Energy Drink vs. Energy Snus or Energy Pouches: Which is the Better Choice?

 In today’s fast-paced world, many people rely on energy-boosting products to help them power through long days or intense workouts. Energy drinks have been a popular choice for years, but recently, energy snus and energy pouches have emerged as alternatives. In this article, we’ll compare energy drinks to energy snus and energy pouches, examining their ingredients, effects, and potential health risks. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of which option might be the better choice for your energy needs.

 Ingredients:

Energy drinks typically contain a mix of caffeine, sugar, B-vitamins, and herbal extracts. While the caffeine provides an instant energy boost, the high sugar content can lead to crashes and health issues with excessive consumption. On the other hand, energy snus and energy pouches primarily consist of nicotine, salt, and flavorings. These products deliver a nicotine kick, but without the sugar crash associated with energy drinks. However, it’s important to note that nicotine can be addictive and may have adverse health effects.

 Energy Boost and Duration:

 Energy drinks offer a quick energy boost due to their caffeine content. However, the effects are often short-lived, leading to crashes later on. Energy snus and energy pouches provide a steady release of nicotine, which can offer a prolonged sense of alertness and focus. The duration of their effects can vary depending on the product and individual tolerance.

 Convenience and Portability:

Energy drinks are widely available in various sizes and flavors, making them easily accessible. However, they are typically sold in cans or bottles, which may be inconvenient to carry around. Energy snus and energy pouches, on the other hand, come in small, discreet pouches that can be conveniently tucked in the mouth. This makes them portable and ideal for individuals on the go.

 Health Risks:

Consuming excessive amounts of energy drinks can lead to several health risks, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and even cardiovascular problems. The high sugar content can also contribute to weight gain and dental issues. Energy snus and energy pouches, while lacking the sugar content, still pose health risks due to their nicotine content. Nicotine addiction, oral health problems, and increased heart rate are some potential risks associated with these products.

 When choosing between energy drinks and energy snus or energy pouches, it’s essential to consider your personal preferences and health concerns. Energy drinks provide an instant boost but come with the risk of sugar crashes and health issues. Energy snus and energy pouches offer a prolonged effect without the sugar crash, but their nicotine content can be addictive and potentially harmful. Moderation is key, regardless of the option you choose. As with any product, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional before incorporating these energy-boosting options into your routine.

 Remember, maintaining a balanced lifestyle, getting enough rest, and adopting healthy habits are crucial for sustainable energy levels throughout the day.

Oral and/or buccal delivery pouch

 A vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) machine and method for producing an oral sachet designed to be placed in a users mouth, the oral sachet. The oral sachet includes permeable paper that does not contain fiberglass. The permeable paper forms a pouch that includes a top seal arranged at first end of the pouch, a bottom seal arranged at a second end of the pouch opposite from the first end, a vertical seal that extends from the top seal to the bottom seal, and a cavity located between the top seal and the bottom seal. Granular contents, including at least one granular or powdered component, are arranged within the cavity of the permeable-paper pouch.

 FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The concept for the product that is the subject of this application (the “Product”) evolved out of observing the use of oral tobacco pouches, particularly by athletes. The idea was that, while the substance contained in these tobacco pouches was harmful, the medium by which the substance was delivered—in other words, the pouch itself—had several advantages. In particular, the pouch is a hands-free delivery system, it requires no water to assist in swallowing (as do pills) and keeping the pouch between the gum and cheek is a pleasurable experience for the user. Thus, the idea was that delivery of a healthy product, which can be dissolved in the mouth via the pouch delivery method, would have all the advantages of the tobacco pouch and none of the disadvantages.

 Therefore, the inventors began to experiment with various methods of placing soluble powders into a pouch similar in size and makeup to the tobacco pouches. The size range they found to be an ideal compromise between oral comfort and powder content was a maximum thickness of from 2-8 mm thick, a maximum width of from 10-25 mm wide, and a maximum length of from 35-55 mm long. Preferably the pouch is 4-6 mm thick (max), 15-25 mm wide (max), and 40-50 mm long (max). More preferably, the pouch is 5 mm thick, 22 mm wide, and 47 mm long.

