This website is designed to provide information and resources to support healthcare workers and their employers with Operational Stress Injuries (OSI) and PTSD prevention, intervention and recovery and return to work.
In a 2019 survey conducted in Ontario by Public Services Health & Safety Association, over 47% (n: 90) of frontline workers did not believe there was anything in place within their organizations to address OSI or PTSD, and an additional 34% of respondents felt their organization was only in early stages of developing and implementing an OSI/PTSD Prevention Program.
This website is designed to help you take steps to build a prevention plan to address OSI and PTSD in the workplace. It is divided into primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, and includes tips, resources and information to enhance your understanding of occupational stress injuries and how you can support leadership, workers and their families.
Ontario’s Presumptive Legislation
Ontario has presumptive legislation called Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders and Other Designated Workers. This legislation applies to nurses who directly provide patient care. Under this legislation, if you are a worker who directly provides patient care and are diagnosed with PTSD, while also meeting specific employment and diagnostic criteria, the PTSD is presumed (or thought) to have occurred as a result of their work unless the contrary is shown.
While this website focuses on PTSD, it is essential to note that there are other Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) policies which cover chronic mental stress and traumatic mental stress. Learn more about these policies below: