The American Public Health Association has recognized a member of the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group.
Steve Mantis has been awarded the Leslie Nickels International Health and Safety Award.
The award recognizes individuals with outstanding achievements in the field of occupational health and safety outside the U.S.
Mantis was there when the local injured worker support group started 40 years ago, and explains why the group was formed.
“Really the the voices of injured workers, workers with a permanent impairment permanent disability often were not part of the public discord, and the provincial government was bringing in legislation that would change the worker’s compensation system in drastic ways, and we said we need to be part of that process.”
He added at the time there was not a lot of information or support available for injured and disabled workers.
“So by sharing with each other by hearing each other’s stories, we were both able to learn more about how the system worked as well as to support each other as we’re going through often times traumatic experiences and that really is the foundation of our group here in Thunder Bay,” said Mantis.
“We provide regular peer support and education so that people understand, you know, this is a new thing. I’ve never been disabled before. What’s going to happen to me? How does the systems work? What’s my future look like to be able to kind of get a bit of a handle on that, which reduces the stress and increases the chance people can navigate those changes in their lives more successfully.”
The group has engaged with academics over the years to help them understand the long-term consequences of a work injury.
Through that work, the group has determined that between 15,000 and 20,0000 workers sustain permanent lifelong injuries or disabilities
“Half that group end up really suffering unnecessarily in major ways, 50 per cent more or less experienced mental illness following this.. (and) 28 per cent lose their families,” explained Mantis. “Many people lose all their financial savings or RRSP and end up really in a bad place, so we’re working hard to bring this to light and to find ways that the system can improve so that the suffering that happens so often can be avoided.”
Mantis was unable to find time to accept the award, as he was unaware he was nominated for it, but he did have a message for those attending the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo where the award is being given out.
“Oftentimes, workers who become injured and disabled, disappear. They’re not at the workplace, they become isolated, they oftentimes face mental illness… and their voices aren’t heard.”
“So you know the first step, you know from my perspective is really to create a space where we can hear the voices of people with the lived experience of becoming disabled at work, how that’s impacted their lives so that that can really be part of the public discourse rather than really ignoring and discounting oftentimes those personal experiences.”
