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From YouTube: MAY 16 2022 Statements Tom Shypitka
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
A
Member
for
kootenai
east-
thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
also
welcome
to
the
member
from
vancouver
qualcena.
Honourable
speaker,
firefighters,
paramedics
and
law
enforcement
officers
are
experiencing
traumas
and
stressors
on
the
job
that
are,
unlike
those
seen
in
most
other
occupations.
It's
not
surprising,
therefore,
that
recent
research
has
shown
that
these
workers
are
at
higher
risk
of
mental
health
injuries.
A
Six
years
ago,
the
bc
first
responders
mental
health
committee
formed,
which
is
a
multi-agency
committee
representing
labor
and
management
from
both
urban
and
rural
communities
chaired
by
worksafebc.
The
committee
is
working
collaboratively
to
provide
cross-organizational
leadership
and
recommended
practices
that
promote
positive
mental
health
for
first
responders
across
the
province.
To
date,
no
first
responder
organization
in
bc
has
fully
implemented
either
the
recommended
practices
from
the
bc
first
responder
steering
committee
or
the
national
standard
of
canada
for
psychological
health
and
safety
in
the
workplace.
A
The
plea
from
first
responders
are
simply
three
points.
First,
employers
and
first
responders
implement
the
26
recommended
practices
and
resources
for
employers,
supervisors
and
workers
created
by
the
bc
first
responders
mental
health
committee
and
to
follow
the
national
standard
of
canada
for
psychological
health
and
safety
in
the
workplace.
Number
two
all
first
responders
receive
psychological
safety
training
due
to
the
traumatic
exposures
they
witness
throughout
their
careers.
A
This
can
be
accomplished
through
policy
and
regulation
as
directed
by
worksafebc
and
mandated
to
first
responder
employers,
third
and
finally,
all
first
responders
receive
annual
voluntary
psychological
safeguard
interviews
with
an
acco
with
an
occupationally
aware,
mental
health
professional.
Mr
speaker,
our
first
responders
need
to
be
protected,
both
physically
and
mentally,
in
their
challenging
workplace.
Thank
you.