 It was discovered that the method used to fill the tobacco pouches with the cut tobacco contents would not work for the Product. That method involves pneumatically forcing the tobacco into the pouches prior to sealing. A similar pneumatic filling method is used to fill tea bags with tea leaves and fines. However, because the contents of the Product are drier, lighter, less dense, and of smaller granularity than tobacco or tea leaves and fines, the force of air from the pneumatic process results in the Product contents being blown through the permeable paper. This leads to the blown-through contents clogging the machine, and prevents an adequate and accurate amount of contents being captured in the pouch.

 Eventually, the inventors experimented with commercially accessible vertical fill and seal machines (aka, vertical form, fill, and seal [VFFS] machines), which are the type of machines used to create snack bags (such as those used for potato chips and pretzels) and “stick packs” (such as those used for powders which are poured into water to add flavoring). These VFFS machines use sheets of non-permeable material (e.g., laminate films, polyethylene films, and plastic films) and wrap those materials into a pre-defined shape. A vertical seal is formed to create a cylindrical-type shape, and then a transverse bottom seal is formed to close the bottom in preparation for contents-delivery. Then the machine puts the contents into the opened “bag” through one of a number of methods. The machine then creates another transverse seal for the top, after which the product is fully sealed inside of the container.

 Because the method of filling the container with these machines is based on gravity and not pressurized air, the problem of dissipation of the content of the Product was alleviated to an extent, but not fully solved as will be detailed below. In addition, these machines are designed for larger pouches made from non-permeable materials, and the inventors concluded that none of the currently available machines could make the type of pouch size desired using food-grade permeable paper.

 The type of machine which came nearest to accomplishing the creation of the Product was the type used to create non-permeable “stick packs” for other types of powders. Initially, the idea at the time was to use the same machine, adjust it for the dimensions of the pouch, and use permeable paper instead of the type of material typically used for stick packs.

 However, because the entire Product unit—including the pouch—is intended to be placed into a users mouth (as opposed to stick packs, in which the contents are consumed by tearing open the pouch and removing the contents before throwing the pouch away), the current Product design needed to use FDA-approved, food-grade permeable paper. This design imperative eliminated the use of any available vertical fill and seal machines due to the delicate, low tensile strength of the paper.

 Simply explained, previously available fill and seal machines use clamps to pull the bottoms of the package material down as they created each individual bag. Such a “clamp and pull” method works for the non-permeable materials typically used, since they have sufficient tensile strength to withstand such clamping and pulling. Such a clamp-and-pull machine would also likely work with certain tobacco pouch products that use permeable paper, since the permeable paper for tobacco products contains fiberglass and therefore has a higher tensile strength than the food-grade permeable paper of the Product. But since the Product contents are intended to be swallowed and tobacco pouch contents are not, it was not desirable to use paper containing fiberglass for the Product. The paper (as described below) is food-grade, FDA certified paper similar to that used for tea bags. As a result, when such a clamp-and-pull machine was used with the food-grade permeable paper of the Product, the low-tensile-strength paper tore under stress applied by the clamp-and-pull method, and usable pouches of the Product could not be obtained.

 In addition, a subsequent problem soon presented itself. Although the gravity-based system used to fill the permeable paper pouches is viable (whereas the pneumatic method is not), the gravity-based method still produces a dissipation of Product contents when the contents hit the bottom-sealed pouch. In other words, the force of the granular and/or powderized contents impacting the bottom of the pouch bag during production creates a dissipation, or “puff”, of the contents through the permeable paper. While this does not typically prevent an adequate amount of contents from being captured in the pouch, the airborne dissipated contents interfere with the heat sealing process of the machine. In particular, the contents of the Product include meltable substances that get sticky when heated, such as various sugars and sugar-like substances (e.g., honey; disaccharides like sucrose, maltose, and lactose; monosaccharides like glucose/dextrose, fructose, galactose; sugar alcohols like glycerol [3-carbon], erythritol [4-carbon], threitol [4-carbon], arabitol [5-carbon], xylitol [5-carbon], ribitol [5-carbon], mannitol [6-carbon], sorbitol [6-carbon], galactitol [6-carbon], fucitol [6-carbon], iditol [6-carbon], inositol [6-carbon; a cyclic sugar alcohol], volemitol [7-carbon], isomalt [12-carbon], maltitol [12-carbon], lactitol [12-carbon], maltotriitol [18-carbon], maltotetraitol [24-carbon], and polyglycitol). So if the dissipated contents are not captured at the point of escape from the pouch, then such dissipated contents may settle on the adjacent moving parts of the machine, which will seize or stick causing the machine to shut down. Such dissipated contents may similarly settle on the heat sealing mechanics of the machine, sticking thereto and blocking the equipment from adequately heat-sealing the pouch.

