OMNI-COMPASS
The Strategic Framework for Psychosocial Risk, Canadian OHS Compliance, and Crisis Intervention.
Actionable Check-In
A proactive outreach fulfilling the legal Duty to Inquire.
Administrative Controls
Changes to the way work is done (policies, training, schedules) used to mitigate psychosocial risks.
ALGES Framework
The standard for MHFA, including the critical focus on Self-Care for the First Aider. Read More
Authority Hub
Strategic "pillar" content providing deep-dive intelligence on PHS compliance. Read More
Bill 132 (Ontario)
Legislation mandating written programs for workplace harassment and sexual harassment.
Burnout
State of exhaustion caused by excessive stress, recognized as an occupational phenomenon.
Canada Labour Code (Part II)
Mandatory OHS requirements for federally regulated workplaces, including the protection of psychological health.
Compassion Fatigue
Emotional exhaustion found in frontline crisis and victim services professionals due to the nature of their work.
Continuous Improvement
The commitment to regularly reviewing the PHS-IMS to ensure effectiveness and adapt to changing workplace needs.
CSA Z1003
The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace; the definitive framework for compliance.
Documentation Trail
Recorded evidence of training and check-ins required for regulatory audits.
Due Diligence
The legal "defense" an employer uses to prove they did everything reasonably possible to prevent an injury. In this context, it means having a paper trail for mental health, not just physical safety.
Duty of Care
The moral and legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-being of others. In the workplace, this means taking all reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable psychological or physical harm.
Duty to Accommodate
Requirement to modify work duties to support employees with disabilities.
Duty to Inquire
The legal obligation for a manager to check in on an employee if they suspect a mental health issue is affecting their work, fulfilling the obligation to support or accommodate rather than just firing for poor performance.
Elimination
The highest level of the Hierarchy of Controls; removing a psychosocial hazard entirely (e.g., stopping after-hours emails) rather than expecting individuals to cope with it.
Executive Intelligence
The high-level understanding required by leadership to navigate psychosocial risk and Canadian OHS compliance effectively.
Factors (13 Psychosocial)
The 13 elements from CSA Z1003 that impact employee mental health.
Frontline Services
High-risk roles requiring specialized PHS support due to trauma exposure.
General Duty Clause
A "catch-all" legal rule (specifically Section 25(2)(h) in Ontario) requiring employers to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers from psychosocial and physical hazards, even if a specific rule isn't written down.
Green Zone (Healthy)
The target state for a PHS compliant workplace; characterized by normal functioning, effective coping, and high employee engagement.
Guarding Minds at Work (GMAW)
A validated survey tool used for measuring the 13 Psychosocial Factors to assess and address organizational psychological health and safety.
Hazard Register
A living document tracking identified mental health risks and mitigation actions.
Hazards (Psychosocial)
Factors in how work is designed or managed that increase the risk of psychological injury.
Hierarchy of Controls
A system prioritizing Elimination over Individual coping to address root causes of stress.
Human Resources Development
Process of building organizational capacity to support a psychologically safe culture.
Integrated Management System (PHS-IMS)
A strategic framework embedding Psychological Health and Safety into core business governance, risk operations, and organizational culture.
Integration Framework
The roadmap illustrating how PHS is embedded for long-term compliance, ensuring mental health is managed with the same rigor as physical safety.
IRS (Internal Responsibility System)
The foundational philosophy of Canadian OHS law, stating that everyone in the workplace shares responsibility for health and safety.
ISO 45003
International guidelines for managing psychosocial risks; the global companion to CSA Z1003.
Judgement (Reasonable)
The standard used to determine if a leader took every reasonable precaution to protect a worker, often evaluated against industry standards like CSA Z1003.
Just-in-Time Support
Rapid-response mental wellness resources and crisis intervention provided to staff immediately following a critical incident.
Leadership Training
Programs equipping managers with the psychological literacy to identify early warning signs, lead check-ins, and manage accommodations effectively.
Liability (Psychosocial)
The legal and financial risk an organization faces when it fails to protect workers from foreseeable psychological harm.
Management System Audit
A systematic review of the organization’s PHS compliance against the CSA Z1003 Standard.
Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
The national body responsible for driving evidence-based PHS frameworks.
Mental Health Continuum Model
A validated tool standardizing early intervention language using colour-coded zones (Green, Yellow, Orange, Red).
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
The help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Moral Injury
Psychological distress resulting from actions that violate core moral beliefs; a specific high-frequency hazard for frontline crisis services.
Non-Adversarial Interview
A fact-finding approach focused on system failures and hazard identification rather than individual blame.
OHS / OHSA (Occupational Health and Safety Acts)
The provincial or federal laws across Canada mandating that employers protect workers from hazards.
Opening Minds
The branch of the MHCC dedicated to reducing structural stigma in leadership and clinical settings.
Orange Zone (Injured)
A state of functional decline characterized by persistent distress, often triggering the legal Duty to Accommodate.
PHS (Psychological Health and Safety)
A workplace strategy focused on preventing mental injury and promoting well-being. Think of it as "mental OHS."
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
The management cycle used for continuous auditing and adjustment of the PHS system.
Psychological Contract
The unwritten expectations between employer and employee (e.g., respect for boundaries). When broken, it becomes a major psychosocial hazard.
Psychological Safety
A culture where employees feel safe to speak up, ask questions, or report mistakes without fear of punishment; the bedrock of interpersonal risk-taking.
Psychosocial Hazards
Factors in how work is designed or managed that can cause mental harm (e.g., extreme workload, bullying).
Psychosocial Hazard Register
A living document listing every identified mental health risk and its controls; the primary "Proof of System" for OHS compliance.
Psychosocial Risk Assessment
The systematic process of evaluating workplace factors to reveal hidden hazards.
Quality Management
Ensuring that mental health initiatives deliver measurable results and meet National Standard benchmarks.
Quantifiable Risk
The process of assigning a numerical value to psychosocial hazards (frequency x severity) to prioritize intervention.
Reasonably Practicable
The legal standard for balancing risk severity against the effort of control measures.
Red Zone (Ill)
The state representing severe functional impairment, requiring immediate medical or professional intervention.
Role Ambiguity
Confusion about job responsibilities due to poor communication; a significant organizational stressor.
Root Cause Analysis
A systematic process for identifying underlying causes of a mental health incident to prevent recurrence.
Self-Care for the First Aider
The final "S" in the ALGES action plan; essential for responder sustainability and preventing vicarious trauma.
Standardized Tool
Scientifically validated surveys (e.g., GMAW) used to measure organizational culture against the National Standard.
Stigma (Workplace)
Negative beliefs leading to discrimination or silence regarding mental health; a primary barrier to safety.
Systemic Safety Net
Interlocking layers of PHS-IMS (policy, training, controls) designed to prevent psychological injuries.
The Working Mind (TWM)
MHCC-accredited program designed to reduce stigma and provide practical wellness tools.
Tiered Response Model
A strategic approach prioritizing primary prevention before secondary intervention and tertiary clinical support.
Trauma-Informed Leadership
A management approach recognizing trauma impact to avoid re-traumatization in policies and daily interactions.
Triad of Accountability
Shared responsibility between Employer, Union, and Employee to maintain a safe environment.
Underlying Cause
Systemic issues leading to injury (e.g., poor training) rather than just the immediate trigger.
Undue Hardship
The limit to which an employer must accommodate before it becomes dangerously expensive or disruptive to operations.
Vicarious Trauma
The profound shift in worldview that occurs from exposure to the traumatic stories of others.
Victim Services Training
PHS support tailored for professionals working on the frontlines of crime and trauma response.
Work-Life Balance
Managing work demands so that employees have time for personal lives, reducing conflict and stress.
Workplace Harassment (Bill 132)
Ontario legislation requiring employers to have policies to handle harassment as a health and safety issue.
Yellow Zone (Reacting)
The stage characterized by nervousness or irritability; ideal for a check-in before injury occurs.
Youth MHFA
Mental Health First Aid training specifically adapted for adults who interact with young people.
Zero Harm (Psychological)
An organizational commitment to making mental injury as preventable and unacceptable as physical injury.
Zones of Functioning
The four distinct phases (Green, Yellow, Orange, Red) used to categorize mental health and performance levels.