Fear of infectious diseases and perceived contagion risk count as an occupational health and safety hazard: Accounts from correctional officer recruits in Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 263380762110582
Author(s):  
Marcella Siqueira Cassiano ◽  
Fatih Ozturk ◽  
Rosemary Ricciardelli

Prisons are poorly ventilated confined spaces with limited physical distancing opportunities, making an environment conducive to the spread of infectious diseases. Based on empirical research with correctional officer recruits in Canada, we analyze the reasons and sources of fear, and the measures that recruits adopt to counter their fear of contagion. Our study marks an advance in the correctional work literature, which, to date, has tended to view perceived contagion risks as a workplace challenge that can be overcome with occupational skill and experience. In contrast with the existing literature, we present fear and perceived contagion risk as an “operational stress injury” that affects all correctional officers; a structural occupational health and safety problem that needs redressing from the labor policy perspective.

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Sass

This article analyzes labor policy, especially that of occupational health and safety, initiated by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1971 to 1982. The NDP was perceived by Canadian provincial labor federations and the Canadian Labour Congress as the government most approximating a European labor party. The provincial labor legislation was seen as exemplary, and the occupational health and safety legislation as a “beacon” for the rest of Canada. This article suggests that the advances in occupational health and safety statute and regulations were a direct response to the government's policy to develop uranium mining. In order to pursue a vigorous renewable and nonrenewable resource policy, the government maintained that uranium could be mined “safely.” This resulted in “progressive” health and safety legislation and the reinforcement of the colonial status of people of Indian ancestry. This policy of growth and development also resulted in joint venture relationships with multinational corporations and increasing investments in the north for nonrenewable resource development. Prior to the landslide defeat of the NDP in 1982 by the Conservative Party, the richest 5 percent of Saskatchewan people earned as much, in total, as the poorest 50 percent. Meanwhile, ordinary workers experienced declining real wages and increased employment insecurity.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bizarro ◽  
Megan Dove-Steinkamp ◽  
Nicole Johnson ◽  
Scott Ryan ◽  
Michelle Robertson ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Herman-Haase ◽  
M. Quinn ◽  
J. Tessler ◽  
L. Punnett ◽  
N. Haiama ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Thandekile Phulu

In South Africa employees are protected by various pieces of legislation. Section 23 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 provides for a right to fair labour practice. In its preamble the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (hereafter referred to as the LRA) states that the purpose of the Act is to advance economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratisation of the workplace. The LRA also states that one of its objectives is to give effect to and regulate the fundamental rights conferred by section 27 of the Constitution. The Occupational Health and Safety Act as amended by the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act 181 of 1993 provides for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery. The LRA provides for dismissal for incapacity and dismissals for misconduct. It also differentiates between the two. The LRA provides for both substantive and procedural fairness when dismissing an employee for incapacity and misconduct. This paper will examine the rationale behind differentiating between dismissal for drunkenness and dismissal for alcoholism.


1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Farlow

The paper by Elizabeth A. Mullen (1990) contains a number of assumptions and assertions that cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged. In addition, the survey itself seems to be based on an inappropriate sample with the particular interpretation of results creating a potentially false impression. The debate concerning the Code of Practice for Health and Safety Representatives and Health and Safety Committees has often been plagued with confusion and misunderstanding and, regrettably, Mullen's paper continues these problems.


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