There are many risk factors for cancer: age, family history, viruses and bacteria, lifestyle (behaviors), and contact with (touching, eating, drinking, or breathing) harmful substances. More than 100,000 chemicals are used by Americans, and about 1,000 new chemicals are introduced each year. These chemicals are found in everyday items, such as foods, personal products, packaging, prescription drugs, and household and lawn care products. While some chemicals can be harmful, not all contact with chemicals is dangerous to your health.

We live in a world where we are only allowed to listen to authority to make decisions. That’s not the world I was raised in, or the world I want to live in. We also live in a world where others want us to think, do and feel the latest narrative, And then call you down or out if your not jumping on the cause or band wagon. Again taking away free will, even calling it selfish to think for one’s self. We need to get back to the fundamental process of making our own decisions. Our personal safety is just that, personnel.  What may be a safety concern in downtown Toronto, most certainly is not the same concern I have in rural Alberta. The public health officer of any province who is taking direction from some guy/gal in Ottawa is completely useless. What is Safety? The condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury: Safety is a state in which hazards and conditions leading to physical, psychological or material harm are controlled in order to preserve the health and well-being of individuals and the community.  It is an essential resource for everyday life, needed by individuals and communities to realise their aspirations. Controls are the key to prevention: Controlling exposures to hazards is vital to protecting people. The hierarchy of controls is a way of determining which actions or combination of actions, will best control exposures. The hierarchy of controls has five levels of actions to reduce or remove hazards. The preferred order of action based on general effectiveness is: Elimination Substitution Engineering controls Administrative controls Personal protective equipment (PPE) Using this hierarchy or a combination of controls can lower exposures and reduce risk of illness or injury.   Everyone should be educated on this process, as it is imperative in making your own personal decisions about safety and the health & safety of your family.   Check out our Hazard Management training or Safety culture training, You must know your health and safety rights in order to protect yourself. Being aware of your right to know about the hazards inherent not only in your workplace, but all aspects of your life, your right to participate in assessing hazards and your right to refuse unsafe or dangerous situations endows you with the tools to quickly become an effective and knowledgeable citizen. Clear Expectations: Make safety important, follow basic rules and procedures and ensure you understand what is expected of you. Effective Communication: Where possible use face to face communication. Always listen carefully, ask open end questions and verify understanding. Personal Leadership: Lead by example and praise safe behavior. Have the courage to do the right thing and never tolerate unsafe behavior whether at work, home or leisure. Personal Risk Awareness: Stay aware of your surroundings, remain alert to changes and never put yourself or others at risk. Contribute to discussions about risks on and off the job. Planning: Take time to fully familiarize yourself with the safety aspects of everything and question any areas that are not completely clear to you. The Right and Duty to Intervene: Challenge any unsafe acts or conditions and praise positive and safe behavior. Welcome and consider intervention from others. Accountability: Accept responsibility for your actions and their consequences and offer solutions to prevent incidents. Take responsibility and ownership for safety in the environments that you live and work in, take action and offer solutions to prevent incidents, and take time to think about the positive and negative consequences of your actions and those around you. Self-Evaluation: List your personal commitments to safety and share them with your family. Request regular feedback. Develop, Encourage and Sustain Safe Behavior: Start every day by thinking of how you can keep yourself and others safe. Practice hazard recognition. Consistently do things the safe way at work and at home. Share good practice and intervene to change bad practice. Give and act on positive and negative feedback. Continually look for opportunities to learn from others. Keep communicating the benefits of sustained safety. If it does not feel right, don’t do it! Use your gut!

One of the key wins for every organization is developing ways for Increasing proficiency and productivity. Online Safety training can be an extremely effective way in improving Occupational Safety and health Training efficiency. Employees already have unique skills, knowledge, and talents that they bring to the table. The primary goal of skills assessment is to identify gaps: What do they know now and what do they need to learn to achieve their goals?  Competency-Based, industry specific online training emphasizes what an employee can do rather than how much they know. Competency-based online training is all about personalizing the experience. Every employee within your organization needs something different out of the online training course to become proficient. For an employee to be successful in completing an industrial safety course online, they must progress to the next online training module by first mastering the task or process at hand. There are no time limits and keeping up with their peers is not a priority. For a competency-based online training program to be truly successful you must determine how each employee is going to get from point A to point B. Point A represents their current skill sets, talents, and abilities. Point B is their true potential, or the stage at which they are the most productive. You must have and track the progress of your employees while they are participating in competency-based online training. This should come in the form of flexible eLearning assessments that cater to a wide range of learning needs and preferences.   Stallion Safety Consulting and Training has created an online portal to a wide range of Industrial Safety Training.  To compliment the Online Workplace Safety Training, we offer a shop of printable safety material such as New and short service worker Competency programs and plans, as well as  job/task specific competency checklists

Due Diligence simply means “doing what is reasonably practicable” to protect the well being of employees, co-workers, students and visitors. To comply with the standard of due diligence, all reasonable precautions must be taken, even to the point of exceeding generally accepted practices. Due diligence requires the identification of hazards and the implementation of specific preventative measures to protect employees from loss, injury, illness and disease.   Due Diligence is addressed in government legislation under the Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Act and is commonly referred to as the "General Duty Clause" (L10115). The clause reads: "Every employer shall ensure, as far as reasonably practical for them to do so, the health and safety of workers engaged in the work of that employer, and those employees not engaged in the work of that employer but present at the work site at which the work is being carried out; that the workers engaged in the work of that employer are aware of their responsibilities and duties under this Act and the regulations. Every worker shall, while engaged in an occupation, take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of him/herself and of other workers present while he/she is working, and co-operate with his/her employer for the purpose of protecting the health & safety of him/herself, other workers engaged in the work of the employer, and other workers not engaged in the work of that employer but present at the work site at which that work is being carried out." Due Diligence is also mentioned in the Criminal Code Bill C-45(Scetion 217.1) which states : "2.17.1 Everyone who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task." The bill established new legal duties for workplace health and safety and imposes serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. It also establishes rules for attributing criminal liability to organizations, including corporations, for the acts of their representatives and creates a legal duty for all persons directing work to take "reasonable steps" to ensure the safety of workers and the public. Penalties Failure to prove that you have been diligent in complying with occupational health and safety legislation can result in significant penalties. Conviction on a first offense can lead to a fine of up to $500,000, plus $30,000 per day for continuing the offence and/or a jail term of up to six months per violation. A second conviction can result in a fine of up to $1,000,000 plus $60,000 per day for continuing the offence and/or a jail term of up to one year per violation. What factors are considered in establishing a due diligence defense? In determining whether your defense of “due diligence” is valid, a judge or jury considers three main factors: Foreseeability — could a reasonable person have foreseen that something could go wrong? Preventability — was there an opportunity to prevent the injury or incident? Control — who was the responsible person present who could have prevented the incident or incident? Why should you practice due diligence? "Due diligence" is important as a legal defense for a person charged under occupational health and safety legislation. If charged, a defendant may be found not guilty if he or she can prove that due diligence was exercised. In other words, the defendant must be able to prove that all precautions, reasonable under the circumstances, were taken to protect the health and safety of workers. How does an employer Establish Due diligence? The conditions for establishing due diligence include several criteria: The employer must have in place written OH&S policies, practices, and procedures. These policies, etc. would demonstrate and document that the employer carried out workplace safety audits, identified hazardous practices and hazardous conditions and made necessary changes to correct these conditions, and provided employees with information to enable them to work safely. The employer must provide the appropriate training and education to the employees so that they understand and carry out their work according to the established policies, practices, and procedures. The employer must educate and train the supervisors to ensure they are competent persons, as defined in legislation. Ensure that managers and supervisors: Talk to new employees about safety during orientation training. Meet regularly with staff to discuss health and safety matters. Inspect areas of the workplace under their responsibility, and respond promptly to unsafe conditions and activities. Pay attention to routine and non-routine activities, ensuring that employees understand the hazards and the preventative measures to be followed. The employer must monitor the workplace and ensure that employees are following the policies, practices and procedures. Written documentation of progressive disciplining for breaches of safety rules is considered due diligence. There are obviously many requirements for the employer but workers also have responsibilities. They have a duty to take reasonable care to ensure the safety of themselves and their coworkers - this includes following safe work practices and complying with regulations. The employer should have an incident (accident) investigation reporting system and investigation program in place. Employees should be encouraged to report "near misses" and these should be investigated also. Acting on the recommendations, as well as incorporating information from these investigations into revised, improved policies, practices and procedures will also establish the employer is practicing due diligence. The employer should document, in writing, all of the above activities. This documentation will give the employer a history of how the company's occupational health and safety program has progressed over time. Second, it will provide up-to-date documentation that can be used as a defense to charges in case an incident occurs despite an employer's efforts. Employers must also ensure that all people who are at the workplace are included, such as contractors, visitors, students/interns and volunteers. Remember, due diligence is demonstrated by your actions before an event occurs, not after.  

