OHS Canada December 2014 by Annex Business Media

C A N A D Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S O C C U PAT I O N A L H E A LT H & S A F E T Y M A G A Z I N E D EC EMBE R 2014

C A N A D A

edge Fending off Ebola in the air

BETWEEN THE CRACKS The deadly secrets of fracking fluids

THE FIRST BLOOM

Are some youths too young to work?

STIFFER SENTENCES

Getting tough on attacks against transit employees

LYING IN WAIT

Lead in decommissioned mine rears its head

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C A N A D A’ S O C C U PAT I O N A L H E A LT H & S A F E T Y M A G A Z I N E

FEATURES

I NF E CT I OUS D IS EAS ES 20

CC A A NNA AD DA A

Something in the Air

D EC EM B E R 2014 Volu m e 3 0 , N u m b e r 8

The Ebola outbreak that has infected several American healthcare workers has put the world on edge. Airline employees are also vulnerable to exposure to infectious diseases. BY JEFF COTTRILL

H Y DRAU LIC F R AC TUR IN G 26

Toxic Fissures

While some provinces in Canada require the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking, some additives are exempt as trade secrets. Are these chemicals too toxic to reveal? BY JEAN LIAN

Y O U NG WOR KER S

Growing Pains

The death of a teen worker at a gravel-crushing site in Alberta raises questions about the nexus between age and workplace safety. When is a person too young to work? BY MICHAEL SMITH

DEPARTMENTS

L AW F I LE

Express Route to Safety

Proposed legislation to amend the Criminal Code of Canada may see tougher sentences meted out to perpetrators of violence against transit employees. BY JEFF COTTRILL

O CCU PATION AL HY GIEN E

Northern Exposure

With regulations in place, occupational lead poisoning is relatively rare these days. But the exposure of Yukon miners to heavy metals has raised eyebrows.

BY CARMELLE WOLFSON

S AF E T Y GEAR

Take a Seat

IN THIS ISSUE ED ITORIA L

A chair is more than just a seat. Fitting the workplace with proper ergonomic chairs is key to a healthy and productive workforce.

PAN ORAMA

ACCI DE NT P R EV EN TION

LETTERS

Slips, trips and falls are common workplace dangers. As the winter season beckons, workplaces should be ready to address slippery hazards presented by ice and snow.

See No Evil

OH &S UPD AT E

Tailings-dam spill in British Columbia spurs calls for changes; Alberta worker killed by load; fire at pumping station in Saskatchewan; Ontario contractor gets jail sentence; roof collapse hurts three in Nova Scotia; and more.

A Slippery Slope T I M E O UT

Thorny spuds; teacher from hell; road rage; beating the biological clock; the nose knows; a mine of lies; and more.

D ISPATCHES

P R ODUC T S HO W C A S E AD IN D EX

44 45

Safety trailer rolls into town; flexible work arrangements pay off; hands-free not riskfree; and more.

BY CARMELLE WOLFSON

Danger never takes a vacation.

– AUTHOR UNKNOWN

www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

EDITORIAL C A N A D A’ S O C C U PAT I O N A L H E A LT H & S A F E T Y M A G A Z I N E

See No Evil T

EDITOR JEAN LIAN jlian@ohscanada.com

he Jian Ghomeshi scandal is an old tale told with new characters. The disgraced public broadcaster, who was fired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) amid allegations of aggressive sexual behaviour from 11 women, has lawyered up. It was not so long ago when another high-profile sexualharassment case reared its head in a Canadian workplace. Ever since a class-action lawsuit alleging the RCMP’s systemic discrimination against female members was filed two years ago, the number of complainants in that suit has reached more than 330 to date. The narrative structure of both scandals is uncannily similar: allegations of improper behaviour were followed by accusations from multitudes of women, who had reportedly experienced similar sexual harassment or physical abuse, leading to a public outcry. The Ghomeshi case also exposed a culture of silence among women who have been sexually harassed and authoritative figures at work getting away with unacceptable behaviour for a long time before such behaviour comes to light. The fact that it has taken so long for the women in both incidents to come forward shows that the cultural climate for women to name their sexual predators remains inimical to victims. Actress Lucy Decoutere’s allegation that Ghomeshi slapped and choked her without warning took place during an encounter that dates back to 2003, when he took her to his home in Toronto. The civil suit filed in 2012 by Janet Merlo, former RCMP officer in Nanaimo, alleges that she suffered bullying and sexual harassment throughout a two-decade career that began in March 1991. Similarly, former RCMP spokesperson Catherine Galliford, who has been credited with opening the door for other women to come forward, alleged sexual harassment and bullying spanning nearly two decades. According to non-profit organization Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton Area in Hamilton, Ontario, one in four women has experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace, 43 per cent of all Canadian women have been sexually harassed at work and only eight per cent of those who were harassed at work have reported the harassment. Let’s put it this way: being sexually harassed or assaulted is not something that women want to shout about — not to mention that conviction rates are not encouraging either. A summary of a survey by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics on sexual assaults in Canada in 2004 indicates that conviction rates in adult criminal courts are lower for sexual offences than for other types of violent crime, and only half of sexual offences are likely to result in a verdict of guilt. In cases involving workplace sexual harassment or abuse, power often comes into play. Ghomeshi, the popular former Q host, was certainly a man of power, with his ability to drive up ratings. Likewise, a male-dominated organization like the RCMP — characterized by a macho culture — creates an environment in which the power scale is not tipped in the favour of officers of the fairer sex. Scandals involving improper behaviour in a workplace do not just break; they are years in the making. Surely, somebody in the CBC must have seen or heard Ghomeshi’s gropings and obscene whisperings? It is equally mind-boggling to entertain the possibility that nobody — absolutely no one — in the ranks of the RCMP knew about or witnessed the sexual harassment of more than 330 female members over many years. And that brings into question the employer’s complicity through having some knowledge of what was going on and not doing enough to prevent these incidents from happening again. It is a good thing that workplace sexual harassment is now the talk of the nation, as changing culture often begins with sharing stories — not looking the other way.

Jean Lian

DECEMBER 2014

ohs canada

C A N A D A

Vol. 30, No. 8 DECEMBER 2014

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Pipeline Magazine

JASON CONTANT JContant@bizinfogroup.ca

CARMELLE WOLFSON ASSISTANT EDITOR cwolfson@ohscanada.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JEFF COTTRILL jcottrill@ohscanada.com ART DIRECTOR PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER MARKETING SPECIALIST CIRCULATION MANAGER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER PRESIDENT, BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP

ANNE MIRON PHYLLIS WRIGHT GARY WHITE DIMITRY EPELBAUM BARBARA ADELT badelt@bizinfogroup.ca SHEILA HEMSLEY shemsley@ohscanada.com PETER BOXER pboxer@ohscanada.com BRUCE CREIGHTON

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

DAVID IRETON, Safety Professional, Brampton, Ont. AL JOHNSON, Vice President, Prevention Services WorkSafeBC, Richmond, B.C. JANE LEMKE, Program Manager, OHN Certification Program, Mohawk College, Hamilton, Ont.

DON MITCHELL, Safety Consultant, Mississauga, Ont. MICHELE PARENT, National Manager, Risk Management and Health and Wellness,

Standard Life, Montreal, Que. TERRY RYAN, Workers’ Compensation and Safety Consultant, TRC Group Inc., Mississauga, Ont. DON SAYERS, Principal Consultant, Don Sayers & Associates, Hanwell, N.B. DAVID SHANE, National Director, Health and Safety, Canada Post Corporation, Ottawa, Ont. HENRY SKJERVEN, President, The Skjerven Cattle Company Ltd., Wynyard, Sask. PETER STRAHLENDORF, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Health, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Ont. JONATHAN TYSON, Association of Canadian Ergonomists/Association canadienne d’ergonomie, North Bay, Ont.

OHS CANADA is the magazine for people who make decisions about health and safety in the workplace. It is designed to keep workers, managers and safety professionals informed on oh&s issues, up to date on new developments and in touch with current thinking in the oh&s community. WEBSITE: http://www.ohscanada.com INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS contained in this publication have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable and to be representative of the best current opinion on the subject. No warranty, guarantee nor representation is made by Business Information Group as to the absolute correctness or sufficiency of any representation contained in this publication. OHS CANADA is published eight times per year by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services. The yearly issues include: January/February, March, April/May, June, July/ August, September, October/November, and December. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is pending at Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14304. U.S. Postmaster, Office of Publication, send address corrections to: OHS Canada, 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-0357. ADDRESS: OHS CANADA MAGAZINE, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9. TELEPHONE: Customer Service: 1-866-543-7888; Editorial: 416-510-6893; Sales: 416-510-5102; Fax: 416-510-5171. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Canada: $110.50/year; USA: $132.50/year; foreign: $137.50. (Prices include postage and shipping; applicable taxes are extra.) SINGLE COPIES: Canada: $6.00; USA: $8.00; foreign $10.00 Bulk subscription rates available on request. Indexed by Canadian Business Periodicals Inc. ISSN 0827-4576 OHS Canada (Print) • ISSN 1923-4279 OHS Canada (Online) Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. From time to time, we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Customer Service: (Tel) 416-510-5189; (Fax) 416-510-5167; (E-mail) asingh@bizinfogroup.ca; (Mail) Privacy Officer, Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Canada. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may be used for your personal, non-commercial purposes only. All other rights are reserved, and commercial use is prohibited. To make use of any of this material, you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information, please contact the editor. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

POSTAL INFORMATION: Publications mail agreement no. 40069240. Postmaster, please forward forms 29B and 67B to Business Information Group. 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Canada. Date of issue: DECEMBER 2014

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panorama 1,000,000 1 2

Eye on Dust: British Columbia forestry corporation Conifex Timber announced on September 5 that it would invest $12 million in a new safety program this year to target combustible dust in its two sawmills. The company plans to spend approximately $7 million to reduce dust and safety hazards at its sawmill in Fort St. James, and invest $5 million on its other mill in Mackenzie. Source: Canadian Occupational Health and Safety News (COHSN) 1.

