Healthy workplaces

A significant number of the working population that lives in the Okanagan actually works in either northern Alberta or British Columbia working in one of the many natural resource fields. The companies that operate in these industries have long recognized the importance of safety at the workplace. Not only do they practice safety at the workplace to prevent injuries and reduce expensive WCB claims, they take proactive steps in their hiring practices to create the safest workplaces possible.

Occupational health testing has become an important part of the hiring process for hundreds of companies across Canada. By completing this process for prospective hires, companies are ensuring that the employees on their site are physically able to complete their jobs and also do not have any outstanding health concerns that would be a risk for working in remote environments.

Pre-employment testing can consist of many different components such as:

• Breath Alcohol
• Drug Testing
• Audio Test
• Spirometry (Lung Function) Testing
• Vision Testing
• Medical & Orthopaedic Exam
• Fitness to Work Testing

Employers can substantially lower the risk and cost of hiring and training new employees through these testing programs. Breath alcohol and drug testing also helps to keep the entire workplace safe by not exposing other workers to an employee with a substance abuse problem on the site performing risk associated tasks. The more testing protocols a company implements, the greater degree of certainty they get with knowing an employee will be a good hire.

Why do this?

At the end of the day, completing this type of testing makes for a safer, more productive workplace and saves the employer money by reducing the amount and severity of injuries that occur at work. The statistics surrounding injuries and their causes are staggering. A single workplace injury can affect the employee’s health and well being and run thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation costs.

• Substance abuse causes 35% of all workplace injuries and fatalities.
• Substance abuse makes up close to 44% of all workers' compensation claims
• 40% of Thefts are Substance Abusers
• Companies have been able to reduce absenteeism by 28% by investing in employees' health.
• By offering employees prevention-focused health care programs such as blood pressure monitoring, GlaxoSmithSkline has increased employee performance and productivity by 7-13%.

Source: Surehire.ca

 

SureHire is an expert in occupational health testing. They are one of the largest and fastest growing company in this field in Canada. They offer a full spectrum of occupational health testing and workplace wellness solutions. Based out of Edmonton and with testing facilities across Canada, SureHire is able to offer solutions to businesses of all sizes.

The staff at Momentum Health in Kelowna have been a proud partner and Exclusive Testing Facility with SureHire for several years. Momentum Health offers all of the testing services that are required by local employers and workers in the natural resource sector in Northern BC and Alberta. Over the past 5 years we have conducted thousands of tests with potential employees and are proud to help create safe and healthy workplaces.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.