Workers’ compensation claims are expensive in more ways than one. Not only can they result in an increase in employer’s premiums and lost efficiency due to absenteeism, but they can also cost the company future contracts. This is because a company’s workers’ compensation rating is an extremely important factor in their ability to win contracts. Given the importance of this rating to the company’s profits, it can be tempting for businesses to downplay the severity of their claims, and in some cases, to avoid claims altogether. It is estimated that approximately 7-8% of workplace injuries and illnesses are not reported to the WCB Board. When companies are charged and convicted with claims avoidance and other violations, the WCB register and publish these results.The most common violations include but are not limited to: Failure to notify the Board within 3 days of learning of the injury. Making false or misleading statements regarding worker entitlement; and Suppression actions against employees including pressure not to submit (or to withdraw) claims, providing false information, under-reporting severity and wage continuation (in place of filing a claim). As an employer, it is a critical role you play in a worker's recovery by being supportive and offering suitable return to work opportunities. Supportive employers want their workers to recover and stay with their organizations, so they adjust jobs to help their workers stay connected and contributing to the workplace.   Employers Responsibilities By law, employers are required to report injuries that their workers suffer while on the job. If your worker has been injured, you have 72 hours after becoming aware of an injury or illness to submit the Employer Report of Injury form. Provide your worker with a Worker Report of Injury Form and a copy of your Employer Report of Injury or Occupational Disease. Provide any first aid treatment required at the scene of the accident. If required, send your worker for immediate medical attention. You are responsible to arrange and pay for transportation if there is a cost associated (e.g., ambulance fees or taxi fare). Pay your injured worker’s full wages for the day the injury occurred. If he/she is unable to work beyond the day of the accident, compensation payments start the first regular working day afterward. Cheques are issued every two weeks. Under legislation, offering your worker modified work is no longer an option, it is your responsibility. Modified work is a way of adjusting your employee’s job so they can return to work while recovering. Keep a record of the treatment and provide your worker with a copy. If you have been paying into an employment benefit plan for your worker before their accident or illness, you are also required to continue to pay your injured worker’s health benefits if they are absent from work for up to one year following the date of the accident.   Worker’s Responsibilities Follow the treatment plans developed by health care providers. Keep appointments with the health care providers (doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, etc.). Talk to the doctor about the progress so you understand when you can return to work. Inform WCB & your employers of any changes in your medical recovery. Both you and your employer are required to cooperate with each other and WCB in a safe return to work. Take an active role in your return-to-work planning and in identifying suitable job duties you can do while you recover. Tell us when your doctor tells you that you are fit to return to work. If you return to work early, make sure you understand and follow any work restrictions, so your re-employment is safe. Advise the employer if you stop working or need to change your duties because of your injury.   Steps to Claim Management Worker will report the injury to employer. First aid to administered to injured worker. The employer will take you to see a health care provider, if needed. It is always good practices to have a physical demands analysis form so the health care provider can see the physical requirements that worker performs during their task.  Also bring the modified work paper to show that the organization does support modified work. The health care provider will fill out WCB claim form that they will submit, if applicable. Once the worker’s injury is assessed and cared for, and if able, the worker will fill out a Worker’s WCB claim form stating in their own words what had happened, and it will be submitted to WCB. The employer will fill out a WCB that they will be submitted to WCB. Remember this must submitted withing 72 hours from when the injury accorded.  Note: this Employer’s Claim form does not replace completing an incident investigation report. The claim will be reviewed by WCB. Once an initial decision has been made on the claim, it will be given one of the following status: accepted not accepted pending (a decision has not been made yet) processed (a claim has been registered and medical costs are being paid, but the claim has not been reviewed for a decision) medical investigation (further medical assessments are required before a decision can be made)   If it is a No-Loss Time Claim The worker may be cleared by a health care professional to return to full work duties. All WCB report forms still must be submitted even if the worker was able to return to work. or If the worker has been approved by a health care professional to return to work with modified work duties, employer is responsible under legislation to offer worker modified work until the worker is able to perform full work duties. The worker will be re-assessed by a health care professional as needed until full work duties can be resumed. In either case, it is always good practices to have a physical demands analysis form so the health care provider can see the physical requirements that worker performs during their task.   Lost Time Claims If a worker suffers a work-related injury/disease which results in them being off work past the day of the injury, incurring a loss of wages/earnings, or suffering from a permanent disability/impairment. WCB case manger will be assigned to the claim. The Case Manger will contact the worker to confirm the incident information and may need more information than provided. WCB will provide the health care services & wage replacement that the worker needs. The employer also has the option to pay the wages of the worker during this time.  WCB will then pay the employer the wage replacement wages.  Make sure to notify the WCB case manger to ensure there are no double payments. The worker will keep the employer informed of any health services or treatment appointments, prescriptions & details of return. The employer will keep a record of the treatments, appointments etc. and provide the worker with a copy. Once a health care professional has cleared the worker to return to work (either full duties or modified), the employer must notify WCB 24 hours prior to returning. If the worker is not able to return to work due to severity of the injuries or is not able to continue with the current job, WCB will assist the worker with resume building & on- the-job training & coaching for a new career path. It is so important for a worker to have the best possible experience and recovery following a workplace injury. The worker must play an important role in return-to-work planning by involving their employer and physician by talking to them about the work they can do safely at work to remain active during recovery.   Tips for workers If off work, keep in regular contact with your employer about your recovery and returning to work. Provide your claim number to your health care provider(s) at appointments. Keep all original receipts for prescriptions, travel expenses and other health care benefits. Worker’s can be reimbursed for costs related to your work-related injury. Keep records of any treatment, doctor’s notes, prescriptions etc. Ask your health care providers to recommend activities you can do to help your recovery, and those you need to avoid. Sign up for direct deposit if you receive compensation for lost wages.   Tips for employer’s If applicable, provide your employee with a copy of your modified work agreement to share with the health care provider. This will inform the health care provider of the modified duties you have available. Employers can submit reports online and buy fax. As decisions are made, you will receive a copy of decision letters and it is important you read these carefully to understand the decisions and the rationale. Claim information can be found on the WCB website if you have an account. A Physical demands analysis is a form that should be developed, it details the work conditions & physical requirements (standing, sitting, lifting, pulling etc.) for each role within the company. This form should be provided to the treating healthcare professional to determine fitness for work.   Studies show the longer someone is off work, the less likely he or she is to ever return. That is not a result we can live with; your organization must focus on providing every appropriate resource to help injured workers recover and return to work. Getting back on the job helps injured workers recover faster, regain their independence, and get back to real life. There is a huge amount of proof that the healthiest and most cost-effective option for both the worker and employer is a physical and psychological safe and appropriate return to work. If you need assistance with your company’s Return To Work Program, please feel free to contact Stallion Safety Consulting.

The wording has been changed. It is no longer Right to refuse unsafe work. It is now Right to refuse DANGEROUS Work. In accordance with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, if an employee of believes on reasonable grounds that there is a dangerous condition at the work site or that the work constitutes a danger to the worker’s health and safety or to the health and safety of another worker or another person, the employee shall have the right to refuse any work that they believe to be dangerous. Any employee can refuse to work if they have a reasonable belief that there is: A dangerous condition at the work site; or That the work constitutes a danger to the worker’s health and safety or to the health and safety of another worker or another person. GUIDELINES FOR REFUSALS Continuing Work That Has Been Refused   If work has been refused and the manager or supervisor has investigated the situation and determined that the work does not constitute a danger to the health and safety of any person or that a dangerous condition does not exist, and the worker continues to refuse the work, then the manager or supervisor may ask another worker to perform the refused work while waiting for the inspector to investigate and give a decision on the continued refusal. Where a second worker is asked to perform work that has been refused, the second worker must be informed in writing of the following information: The first worker’s refusal. The reasons for the refusal. The reason why, in the opinion of the employer, the work does not constitute a danger to the health and safety of any person or that a dangerous condition is not present; The worker’s right to refuse to do dangerous work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The second worker also has the right to refuse the work if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the work is unsafe. Payment for Refused Work   Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, any worker who initiates a work refusal is entitled to payment at their appropriate rate despite the work refusal. A person acting as a worker representative during a work refusal is paid at either the regular or the premium rate, whichever is applicable. A company is not required to continue payment to a worker who continues to refuse to perform work after the refused work has been inspected and ruled safe by an officer. Discipline for Refusal to Work   Employees will not be disciplined for refusing to work if they have a reasonable belief that the work is unsafe or could endanger themselves or others. Employees are required to work in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Occupational Health and Safety Act and have the rights to seek their enforcement. The organization shall not penalize, dismiss, discipline, suspend, or threaten to do any of these things to a worker who has obeyed the act and its regulations. If a work refusal was made in bad faith, or if the worker continues to refuse the work after an officer finds that the work is unlikely to endanger the worker, a company may elect to apply disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. No person shall be disciplined for any of the following actions: Acting in compliance with the OHS Act, the regulations, the OHS Code or an order given under the act, the regulations, or the code or the terms, conditions, or requirements on an acceptance under section 55 of the act or on an approval under section 56 of the act. Being called to testify, intending to testify, or testifying in a proceeding under the act. Giving relevant information about work site conditions affecting the health and safety of any worker engaged in work or any other person present at the work site to an employer or a person acting on behalf of an employer; an officer or another person concerned with the administration of the OHS Act, the code, or the regulations; or a member of the joint work site health and safety committee or the health and safety representative. Performing duties or exercising rights as a member of a joint work site health and safety committee or as a health and safety representative. Assisting or having assisted with the activities of a joint work site health and safety committee or health and safety representative. Refusing to do work under section 31 (1) of the act. Seeking to establish a joint work site health and safety committee or have a health and safety representative designated. Being prevented from working because of an order under the act, the regulations, or the OHS Code; or Taking reasonable action to protect the health and safety of that worker or any other person. A Company should have Work Refusal Procedure in place for their company.   This procedure will detail the steps required for employees, managment and member of the joint work site health and safety committee or health and safety representative on the way the company will handle Work Refusals. If you need help developing your Right to Refuse Dangerous Work check out or information on this subject here.    