2. Up in Flames: Yorkton Fire Department responded to an explosion, which occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on October 24, at Louis Dreyfus Commodities’ canola-crushing plant in Saskatchewan. A statement from the City of Yorkton says all staff are accounted for and injuries, if any, are unknown. The cause and extent of the Source: City of Yorkton damage is being investigated.

Mining Review: Ontario will develop a mining-health database to track incidents of illness and exposure to carcinogenic substances, help prevent miners from unsafe exposure and assist in the development of improved health and safety rules. Chief Prevention Officer George Gritziotis, who leads the Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review, said on September 10 that although the review’s final report would not be submitted until early next year, the province would act on initial findings from the mining safety review. Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour

4. Safety on the Rails: The Teamsters Canada union has launched an advertisement campaign on rail safety, urging the government to get tougher on safety regulations, inspections and enforcement. The advertisement, which aired on national television for the first time on October 8, claims that a train accident occurs every 60 hours. The Lac-Mégantic derailment highlighted the importance of protecting both industry workers and the general Source: Teamsters Canada public, the union says. 5. Good

Work: WorkSafeNB honoured two companies for their outstanding workplace health and safety efforts at its 2014 conference, which took place from October 1 to 3. Arnold Anderson of packaging company Amcor Packaging Canada Inc. in Moncton and Shirley Mitchell of automotive-service company Coast Tire & Auto Service Ltd. in Saint John accepted the safety achievement awards. Source: WorkSafeNB

360°

MEN UNDERGROUND Surging water that trapped at least 18 workers in an underground coal mine in Turkey on October 28 has raised concerns about the nation’s workplace safety standards. Initial reports say flooding inside the Has Sekerler mine caused a cave-in, but subsequent reports indicate that workers were trapped by water. Turkey’s emergency-management agency says a broken pipe in the mine caused the flooding. About 20 other workers escaped or were rescued from the mine, some 500 kilometres south of Ankara. In May, a fire inside a coal mine in the western town of Soma killed 301 miners. Source: The Associated Press

DECEMBER 2014

ohs canada

Number of hours without losttime incidents at Hydro One Brampton, as the company announced on October 22. In March, the company became the first local distribution company in Ontario to obtain a Certificate of Recognition from the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association. Source: Hydro One Brampton Networks Inc.

$280,000

Penalty handed down to Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan on October 22 over the death of a 28-year-old worker, who was crushed by a conveyor belt at the company’s Allan mine site in 2012. Source: Government of Saskatchewan

$80,000

Fine issued to Innovative Industries in Ontario on October 20. A worker died after falling through a skylight on an industrial building in Brantford while performing roof repairs and installing new roofing materials in 2012. Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour

11.7 %

Percentage of time drivers in a study spent interacting with a cell phone, talking on the phone or holding it in their hands. The findings of the United States study, published in October, looked at the link between cell-phone use while driving and the risk of a crash or near-crash incident. Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

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LETTERS

Recent issues of ohs canada and our website, www.ohscanada.com, have provided readers with plenty to chew on. A GUIDING HAND A new guide by the Ontario Human Rights Commission helps employers resolve human-rights issues relating to mental-health and addiction problems. (ohs canada, October/November 2014) After reading the article “The Human Factor” in ohs canada magazine, I wondered if anyone has considered age discrimination regarding company health benefits. The Canadian government recommends waiting until age 70 before retiring, yet at least one major healthbenefits provider that I know of cuts off long-term disability benefits at age 65. Hope I don’t get really sick or injured between my 66th and 70th birthdays. Casey Hoogveld Director of Safety, Sunwest Aviation Ltd. Calgary

CONTRACTOR JAILED

and debate on the issue. (the press, October 1, 2014)

An Ontario electrical contractor was sentenced to jail. (cohsn, October 20, 2014)

Way to go, Jim. Finally, some commonsense politician.

Good observations vis-a-vis technical qualifications and compliance. But the problem of competency goes far beyond tradesmen. Consider, for instance, if someone wants to start an excavation or a small construction company, one need only leverage finances to purchase some used (often very used) loader(s), excavator(s) and a couple of tandem axle dump trucks. Whether or not the “business owner” has even operated any of that equipment is irrelevant. Most provincial agencies are so mesmerized by the prospect of employment that they are unable to see the likelihood that this operation is also likely to create a fair bit of work for local coroners. And it is across the country…

Clint Martindale

Don Sayers, CD, CRSP

HUMAN ERROR CITED MIND MATTERS Ontario’s labour ministry is making traumatic mental stress a priority, following a roundtable on the issue held in October. (canadian occupational health and safety news (cohsn), October 13, 2014) We all know what we should do to stay physically fit and healthy, but what can you do to stay mentally fit and healthy? So much emphasis is placed on curing mental illness — “shutting the gate after the horse has bolted”. It is important in these days of constant stress to develop ways in which people can stay mentally healthy and sustain the resilience to more than cope with stress at work and in life. There are very real ways in which this can be achieved, but first, it has to become a priority in research and workplace culture or policies. Peter Nicholls

DECEMBER 2014

ohs canada

A judicial inquiry concludes that human failure led to the deadly cave-in of a northern Ontario mall two years ago. (the canadian press, October 15, 2014) With respect to the Elliot Lake Report, we all know that the root cause is sometimes a tough target to hit, unless the right people have made appropriate contributions and all the evidence is made available, without bias. In the case of Elliot Lake, this was not the case. Like previous commission reports, keep in mind that there is always another side to the story, and many issues were not given their due. Alan Thomas

MORE RESEARCH NEEDED Alberta premier will not consider putting workers on family farms under oh&s regulations until there is more research

canadian

STILL NO ANSWER A probe into the crash of a military helicopter three years ago nears its end, but investigators are not sure when they will reveal the results. (the canadian press, September 28, 2014) A report on the crash of the Chinook in May 2011 remains conspicuous by its absence, given that information is readily available on 20 more recent incidents involving Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft. About half of those investigations are complete. Having read this, I believed it was really informative… I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile! Weight Loss Doctor

TRIBUNAL BACKS OFFICER’S DECISION The Occupational Health and Safety Tribunal Canada upheld a safety officer’s decision that required rescue equipment and training for those who work in Bell Canada’s confined spaces. (cohsn, September 22, 2014) It says right in the OHSA Regulations that employers have the duty to take every precaution reasonable for the protection of the worker. Why does Bell Canada think they are above the law? I think the Ministry of Labour should definitely be visiting their job sites a lot more to make sure they are not breaking any other laws. Safety Lady

Having been responsible for the oh&s program for Bell in the past, and having some involvement in the 2007 fatalities of two Bell contractors, I am deeply disappointed that it has taken seven years to resolve something that is abundantly clear. Sad to think that the blood of two dead workers did not bring about more meaningful and expeditious corrective actions.

cess taken prior to boarding a flight to Egypt. Our Canadian government cannot simply chase all journalists who travel globally and place themselves in potential harm’s path.

