Helping to Heal Families of Workplace Tragedy Presented to: 2016 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Helping to Heal Families

• f Workplace Tragedy

Presented to: 2016 Fleet Safety Council Annual Conference

September 30, 2016

What is a Workplace Tragedy?

A work-related

 Traumatic fatality  Life-altering injury  Occupational

disease

Families of workplace tragedy must find a ‘new normal’ and grieve for the life they used to have

Where do these families turn in their grief?

Established as a non-profit in April 2003 Received charitable status in 2007

(Charitable business #87524 8908 RR0001)

Providing a variety of peer support programs

and services for families affected by workplace tragedy

Mission

Threads of Life’s mission is to help families heal through a community

• f support and to

promote the elimination

• f life-altering workplace

injuries, illnesses and deaths

Vision

Threads of Life will lead and inspire a culture shift, as a result of which work- related injuries, illnesses and deaths are morally, socially and economically unacceptable.

How do we help families?

• 1. Offer peer support by connecting families with others

who have experienced a similar workplace tragedy

Access to trained Volunteer Family Guides

Subscription to our quarterly newsletter, Threads

• 2. Provide access to resources and opportunities to learn

healthy coping skills, active listening and promote healing

Annual Regional Family Forums: Western, Prairies, Central and Atlantic

• 3. Give workers and their families opportunities to share

their own story and to be a part of raising awareness of workplace injury prevention

National Speakers Bureau: The Power of One Story

Honour those that

have experienced a workplace tragedy

Raise awareness Raise Funds

www.stepsforlife.ca

Dealing with Tragedy in the Workplace – Findings

Positive: “The employer closed down the [worksite] for the funeral so that all employees could attend. I felt they did the right thing and it showed respect by doing so.” “This company went above and beyond and promised

• ur family they would never forget our son and would

do whatever they could to ensure that it would never happen again”

Dealing with Tragedy in the Workplace – Findings

Negative: “I had so many questions as we all did. I wanted to know how? What would make something like this happen, did he suffer?” “We needed to hear ‘I’m sorry!’. Nobody ever said ‘I’m sorry!’ The incident report had discrepancies and much was blacked out. I needed to know exactly what had happened”

Dealing with Tragedy in the Workplace - Recommendations

• 1. Go
• 2. Tell
• 3. Support
• 4. Honour
• 5. Keep in Touch

How Can You Help?

Grow Awareness  Volunteer/Participate Contribute Financially

Support – Grow Awareness

Threads of Life needs to grow our awareness for both:

 Families who are experiencing a life-altering

workplace, injury, illness or fatality

 Companies and other stakeholder organizations

(eg trade associations) that can offer support to Threads of Life

Support - Volunteer

Volunteer opportunities could include:

• Representing Threads of Life at trade shows
• Participating on Steps for Life community walk
• rganizing committees:

Support - Participate

This could include:

Walking as an individual in your local Steps for

Life community

Entering a team or teams in our Steps for Life

corporate challenge

Conducting your own third party event such as

a golf tournament or …

Support - Financial

Corporate sponsorship support could include:

Steps for Life Family Forums Speakers Bureau Volunteer Family Guides

Individual contributions

Each worker and family member who has been affected by a workplace tragedy is a thread in the quilt of life. Each thread, by itself, cannot stand alone, but when woven together provides strength. Although we are individuals, we are also connected in the fabric of life.

threadsoflife.ca