If you are at risk for falling three meters or more at your workplace, you will wear fall protection equipment.   A complete fall protection program includes training workers, selecting, fitting, and inspecting the equipment. How do you inspect the webbing (body of belt, harness, or lanyard)? ·                     Inspect the entire surface of webbing for damage. Beginning at one end, bend the webbing in an inverted "U." Holding the body side of the belt toward you, grasp the belt with your hands six to eight inches apart. ·                     Watch for frayed edges, broken fibers, pulled stitches, cuts or chemical damage. Broken webbing strands generally appear as tufts on the webbing surface.  How do you inspect the buckle? ·               Inspect for loose, distorted, or broken grommets. Do not cut / punch additional holes in waist strap or strength members. ·               Check belt without grommets for torn or elongated holes that could cause the buckle tongue to slip. ·               Inspect the buckle for distortion and sharp edges. The outer and center bars must be straight. Carefully check corners and attachment points of the center bar. They should overlap the buckle frame and move freely back and forth in their sockets. The roller should turn freely on the frame. ·               Check that rivets are tight and cannot be moved. The body side of the rivet base and outside rivet burr should be flat against the material. Make sure the rivets are not bent. ·               Inspect for pitted or cracked rivets that show signs of chemical corrosion.   What should you know about hardware (forged steel snaps, "D" rings)? ·               Inspect hardware for cracks or other defects. Replace the belt if the "D" ring is not at a 90° angle and does not move vertically independent of the body pad or "D" saddle. ·               Inspect tool loops and belt sewing for broken or stretched loops. ·               Check bag rings and knife snaps to see that they are secure and working properly. Check tool loop rivets. Check for thread separation or rotting, both inside and outside the body pad belt. ·               Inspect snaps for hook and eye distortions, cracks, corrosion, or pitted surfaces. The keeper (latch) should be seated into the snap nose without binding and should not be distorted or obstructed. The keeper spring should exert sufficient force to close the keeper firmly.   What should you look for during the safety strap inspection? ·               Inspect for cut fibers or damaged stitches by flexing the strap in an inverted "U." Note cuts, frays or corrosion damage. ·               Check friction buckle for slippage and sharp buckle edges. ·               Replace when tongue buckle holes are excessively worn or elongated.   How do I clean my equipment? ·               Wipe off all surface dirt with a sponge dampened in plain water. Rinse the sponge and squeeze it dry. Dip the sponge in a mild solution of water and commercial soap or detergent. Work up a thick lather with a vigorous back and forth motion. ·               Rinse the webbing in clean water. ·               Never force dry or use strong detergents in cleaning. ·               Wipe the belt dry with a clean cloth. Hang freely to dry.   Storage of Fall Protection Equipment ·               Never store the personal fall arrest equipment in the bottom of a tool box, on the ground, or outside exposed to the elements (i.e., sun, rain, snow, etc.). ·               Hang equipment in a cool dry location in a manner that retains its shape. ·               Never store equipment near excessive heat, chemicals, moisture, or sunlight. ·               Never store in an area with exposures to fumes or corrosives elements. ·               Avoid dirt and build-up on equipment. ·               Never use this equipment for any purpose other than personal fall arrest. ·               Once exposed to a fall, remove equipment from service immediately.

Look around you.  here are photocopiers, fax machines, computers, printers, light switches, outlets, extension cords, water coolers and coffee pots. It is hard to think of any job which does not require the use of electricity. When it comes right down to it, we must avoid electrical hazards in almost any work setting. Electrical shock occurs when electricity takes a short-cut through your body. It can cause severe burns. It can stop your breathing. It can affect your brain, nerves, heart, and other organs. And it can be fatal. Here are some ways to avoid electrical shock: ·         Keep electrical cords away from traffic areas and heat or water sources which could damage the insulation and create a shock hazard. Do not use an extension cord as a replacement for permanent wiring. Never use cords that are cracked, damaged, broken or have the third prong of the plug removed. ·         Never try to do repairs to any electrical equipment unless you are trained and authorized. Instead, report any defects to your supervisor. ·         Always observe all warning signs about electricity. They are there for a good reason. ·         Do not pull on the cord when disconnecting an appliance from an electrical source. Always pull on the plug instead. ·         When cleaning equipment or an appliance, always disconnect it from the source of power. ·         Do not touch electrical equipment if you have wet hands, you are near a source of moisture or you are standing on a damp floor. ·         At work or at home, make sure you are protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) for outlets which are outdoors or near moisture. ·         Do not use an "octopus" connection for several extension cords because the increased demand on the electrical outlet can be a fire and shock hazard. Usually, the fire will start inside the wall and become extremely hot and dangerous long before you know there is a problem. ·         Use multi-plug outlet strips for connecting computers, printers, and monitors. Make sure the rated capacity for the strip is not exceeded. They normally have a built-in overload circuit breaker. ·         If you do have an electrical fire, call the fire department, and sound the fire alarm. If possible, turn off the main source of power and attempt to put the fire out if it is an exceedingly small one. ·         Use only the proper fire extinguisher (Type C) on an electrical fire. If you are not sure whether it is the correct Type C - do not use it. Instead get out of the building. Never use water or other liquids on an electrical fire because you could receive a deadly shock. Office occupations involve working with and around electricity, but by learning about the hazards, you can also learn to avoid them. Do not forget about electrical safety off-the-job as well.

The most common injuries workers suffer from falling objects are bruises, fractures, strains, and sprains. The objects that commonly fall range from large items such as roof trusses and steel beams to small items such as fasteners and small hand tools.   Controls There are two types of controls you can use to prevent falling objects from hurting workers: 1. Physical controls physically stop the object from falling (or from falling very far). 2. Procedural controls refer to changing the way you work so that objects can’t fall. PHYSICAL CONTROLS Guardrails Toeboards must be installed on all guardrails. They stop objects from falling down to the level below. Toeboards must be a minimum of 89 mm (3.5 in) high and installed flush with the surface. If you pile material higher than 89 mm (3.5 in) high, put plywood panels or screening on the guardrails. This will prevent materials from falling down to the level below and stop small objects from falling through the openings between rails. Open grating covers If you are performing work on open grating, place non-slip plywood or a similar product on top of the grating to prevent small objects from falling through it. Barricades and overhead protective structures Use barricades to block off exclusion zones— areas where workers are not allowed—below the work area. Combine barricades with signs that indicate it is an exclusion zone and entry is prohibited. This includes hoisting areas. When barricades are not practical, use overhead protective structures. Tool lanyards and tethers These attach tools directly to the worker’s harness or tool belt. If used properly, they will prevent tools from dropping to a lower level. Carts with sides When moving equipment, tools, or material, always use a cart that is an appropriate size for what you are moving and make sure the cart has sides. If you need to extend something over the sides of the cart, you must secure the item and the cart must be stable. PROCEDURAL CONTROLS Securing loads When lifting, make sure the load is balanced and secured. Check for small or loose pieces before you lift. Otherwise, a shift in the load or the wind could cause objects to fall. Before placing a load on a scaffold or a platform, make sure the work area has properly built guardrails. Good hoisting practices Never lift, lower, or swing a load over someone’s head. Use barricades to block off areas where loads are being lifted or lowered. If the operator’s view is impeded in any way, use a signaller to assist the operator. Always use proper rigging procedures and ensure the rigging equipment is in good condition. Good housekeeping Keep tools and other materials away from edges, railings, and other elevated surfaces. Always stack materials on flat surfaces and secure them, if necessary, to avoid movement. When working, be aware of your surroundings and watch that you do not inadvertently knock or hit something off the level you are work on down to the level below. Proper material stacking To prevent tipping, store materials and equipment at least six feet away from an edge. If you are working near openings, arrange materials so that they cannot roll or slide in the direction of the opening and use opening covers. Always secure material to prevent movement from the wind. When you remove something from a secured pile, do not forget to resecure the material.

tress has been defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” We experience stress, or perceive things as threatening, when we do not believe that their resources for coping with these obstacles are enough for what the circumstances demand. I think we can all agree that we are in a stressful time right now.   Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts   As we direct ourselves through the of COVID-19 pandemic, we are experiencing a new “normal”.  This new “normal” seems so foreign to us. This new “normal” has brought new stressors into our lives; Some are working from home, some are not able to work at all, some have become home-school teachers, we all have been isolated from family and friends. Developing new routines for ourselves and our families has been a challenging. So what happens when we are stressed….. When you encounter a perceived threat — such as a large dog barking at you during your morning walk — your hypothalamus, a tiny region at your brain’s base, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located on top of your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain’s use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential for the situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This complex natural alarm system also communicates with the brain regions that control mood, motivation, and fear. This combination of reactions to stress is also known as the “fight-or-flight” response because it evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling us to react quickly to life-threatening situations. All these changes happen so quickly that people aren’t aware of them. In fact, the wiring is so efficient that the brain starts this change even before we have had a chance to fully process what is happening. Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening. Our brain and body will perceive a small threat/stimulus like a work deadline the same way it would as a threat of someone pointing a gun at you. Our bodies are designed to handle small doses of stress. But we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress, without ill consequences. Chronic Stress The body’s stress-response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities. But when stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on. The long-term activation of the stress-response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follows can disrupt almost all your body’s processes. This puts you at increased risk of many health problems including: Becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody Feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control Low energy Headaches Aches, pains, and tense muscles Chest pain and rapid heartbeat Insomnia Frequent colds and infections Loss of sexual desire and/or ability Forgetfulness and disorganization Inability to focus Poor judgment Depression Anxiety Increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes We have included two surveys for your use to find the level of stress that you are under. These surveys can show the areas where you may struggle with coping. So please be honest while completing them. Personal Stress EvaluationWork Stress Evaluation How to Cope with Stress….   Awareness The best thing you can do to prevent stress overload and the health consequences that come with it is to know your stress symptoms. Do you become agitated & angry when faced with stress? Do you withdrawal? Do you procrastinate on projects that you find challenging? Once you start to see your symptoms of stress, you will be able to counteract and correct your reaction to the stress. This awareness allows you to recognize you are stressed and you need to cope with the stressor. Breathing & Relaxation techniques The way you breathe affects your whole body. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. All those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax. Breathing exercises are easy to learn. You can do them whenever you want, and you do not need any special tools or equipment to do them. Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position. Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move. Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in and use it to push all the air out. Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise. Other relaxation techniques are yoga, massage, and meditation. All these techniques are easily accessible. There are numerous apps for mediation on your phone to use such as Headspace and Calm. YouTube has many free yoga & mediation classes. I have included some links to some of the popular channels. Yoga With AdrieneBoho BeautifulLuluemon Support Network A strong social support network can be critical to help you through the stress of tough times, whether you have had a bad day at work, or a year filled with loss or chronic illness. It provides the comfort of knowing that your friends & family are there for you if you need them. A coffee break with a friend at work, a quick chat with a neighbor, a phone call to your sibling, a visit to a house of worship or volunteer work are all ways to develop and foster lasting relationships with others. There is also option for a support group, which is generally a structured meeting run by a leader or mental health professional. There is also the option of Facebook groups, group chats if you do not feel comfortable taking to your family & friends.  Remember that a goal of building your social support network is to reduce your stress level, not add to it. Watch for situations that seem to drain your energy. For example, avoid spending too much time with someone who is constantly negative and critical. Similarly, steer clear of people involved in unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol or substance abuse. Exercise Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. Regular exercise (30 Mins X 3 weeks) can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression, and anxiety. All these benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do. There are many You tube channels that offer free workouts from beginner to intermediate. I have attached links to the most popular channels. SelfPopSugar FitnessLes Mills Seeking Professional Counseling If you are unable to reduce your stress or prevent future stressful episodes despite your best efforts, ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health specialist who treats anxiety and stress. It is important to recognize the role a professional’s help can play in conquering stress and anxiety. They can help you find ways to reduce the impact stress has on you. They might suggest meditation, visualization, or talk therapy. These techniques allow you to reduce your stress load while counteracting any negative physical impacts. Resources Alberta Health ServicesAdult Addiction and Mental Health Services-Alberta Mental Health Helpline 1-877-303-2642 (24/7) Notice Information on the website in no way replaces the opinion of a health professional. If you have questions concerning your health status, consult a professional.