Brad Owens

A distributor plays a pivotal role in helping manufacturers extend the reach of their personal protective equipment and providing value-added service to end users. (ohs canada, September 2014)

SOLVENT SYNDROME Workers who are exposed to solvents could face neurological effects later in life. (ohs canada, September 2014) A very informative article. Enjoyed and gained knowledge. Mohammed Minhaj Karim

Terrific article and well written. Dr. Douglas Hamm has a deep understanding of the subject. The article should be widely circulated to health and safety groups. Dr. Noel Kerin

SEEKING POLITICAL INTERVENTION The family of an Egyptian-Canadian journalist imprisoned in Cairo hopes that the leaders of Canada and Egypt will discuss the case at the UN General Assembly. (the canadian press, September 22, 2014) As the article states, “He was working for Qatar-based satellite news broadcaster Al Jazeera English when he was arrested on December 29 along with two colleagues — Australian correspondent Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian producer.” Who forced him to pursue spending time in Egypt? No one in Canada is forced to spend time in countries where civil unrest is a part of everyday reality. When you place yourself in a position of high hazard, be prepared then to meet the unexpected — or, shall I say, expected? All this for the thrill of publishing a story? I sympathize with the family members who are left behind, but that should have been the first thought pro-

Ernie Franz

DISTRIBUTORS COUNT

I just read your article in the September edition of ohs canada, entitled “The Missing Link”. My compliments. It is both well written and informative. You correctly point out that we often overlook the important role played by distributors of safety equipment. We frequently highlight the product manufacturers in our advice on compliant products, because it is their names on the equipment and on the product literature. But it is the distributors (and retailers) who most often deal directly with company purchasers and end users of safety equipment. While most manufacturers are headquartered in other countries, it is the Canadian distributors who are located close to workplaces across Canada. For these reasons, they greatly influence decisions on proper selection of equipment as well as provide advice on use and care. And that is also why we at CSA Group welcome equipment distributors on our Standards Technical Committees. They have great insight into the needs of Canadian workers and promote the value of certified compliant safety equipment. Dave Shanahan Project Manager, OHS/MIES CSA Group Mississauga, Ontario

WAKE-UP CALL An armoured-truck robbery that saw guards injured in Montreal spurs calls for changes. (cohsn, September 2, 2014) So when does legislation take place for the safety of not only the armoured-

car employees, but the public as well? Does another have to get seriously hurt or, even worse, become mortally wounded just because a company decides that they will save the flimsy cost of a third crew member, compared to the tremendous profits that are being made by companies trying to impose the two-man crew, which is only an invitation for robberies? If legislation is in place enforcing three-man crews, everyone is safe and all companies are on the same bidding, so safety is not jeopardized! Michael Childs

Some unions have been fighting with these armoured-car companies for at least five years now and telling them that this business model does not work... Employers should never make profit a priority before employee safety. When will these companies learn? What needs to happen? How many lives need to be drastically affected before they change? Me, I am just a simple armoured-car worker trying to make ends meet and make it home to my family safely. Enough is enough. Andre Desjardins

BIG BROTHER’S WATCHING Ontario’s workers’ compensation board is using covert surveillance to weed out fraudulent claims. (ohs canada, September 2014) I was always given the understanding by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board staff that employer fraud, such as underreporting the number of employees, failing to report accidents and fraudulently misrepresenting payroll to avoid premiums, was much higher than workers trying to make a fraudulent claim. This article makes no mention of employer fraud at all, and it is a much larger problem. What action is being taken to weed out fraudulent companies? Eric DePoe

Would you like to share a comment? Send an email to jlian@ohscanada.com. Letters may be edited for style, grammar and length. www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

OH&S UPDATE

FATIGUE CRACK FORCED LANDING FEDERAL — A fatigue crack and an improperly maintained cabin ventilation system were to blame for the forced landing of a plane two years ago, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) reveals in an investigation report. On October 15, 2012, a Piper PA34-200 operated by Nadeau Air Service Inc. left Trois-Rivières, Quebec on an instrument-training flight with two pilots aboard. During a missed approach to the Victoriaville airport, the right engine failed and caught fire. The TSB report, released on October 2, says the crew followed proper procedures, but smoke and fire entered the cockpit because one of the cabin heater duct control cables was disconnected. Soon afterwards, dense smoke spread into the cockpit. “Flames from the right side of the aircraft appeared at the instructor’s feet, setting fire to his trousers,” the report says. “The instructor immediately transferred control back to the pilot, urging him to make an emergency landing as he tried to smother the flames on his clothing with his hands. Smoke then filled the cabin again, making it difficult for the pilots to breathe and obstructing their view.”

The pilot decided to land straight ahead in a field. The instructor lost consciousness during the descent, and the aircraft struck the ground, seriously injuring both flight personnel. The investigation found a fatigue crack in a weld-repaired area of the right engine’s crankcase — a repair that did not meet the engine manufacturer’s standards. The report notes that such risks have been documented, but only certain Federal Aviation Administrationapproved shops can perform repairs. “Consequently, if an aircraft is equipped with weld-repaired crankcase, there is an increased risk of engine failure,” the report says. The crack spread and led to the engine failure; oil then spread in the engine compartment and caught fire. “The examination of the heating, ventilation and defrost system during the last inspection of the aircraft was not performed according to the procedures recommended by the aircraft manufacturer,” the report adds. “Consequently, it was impossible for the inspection to ascertain whether the system was operating properly.” The malfunction of the defrost system created an “extreme emergency” that required the aircraft to land immediately in

a field. The flames and smoke affected the two pilots and led to a deterioration in visibility in the cockpit, while the carbon monoxide in the smoke triggered hypoxia in the crew, rendering them unable to perform their tasks.

OTTAWA GETS ADVISORY LETTERS FEDERAL — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has issued two new safety advisory letters to the City of Ottawa, related to distracted driving and bus speed on the Transitway at VIA Rail level crossings. The letters, issued on September 24, form part of the TSB’s progress update into the fatal bus-train collision in 2013 that claimed the lives of six bus passengers and injured dozens. On September 18, 2013, VIA Rail passenger train No. 51 entered the Transitway at a speed of about 75 km/h, where it was struck by a northbound OC Transpo double-decker bus. The collision sheared the front of the bus off and derailed the train. Among other items, the TSB investigation has found the following: • There was no medical illness involved in the driver’s death, and toxicology testing showed no evidence of drugs

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION CITED IN RAIL FATALITY FEDERAL — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has identified a lack of direct supervision and the misapplication of critical safety operating procedures as contributing factors that led to a fatal rail accident in Saskatchewan. On November 18, 2013, a Canadian National Railway freight train struck and seriously injured a conductor trainee who was securing a “derail” mounted between the rails, says a statement released by the TSB on October 22. A derail is a device used to prevent unintended movement of trains. The worker, who was performing switching operations at an interchange track near Tisdale, Saskatchewan, succumbed to his injuries. The TSB investigation found that when conductor trainees work independently, without direct and close supervision, the risk of error increases and can lead to accidents. There is also a risk of misapplying safety rules and instructions when there is inadequate reinforcement of proper procedures, reduced training periods and lack of continuity and assessment among trainers. The accident occurred while the trainee was securing a

DECEMBER 2014

ohs canada

derail mounted between the rails on track TS 23, with his back to the train. “The required switching tasks likely conflicted with the trainee’s mental model, and instead of lining main track switch TS 22 to the normal position, the trainee inadvertently reversed the nearest main track switch (TS 23) and lined it into the interchange track where he was working,” the report notes. As the trainee had inadvertently reversed switch TS 23 and mistakenly reported the mainline switch as lined and locked in the normal position for the main track, the crew was unaware that the train was not following its intended route. About one month after the accident on December 19, 2013, the TSB sent a Rail Safety Advisory letter to Transport Canada identifying the potential risks associated with switching operations, specifically concerning the proximity of the conductor to the trainee while supervising tasks. Transport Canada indicated that it had identified the issue of trainee supervision in its risk-based business plan for the upcoming year and would be developing risk-control actions to address it. — By Jason Contant

or alcohol; • T he bus met or exceeded all Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards criteria for operation in Canada; • The bus was maintained in accordance with the operator’s approved maintenance program; • No brake defects or mechanical discrepancies on the bus were reported; • Full braking force was not initially applied; and • Some passengers may have been moving or standing on the upper deck while the bus was in motion. Under these conditions, a driver needs to glance at a video screen periodically to monitor the upper deck while the bus was moving. “This situation can lead to a driver being visually distracted from the driving task,” the progress report notes. “Given the importance of minimizing driver distraction, the City of Ottawa may wish to review the procedural/operational aspects related to the use of the video monitors on OC Transpo double-decker buses.” The report adds that the city can also implement additional measures to monitor and control bus speed, particularly in the vicinity of railway crossings. The TSB says the City of Ottawa has taken the following actions: reduced the speed on the Transitway in the area of the crossing from 60 km/h to 50 km/h; cleared the trees and brush that obscured the crossing; removed the sign adjacent to the Transitway that obscured the crossing lights; and installed an advance warning light for the northbound lane approaching the crossing. VIA Rail has corrected a total of 20 lights that were slightly misaligned at 12 crossings.

TARGETED INSPECTIONS LAUNCHED WHITEHORSE — The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) says it will begin targeted inspections if the agency observes “troubling trends in a specific industry.” From October 20 to December 15, oh&s officers will visit mechanical shops and garages to ensure compliance with safety regulations. In particular, officers will visit tire shops, repair garages, dealerships, heavy-equipment shops, trucking companies, recreational-vehicle companies, rental agencies, paint shops and salvage yards. Officers will focus on personal protective equipment, machine guards, lock-

out procedures, working from heights, confined spaces, mobile and electrical equipment, general equipment maintenance, work practices and other hazards. Workplaces that do not meet the regulations will receive orders and face fines or prosecution. The YWCHSB will report its findings once the targeted inspections are completed.