 A third issue encountered was the problem of inadequate settling of the contents of the Product. The contents, which are granular, drop into place through a length of paper which is sealed and cut into individual pouches. As it drops, the content sticks to the paper at varying points. The transverse top and bottom seals are heat-based and, when the seals are made on an area of paper that has the granular or powderized content stuck to it, several problems occur. First, the seal is compromised because the content in between the two plies of paper interferes with the seal. Second, the heat-sealing mechanism of the machine becomes compromised because the content adheres to the mechanism and causes it to stick. Third, the Product is compromised because the paper seals are not “clean”, and the aesthetics of the Product unit suffers. This “unclean” seal also results in the heat sealing mechanism burning the contents trapped within the seal, thereby producing an “off” taste, and potentially altering the nutrient-profile delivery of any such burned contents to a user.

 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As such, it is desirable to provide a new food-grade permeable paper pouch/sachet for oral and/or buccal delivery of granular and/or powderized contents, along with a machine and method for making the same.

 According to the present invention there is therefore provided a food-grade permeable paper pouch/sachet for oral and/or buccal delivery of granular and/or powderized contents, along with a machine and method for making the same, as described by way of example below and in the accompanying claims.

 In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an oral sachet designed to be placed in a users mouth, the oral sachet. The oral sachet includes permeable paper that does not contain fiberglass. The permeable paper forms a pouch that includes a top seal arranged at first end of the pouch, a bottom seal arranged at a second end of the pouch opposite from the first end, a vertical seal that extends from the top seal to the bottom seal, and a cavity located between the top seal and the bottom seal. Granular contents, including at least one granular or powdered component, are arranged within the cavity of the permeable-paper pouch.

 In another embodiment, the vertical seal protrudes from, and does not form part of, an interior surface of the cavity.

 In yet another embodiment, the permeable-paper pouch is formed from a single piece of the permeable paper.

 In a further embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of from 2-10 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of from 8-30 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of from 8-100 mm long.

 In yet a further embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of from 2-8 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of from 10-25 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of from 35-55 mm long.

 In another embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of 4-6 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of 15-25 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of 40-50 mm long.

 In yet another embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness of around 5 mm thick, a maximum width of around 22 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of 44-48 mm long.

 In a further embodiment there is provided a vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) machine for forming oral sachets and filling oral sachets with granular contents including at least one granular or powdered component. The VFFS machine includes a forming tube, a feed assembly, a vertical sealing device, a guide arrangement, and a transverse sealing device. The feed assembly is configured to feed a continuous sheet of non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper to the forming tube and to wrap the non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper around the forming tube. The permeable paper has an inside surface that faces toward the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, an outside surface that faces away from the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, a first edge surface that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface, and a second edge surface, opposite to the first edge surface, that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface. The vertical sealing device is disposed adjacent the forming tube, and is configured to form a sleeve from the permeable paper by sealing a first portion of the inside surface to a second portion of the inside surface to create a vertical seal, the first portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the first edge and the second portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the second edge. The guide arrangement is located downstream of the first sealing device and adjacent to the forming tube, and is configured to grip the vertical seal and pull the vertical seal in a downstream direction. The transverse sealing device is located downstream of the guide arrangement, and is configured to seal a third portion of the inside surface to a fourth portion and a fifth portion of the inside surface to create a bottom transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed bottom end for a current sachet to be formed, each of the fourth and fifth portions being opposite to the third portion, with the fourth portion being adjacent to one side of the vertical seal and the fifth portion being adjacent to an opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In yet a further embodiment, the guide arrangement includes two rollers that abut each other and grip the vertical seal therebetween, the two rollers rotating in opposite directions to pull the vertical seal in the downstream direction.

 In another embodiment, the vertical sealing device is a heat sealer.

 In yet another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is a heat sealer.

 In a further embodiment, the VFFS machine further includes a suction device configured to capture airborne granular content that escapes from the permeable paper sleeve, when the sleeve is filled with granular content, by suctioning the escaped airborne granular content.

 In yet a further embodiment, the VFFS machine further includes a settling device configured to physically impact or vibrate the VFFS machine while the permeable paper sleeve is being filled with granular contents so as to settle the granular contents being filled into a bottom of the current sachet to be formed.

 In another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is also configured to, after creating the bottom transverse seal, seal a sixth portion of the inside surface to a seventh portion and an eighth portion of the inside surface to create a top transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed top end for the current sachet to be formed, each of the seventh and eight portions being opposite to the sixth portion, with the seventh portion being adjacent to the one side of the vertical seal and the eight portion being adjacent to the opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In yet another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is also configured to form a bottom transverse seal for a next sachet to be formed simultaneously with the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed.

 In a further embodiment, the transverse sealing device includes a cutting device configured to cut the permeable paper at a location between the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed and the bottom transverse seal for the next sachet to be formed, thereby separating the current sachet to be formed from the next sachet to be formed.

 In yet a further embodiment a method is provided for forming oral sachets and filling oral sachets with granular contents including at least one granular or powdered component. The method includes feeding a continuous sheet of non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper to a forming tube and wrapping the non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper around the forming tube. The permeable paper has an inside surface that faces toward the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, an outside surface that faces away from the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, a first edge surface that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface, and a second edge surface, opposite to the first edge surface, that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface. Next, a sleeve is formed from the permeable paper by sealing a first portion of the inside surface to a second portion of the inside surface to create a vertical seal, the first portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the first edge and the second portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the second edge. Then the vertical seal is gripped and pulled in a downstream direction. After this step, a third portion of the inside surface is sealed to a fourth portion and a fifth portion of the inside surface to create a bottom transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed bottom end for a current sachet to be formed. Each of the fourth and fifth portions are opposite to the third portion, with the fourth portion being adjacent to one side of the vertical seal and the fifth portion being adjacent to an opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In another embodiment, the gripping and pulling of the vertical seal includes gripping the vertical seal between two abutting rollers, and rotating the two rollers in opposite directions to pull the vertical seal in the downstream direction.

 In yet another embodiment, the vertical seal is formed by heat sealing the first portion of the inside surface to the second portion of the inside surface.

 In a further embodiment, the transverse seal is formed by heat sealing the third portion of the inside surface to the fourth portion and the fifth portion of the inside surface.

 In yet a further embodiment, the method includes capturing airborne granular content that escapes from the permeable paper sleeve, when the sleeve is filled with granular content, by suctioning the escaped airborne granular content.

 In another embodiment, the method includes physically shaking or vibrating the permeable paper sleeve while it is being filled with granular contents so as to settle the granular contents being filled into a bottom of the current sachet to be formed.

 In yet another embodiment, after creating the bottom transverse seal, a sixth portion of the inside surface is sealed to a seventh portion and an eighth portion of the inside surface to create a top transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed top end for the current sachet to be formed. Each of the seventh and eight portions are opposite to the sixth portion, with the seventh portion being adjacent to the one side of the vertical seal and the eight portion being adjacent to the opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In a further embodiment, the method also includes forming a bottom transverse seal for a next sachet to be formed simultaneously with forming the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed.

 In yet a further embodiment, the method also includes cutting the permeable paper at a location between the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed and the bottom transverse seal for the next sachet to be formed, thereby separating the current sachet to be formed from the next sachet to be formed.