Mental health problems are common, especially depression, anxiety, and misuse of alcohol and other drugs. One person in two will experience some form of problem with their mental health at some point in their life. At some point in our lives, all Canadians are likely to be affected by a mental illness, whether it be through a family member, a friend, a colleague – or through personal experience. Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness There is a stigma associated with mental health problems. People are ashamed to discuss mental health problems with family, friends, and work colleagues. They may also be reluctant to seek professional help for such problems because of their concerns about what others will think of them. Stigma adds to the suffering caused by mental illness. It also stops many people with mental illness from seeking help. At some point in our lives, all Canadians are likely to be affected by a mental illness, whether it be through a family member, a friend, a colleague – or through personal experience. In 2012, approximately 2.8 million people reported symptoms related to one of six mental or substance use disorders in the past year. It is estimated that 500,000 workers in Canada miss work due to mental health problems. By the age of 40, it is estimated that 1 in 2 Canadians will have, or have had, a mental illness. Lost productivity due to mental illness in Canada is estimated to be $17 million annually. Mental illness, just like physical illness, is part of the human condition. People of all occupations, income levels, and cultures, regardless of their education, age, or levels of success, can be affected.  What does Mental Illness Mean To A Business? A 2011 Conference Board of Canada survey found that only 46% of respondents felt that their workplaces promoted mental health. Given that most people who work spend most of their waking hours at work, understanding the human and financial costs of workplace mental illness is essential. This understanding helps employers to develop action plans for improving both employee well-being and the bottom line. Research shows that mental illness can have a negative impact on the following workplace indicators Absenteeism costs Turnover costs Employee Assistance Program (EAP) costs Short-term and long-term disability costs. Mental health problems and illnesses make up 30% of short- and long-term disability claims Workplace incidents Drug plan costs Recognizing Signs of Mental Illness at Work Excessive exposure to negative stress sources can have a harmful effect on your health. We may each experience a time when our mental health coping strategies are strained by stress, burnout, conflict, or life events. Some of us may find ourselves: Struggling to perform tasks that used to be easy Experiencing conflict although, it could be resolved easily Feeling overwhelmed by repetitive thoughts about what was said or done when we used to let it go Having feelings of apprehension or anxiety that will not easily go away Absenteeism Passiveness & defensiveness Substance Abuse Anger or aggression A growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities, confused thinking Mental Well-being At Work Mental well-being is a state in which an individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to contribute to their community and workplace. It is the foundation for individual health and the effective functioning of a community.  As the employer, the key is to communicate without judgment. Collaborate with the employee to set individual and realistic performance goals, establish dates for giving feedback, and measure progress on reaching those goals. These techniques help to create a more effective and positive working relationship. What else can employers do for mental well-being in the workplace? Create an organizational culture that values worker input in all aspects, including: planning, policy making, and setting goals. Ensure that managers and supervisors act to support the organization’s values. Balance job demands with workers’ capabilities and resources. Provide leadership training for managers and supervisors to learn their roles in reducing workplace stress. Foster opportunities for learning, skill development, personal growth, and social interaction with other workers. Address psychosocial hazards equitably to physical hazards. How can workers address their mental well-being? Seek help when needed. Talk to your supervisor, human resources or health and safety representative. Use the Employee Assistance Program. Participate in planning with your manager to balance work demands and workload. Find a hobby or activity that helps you relax and brings happiness, then do it regularly. Share your feelings with someone you trust or write them down in a journal. Acknowledge when things are going well. Celebrate your successes. Get to know who you are, what makes you happy, and your stress triggers. Learn to acknowledge what you can and cannot change about yourself. Develop healthy habits such as regular exercise and sleep, and a balanced diet. Advantages and Benefits Of Mental Wellness In the Workplace Improved Recruitment & retention of employees Employees have higher expectations. They expect to be treated fairly, recognized appropriately, and provided with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and develop new skills. Employers who create and sustain a ‘great place to work’ will attract and keep the best employees.  Improved Employee Engagement An engaged employee is someone fully involved and enthusiastic about their work. When engaged, they view their interests as aligned with those of the company. They are more willing to extend an extra effort to assist clients, customers, and their colleagues. The result is improved performance, productivity, and better quality goods and services. Improved Sustainability Organizations, like individuals, must be resilient in order to respond to external demands (e.g. market challenges, layoffs, mergers or restructuring). Businesses with psychologically healthy employees are best equipped not only to survive, but to thrive, when facing challenges. Improved Health & safety Employers should create an atmosphere where there is a shared commitment to well-being and security. Staff will recognize their responsibility to care for their own physical and psychological health, but also will support colleagues whose behavior indicates that they are struggling or whose actions place others at risk. Staff are also more accepting and collaborative when accommodating a colleague returning to work from a disability absence, whether physical or psychological. Mental health is important for business. In the 21st century, the mental health and well-being of your employees is crucial to the success of your organization. The causes of mental illness are complex and multifaceted. Work and the working environment play a key role and are fundamental to the solution. Work makes a significant contribution to mental health and well-being by providing self-esteem, fulfilment, opportunities for social interaction, and a source of income. Improving mental health and well-being has been shown to have a direct impact on the bottom line.These results are achieved through programs that promote and support the mental well-being of all employees by: Openly discussing and promoting positive mental health in the workplace Understanding and preventing issues that cause stress and mental illness Increasing awareness of the early warning signs of common mental disorders, and encouraging early intervention with subject matter experts Supporting employees who develop mental illness Developing effective policies to reintegrate and employ people who have experienced mental illness 

Some of the most dangerous situations arise out of common mistakes that can be easily avoided. This tailgate focuses on some of the more common (and commonly overlooked) safety issues that should be prevented to help improve safety performance. Lack of Housekeeping: It may seem simple, but a messy/dirty work area makes for an unsafe work environment. Pallet banding lying on the ground, spilled oil and obstructed walkways all result in thousands of injuries each year. Not using Lockout/Tag out on equipment needing repair: Thousands of injuries are caused each year by the failure to lockout or tag out equipment and machinery needing repair. Often times someone knew ahead of time that the equipment was not functioning properly. It is imperative to disable the equipment as soon as someone knows it is not functioning properly. This will ensure the equipment does not cause injury or an unsafe work environment. Improper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): It is a common, yet incorrect practice to wear hard hats backwards, or to put hearing protection in improperly. A walk around a shop might find face shields that are scratched to the point where visibility is poor. All of these are examples of failures in the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment. PPE is the last line of defense in protecting the employee. Therefore, the improper use of PPE, or failure to maintain and replace defective PPE, increases the likelihood of injury. Not having a process or plan: Most workplace injuries occur when work being done is not part of a normal process. It is important to have a work plan for non-process work. No matter how it is done, planning the work and asking ‘What if…?” questions will help identify hazards and implement controls to prevent injuries. Complete daily hazard assessments and review with your crew before commencing work. Failure to communicate: One of the easiest things to prevent unsafe conditions is to discuss what hazards or unsafe acts have been noticed. Communicating the hazards and failures in processes is an essential element of protecting ourselves and our co workers from the hazards that potentially exist in our workplace.

A hazard assessment is the process used to identify, assess, and control workplace hazards and the risks to worker health and safety. The assessment is an essential part of an organization’s safety culture and safety management system. Hazard communication begins with the worker’s orientation and continues on a day-today, formal, and site-specific basis. Workers must be informed of the hazards they may encounter and the steps required to effectively control those hazards The purpose of the hazard assessment is to help develop a plan that will identify hazards, assess risks, and develop controls based on specific workplace situations. Both employers and workers have a responsibility to point out potential health and safety hazards. Select Job Task Prioritize which job tasks to analyze. Those job tasks where accidents and injuries are occurring should be analyzed first. Look at job tasks where there is a potential for serious injury. Look at new job tasks; these are important if a new process requires the development of new procedures and job tasks. Job Task Steps Once a job task has been chosen, it must be broken down into logical steps. Limit the number of steps in a SJP to a manageable number. Most jobs can be described in ten or less steps. The job steps must be kept in their proper sequence to ensure a proper analysis. The opportunity to make recommendations will come later in the analysis. Potential Hazards Once the job steps have been chosen, the potential hazards for each step can be identified. Whatever can go wrong may go wrong! What are the potential hazards as a result of each task step? Is the worker exposed to hazardous chemicals? Is the worker subject to poor workstation design? There may only be one, or there may be a large number for each job step. Preventive Measures The most important aspect of the job hazard analysis is to determine preventive measures to control or eliminate the identified hazards.  If the hazard cannot be eliminated, the employer may use a combination of elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative and PPE controls to achieve a greater level of worker safety.  Risk Control In many cases, it will be necessary to use more than one control.  Backup controls, such as personal protective equipment, should only be used as a last resort. The best available control measure should be put in place as soon as possible, noting that in some cases it may be necessary to put temporary controls in place until better controls can be implemented.  Wherever there is a high risk the job must be shut down until adequate controls are implemented.   Some events that may trigger the need to revise a hazard assessment include:  At the beginning of the shift, before work starts on a new site Before a new project begins Before equipment or materials arrive at the site for the first time If tasks or activities change Before starting seasonal work, or work that isn’t normally done at the site Upon identification of new hazards If there are changes in the site environment, such as weather If new tasks or contractors arrive at the site   Reassess and complete the site-specific hazard assessment every time there is a change to the site or to the nature of the work. The date on the document will help keep track of changes to the assessment as time goes on, and provide valuable data to the company-wide OHS program and formal hazard assessment.

Welding releases toxic fumes, gases, and vapours into the air. Breathing in these contaminants can make you sick if you do not take steps to protect yourself. In confined spaces, welding fumes and gases can be much stronger. Fumes are released when heating the base metal, surface coatings, electrode, and fluxes. Gases are released in welding from shielding gases, heating the electrode coverings and fluxes, reactions by ultraviolet radiation, and heating solvents and other surface coatings. Inhaling these contaminants can cause immediate health effects such as eye, nose, and throat irritation or a flu-like condition called “metal fume fever”. Metal fume fever causes chills, dry mouth and throat, muscle pain, fatigue, fever, and vomiting. Long-term exposure to welding fumes can cause more serious health effects such as: ·         Damage to the nervous system ·         Bone damage • Fluid in the lungs ·         Bronchitis ·         Loss of consciousness ·         Suffocation ·         Severe allergies ·          Nasal and lung cancer.   CONTROLS Gather some information before you start welding to help reduce your exposure to welding contaminants:   Consult the safety data sheet (SDS) for the welding rod to determine the hazardous components and recommended control measures.   Determine the composition of the base metal before welding begins. Take these steps to help reduce your exposure: Keep your head as far away from the fumes as possible. If welding outdoors, position yourself so the wind blows from behind you through the weld area and carries the contaminants away from your breathing zone (wind at back). Weld on clean metal only. Remove any surface coatings, paints, or degreasers. Coatings should be removed at least four inches on each side of the weld point. ·Fume extractors are the best way to reduce your exposure. Position portable hoods as close as possible to the weld to extract the most fume.  Ensure that the air velocity is enough to remove airborne contaminants. Ensure that the ventilation unit is maintained properly. Prior to use, check that fans are working properly and that filters are in place and are clean. If adequate ventilation is not available or if the welding process creates a toxic fume such as from stainless steel and beryllium, use respiratory protection. For low levels of fume that are relatively non-toxic, a disposable filtering facepiece respirator may be adequate. Where high levels of fume are expected or the fumes are toxic, a half facepiece respirator with cartridges suitable for fume and gases should be used.  In areas where gases may build up or oxygen may become deficient, a supplied air respirator or self-contained breathing apparatus may be needed. Consult the respirator manufacturer’s guide for operating conditions and maintenance procedures.

Moulds can be a health hazard in buildings that are already built or under construction. Some moulds are toxic. Touching them—or breathing in their spores—can be harmful. Symptoms include: ·         Irritated skin, eyes, nose, and throat ·         Runny nose and watery eyes ·         Trouble breathing ·         Fatigue and headaches. People allergic to moulds may get nosebleeds and a severe cough. If your immune system is weak, you should not work in mould-contaminated areas. Not everyone exposed to toxic moulds will develop symptoms. APPEARANCE Moulds are colourful and woolly. They can be almost any colour—red, blue, brown, green, white, or black. They reproduce by releasing spores into the air. More mould may grow where the spores land. LOCATION Mould thrives on cellulose material that is wet, or water soaked. This includes drywall, ceiling tiles, wallpaper, particleboard, insulation, and plywood. Moulds love dark, moist places and can grow at room temperature. Mould can appear on damp materials in as little as 48 hours. Mould has been found in portable classrooms with moisture problems. This is usually a black mould that looks slimy. You may be exposed to moulds when you work in damp locations or water-damaged buildings. Visible mould may be just the tip of the iceberg. More mould may be growing out of sight behind walls, under floors and carpets, and above ceilings in a ventilation system. If you find mouldy areas on a job, tell your supervisor. The company may arrange to have tests done. Samples must be taken and analyzed to see whether the mould is dangerous. Toxic moulds must be removed. There is no way to work around them. Removal calls for special procedures, including protective equipment such as respirators, coveralls, and gloves. If mould removal is required, it’s the company’s responsibility to train and equip you for the job. Follow these safe work procedures: ·         Clean up wet areas immediately and fix any leaks. Use ventilation to prevent moisture buildup. ·         Use mould-resistant products in damp areas when possible. ·         For small-scale mould removal, wear a disposable respirator such as an N95 filtering facepiece dust mask. For larger projects or when using a hazardous product as a disinfectant, a supplied-air respirator may be required (refer to the SDS for the product). ·         During mould cleanup, wear disposable gloves and safety glasses. ·         Wash your hands before eating, smoking, or drinking. ·         Restrict access to mould-contaminated areas. ·         Vacuuming may increase the spread of mould spores into the air. Use a central vacuum with outside exhaust or one equipped with a HEPA filter. Only use power tools equipped with a HEPA filter

  When you compare the hazards of working in an office to those of working in heavy industry, they don't seem like much. The fact is, people do get seriously injured and even die in office accidents. To prevent office accidents, it is important to regularly inspect the premises for hazardous conditions. You must be aware of unsafe work practices which can cause injuries. Follow this checklist to make your office safer: Traffic areas should be free of obstacles which can cause tripping accidents. Extension cords and boxes of files are two common hazards. Close drawers and doors of desks and cabinets. You can be seriously injured by tripping over a bottom drawer, and you can suffer severe cuts and bruises by bumping into an overhead door. Load filing cabinets safely. Fill from bottom to top. A filing cabinet filled at the top and empty on the bottom can tip over and crush somebody. Lift objects and loads correctly to avoid back injuries. Crouch down close to the item before attempting a lift. Bend your legs, not your back, when lifting. Get help from another person or use a hand truck if the item is too heavy or awkward to lift alone. Serious back injuries have occurred from incorrectly lifting furniture, a box of printer paper or even smaller items. Practice fire prevention. Do not allow combustible materials including paper and cardboard to accumulate in your work area. Don't store them near a fire exit, in a hallway or stairwell. Learn what to do in a fire or other emergency. Know where at least two emergency exits are from your work area. Make sure you can find your way to the stairs; don't use the elevator. Learn the location of fire alarms and fire extinguishers. Learn who is trained in first aid and CPR (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation) in your work area, and the location of first aid supplies. While you are at it, sign up to train in these life-saving skills. Make sure all office furniture is in good repair, especially chairs. Defective chairs should be removed from the area and not left around for extra seating. Arrange your workstation for comfort and to prevent muscle strain caused by excessive stretching or bending. Place frequently used materials and equipment within reach. Position your computer, keyboard and mouse so you can work with comfort and good posture. Keep your forearms and wrists straight. Check regularly for electrical hazards such as worn insulation and connections, altered or patched cords, or plugs and overloaded circuits. If you ever receive an electrical shock, report it immediately so the equipment can be removed from service before someone is electrocuted. Office safety is serious business. Accidents in the office have resulted in deaths and disabling injuries. Inspect your office workspace today to make sure it is as safe as it can be! Make sure you are prepared with a Safe Work Practices Safe Job Procedure and office inspections.    

Carbon monoxide is a hazard year-round, but especially in the winter. When the weather is cold, we are more likely to be working indoors in poorly ventilated areas, and we are more likely to be using fuel-burning equipment such as furnaces. Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a gas which you can't see, smell or taste. It is deadly, however. If you breathe in too much of it, you can quickly lose consciousness and die. CO is created as a by-product of burning organic fuels. When materials such as oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, wood, coal and propane are burned, they can produce the gas. If the area is not ventilated sufficiently, carbon monoxide can rise to dangerous levels very quickly. Any time you are using an engine which burns gasoline, or a furnace which burns a fuel, make sure the equipment is working properly. Maintain vehicle engines for fuel-burning efficiency and make sure exhaust systems are in good condition. Regular maintenance of furnaces, stoves and heaters is important so they burn the fuel thoroughly. Chimneys, vents, ducts and exhaust systems must be maintained so carbon monoxide does not leak into the work area. Maintain good ventilation in work areas so that carbon monoxide cannot build up. Air exchangers and other ventilation systems must be maintained in good working order. Don't run engines such as automobiles in poorly ventilated areas such as garages. Don't operate heaters without the required ventilation. Carbon monoxide detectors are in use in many workplaces. Heed the warnings from these devices, and never tamper with them. It is important to recognize the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and to act quickly.  Headache, shortness of breath, light-headedness, confusion and a sick flu-like feeling are the first symptoms of exposure.  Exposure to greater concentrations of CO can bring symptoms of nausea, rapid or erratic pulse, rapid breathing and possibly hallucinations.  Continued exposure to concentrations of carbon monoxide can result in heart failure, coma, permanent brain damage and death. If you suspect you are being exposed to carbon monoxide, move quickly to fresh air. If you suspect someone else is in trouble with carbon monoxide, get them to fresh air immediately if you can do so without endangering yourself. Call for medical help. The person should be given oxygen promptly, and CPR (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation) if required. Be wary of carbon monoxide exposure off the job as well: Maintain your own vehicle to prevent emissions of carbon monoxide. Keep the engine in good shape, and make sure there are no leaks in the exhaust system. Don't run a vehicle engine in an enclosed area such as your home garage. Have your home furnace, fireplace, wood-burning stove and other fuel-burning heaters serviced regularly. Never light a barbecue indoors because of the carbon monoxide hazard as well as the possibility of an explosion. Never try to use a barbecue as an indoor heating device during a power outage. Install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide is a killer. It won't warn you of its presence because it is odorless, tasteless and invisible. Always maintain adequate ventilation to minimize the hazards of CO.  