SEX WORKERS ASSAULTED SURREY — The Surrey RCMP is issuing a warning to sex-trade workers after two recent assaults. In both incidents, a lone man led the victims on foot to secluded areas, where they were sexually and physically assaulted. The first incident occurred on October 12, when a police officer was flagged down by a sex-trade worker who said she had been assaulted. Police conducted an extensive search of the area with the assistance of a canine unit, but were unable to locate the suspect, the Surrey RCMP reports. On October 18, another sex worker came forward with a similar experience that had taken place about one month earlier. “The Surrey RCMP continue to be in close contact with those engaged in high-risk activities to provide awareness and prevent further offences from occurring,” an RCMP statement says.

CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO CURB FALLS VANCOUVER — WorkSafeBC has launched a safety campaign aimed at reducing the number of falls from heights in Lower Mainland British Columbia. The regulator says falls from heights accounted for 92 worker deaths and 22,610 serious injuries between 2004 and 2013. The greatest number of deaths and injuries occurred in the construction sector, which comprised 54 per cent of all work-related deaths and 30 per cent of total occupational fall injuries in the province, WorkSafeBC reports. Carpenters, roofers and labourers had the highest likelihood of falling at residential construction worksites, with falls from ladders and roofs or scaffolding being the most common. “With one million job openings projected by 2022, many of them will be in the trades — and many of them in the trades at the highest risk for falls from heights,” Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs,

Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, says in a statement. “This makes it doubly important for WorkSafeBC to focus on educating and training employees and employers about safe practices on job sites.” WorkSafeBC launched the campaign on September 17 at Seylynn Village, a high-rise building site in North Vancouver. Five Lower Mainland construction companies partnered with the agency. The statement says recent WorkSafeBC research has indicated that time and economic constraints, lack of training and an enhanced need for leadership in safety are factors influencing falls from heights. Other challenges to creating a safety culture include peer pressure and entrenched work habits. The campaign strives to address these findings and includes new training resources, a social-media contest, hard-hat stickers, a poster, perimeter fencing and oversized signage to remind employers and workers to speak up for safety.

GUARD KILLED ON FILM SET BURNABY — A security guard working on the set of the science-fiction TV show Falling Skies in British Columbia has died, after he was crushed between a vehicle and a tree. On September 15, the employee of Invasion Productions was on the set of the filming of the fifth season of the show in Burnaby. Scott McCloy, director of media relations with WorkSafeBC, says the driver of a five-tonne truck parked his vehicle on a slope and left the vehicle. “The vehicle tailgate was lowered for offloading of equipment, and shortly thereafter, the unattended vehicle rolled backwards down the slope and struck the worker, who was crushed between the tailgate and a tree.” McCloy confirms that the security guard was a member of the Teamsters Canada union. The British Columbia Coroners Service identified the worker as Amrik Gill, 59, of Delta. Actsafe, which provides workplace safety training, education and resources to employers and workers in the province’s motion-picture and performingarts sectors, says it will offer its support to help prevent similar tragedies from happening again. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of this member of our community,” Actsafe’s executive director Geoff Teoli says. www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

UNION CALLS FOR CHANGES BURNABY — In the wake of the disaster at the Mount Polley gold and copper mine in British Columbia in August, when a tailings-dam failure spilled an estimated 25 million cubic metres of water and mine tailings into Quesnel Lake, District 3 of the United Steelworkers (USW) is demanding a change regarding oversight of health and safety in the mining sector. The British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines has been in charge of regulating mining safety since 1877. As a result, the prevention jurisdiction of WorkSafeBC does not extend to mines covered by the Mines Act, thereby posing a potential danger to both mine workers and the environment, argues Stephen Hunt, director of USW District 3, which covers the four western provinces and the territories. “The government is high on promotion of the extractive industries, and they are going to promote at all costs, at the expense of health and safety and the environment,” Hunt charges. The provincial government’s annual Chief Inspector of Mines reports have noted that 13 mine workers in the province have been killed at work and an additional 423 injured since 2000. Over the same period, mine inspectors in British Columbia have issued more than 26,000 health and safety orders in

response to safety violations. But despite the obvious dangers of working in mines, Hunt says the province’s mining sector has developed a reputation for being safe — and his union may have contributed to that. “We have negotiated language in collective agreements that far exceed the health and safety regiments that the government has put in,” he claims. “We have in our mining agreements the right to refuse dangerous work. You don’t see that in very many collective agreements around the country,” he notes, adding that mine workers have the right to participate in health and safety committees. Hunt notes that a tailings-dam failure like the one in Mount Polley has never occurred in the province before. “They are calling it the worst environmental failure in mining history in British Columbia,” he says. “A tailings-dam failure like that ought not to ever happen.”

EMPLOYEE BURNS HANDS IN FIRE PROVOST — One worker sustained burn injuries to his hands when a fire broke out at an oil-and-gas site in Alberta. Sometime before noon on October 15, two employees of Davco Welding Ltd. in Wainwright were cleaning out a tank containing hydrocarbons at the Husky Energy oil site near Hardisty, when the fire started in the tank,

reports Brookes Merritt, spokesperson for the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour in Edmonton. Only one of two workers was injured in the incident, which occurred in the municipal district of Provost. Merritt says the occupational health and safety division of the labour ministry issued a stop-work order for any work around the tank. Sandy Otto, the Town of Hardisty’s acting chief administrative officer, says all contractors were evacuated as a precautionary measure and that Husky mobilized air-quality monitoring systems. The fire was extinguished, and the road adjacent to the site was reopened later that day. According to Work Safe Alberta, before performing any work involving a tank that may contain hydrocarbons or other hazardous materials, the interior may need to be tested to determine if a flammable environment is present. “Where a vessel, tank or piping system previously contained hydrocarbons, it must be made safe for workers by purging or inerting before work begins,” the information notes. Purging flushes out hydrocarbons by introducing substances such as an inert gas, steam or water, while using air as a purging gas significantly hikes the risk of an explosion. Instead, a non-flammable and non-reactive gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, or a compatible inert liquid, like water, should be used.

MIXED RESPONSES OVER EXTENDING COVERAGE EDMONTON — Recent comments by provincial Premier Jim Prentice that he might consider extending oh&s legislation to large-scale farm businesses, but not to smaller ones, has garnered mixed responses from Alberta’s labour organizations. During an interview on CBC Radio’s Alberta at Noon on October 1, Prentice said he was not considering extending oh&s coverage to Alberta’s family-run farms, but noted that such legislation may be appropriate for larger agri-business operations. He added that he wanted to see more research on the issue. Siobhán Vipond, secretary treasurer with the Alberta Federation of Labour, says all farm workers deserve full oh&s coverage, regardless of farm size or type. “There are family farms that are quite large and have many paid employees,” Vipond says. “These are dangerous worksites. And so, without the legislation protecting them, we are putting these workers in a vulnerable position.” Alberta is the only Canadian province that excludes the agriculture sector from oh&s legislation; farms there are also exempt from certain labour standards and mandatory workers’ compensation. Eric Musekamp, president of the Farmworkers Union of

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Alberta, argues that Alberta’s powerful farm lobby has prevented the province from expanding workplace safety laws to agriculture. “It is a quest for a privilege on behalf of the farm lobby. They perceive that they derive privilege by this special treatment under law, and they want to maintain it.” Musekamp, citing statistics on agricultural fatalities from the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, points out that the number of child fatalities in Alberta’s farm sector has risen by an average of six per cent every year for the past 19 years. “We have a diminishing population of children in agriculture, but the fatality rate has stayed stable. So it translates into an annual increase.” He adds that agricultural fatalities in the province have been severely underreported. The Farmworkers Union of Alberta has been advocating for Alberta to adopt farm-safety standards similar to those that British Columbia initiated in 1993. “They reduced their death and injury rate significantly in the agricultural sector,” Musekamp says. “The family farms that do not have employees started to take notice, started to take advantage of some of the training that was offered to employers.” He hopes that such action in Alberta would yield similar results. — By Jeff Cottrill

MINING FIRM FACES CHARGES EDMONTON — Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC has been charged with five counts under Alberta’s occupational health and safety legislation. The counts, laid on September 24, relate to an incident on September 9 near Forestburg, the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour reports. A worker was seriously injured after he was struck by a two-inch rope clamp that had dislodged from the rope, which had been cut with a torch while under tension. Among other counts, the company has been charged with failing to ensure the safety of a worker, ensure that a hazard assessment was repeated when a new work process was introduced and take measures to eliminate hazards.

that is on top of one of the seven storage caverns,” he reports. “We were able to shut off the side valve and reduce the main flow, the primary flow for the fire, but as that was shut off, the pressure in the cavern did stabilize and increase, because the gas was always still under pressure, and then a bunch of secondary fires did break out along the wellhead.” A statement from the local RCMP division, released shortly after the initial

fire began, says police evacuated the area within a three-kilometre radius of the fire and barricaded local roadways, while warning the public to stay out of the area. The statement confirms that the incident was “a natural-gas fire” that resulted from an explosion But Burdeniuk disagrees. “When it came out, it came out in a hurry and did move some stuff out of the way,” he says about the fire. “But then, as that gas

WORKER KILLED IN SHOP YARD CALGARY — A worker has died following an incident at a dirt-moving company just outside of Calgary. On September 8, workers in the maintenance shop yard at Contour Earthmoving Ltd. in Rocky View were using a forklift to move a grader-cab enclosure — the part of the machine where the operator sits. Another worker was walking alongside the moving equipment, when the load became unstable, fell and landed on the worker. Lauren Welsh, public affairs officer with the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour in Edmonton, says the 56-year-old employee was pronounced dead at the scene. A stop-use order was placed on the forklift.

