Removing Language Barriers to Health & Safety Success
Look around. Does your workforce include new Canadians, temporary foreign workers or individuals for whom English is their second language?
You probably do or will be employing a newcomer sometime soon, as Canada’s 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan (Canada.ca) seeks to welcome 500,000 new residents annually in the years to come.
New hires, especially newcomers to the country, may bring with them a varied understanding of health and safety rights, responsibilities, and workplace hazards, thus increasing the need for thorough orientation and job training. Language barriers may complicate a newcomers’ ability to comprehend your instructions, hinder their ability to communicate with you about health and safety and integrate into the workforce safely. Many may also be hesitant to speak up and ask questions.
“As a result, many newcomers lack proper awareness of the hazards on the job and how to stay safe,” says Bill Chen, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) Account Representative. “This puts them at higher risk of injury than their Canadian counterparts, which is bad news for these workers and their employers.”
Knowing this, WSPS has developed multilingual learning resources to assist businesses in educating their workers on health and safety. Each aims to reduce injuries and fatalities by raising worker safety awareness and provides simple instructions for staying safe on the job.
Material Handling Resources
Material handling is a high-risk hazard impacting many workplaces and workers. Recognizing this, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) is conducting material handling focused workplace inspections from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, to boost awareness and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Free material handling resources have been created to help employers, supervisors and workers better understand material handling hazards, make workplaces safer and prepare them for inspections.
Acknowledging the need for workers of all skills and backgrounds to understand this information, worker resources are available in French, Spanish, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog and English.
Additional Resources – New Canadians
- Multilanguage material handling resources for workers
- Multilingual manufacturing resources
- Safety Connection: Breaking Language Barriers – Worker Safety in Manufacturing (free webinar; multiple dates to choose from)
- New Canadians in your workforce? This manufacturer’s approach can help protect them and you (article)
- 5 tips to protect the health and safety of new Canadians (article)
- Do New Canadians Feel Psychologically Safe in Your Workplace (article)
- Quick Safety Tips: New and Young Workers (video series)
Additional Resources – Material Handling
- Preparing for a Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Inspection
- MLITSD Material handling inspections on now: be prepared (article)
- Safety Connection: MLITSD Materials Handling Campaign – The Essentials (pre-recorded webinar; jointly presented by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services)
- Multilanguage material handling resources for workers
- TOOL: Managing Material Hazards
- Quick Safety Tips: Safe Lifting (video series)
The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.
Have health and safety questions? Please contact Denise Lam, WSPS Account Manager, Small Business at Denise.Lam@wsps.ca.
About Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) is a not-for-profit organization committed to protecting Ontario workers and businesses. A proud partner in Ontario’s occupational health and safety system and a trusted safety advisor since 1917, WSPS has a rich history of making Ontario workplaces safer. WSPS serves the manufacturing, agricultural and service sectors. WSPS offers unparalleled health and safety expertise, consulting, training and resources for businesses of any size. For more information visit WSPS.ca.
Copyright information
This article was prepared by Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). At WSPS we are committed to helping businesses understand their risks and legal obligations to stay in compliance and build safer workplaces. If you would like permission to republish or use information in this article, please contact Jessica Bowes, Content Development Lead at jessica.bowes@wsps.ca.
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