The employee accountability definition is the responsibility of employees to complete the tasks they are assigned, to perform the duties required by their job, and to be present for their proper shifts to fulfill or further the goals of the organization. If tasks are not completed and functions of the job are not performed properly, then that employee will also be responsible for dealing with the repercussions. Examples of Accountability in the Workplace: Employees being present for their entire required shift Employees completing any tasks that have been designated to them Employees being responsible for the specific duties that go along with their job Employees being consistent in doing the right thing in all aspects pertaining to their job Employees working together towards a common goal for the business Managers and Supervisors holding them self’s accountable and responsible when things arise and have good management skills. Why is Workplace Accountability Important? Accountability at work is important to a business’s success. Every employee, no matter what level of seniority is equally responsible for aiding in the success of the company. To achieve the goals of the company, long and short term, it is important that all people within the company work together and share accountability. Employees who work together towards the same overall goal help their workplace to become more accountable, in turn make the business more productive and efficient. Personal Accountability in the Workplace Personal accountability at work can encompass everything from employees being accountable for themselves, making themselves indispensable, to managers and people in leadership roles showing personal accountability to foster an environment of accountability in the office with their employees. If you are not in a management role, demonstrating accountability at work will prove that you are an asset to the company, and it will make you an indispensable commodity.   If you are a manager or in a management position, displaying personal accountability will help build a culture of accountability in your company. Your employees will watch as you create an acceptance and understanding of accountability and will more than likely follow your actions. Knowing that personal accountability is something that even the management is responsible for will help employees feel balanced and bonded through that shared responsibility.

Powerline contact is a major cause of fatal accidents and critical injuries. These types of incidents usually involve heavy equipment such as backhoes, dump trucks, boom trucks, cranes, and excavators. Beware of contact when moving extension ladders, rolling scaffolds, long lengths of pipe, and siding. Also, beware of the powerline moving (i.e., blowing in the wind). The constructor must develop written procedures ahead of time if the equipment or its load could encroach on the minimum permitted distance to an overhead powerline. These procedures must be communicated to every employer and worker on the project. They should include the use of warning devices and signs. Follow these safe practices when working around powerlines: Do not store material and equipment below overhead powerlines. Obey all warning devices or signs. Use a signaller to direct equipment operators and truck drivers. the signaller must be in full view of the operator and have a clear view of the powerline. The signaller must warn drivers and operators when any part of their equipment or load approaches the minimum distances set by law. When erecting or moving a ladder or scaffold, do not let it lean or drift toward overhead powerlines. Always maintain minimum allowable clearances. To determine powerline voltage, check markings on the pole or call the utility. In case of accidental contact with a powerline, follow these procedures: Never touch equipment and the ground at the same time. Get someone to call the local utility to shut off power. If possible, break contact by driving the equipment clear of the powerline. Otherwise, do not leave the equipment until the utility shuts down the power or fire forces you to jump clear.  Keep everyone away from any equipment in contact with a powerline. Beware of time relays. Even after breakers are tripped by line damage, relays may be triggered to restore power. If any of your employees need any training on powerline safety please check out our course. 

At your job you may have to complete a wide array of tasks throughout the day. On the other hand, you may only focus on one or two tasks for your entire shift. No matter if you are completing a few or many different work tasks, there are multiple factors that need to be considered and actions taken to ensure a work task is completed safely and efficiently. Human Performance Factors Some of the most important focus items that you should pay attention to prior to a work task beginning is human performance factors. These factors affect your ability to complete a job safely and efficiently. Some human performance factors include illness, fatigue, knowledge, focus, attention, understanding, stress, etc. It is important to understand how and when these different factors are limiting your ability to complete a work task safely.   Tools and Personnel After you consider the factors that could possibly affect you at an individual level during the task, you need to ensure that you have the correct tools for the job. You must also take into account whether the correct personnel are present for the work task as well. Having the correct tools and personnel in place prior to a work task beginning ensures that you can complete it safely and efficiently. When the correct tools or personnel are not in place then shortcuts are often taken to make up for the missing parts of the equation which puts everyone at risk.   Implementing Safeguards Taking the time to go through the proper steps to ensure all the safety procedures are followed and all of the necessary safeguards are in place is critical. Every single safeguard is important. The more safeguards that are put into place and are followed for a work task, the less likely an incident will occur that results in injury or property loss. Considering human performance factors and ensuring the correct tools are in place are two basic safe work practices. There can be many more that need to be put into place before a work task can begin.There are many things that need to be considered prior to a work task beginning- even just a simple one. While this talk may make it seem like it is a drawn-out process, for most tasks it is not. It is just a reminder to think about all the different considerations that need to be thought of as well as actions that need to be taken prior to a work task beginning. Proper preplanning is critical to safe and efficient operations of every work task.

Respiratory-protective equipment varies in design, application and protective ability but falls into one of the following main groups:  Air supplied: Self-contained breathing apparatus. Supplied-air breathing apparatus. Air purifying: Vapour and gas-removing respirators. Particulate-removing respirators. Air Supplied Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) SCBAs are air-supplied respirators that require the user to carry the air supply, thus providing unlimited mobility.  However, the air supply is limited to the amount of air in the SCBA cylinder, the worker’s physical fitness, and the degree of physical activity. Only use SCBAs that: Have at least a 30-minute rating. Provide full face protection. Provide positive pressure in the face piece.   Supplied Air Breathing Apparatus (SABA) Supplied Air masks receive air through a supply hose that is connected to compressed breathing air cylinders.  These respirators are much lighter than SCBA units and are not restricted to the amount of air the user is able to carry.  However, the length of air hose restricts the user’s movement, and the user has to return to a safe atmosphere by retracing the entry route. Only use SABAs that: Are equipped with an auxiliary air supply (egress cylinder) which is provides air to escape if the primary system fails. Operates with an inlet air supply of 414 kpa to 862 kpa. Provides full face protection. Provides positive pressure in the face piece. Have neoprene double reinforced hoses with a pressure rating suitable for the application. Have hoses equipped with factory fitted couplings Air supplied respirators should be worn: When an oxygen deficiency exists below 19.5% by volume. When the concentration of the contaminant is immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). When the concentration of the contaminant is unknown. When the contaminant has poor warning properties. For emergency rescue situations. Air Purifying This type of system consists of a half mask or a full-face mask that receives different cartridges to protect against contaminants in the air. With the air-purifying respirator, the ambient air is passed through a filter or cartridge that removes the particulates, vapours, gases, or other contaminants before they are inhaled.  They are limited in use, however, to low concentrations of contaminants, and cannot be used for substances that do not have adequate warning properties. Vapor and Gas Removing Respirators These types of respirators are equipped with cartridges or canisters to remove vapors and gas from the air.  Use the vapor and gas removing respirators only: As protection against low concentrations of organic vapors (i.e., our cleaning chemicals) gases, pesticides and paint vapors or mists according to the application specified on the manufacturer’s instructions for the cartridge. Particulate Removing Respirators These types of respirators are equipped with mechanical filters to remove particulate matter, such as dust, form the air. Selecting Respiratory Protective Equipment Vapour, gas, and particulate removing respirators do not protect against oxygen deficiency or acutely toxic gases.  Therefore, they must never be used in atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH).  When working in IDLH concentration of the contaminant or in oxygen deficient atmosphere, workers must wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or supplied air breathing apparatus (SABA). When selecting the specific respiratory protective equipment, workers must consider: Whether the equipment is to be used for emergency or normal conditions. The types of airborne contaminants possible and their form (i.e., particulate, mist, gas or vapour).  This determines the type of respiratory protection required. The concentration of the airborne contaminants that are encountered. The duration of worker exposure. The toxicity of the contaminant and the occupations exposure limit (OEL) of the identified contaminant. The warning properties (i.e., odor, taste, and eye irritation) of the contaminants. The oxygen concentration.  If oxygen level is less than 19.5% then an air supplied system must be used. The need for back up equipment (i.e., for a situation where a worker loses their air supply or where there is an accidental release of a contaminant).  Fit Testing Types Qualitative fitting tests Qualitative fitting tests involve exposing the respirator wearer to a test atmosphere containing an easily detectable nontoxic aerosol, vapor, or gas as the test agent. Quantitative fit test This test is designed for tight fitting full-face masks. Quantitative fit-testing requires: a test substance which can be introduced into the air, specialized equipment to measure the airborne concentration of the substances and a trained tester. A quantitative fit test gives a number that is referred to as FF: fit factor (the measure of how well a particular face piece seal against the wearer’s face). A higher FF means the face piece has achieved good contact between the seal and face and will suitably protect the wearer against leakage of harmful contaminants into the mask.  