FIRE AT PUMPING STATION PRUD’HOMME — A series of fires broke out at a TransGas pumping station south of Prud’Homme, Saskatchewan and continued blazing for several days. The initial fire broke out at about 10 a.m. on October 11, says Dave Burdeniuk, director of media and government relations with SaskEnergy, which owns TransGas Limited as a subsidiary. There were no injuries or deaths, as the facility is automated during weekends and evenings in October due to low production. Burdeniuk adds that it is not yet clear what had caused the fire. “There was a failure of a side vent on the wellhead www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

was rushing out, it did rip apart a couple pieces of metal for the cover building that is overtop of the wellhead.” TransGas soon stabilized and contained the fire to the site, Burdeniuk adds. The company later had help from Safety Boss, a Calgary-based fire-suppression firm. SaskEnergy, a crown corporation of the provincial government in charge of natural gas, has been operating caverns for 50 years. Burdeniuk says this is the first time that it has dealt with a wellhead fire. “Cavern maintenance is obviously a priority for us,” he notes. “And that is what we now have to figure out: is this flaw from a part from the manufacturer? Is this a maintenance process that we need to improve upon?” He adds that the facility’s automated emergency shutdown system worked properly during the incident.

ARENA CLOSED DUE TO CONCERNS MELFORT — The City of Melfort, Saskatchewan has shut down its main arena indefinitely, due to concerns that deterioration of the roof structure and the indoor air quality are potential dangers to employees and others. Following a visitor complaint about the smell inside the 83-year-old arena,

the city’s building official inspected the facility at the end of summer, reports Teri Scaife, the city’s director of community services. “There was disintegration and deterioration of the roof structure, due to water leaking, as well as black mould,” Scaife adds. “That deteriorated some of the mechanical aspects of the rink.” An examination by the local public health inspector took place on September 18, followed by an air-quality test four days later. The test “did come back positive with residue of black mould as well as wood rot,” Scaife notes, adding that many of the outer walls of the building tested positive for asbestos content. After a meeting with the city’s oh&s committee, which verified the reports by the building official and the health inspector, Melfort’s Council of the Whole Committee voted on September 24 to close the arena due to safety concerns. “With the past two winters that we have had, with the amount of snow,” Scaife says, “the roof could have collapsed.” The city is considering whether to repair and reopen the facility or to close it and move ahead with plans for a new arena. According to the city’s website, it would cost about $31,250 just to remediate the building from black mould and asbestos. The cost to fix the arena fully would be roughly half a million dollars.

WORKERS NOT HURT IN HEIST WINNIPEG — Two employees of a convenience store in Winnipeg escaped unscathed following a robbery. Members of the Winnipeg Police Service were dispatched to the store at about 4:30 a.m. on September 23, after receiving a report of a commercial robbery. A man entered the store, went behind the counter and stole an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing. Police arrested the man nearby shortly afterward. Garnet Sumner, 26, has been charged with robbery, uttering threats, causing death or bodily harm and breach of probation.

ONE KILLED IN PLANT EXPLOSION SARNIA — An explosion and subsequent fire at an industrial facility in Sarnia, Ontario has killed one employee and injured several others. The incident took place on October 25 at a plant belonging to Veolia Environmental Services, an international company that uses propane and oxygen to conduct thermal spraying of aluminum. According to information from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, a dust-

REPORT BLAMES HUMAN FAILURE FOR ROOF COLLAPSE ELLIOT LAKE — Human failure was the main cause of the roof collapse at Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario two years ago, a comprehensive report by an independent commission concludes. The incident killed two and injured 19 others. Report of the Elliot Lake Commission of Inquiry, released by the Elliot Lake Inquiry (ELI) on October 15, determines that the roof collapse indirectly resulted from the failures of several people involved in the building’s construction and maintenance, including designers, builders, owners, architects, engineers and inspectors, as well as political officials who had failed to protect the public sufficiently. “Some of these failings were minor, some were not,” ELI commissioner Justice Paul R. Bélanger says in a statement. “They ranged from apathy, neglect and indifference through mediocrity, ineptitude and incompetence to outright greed, obfuscation and duplicity.” Although the ELI’s investigation found “incontrovertible” evidence that severe rusting of the connection of a column and a beam had caused the roof to collapse, the report places the overall blame on human negligence, some of it willful. “Occasional voices of alarm and warning blew by deaf and callous ears,” Bélanger writes. “Warning signs went unseen by eyes likely averted for fear of jeopardizing the mall’s existence — the social and economic centre in Elliot Lake.”

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The report is especially harsh on the work of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-based engineer Robert Wood, who inspected the mall several weeks before the incident. “I found his inspection to be seriously deficient,” Bélanger writes in the report’s executive summary. In January, the Ontario Provincial Police charged Wood with criminal negligence in connection with the mall collapse. If convicted, Wood could face life imprisonment. The report offers 71 recommendations, including the following: • A mandatory requirement to hold public buildings to minimum long-term safety standards; • The accessibility of information about whether buildings meet these minimum standards to owners, potential buyers and the general public; • Mandatory, frequent inspections of buildings by qualified structural engineers; • A process by which authorities in charge of buildings are held accountable for all of their actions; • Proper training and certification of all professionals required to evaluate whether buildings meet safety standards; and • Better training, direction and communication among Ontario Ministry of Labour employees charged with inspecting buildings. — By Jeff Cottrill

collection system outside the building exploded and caused structural damage in the middle of the afternoon. “Five workers were injured in the incident, including two who were critically injured,” confirms labour-ministry spokesperson Bruce Skeaff. “The five injured workers were transported to hospital.” One of the critically-injured parties was subsequently airlifted from Sarnia’s Bluewater Health hospital to a London hospital for further treatment. Skeaff adds that ministry inspectors, firefighters and officials from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office were at the scene of the explosion. “A City of Sarnia engineer attended the scene and declared the building unsafe to enter,” he says. The labour ministry issued a requirement to Veolia not to disturb the scene of the incident. The fire was extinguished the next day, and a forensics investigator examined the scene as well. Carol Gravelle, public relations officer with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management, says the office seized evidence at the site as exhibits for testing offsite.

Veolia says the company is cooperating fully with the labour ministry and other authorities in their investigations.

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR JAILED MISSISSAUGA — For the first time, an Ontario court has handed down a jail sentence to a contractor who performed illegal electrical work and violated several requirements under the Ontario College of Trades. A statement from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) in Mississauga says the contractor was sentenced to 30 days in jail and $6,250 in fines in a Hamilton court on October 2. He was also placed on two years’ probation. Richard Hazel, operating as Voltcom Electrical Services, was found guilty of eight charges: four counts of working without an electrical contractor’s licence; one count of failing to obtain the required inspections; two counts of producing a false certificate of qualification; and one count of leaving behind unsafe electrical conditions in four homes in

Hamilton and Burlington. The business’ operating name is similar to that of Burlington, Ontario-based Voltcom Inc., a residential/commercial and industrial electrical contractor. This was not the first time that Hazel had been convicted of unsafe electrical work, the ESA reports. In 2012, he was fined $23,750 after being convicted on 19 counts of violating electrical-safety regulations at seven sites in the Windsor area. In addition to the ESA charges, he pleaded guilty to five related charges laid by the Ontario College of Trades and was fined another $7,400, plus one year of probation, for those offences.

FINE ISSUED OVER LOST ARM OTTAWA — A business that provides a variety of contracting services to residential and commercial customers has been fined $60,000 over an incident that led to a worker losing his arm last year. McKeown Contracting, operating as 1092066 Ontario Inc., was fined on October 9 after pleading guilty to failing

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to ensure that the conveyor was cleaned, adjusted or repaired or had maintenance work performed on it only when motion that could endanger a worker had stopped, the Ontario labour ministry reports. The incident took place on August 16, 2013, when a worker was adjusting a feeder belt on a soil-screening conveyor while the belt was running. The machine pulled in the worker’s arm and severed it. An investigation found that a lockout procedure had not been in place.

