Occupational health & safety and diversity, equity & inclusion: A framework to enhance workplace safety for people with disabilities

In 2022, 27% of the Canadian population reported one or more disabilities, facing challenges such as negative perceptions regarding their capabilities, inaccessible buildings, workplaces, and tools, as well as systemic barriers (Government of Canada, 2023). This can lead to experience of more hazardous working conditions. Another significant demographic includes Black people, who represent 12.3% of the Canadian population and accounted for 11.7% of on-the-job injuries/deaths between 2007 and 2020 (Druley, 2020). These employees often encounter psychosocial hazards related to stress, including harassment, intimidation, communication difficulties, inadequate training, and job insecurity. Previous research suggests that the convergence of a global pandemic, a movement for social justice, and an increasing demand for businesses to safeguard workers and the public has created a leadership opportunity for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) managers. This societal shift also presents an opportunity for OH&S to be recognized as a core business process. Consequently, Safety and Health advisors need to be equipped to address hazards and risks faced by vulnerable people. This research aims to provide an overview of the barriers to inclusion and safety faced by people with disabilities and Black people. For this, we propose a comprehensive review of literature and organizational practices through web searches, industry reports, and analyzing scholarly articles and cases. We intend to develop an OH&S framework for risk management and prevention for vulnerable groups to help OH&S advisors and organizations improve their practices and tools to ensure inclusion and safety in the workplace for vulnerable groups. Poster Proposal submission was sponsored by Satish Kumar Medha, (Instructor, Commerce and Business Administration Department) and was presented at the New Westminster campus on April 11, 2024, for Student Research Days 2024.