Learning from experience or experiential learning is the process of learning while doing, to not fear mistakes, but to value them. It is designed to engage emotions as well as enhancing knowledge and skill. The learner is better able to connect theories and knowledge learned thru real world situations. When a mistake/incident takes place we must learn from it, regardless of if loss takes place or not. If we take that opportunity to learn why it happened, we have a much better chance of preventing future or greater loss. When an incident results in great loss, emotion is often engaged, that emotion should never impede on the importance that all evidence is considered and explored. When I look at the actual and perceived loss associated with our current real world Covid 19 incident, my investigation begins with the review of data both current and historical data provided by health Canada that outlines death statistics provincially and federally and note that the data contradicts the narrative of a huge increase in deaths from 2015 to 2020. We were told that a great risk of death and or sickness was upon our great nation in March of 2020 and severe controls were mandated.  Nonstop propaganda flooded our tv and radios to ensure we clearly understood the threat was real.  Fast forward to March of 2021 after 3 major shut downs of our economy, unbelievable financial loss and a perception of mass deaths of our most vulnerable we see no major rise in the data. What happened to data driven decision making? Our governments mandated draconian controls based on "what if"?  Entrepreneurs are forced out of business, for a " just in case" scenario? Well, it makes the critical thinker/investigator ask many "what if" questions as well. The investigation begins to study theories and knowledge from all evidence that either justifies or dismisses the requirement of such a loss. Then, suddenly half your evidence becomes "Fake", False information", what? Interviews with subject matter experts with doctorates, degrees, noble peace prises are dismissed, debunked, censored? The information you are allowed to consider in this investigation only comes from the bias communicated by government and its highest subsidized corporation, the media. The very same government that has established the draconian controls or mandates? How can a proper investigation be conducted when evidence is withheld or not considered? How can an effective corrective action be implemented when even the basic cause of the loss is being determined by a bias? It is time to engage some emotion, some integrity, use our knowledge and experience to speak up and out about the requirement for an effective Investigation, consideration of all the evidence. The suppressed info only makes one consider that someone does not want you to establish a root cause. I think we can all agree there is huge value in establishing effective corrective actions to ensure we learn from this experience and never let it happen again.

Gas testing is done to ensure that are no dangerous gases are present before starting work that may create a risk to the worker. Gas testing should be done as part of your hazard assessment process and done periodically thereafter to ensure that the workers breathing atmosphere is within limits prescribed by Occupational Health and Safety Rules and Regulations, policies, and procedures prior to the start of any work.  Gas Monitors Personal Monitors - are intended for personal safety.  They are worn by workers as personal protective equipment.  Most personal monitors are designed to detect H2S. Multi Head Monitors – are intended for personal and crew safety. They are used when detecting a specific gas usually H2S (as per installed sensors – Max 5) as well as % oxygen (deficient or enriched), LEL (Combustible Gases) and CO2 (Carbon Monoxide). Specialty Monitors- Sample Draw Volumetric Pumps or Continuous Electronic Monitors draw a measured sample of gas through a detector tube. Detector tubes can be used to test over 150 different types of gases. Detector tubes are very gas specific. Fixed Monitors – are permanently installed sensing heads that are installed throughout a plant site wherever 24-hour gas surveillance is required. The sensing heads will be connected to a control room where operators can monitor remotely. For all type of gas testing, you should begin by checking for current calibration, bump the monitor before use to ensure it is functioning accurately and has the correct alarms set for the site you are working at as this may vary by client. All workers that are completeing gas detection should be trained and deemed competent to complete the task.  Gas testing for entry into a confined space must be carried out by a qualified safety watch or operations personnel with a current Confined Space entry certificate.   Atmospheric Hazards & Exposure Limits Occupational Health & Safety Regulations stipulate that gas testing is required to ensure that air quality in the workplace is within acceptable limits for                 Oxygen levels in air                 Combustible or Explosive Gases                 Toxic or Poisonous Gases   Effects of Oxygen Enriched or Deficient Atmospheres Oxygen Concentration Effect 23% and Above Increased flammability of materials 21% Ideal 20.90% Normal 19.5% Minimum for safe work conditions 18% and Less Increased breathing, impaired thoughts  14% and Less Impaired judgment, fatigue, poor coordination 10% and Less Sudden collapse and unconsciousness, death   Toxic Gases and Vapours Worker Exposure Limits OEL (Occupational Exposure Limit) Hazard 8 Hour OEL 15 Min OEL Ceiling or Max H2S 10ppm 15ppm 15ppm Hydrocarbon Intoxication 1000ppm 1500ppm   Carbon Monoxide 25ppm 0.0ppm 0.0ppm  See Schedule 1 Chemical Substances of Alberta OH & S Code for additional Hazards. The potential for the development of these hazardous conditions is affected by ·         Physical nature of the space ·         Work being performed. ·         Processes associated with the space. ·         Products used or produced in conjunction with the space. ·         Natural processes (decomposition, oxidization, absorption etc.) ·         External sources of contamination Workers using multi head or personal monitors will be required to bump test their monitors every day prior to commencing work. Multi Head Monitors require a valid calibration and re-calibration every 3 months or as per manufactures specification.  

One of the most important things I learned as a safety consultant services company is to listen to the workers and supervisors. If they are not listened to, why would they listen to their employer. Something I am seeing in response to COVID 19 is that management is not allowing their employees to speak about how they feel in relation to the Covid 19 pandemic controls and mitigations.  They ask for a risk assessment and they are just told they must follow the health mandates, they are told “don’t ask questions, don’t request proof, just do as your told”.  The first thing you are taught in Workplace safety training is, “if you are unsure about anything ask.”   Part 4 of the Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Act outlines The right to refuse dangerous work and discriminatory action, this outlines a process to report the concern to the employer or a Joint worksite health & safety committee or a health and safety designate, this report must be document and the concern must be investigated.  I was involved in a situation where a worker who had asthma and had complied with the site mask mandate for COVID 19. He was tasked with a job that left him struggling to breath, dizzy and feeling disoriented and overall unsafe.  He challenged his employer to assess the hazards of the work and had identified the Mask as the primary reason for the incident. Instead of addressing the workers concern, He was then taken off site, requested to take a Rapid COVID test (negative) and told to get back to work.  He then requested the employer re look at the job and identify that the mask was a hazard to his work, he was told “No Mask, No Work.”  As employers we must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances proportionate to the risk. This is the basis of every Hazard management policy, this requires completing a workplace inspection, identifying the hazards of the work, and determining the risk of the task.  In the case of the worker mentioned the employer had a legal and Moral obligation to not allow conditions in their workplace to exist that might hurt their employees. However, achieving this is difficult when the site has a mandate of zero risk. Zero risk, although a nice byline on a safety poster, is an exceedingly difficult threshold to achieve. Morally we know good health and safety is appropriate, but it is difficult to decide morally how much of this good thing is enough.   When looking at COVID 19 and the workplace I question if we have lost our minds in relation to a virus.  The government’s own data tells us that of the 309,000 Canadians who died in 2020, only 5 percent died with Covid (and not necessarily of Covid). Of 38 million Canadians, very few of us are going to get sick. Almost all who get sick will get over it, the survival rate being 99.77 percent. Covid has only a negligible impact on life expectancy. Healthy people do not spread Covid, and casual contact is not enough to transmit it. Especially when the worker is working outside and not anywhere near another worker, that he could possibly transmit to.  Law has a clear and distinctive list of characteristics. They include: Reason: Ability to think, understand, and draw conclusions in an abstract way.The essential aspect of law is that there have to be reasons for legislation and court decisions. Morality: A code of conduct held as authoritative in matters of right or wrong. Certainty: Accuracy and absence of doubt. There is no doubt that the crime or infraction was committed. Flexibility: The ability to adapt to the changes occurring in the workplace and businesses. Non-perfection: Law is not perfect; there will be mistakes. Neutrality: Law cannot be allied with either side in the dispute or argument.The courts do not care who you are; everyone is judged by the same factors. Equality: Same treatment for all persons but not necessarily identical treatment. Different treatment may be required to promote equality in some cases. Openness: The court must be open to any who may present themselves related to the case and have apparent relevant information. OHS practitioners and professionals and the workplace committees, committed to workplace health and safety, have a role to assist in compliance, but ultimately, they must sit on the sidelines as coaches and mentors. As a individual providing safety consulting services in Alberta its difficult to prove how “scientific” and “evidence-based” government’s restrictions are such as masks. If restrictions of the air we are required to breath were based on science, the government would be able to present  this science. Minister Shandro claims that “Alberta’s initial approach to contain the spread of Covid-19 and protect Albertans was measured, balancing the need to protect health system capacity and provide care to Albertans in need, while limiting the impact on our businesses.” Well Mr Shandro these mask mandates are restricting my worker from doing their jobs safely and goes against all basic health & safety training. There is nothing “measured” about putting in mandates that effects the very way we breath. There is nothing “balanced” about treating every job and every worker exactly the same. These measures are unprecedented and enormously oppressive. Having employers focus more on the Covid testing mandate instead of the hazards and risk of doing a job is more of a political move, having nothing to do with science or worker health & safety. Ultimately, facts will prevail over fear, and truth will vanquish lies.( following is from https://www.jccf.ca/) Covid simply isn’t the unusually deadly killer that it’s made it out to be.   In 2020, more than 309,000 Canadians died. Adjusted for population growth, this number is consistent with previous years.  Of these 309,000 deaths, only about five per cent were linked to Covid. There was an alarming surge in non-Covid deaths in western Canada, especially among younger men. Covid has only a negligible impact on life expectancy. Covid has little impact on overall life expectancy. The average age of death for all Canadians in 2018 was 81.95 years. Statistics Canada has yet to publish the average age of death of Canadians in 2020 who died with Covid. However, available death-by-age data from Canadian provinces consistently shows the majority of Covid-related deaths occur in ages older than average life expectancy. The Covid survival rate is 99.77 percent. A meta-analysis by Dr. John Ioannidis of seroprevalence studies shows the median infection survival rate from Covid infection is 99.77%. For Covid patients under the age of 70, the survival rate is even higher, 99.95%. If you are young and healthy, you are more likely to die in a car accident than with Covid. Of the 22,475 Canadians who died with Covid between March 8, 2020 and March 19, 2021, only 304 – 1.4% – were under the age of 50. In contrast, almost 90 per cent of deaths with Covid were over the age of 70 and nearly 70% were over the age of 80, (which for men is beyond typical expectancy.) Among Canadian men under 50, traffic accidents cause higher mortality. The ‘cases’ reported by media do not refer to sick people Although there were 572,982 ‘cases’ in Canada during 2020, the majority were not actually ill or experiencing any symptoms. Rather, these ‘cases’ refer to people who tested positive on a PCR test, the accuracy of which has been seriously questioned by medical doctors and infectious disease specialists. Of those Canadians who did show symptoms, most experienced it as a mild or severe flu, and very few required hospitalizations. The number of severely symptomatic cases is very low By March 19, 2021, the total number of positive PCR test results (‘cases’) had grown to 916,844. Statistics Canada offered detailed information on 71 per cent of these. Only slightly more than seven per cent required hospitalization, and approximately 1.4% of the 916,844 were admitted to ICU. As one would expect, nearly two thirds of ICU admissions were above the age of 60. Asymptomatic spread isn’t significant. Lockdown restrictions are based for the most part in the belief that the virus can be passed from people showing no symptoms – asymptomatic carriers – to uninfected individuals. However, research suggests that about 20% of people diagnosed with Covid are asymptomatic 4, and asymptomatic patients passed on Covid to other members of their households in only 0.7% of instances.5 Even symptomatic patients are infectious for only the first eight days after symptom onset. Beyond the ninth day there is no evidence of a live virus.6 In short, asymptomatic individuals are not dangerous spreaders. Infection Fatality Rates confirm there is little danger The U.S. Centre for Disease Control has determined the Infection Fatality Rate of Covid for various age groups. In its Current Best Estimate, the CDC proposes for different age-groups: 0-17:                20 deaths per million infections (or 0.002%) 18-49:             500 deaths per million (or 0.05%) 5-64:               6,500 deaths per million (or 0.65%) 65 and over:  90,000 (or 9%) In other words, older people are significantly more vulnerable to Covid than younger people. When younger people do pick it up, their survival prospects are excellent and symptoms generally mild. Casual contact is not enough to transmit Covid The New England Journal of Medicine reported that significant exposure to Covid was defined as “face-to-face contact within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 that is sustained for at least a few minutes (and some say more than 10 minutes or even 30 minutes).”8 There is little risk of catching Covid from a casual encounter in a public place.9 The “science” isn’t that settled “When you don’t have the data and you don’t have the actual evidence, then you’ve got to make a judgement call.” This was Dr. Anthony Fauci’s response to a question asked by CNN’s John Berman on March 10, 2021, about the Biden administration’s promise to make its decisions based on science: “What’s the science behind not saying it’s safe for people who have been vaccinated – received two doses – to travel?” Conclusion All of these restrictions, mandates and quarantines of healthy people, we are told by politicians and public health officials, are to protect our “health and safety.” The government’s own data shows that their efforts are to stop a virus that predominantly kills sick and elderly people, 80% or more of whom are in nursing homes, more than 80% of whom are over 80 years old. None of this represents the average worksite. Never before have millions of Canadians who are young and healthy been forced to comply with  daily Covid Testing, possibly not being able to work due to a positive test result of  themselves or a co worker, potential requirements to take a vaccine to work, and above all add a PPE method that restrict the air they breath when No hazard exist that involves the corona virus  and even if it did, we are told all of the above is mandatory to save the life of other people who may have  three or more serious health conditions. Somewhere thru all this we have failed to consider our moral responsibility to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances proportionate to the risk.