FATAL FALL PROMPTS PENALTY KING CITY — Ji Nan Li, the sole proprietor of Yi Yi Construction, has been fined $15,000, following the death of a worker who fell from a residential roofing project in King City, Ontario. The fine was issued on October 10, after Li pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that workers were protected by a fallprotection system. On February 10, 2013, workers were laying shingles at a house under construction, when one worker fell nearly 24 feet to the ground from the second-storey roof, the Ontario Ministry of Labour reports. The worker was taken to hospital, with injuries that included hemorrhaging in the brain, broken ribs and fractured

vertebrae. He died a month later. Neither the constructor nor the primary roofing contractor was at the site on the day of the incident, which was a Sunday. There was a rule forbidding work to be done on Sundays. Nonetheless, Li and three employees were working at the site without permission.

PAPER PRODUCER FINED ST. CATHARINES — Interlake Acquisition Corporation Ltd. was fined $65,000 after a worker was pulled against moving machinery. The penalty was issued to the paper-products producer on October 10. On June 26, 2013, a worker at the company’s facility in St. Catharines was using an air hose to clean debris from a paper-making machine, which winds finished products onto large rolls in the reel section of the production line, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour reports. During the cleaning, the air-hose nozzle contacted the machine’s rotating core drive shaft and became entangled on it. The worker was pulled against the end of the paper roll, which continued to turn, causing injuries. A labour-ministry investigation concludes that the company failed to ensure that the rotating core shaft was protected by a guard.

RULING BACKS OFFICER’S DECISION OTTAWA — The Occupational Health and Safety Tribunal Canada (OHSTC) has upheld a federal oh&s officer’s decision requiring rescue equipment and training for those who work in Bell Canada’s confined spaces. The decision, released on September 10, centres on the interpretation of paragraph 11.3(d) of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, which states that every employer shall “specify the protection equipment and emergency equipment to be used by a person who takes part in the rescue of a person from the confined space or in responding to other emergency situations in the confined space.” The ruling by tribunal appeals officer Olivier Bellavigna-Ladoux backs an April 2012 direction from health and safety officer Régis Tremblay, but expands it to apply to all of Bell Canada’s confined spaces. Following the deaths of two workers in a confined space in Oakville, Ontario in 2007, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada — now part of Unifor — recommended the provision of a tripod, body harness and lanyard for rescue purposes, as well as training of employees on the use of the equipment. Tremblay recommended the

PROVINCE SEEKS FEEDBACK ON PROPOSED CHANGES HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour and Advanced Education is seeking feedback from employers and workers on proposed changes to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The proposed changes cover a variety of topics, including occupational health, first aid, sanitation and accommodation, personal protective equipment (PPE), excavation and trenching, blasting safety, confined spaces, surface mine workings, occupational diving and committees and representatives. Some proposed amendments include the following: • Defining occupational exposure limits as values listed in the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists’ booklet on threshold limit values; • Clarifying an employer is responsible for the cost of PPE; • Reducing the distance required for a ladder for access or exit from 15 metres to 7.5 metres from where a person is working; • Adding a section for seismic blasting and a requirement to include weather conditions in a blaster’s log; • Removing the requirement for head protection for occupational divers, as it was deemed impractical. Hazards must be identified in a risk assessment; and • Including items that a safety committee must consider

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when preparing its rules of procedure. Jim Cormier, Atlantic director of the Retail Council of Canada, says he is pleased that his feedback — the need for onsite inspectors to have more discretion around enforcement and to focus more efforts and education on the inspection of high-risk sites — was included in the proposed changes. “We are seeing a lot of positive changes in workplace safety,” Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, says in a statement. “I am encouraged by their level of engagement, and I would like to invite everyone to have their say in this consultation.” The proposed changes came on the heels of another workplace safety improvement in the province: administrative penalties, which took effect on October 1. The penalties are based on a graduated approach, focusing on raising awareness and enforcing the law through compliance orders before issuing administrative penalties, labour-department spokesperson Chrissy Matheson reports. “The penalties in the system will be more predictable,” she says, noting that penalties range from $500 to $2,000. “There is a structured fine schedule that outlines penalty amounts for contraventions and how penalties will escalate with repeat contraventions.” — By Jason Contant

deployment of this designated equipment as a “good health and safety practice,” but Bell disagreed, arguing that the company provided cell phones for workers to call 9-1-1 if needed. “I find that the provision of a cell phone alone to call emergency services does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph 11.3(d),” Bellavigna-Ladoux writes in the appeal decision. “Given the potential risks associated with working in confined spaces, there is a greater responsibility on the employer to ensure that proper procedures and equipment are put in place to safeguard the health and safety of employees in case of emergency.” Bellavigna-Ladoux says Bell provided evidence that the local fire department in six jurisdictions in Ontario (Guelph, Woodstock, Ajax-Pickering, Caledonia, Markham and Unionville) would attend if called, but had no capacity to conduct rescue operations in a manhole. Doug Dutton, president of Unifor Local 52 in Newmarket, Ontario and Bell’s health and safety resource for Ontario, agrees that more measures are needed. “If you are not conscious in the confined space, you won’t be able to use a cell phone, whether it works or not.” He adds that there is a 45-minute time lag with some fire departments. It also depends on whether they bring the equipment or the right trucks on the initial response. Tremblay’s original direction for two specific types of confined spaces orders the company to specify protective equipment, pursuant to section 11.3(d). Dutton says the completion date is not indicated, but both Bell and Unifor have contacted Tremblay to discuss implementation.

ing the 43-year-old’s death, which follows the suicides of four RCMP officers and retirees this year. In the wake of the deaths, the RCMP announced in July that it had begun tracking officer suicides as part of its mental-health strategy. The RCMP, with the assistance of its group life-insurance provider Great-West Life, counted 31 serving or retired members who have committed suicide since 2006. Post-traumatic stress disorder was believed to be a frequent cause, as were other mental-health issues.

versity reports. The building was evacuated, and the Fredericton Fire Department confirmed that there was no further danger. Firefighters cleaned the area, and the building was closed for the day.

ROOF COLLAPSE INJURES THREE

WEST LINCOLN — A 17-year-old high school co-op placement student has died after he was struck by a front-end loader in West Lincoln, Ontario. The accident occurred at about 9:45 a.m. on September 26 at Plazek Auto Recyclers, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports. Members of the police service’s collision-reconstruction unit are working with the local coroner’s office and Ontario’s Ministry of Labour to investigate the incident.

HALIFAX — Three construction workers were sent to the hospital, after a roof collapsed in a partially built warehouse in Nova Scotia on September 18. The employees of Mike Hennigar’s General Construction Ltd. were helping to build a new lobster-storage facility for Atlantic Chican Seafood in Newellton, a small town on Cape Sable Island. According to the provincial Ministry of Labour and Advanced Education, workers were on the roof making structural repairs when the roof trusses broke. Ministry spokesperson Chrissy Matheson says the injuries were non-life-threatening and that the ministry issued a stopwork order on the construction site. All three workers were later released from the hospital. Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

RESEARCHERS HURT IN EXPLOSION

Many of the preceding items are based on stories from our sister publication,

STUDENT KILLED AT WORK

FREDERICTON — Two researchers at the University of New Brunswick’s Enterprise building in Fredericton were taken to hospital with minor injuries, following an explosion in a laboratory. The incident occurred on the morning of October 6, when a small glass vessel exploded in the laboratory at the Limerick Pulp and Paper Research Centre on the second floor of the building, the uni-

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OFFICER DEATH LIKELY A SUICIDE OTTAWA — The death of a police officer, believed to have taken his own life in the workplace, has brought the issue of police suicides back into the spotlight. Staff Sergeant Kalid Ghadban of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) died shortly after 1 p.m. on September 28, following an incident at police headquarters, OPS Chief Charles Bordeleau says in a statement. The 22-year veteran of the OPS had worked on patrol as a detective in the OPS’ major crime unit and was the staff sergeant of the street crime, breakand-enter and human-trafficking units. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit is probing the circumstances surround-

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So, what’s on your mind? Ever wonder what other oh&s types are thinking about? Find out by making our website poll at www.ohscanada.com a regular stop.

Does your workplace have a plan that addresses oh&s risks from severe weather events? Yes

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DISPATCHES

Railway industry gears up for emergencies By Jason Contant

he railway industry continues to tackle emergency response assistance plans (ERAPs) in the aftermath of the Lac-Mégantic train derailment last year in Quebec. Andy Ash, director of dangerous goods with the Ottawabased Railway Association of Canada, says Transport Canada has issued four protective directions to the industry since the derailment in July 2013. One of those, Protective Direction no. 33 (PD 33), placed new ERAP requirements on certain flammable liquids, such as petroleum, crude oil and ethanol. Ash, who spoke at the Canadian Industrial Emergency Conference and Expo in September in Hamilton, Ontario, says PD 33 came into effect on September 20 and required, among other items, that shippers conduct risk assessments along the routes to ensure that emergency-response contractors are capable of dealing with the shipped product. “Here is the kicker, the big one that made this one different from all the other ERAPs: that shipper must also indicate in the plan firefighting capabilities,” Ash says. He reports that the railway industry is working with shippers, contractors, municipalities and local fire departments to look at options, such as foam caches and sourcing water in extreme temperatures. The industry is also working with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Transport Canada, the Canadian Fuels Association, the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance, the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and Environment Canada. Ash acknowledges that it can be difficult for smaller or remote communities to comply with the requirement for firefighting capabilities, adding that Transport Canada has issued interim approvals that will remain valid until they can look at all the plans. “What are you going to do in northern Ontario? What are you going to do up in Capreol or Moonbeam or something like that, where you got the CN running right through there with all the dangerous goods?” he asks. “They only have very limited capability.” With the protective directions and changes already in place

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or occurring, Ash believes that some good will come out of the disaster. “The bottom line is to make sure good things come out of it, so we don’t have another Lac-Mégantic.” Jason Contant is editor of

pipeline.