 It is noted that the features of the above-described embodiments are not exclusive to each other, and that any one of the above embodiments/features can be combined with one or more of the other embodiments/features to arrive at further embodiments.

6 Ways You Can Maintain Mental Health In The Workplace & Why It’s Important

 Maintaining mental health in the workplace is an essential component of business success. Employees with sound mental health tend to be more productive, focused, and engaged in their work. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in five adults experiences a mental health diagnosis each year. A variety of factors, including trauma, stress and anxiety, can cause this.

 While mental health is a topic often overlooked in the workplace, businesses need to understand how to recognize signs of mental health problems in their employees and provide support when needed. By doing so, companies can ensure that their employees remain healthy and productive while contributing to a positive work environment.

 Benefits Of A Mentally Healthy Workforce

Employees with poor mental health often have difficulty completing tasks in the workplace. They may be less productive and exhibit diminished interest in their work. Workplace injuries and accidents caused by the inability to focus due to stress can also grow in numbers because of stress and mental health issues.

 Promoting mental health in the workplace can be beneficial for both employers and employees. It makes economic sense because it can result in the following:

 1.      Increased productivity rates

2.      Lower rates of absenteeism

3.      higher-quality work and creativity

4.      Improved employee engagement

5.      Better relationships between employees and leadership

6.      Improved relationships with the clients

7.      Increased inclusiveness

 How To Promote Mental Health In The Workplace

A healthy work environment should give employees the resources they need to feel supported, such as access to mental health professionals, flexible hours, and clear communication channels. It should also promote an open dialogue between employers and employees, allowing them to discuss issues openly without fear of retribution or judgment.

 By implementing these activities, companies can help employees manage stress, build resilience, and create a workplace culture of support and understanding. This will enable employees to be more productive and engaged while improving overall job satisfaction.

 1. Create Health and Safety Workplace Guidelines

Developing a healthy workplace environment is a multi-step process that begins with establishing and enforcing policies and practices that prevent, identify, support and rehabilitate employees who experience distress, burnout, substance abuse or other mental health concerns.

  2. Make Mental Health Services Accessible

The World Health Organization has found that every dollar invested in mental health treatment returns $4 in improved health and productivity. That means that investing in your employees’ mental health can have a significant return on investment.

 You are responsible for your employees’ mental health as a business owner. It’s about more than just providing access to the proper care and support—it’s also about making sure that they know how important it is to take care of themselves. Your team will be more productive if they feel healthy and well-rested, so it makes sense that investing in their mental health can help you make more money!

 3. Encourage Employees to Take Time Off

Taking days off can be more difficult for some jobs/organizations than others. Encouraging employees to take days off and making the process easier will prevent burnout.

 For example, consider adding mental health days or letting employees know that sick time can be used when they are “sick.” If your policies demand a doctor’s note for an absence. For example, that could create additional challenges for employees who may be fearful of the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

 4. Build a Positive Work Environment

Creating a positive work environment is a great way to improve mental health in the workplace. Here are ways you can implement to improve the workplace environment.

 1.      Conducting regular check-ins

2.      Prioritizing onboarding new hires

3.      Developing a solid workplace culture

4.      Understanding that every employee has different accommodations and needs. For example, some employees would require a different work environment to focus

5.      Encouraging team collaboration and team-building activities

6.      Normalizing conversations about mental health within the workplace

 Creating a work environment that encourages open and honest communication

Understanding how to identify and prevent potential workplace-related emotional triggers

Promoting work-life balance by implementing flexible schedules and work-from-home opportunities

 5. Take Steps to Support Diverse Employee Groups

People from minority or diverse groups are statistically shown to experience mental health symptoms at higher rates and face more barriers when seeking mental health.

 Taking steps to acknowledge diverse groups and support them in the workplace is essential to achieve mental health equity for the overall mental health of the workplace.