Understanding what influences the culture of your organization can make a significant contribution to changing employee attitudes and behaviours in relation to workplace health and safety. For a safety culture to be successful it needs to be led from the top—that is, safety culture needs to be embraced and practised by senior management. What is a safety culture? A safety culture is a company’s culture that places a high level of importance on safety beliefs, values, and attitudes—and these are shared by most people within the company or workplace. It can be characterized as ‘the way we do things around here’. A positive safety culture can result in improved workplace health and safety and organizational performance. Companies that want to have a positive safety culture, which everyone owns, should develop, and promote managers with the right knowledge, skills, and attitudes to successfully undertake the responsibilities of the safety. The culture actions can easily be implemented by any company regardless of its size, and most of them can be introduced with little or no direct financial cost to the company. Communicate company values. A companies safety values vary from company to company. You can have a zero incident programs or defined as a general preventive statement.  The real message for any safety values approach is safety first. Safety should become a part of your everyday values and action, and not be an ‘extra task’. Management can communicate the company values with safety posters, toolbox talks, site visits by management, regular reinforcement by all forms of management. The company safety values are usually found in the health and safety policy developed for the company.  If you don’t have a Health & safety policy available at https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/collections/policies-1/products/health-safety-policy?_pos=1&_sid=6502b6722&_ss=r Demonstrate leadership. Leaders in the company need to act to motivate and inspire others to work towards achieving a particular goal or outcome by sending clear and consistent messages about the importance of work health and safety. For more on safety leadership please see the previous blog post we created about leadership at https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/blogs/news/safety-leadership Clarify required and expected behaviours. Clarify to employees the specific behaviours required and expected of them.   These clarifications can be done through toolbox meetings, safety meetings.  It can be reinforcing great work ethics through praise and acknowledgement.  This include addressing inappropriate behaviours & actions.   The disciplinary policy is a great an example of the reinforcement of the company expectations.  You can view the customizable progressive Discipline Policy here: https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/collections/policies-1/products/progressive-discipline-policy?_pos=2&_sid=88e899f46&_ss=r Personalize safety outcomes. Make work health and safety more obvious, relevant, and emotional for the individual to personalize their role in preventing and eliminating risks and hazards.  Allow employees to share work experiences and learnings.  Start discussions about incidents that have happened within the company and impact these incidents have had on the individual involved.   We have developed safety alerts that are based on real life incidents.  Learn from other’s experiences. https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/collections/safety-alerts Develop positive safety attitudes. Companies that encourage managers, employees, and subcontractors to challenge unsafe behaviours and attitudes, yet also recognise and encourage those who have shown a positive attitude towards safety.  The perfect example of this is Behavioral Based Observation (BBO) programs.  BBO programs encourages the interventions to prevent at-risk behaviours noticed on the worksite.  This allows employees to discuss and educate other workers on proper process and procedures.  The BBO program also encourages the recognition of employees following the company’s process and procedures.   You can view the Hazard Identification & Behaviors Based Observation program at https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/search?type=product&q=observation Engage and own safety responsibilities and accountabilities. Ownership is one of the indispensable cornerstones of a successful safety culture. To encourage or develop ownership, senior managers can foster and maintain the following: Engaging employees: involve the employees in safety discussion & investigations, the development/revisions of safety procedures, sharing information. Demonstrating support: trust employee’s judgements on safety, encourage speaking openly on safety issues. Provide the required training for the tasks they are assigned. The employee will gain knowledge and feel empowered to make safer choices. Wording is especially important when talking to employees.  Use words like “we”, “OUR company”, this allows the employees to feel included and not separate from management or the company. We have developed a Safety Responsibilities Policy that includes, senior management, field management, supervisors, employees, health & safety representatives, subcontractors and visitors. https://stallionsafetyconsulting.ca/products/safety-responsibility-policy?_pos=3&_sid=d503e4353&_ss=r  Improve understanding and effective implementation of safety management systems. Enable individuals to increase their knowledge of specific ways in which hazards are managed, as well as their ability to apply and implement the actual Health & safety processes.  The more knowledge your employees have about the processes within the health & safety program, the wiser choices your employees can make for their safety and for others.  Inform the employees of the investigation process, inspection processes, continuous improvement processes and allow them to openly give feedback and suggestions on how to improve the health & safety program.   Your workplace's health and safety culture, proactive management of health and safety, and health and safety performance are interlinked. Building a strong health and safety culture will have a positive impact on your workers, your bottom line, and public perception.

Organizations rely heavily on their third parties for improved profitability, faster time to market, competitive advantage, and decreased costs. However, third-party relationships come with multiple risks, including strategic, reputational, regulatory, information security, and financial risks. Penalties and reputational damage from non-compliance. To minimize the impact of third-party risks on business performance and brand image, the scope of third-party management is expanding beyond traditional surveys and assessments for third-party risks and compliance. Companies are now taking more comprehensive steps to ensure that their third parties not only comply with regulations, avoid unethical practices, keep up a safe and healthy working environment, handle disruptions effectively, and sustain high quality and performance levels.   Third-party management is the process whereby companies monitor and manage interactions with all external parties with which it has a relationship.   Best Practices to Enhance Your Third-Party Management Program Manage and Assess Third-Party Risks: A good practice is to focus strongly on contracts that govern third-party relationships. A comprehensive and carefully written contract that outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties can help you better manage third-party relationships. Conduct Third-Party Screening & Onboard: An effective third-party screening and due diligence program provides a better understanding of third parties which helps you choose the right company to work with. The third-party onboarding process is really the backbone of an effective third-party management. It helps capture complete third-party information along with the necessary certifications, contracts, and documents. Onboarding assessments are also needed to help determine the level of risk monitoring required for each supplier. Continuous third-party monitoring and screening is the key to helping companies make informed decisions about their third parties. Establish a Tone at the Top: The senior management are accountable for the risks in third-party relationships. It is their responsibility to create a culture of collaboration in the third-party relationship, while also identifying and controlling the risks that arise from such relationships. Evaluate the Effectiveness of the program: Evaluate the program at regular intervals to determine if potential risks are being identified and mitigated, if compliance requirements are being met, and if appropriate remediation actions are being carried out when red flags arise.