Workplace safety moves on wheels in Manitoba By Jeff Cottrill

AFE Work Manitoba (SWM) is delivering its safety message to construction and manufacturing workers through a new mobile presentation. SAFE Work on Wheels is a program that visits worksites and safety events across the province in a trailer, delivering free presentations that illustrate the hazards and pitfalls of working without precautions. The organization for workplace safety education introduced the program on September 26 at a construction site at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. The program puts on four dramatic visual demonstrations, in which presenters demonstrate the importance of eye protection by shooting a nail gun at a pair of safety glasses and at regular glasses. They also prove the value of safety harnesses and shock-absorbing equipment with a dummy falling from a high crane, while another demonstration illustrates the benefits of cut-resistant gloves. There is even a robot that shows why it is better to lift heavy things with the legs rather than with the back. Warren Preece, spokesperson for SWM, says one of the advantages of a mobile unit is that it can bring safety education to various workplaces and events across the province. “It really takes safety out in an impactful way into workplaces and outside of the perimeter,” he notes. SAFE Work on Wheels is part of Manitoba’s five-year plan for Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention, which is in its first year. It is a variation on a concept already in use in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where mobile presentations for fire safety and construction safety, respectively, are operating. Manitoba’s workplace injury rate has declined by more than 40 per cent over the past decade, according to Erna Braun, Manitoba’s Minister of Labour and Immigration. “But we continue to look at ways in which we can create awareness,” Braun says. “This is one of our many tools that we are trying to use to decrease the injury rates.”

Jeff Cottrill is editorial assistant of

ohs canada.

Working from home as fruitful as toiling in office By Jeff Cottrill

eople who work from home or other mobile locations are just as productive as office workers are, according to recent research from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University in London, Ontario. The study, which the school conducted in partnership with telecommunications corporation TELUS, also revealed that mobile workers enjoy a better balance between work and home life and that they tend to be less likely to quit their jobs. Ivey reached these conclusions after surveying more than 2,000 TELUS knowledge workers over one year on their productivity, loyalty and satisfaction. “I think that is a really ‘good news’ story,” says study author Alison M. Konrad, Ph.D., professor of organizational behaviour at Ivey. “Professionals can self-manage, and they self-manage in the office, and they self-manage at home.” Dr. Konrad adds that the findings are not unique to TELUS. “There is a whole body of research that looks at what is the impact of telecommuting,” she says. “[It] found that telecommuting is positively related to job performance, not negative. It is not a huge positive impact, but it is systematic and reliable.” The study was conceived when TELUS wanted to analyze the effectiveness of its flexible working program, Work Styles, which has been running since 2006, when the company began allowing select teams of employees — particularly knowledge workers who did not have to be close to office equipment — to work remotely. TELUS observed a cultural shift in which younger employees preferred working at home or in coffee shops to working in office cubicles. “They wanted the freedom and flexibility to work where and when it was most suited to them,” says Calgary-based Andrea Goertz, TELUS’ senior vice-president of strategic initiatives and chief communications. “At the same time, we were also looking to try to reduce our real-estate footprint. We had a significant opportunity to pair those two things.” To conduct the study, the knowledge workers rated themselves and each other based on three categories of effectiveness: personal productivity, teamwork and continuous learning. Remote workers rated themselves higher in productivity and teamwork than the office workers did, while there was no difference in ratings among leaders regardless of their work arrangements. The study also considered the potential for distraction and slacking off while working remotely. “Some of the leaders were worried that when the cat’s away, the mice will play,”

Dr. Konrad suggests. “But we are finding that there is no difference, that mobile and home-based workers are not doing this more than residents.” Goertz agrees with Dr. Konrad that the study results can be applied to other companies and sectors. “Trends have progressed so far in this regard that it is something that companies cannot ignore,” he notes. “These days, flexibility is something that all corporations need to be thinking about.”

No-hands devices hamper driver safety: study By Jean Lian

f you think that multitasking with hands-free devices while driving is safe, think again. A study by the University of Utah and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety — an arm of the non-profit American Automobile Association — found that using hands-free, voice-controlled automobile infotainment systems is distracting and risky for motorists. “We already know that drivers can miss stop signs, pedestrians and other cars while using voice technologies because their minds are not fully focused on the road ahead,” Bob Darbelnet, AAA’s chief executive officer, notes in a statement released on October 7. “We now understand that current shortcomings in these products, intended as safety features, may unintentionally cause greater levels of cognitive distraction.” The study involved 162 students from the University of Utah and other volunteers performing a series of tasks that included calling, texting and tuning the radio using various voice-based interactive technologies while operating a driving simulator and driving real cars on a loop through a district in Salt Lake City. Through the use of instrumented test vehicles, heart-rate monitors and other equipment designed to measure reaction times, researchers ranked common voice-activated interactions based on the levels of cognitive distraction generated. The findings indicate that using one’s voice to make phone calls and tune the radio with Chevrolet’s MyLink system distracted drivers the most. Mercedes’ COMMAND system, MyFord Touch and Chrysler’s UConnect were better, but all diverted attention more than a cell-phone conversation did. The least distracting system was Toyota’s Entune, which took as much attention as listening to a book on tape did, followed by Hyundai’s Blue Link. “It is clear that not all voice systems are created equal, and today’s imperfect systems can lead to driver distraction,” Darbelnet says. “We are concerned we may be making distraction problems worse by going to voice-activated technology, especially if it is not easy to use,” study co-author Dr. Strayer says.

Jean Lian is editor of

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DECEMBER 2014

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

S BY JEFF COTTRILL

Since late last year, West Africa has been dealing with an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which has killed hundreds and put several countries on high alert. On September 30, fears rose in the Western world when the United States diagnosed the first official EVD case within its borders. What does the latest epidemic mean to air-travel employees, who interact regularly with passengers from all over the world, including potential carriers of deadly infectious diseases?

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lthough Canada has yet to report an Ebola case, one must consider the vulnerable position of its air-travel employees, including airport staff, cabin crews and flight attendants. These workers are among the first Canadians to interact with people arriving in this country, some of whom may have come from less medically advanced nations and may not even know if they have been infected. Unlike healthcare professionals, most airline employees do not have medical training, making them less likely to know how to protect themselves. “It is one thing to be a passenger where you happen to be unlucky enough to have someone in the row right beside you with one of these things,” says Michael Libman, M.D., director of the J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, Division of Infectious Diseases at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. “But if you are working on the plane, some of these employees must be coming within inches of hundreds of people a day, and clearly to be sick would pose a risk to these people.” The Ebola virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or fluids of an infected individual, potentially via needles or other contaminated objects. Currently, no licensed Ebola vaccines are available (although two potential vaccines are undergoing human-safety testing), and the disease has a fatality rate of about 50 per cent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is not the only illness to which airline employees and passengers may be vulnerable. Dr. Libman points out that anybody who works in a relatively crowded environment, especially one that is confined, has a potential risk of contracting a disease. “Whether that is in an airplane or in a movie theatre or in a public-transit bus, it is all pretty much the same,” he says. Viruses and germs can spread via coughing or sneezing, or through touching surfaces that infected people have contacted. A lot of these viruses can survive from one to a few hours. “You can pick it up on your hands and then, like everybody does, touch your hands, your mouth, your nose, your eyes, that kind of thing, transmit them that way.” Joel Kettner, medical director with the International Centre for Infectious Diseases in Winnipeg, identifies two basic factors that determine the likelihood of a person getting a virus or bacterium infection: degree of exposure and the individual’s resilience. “How severe the infection is is another question, and there is little doubt that that is affected a lot by one’s immune system. And there are many factors related to that,” Dr. Kettner says. “Stress, tiredness, malnutrition, exhaustion — all of these things play into somebody’s resilience.” Pathways of exposure to infection vary greatly, depending on the virus or disease itself, he explains. But there are several identifiable routes of exposure: through the air, which can potentially affect everybody within a closed space; through droplets of liquid, especially from sneezing or coughing, 22

