Current and emerging trends : Current and emerging OHS trends

High workload has a direct impact on the physical and psychological demand placed on workers and is the result of multiple factors as indicated by respondents, such as shortage of healthcare workers and an aging workforce, aging patients, heavier patients, an increase in mental health issues, span of control, and an increase in the number of patients being cared for in the home. [...] Again, the issue of workload and how this affects the health and safety of healthcare workers had the highest response. [...] This includes rising costs of healthcare that may lead to restructuring in the industry, the effects of new technologies, the current focus on a green environment and green workplaces, lack of coordinated data records, a possible change in government and the impact this may have on funding and structure, generational differences of workers, continued lack of funding for OHS, and new product purcha [...] Some of their reasons include, a poor infrastructure, lack of long-term planning, lack of integration and communication between stakeholders, lack of leadership and commitment, lack of funding, lack of human resources, lack of education and training, the current political atmosphere, lack of accountability and enforcement, and a poor organizational culture towards OHS. [...] As Ruth Gastel, the director of Insurance Information Institute stated: “Accident rates tend to be lower in firms where the management ‘culture’ fosters a high level of satisfaction among workers and where improving safety is part of the goal of building a quality product.”26 Other trends Aside from the population health trends and shortage of healthcare workers in Canada and the impact these issu