 6. Offer Flexibility

Rigidity can have a negative impact on mental health at work by increasing stress on your team. Finding ways to make employment more flexible can significantly improve workplace mental health. Some opportunities to make working for your organization more flexible include:

 1.      Offering virtual or hybrid is the new normal

2.      Making project deadlines more flexible

3.      Adopting the right to disconnect policy

4.      Instituting days with no meetings

5.      Checking in with employees about their preferred working style and accommodating positions to suit them

 should make sure that they are providing resources and support for their employees when it comes to mental health. Some ways to promote it include giving access to counselling services, offering flexible working hours, or simply creating an open dialogue where employees feel comfortable discussing their struggles. Taking these steps will benefit not only the individual but also the organization as a whole.

 

Mental health is the foundation of workplace safety

 Mental health has now been identified as the leading cause of disability and could be having an impact on a company’s bottom line. Until fairly recently, safety managers didn’t have to be overly concerned about the mental health of their workers. Today, there’s a growing awareness that mental health is just as critical as the physical health and safety of your workers.

 Mind-body connection

There is a growing awareness regarding the connection between physical and mental health. A worker’s state of mind and stress level have a known impact on their body. Their ability to trust co-workers and believe they have the support of the company they work for is crucial. Lack of trust is associated with certain cardiovascular-disease indicators, such as stress, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

 There is statistical evidence that as much as 50 per cent of the time, if a worker has a mental illness, he or she will also have some physical disease. Oftentimes, if a worker has a mental illness, he or she will also have some physical disease.

 This holds true in the other direction, as well. If they suffer an injury at work or develop any serious health condition, their mental health will likely be affected by the challenges they’ll face, such as mobility issues, loss of independence, the need to depend on social and medical networks and inability to meet their previous responsibilities.

 Cost to workplaces

Mental health has been identified by some as the leading cause of disability and could be having an impact on a company’s bottom line. It’s been estimated by Canada’s Mental Health Commission that coping with mental-health issues is costing the Canadian economy $51 billion, with $20 billion of that being directly attributable to workplace stresses.

 In addition to the direct monetary impact of mental-health issues, there will also be costs associated with mental-health complications arising from dealing with physical injury, the costs resulting from having to recruit or train replacements for workers lost from your workforce due to mental-health issues, or the impact on both the mental and physical health of co-workers that now have to handle an increased workload.

 Work-related stress

If employers want to ensure a mentally healthy workplace, you have to keep an eye on the behaviour of employees to ensure that an atmosphere of respect and co-operation is developed and maintained. Symptoms of mental distress should also be monitored. These symptoms take three forms — psychological, behavioural and physical.

 Psychological manifestations of poor mental health often include anxiety, depression, pessimism, irritability, a sense of overwhelm, discouragement, lack of interest or an inability to concentrate and make decisions. Behavioural symptoms are often exhibited as aggressive behaviour, lowered performance quantity and quality, increased absenteeism or use of sick days, disinterest, frustration, impatience, irritability, mood swings, interpersonal conflicts and social isolation.

 Physical symptoms frequently manifest as headaches, insomnia, heart palpitations, muscular tension and cramping, fatigue, upset stomach issues and skin conditions.

 Building strategy

One of the basic needs of any worker is to feel that their managers support them, especially when they are in crisis. Managers must watch how they communicate with workers, especially when anxiety, burnout, chronic mental stress or depression is suspected. Communicate neutrally, without judgment or extreme emotion. Focus on the desired outcomes, rather than the problems.

 Highlight staff’s strengths and value to the organization. Don’t attack a worker’s personality. Instead, focus comments on performance and the specific behaviours that require change. Be very clear in what you are asking your worker to do. Speak in specifics rather than generalities. Seek to understand situations from the worker’s point of view before sharing other perspectives. It is important for workers who are mentally distressed to participate in identifying causes of problems and finding workable solutions to those problems.

 The way forward

In order for the Standard to be fully implemented, corporate leaders are going to have to fully commit to creating and maintaining mental-health awareness programs. Not only must they commit to supporting this effort, they must also dedicate the monetary resources required to develop and sustain these programs.

 By addressing mental health in the workplace from the top down, leaders promote a workplace safety culture that understands the importance of both physical and mental health. If they can model healthy behaviour for their workforce by taking care of themselves physically and fostering a mentally healthy workplace, it will go a long way in bringing about that change in attitude that looks at workplace safety and health from a more holistic point of view.