National Standard and Mental Injury Toolkit training

The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace was developed for the Mental Health Commission of Canada by the CSA Group and the BNQ in 2013. The Commission describes it as “a set of voluntary guidelines, tools and resources intended to guide organizations in promoting mental health and preventing psychological harm at work.”

The National Standard looks at many aspects of workplace mental health and includes recommendations on implementing it to improve the mental health of workers.

The Mental Injury Toolkit (MIT) is a resource created by union health and safety representatives along with researchers. It focuses on lowering workplace stress to promote better mental health.

The MIT offers a survey tool for unions to identify sources of workplace stress and avenues to address them. The toolkit was developed in Ontario, but can be adapted to other jurisdictions as a proactive tool for taking on systemic mental health issues in the workplace.

Both the National Standard and the MIT have the potential to bring positive change to workplaces. But they are not going to gain widespread adoption on their own. We need to train local executives and health and safety committee members in the use of these standards and tools, negotiate their adoption and to be prepared to knowledgeably implement them and train others in turn.

Learn more about implementing the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.