores have been able to sign up for a licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) since June 17, 2024.

Staff at participating stores who handle or sell alcohol must be over the age of 18 and take an AGCO-approved training course (Smart Serve). Participating stores can’t sell alcohol to people under the age of 19, or to intoxicated customers.

“Selling items of higher value like alcohol can open the door to increased attempts at theft, which if not handled appropriately, can lead to injury of a staff member,” says Amanda. “Stores that sell alcohol may also attract inebriated customers, increasing the risk for violence and harassment.”

All businesses, no matter how small, have a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to protect the health and safety of staff. Businesses with more than six employees must also have a violence and harassment policy and program in place.

Together with WSPS Small Business Consultant Pamela Patry, Amanda has compiled 7 tips for participating stores to reduce the potential for theft, violence and harassment, and to protect and empower staff if dangerous situations arise.

7 tips for retail stores that sell alcohol

“Take the time to develop and review your store’s violence and harassment policies with these tips in mind,” suggests Amanda.

1. “Carry out a risk assessment to identify when risks of theft, violence and harassment are greatest,” Pamela recommends. Check out the ‘How WSPS can Help section’ below for a free template.

2. Use cameras to deter thefts. “Place them on the door and on the cooler(s) that contain the alcohol,” says Amanda.

3.  Use signage to set expectations for customers before they enter. There are numerous options, including:

• We don’t serve minors
• We won’t tolerate abuse towards our staff
• We ID
• We stop selling alcohol at xx pm
• This store is under video surveillance

4. Consider closing the alcohol section early. Convenience and grocery stores can sell alcohol from 7 am to 11 pm, says the AGCO. “But you can always close the alcohol section of your store earlier – say, at 9 pm – if you have determined that risks to staff are greater at night,” explains Amanda.

5. Have two staff members working during the hours you are selling alcohol. “A person working alone is much more vulnerable to theft, violence and harassment,” Pamela notes. “They also may have more difficulty getting help in an emergency.” If you can’t have more than one person working at a time, it is essential to create a check-in plan and schedule for the lone worker. “If you need help with this, contact a WSPS consultant.”

6. Train staff:

• on de-escalation techniques for dealing with abusive or aggressive customers. These include being calm, respectful and non-confrontational, being empathetic, letting the person speak, and maintaining a safe distance. “Role play with staff until everyone is comfortable using these techniques,” says Amanda.
• to be courteous and polite when refusing service or if a customer is irritated about showing ID. For example, “I’m sorry sir, I can’t serve you today, but please come back tomorrow.” If the customer gets increasingly agitated, use de-escalation techniques or call a manager or the store owner for assistance.
• to never block the pathway of a thief or confront them. Instead, get a description and call the police. “Trying to stop a theft is how people get injured or killed,” says Amanda. “You never know what weapons someone may be carrying. Likewise, never attempt a citizen’s arrest.”

7. Put emergency plans in place, and practice them with staff. “It can be hard to think clearly when faced with a potentially dangerous situation,” says Pamela. Have a plan in place so that everyone clearly understands what they should do. Who can staff turn to for immediate assistance? Where can they go to protect themselves if the situation becomes dangerous? Does your store have a safe room equipped with a lock and phone? How do staff report incidents?

How WSPS can help

Free Resources 

• Violence & Harassment Roles and Responsibilities
• De-escalating high-stress situations at work: 4 stages to aggression, 4 responses
• Small Business: Workplace Violence and Harassment (video)
• Small Biz Safety Podcast Episode 32 | Retail theft is on the rise – Is your small business prepared?
• Workplace Violence and Harassment Toolbox – Information, tools and assessments that can be useful to employers as they identify hazards and risks related to violence and harassment.
• Employee Violence Risk Assessment Questionnaire
• Health & safety at a distance: how to keep lone workers safe (article)

Training

• Violence and Harassment  – Find out about training options and requirements for businesses in Ontario
• Violence & Harassment Prevention: Situational Awareness & De-escalation (4 hours, Online Instructor-Led Training)
• Workplace Violence & Harassment Awareness (eCourse, 40 minutes)

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.