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which usually does not affect people more than a few feet away; and through bodily fluids, via breaks in the skin or contact with mucous-membrane surfaces. “In some cases, those bugs are only contagious when someone is visibly ill,” Dr. Kettner says. “But in other cases, they could be harbouring viruses or bacteria without feeling sick and, even under those circumstances, can possibly transmit them. But that is kind of everyday-life risk for all of us.” To help reduce all infection risks, Dr. Libman suggests that employees practise good hygiene. “Try and get into the habit of washing hands or disinfecting hands relatively frequently, because you are going to be touching all of these surfaces.” He also advises against touching one’s orifices. He recommends that airline employees be wary of passengers who appear ill and, if possible, discourage them from boarding. “I don’t think, as a rule, there is a whole lot of vigilance, but there probably should be a little bit more.” PLANS AND PROVISIONS According to the Canadian Aviation Regulations, flight crews and operators are responsible for having procedures in place to deal with medical emergencies aboard aircraft. “Canadian air operators may subscribe to an onboard medical-advisory service, which helps the crew in assessing immediate steps to take,” says Maryse Durette, senior advisor for media relations with Transport Canada (TC) in Ottawa. That includes access to suitable airports to conduct an emergency landing where medical services are available. Troy Winters, senior health and safety officer with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in Ottawa, says a lot of airlines use the services of Medlink, a company that provides 24/7 in-flight medical assistance and pre-flight passenger assessment by phone. “Sometimes, they get really sick people and they move them to the back of the plane if they have the space.” Durette adds that the air-travel industry, like other federally regulated sectors, follows the Canada Labour Code’s conditions for safe and healthy work environments, including the right to refuse dangerous work. To protect both industry employees and other travellers, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recommends that Canadians avoid non-essential travel to affected countries at the centre of the Ebola crisis, including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. As well, border authorities are closely monitoring all points of entry into Canada for travellers who exhibit symptoms of infectious diseases. Those who are suspected of being carriers are referred to quarantine officers qualified to implement public-health measures under the Quarantine Act. The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) — the trade association representing Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet — notes that there is now an international Travel and Transport Task Force that assists with efforts to contain the Ebola virus and to coordinate an appropriate response within the travel industry. This force includes members of the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). “NACC airlines continuously monitor the activities of the Travel and Transport Task Force and WHO communications,” says the Council’s executive director, Marc-André

Pathways of exposure to inf ec O’Rourke. He adds that through joint health and safety committees and reporting protocols, “airline employees are integral partners in ensuring that their workplace is safe.” Brie Thorsteinson Ogle, media representative for WestJet in Calgary, says the airline follows best practices and guidance recommended by the IATA, the ICAO and the WHO. The latter group has not called for any travel restrictions or border closures this year, deeming the risk of a visitor to an affected nation contracting EVD to be very low. Even if an infected traveller boards a plane, the WHO says, there is little chance of other passengers getting the virus. “The ICAO has encouraged all airlines to continue to service affected countries,” Ogle explains. “Airlines have the ability, if someone presents suspicious symptoms, to utilize a fitto-fly call, and we use a contracted medical service where we can phone them and ask a specialist.” That involves going through a checklist for fit-to-fly. If someone appears to be symptomatic while in the air, the airline is required to report to the PHAC. A representative from the agency will meet the aircraft and determine if the illness is contagious and whether quarantine is required. Meanwhile, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) employs firefighters as medical first responders in its Fire and Emergency Services department to deal with emergencies at Pearson International Airport. These firefighters must notify Peel Public Health, the PHAC and Pearson’s Airport Operations Centre in cases of passenger infection. “They could be at risk if responding to a medical call at the airport and coming in contact with someone who is ill,” GTAA deputy fire chief Todd Aitken says of first responders. FLYING BLIND Winters of CUPE, which represents flight attendants working for eight Canadian airline companies, is concerned that airlines and airports in Canada are not doing enough to protect their employees from disease threats. “There is nothing that is going to stop people from getting to the airplane, really, unless they change the rules to implement some kind of pre-screening,” he says. Dr. Libman agrees. “I have spent a reasonable amount of time in airports; I can’t say that I have seen any action, either on boarding or by people getting on board the plane, to say or do anything when there is somebody who is obviously very sick getting on board.” At the level of the airline, Dr. Libman hopes that there is a process to try to persuade people who are sick to wait out and travel on another day. According to a PHAC statement issued on October 8, the Quarantine Act requires travellers to Canada who think that they might be sick with a contagious illness or have been in close contact with someone who has a contagious illness to notify a Canada Border Services Agency officer. Travellers who are ill or identify as having been in contact with an ill person will be referred to a PHAC quarantine officer, who has the necessary training and equipment, including temperature-monitoring devices, to conduct a health assessment and determine if additional health measures are needed. The statement adds that this new measure complements additional measures already put in place by the PHAC, including increasing its public health presence at Canadian air-

t i o n va r y g r e a t l y.

ports to assist in screening travellers from Ebola-affected regions and delivering public health education to international travellers. Currently, international border crossings to Canada are monitored daily, round the clock. There are no direct flights into Canada from the affected countries in Africa. Winters claims that certain airlines discouraged flight attendants from wearing masks — and even disciplined them for it — during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003. Things soon changed when passengers began boarding planes with masks and asking why the crews did not have them. He also expresses concern that crews may not be cleaning planes thoroughly enough, citing the “deep clean” processes that at least one airline adopted during the SARS scare in 2003. “Every time they turned the plane around, a deepclean foreman would actually get the different disinfectant out and wipe down all of the surfaces,” Winters explains. “But most airlines only do a deep clean between every 300 and 500 hours of flight time.” He estimates that during normal service operations, when there is no outbreak, about 70 different people could sit in one seat between each deep clean. “That clearly isn’t good enough.” Winters speculates that Canadian airlines are reluctant to discuss their approaches to managing the risk of disease, outside of generalized information such as WestJet’s and the NACC’s, in part because they do not want to create panic among passengers. But until the air-travel industry as a whole invests in thorough screening at airports, there may be little companies can do to stave off potential risks, and admitting this publicly might imply a worrying lack of policy and expertise on the industry’s part. “They don’t want to admit that they don’t really have a good plan,” Winters says, “because they don’t.” OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS The working environment inside an airplane can contribute to the risk of infection, with flight attendants and cabin crews shut in with dozens — even hundreds — of strangers in a closed environment for a lengthy period. “That is actually the biggest risk,” Dr. Libman says. While crowding in with a group of people in a small space is a common situation in everyday life, that close contact is taken to a whole new level on a commercial plane. “There aren’t that many situations that I can think of off the top of my head, where you are in that kind of crowded situation for sometimes many hours.” As well, airplane crews often cross multiple time zones and deal with irregular sleep schedules. While neither Dr. Libman nor Dr. Kettner believes that jet lag has any direct correlation to infectious disease, both acknowledge that disrupting the body’s circadian rhythm can contribute to low resilience and weaken one’s immune system. “That kind of thing has been associated, not just with travel across time zones, but, for example, shift work,” Dr. Libman suggests. “I really don’t think people realize how challenging being a flight attendant is,” Winters notes. “When you have been on a plane for eight, nine to 14 hours, and then you land in a different time zone, you are given 12 hours to rest before you are www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

back on the plane. It definitely wears them down.” The SARS outbreak motivated the GTAA’s Fire and Emergency Services department to become more vigilant in dealing with infections, Aitken says. “We learned that proactive communication is vital, informing the first responders.” That means keeping everyone up to date with the latest information and having a process in place to communicate with other responders, local agencies and other airport workers. Following SARS, the fire department began developing stronger working relationships with local emergency services and hospitals and held cross-training sessions about disease threats with the PHAC and the Canada Border Services Agency. It has also established a risk-management committee, which Aitken says is “a good tool” for anticipating potential injuries and accidents and serves as a method for selecting the most cost-effective means for safeguarding employees. Other measures include appointing 13 designated officers to investigate all reports of exposure to infectious disease. “They have knowledge in communicable diseases, personal protective equipment, proper methods for cleaning and disinfection of reusable equipment, policy and procedures,” on top of having received additional training in disease awareness, communication and personal hygiene, Aitken reports. KEEPING A LEVEL HEAD While it is understandable for air-travel employees to be concerned about infectious diseases, Dr. Kettner believes that there is no need to worry excessively about it just yet. He recommends that the best approach now is “to keep this in perspective and to be reasonable.”

Dr. Kettner adds that he is not aware of any reports of an airline-crew member contracting Ebola or other serious infections from outbreaks that have occurred internationally. “Does it happen? I’m sure it does, but I am not sure that it happens at any significantly high rate and in other occupations or everyday life.” At this point, he says it is not necessary for attendants to wear rubber gloves and masks for every flight, even for those coming out of West Africa. “But if somebody is ill,” he says, “then it is reasonable, I think, for staff to have access to gloves and to masks and to have some knowledge of how to protect others from that person that is best, that is feasible or practical.” O’Rourke assures that the airline industry has the situation under control. “All NACC airlines are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of their employees,” he says. Winters believes there are certainly some things that airlines can do to help reduce employees’ exposure to infectious diseases. He cites one airline of which some of the members have pushed hard at their health and safety committee to get information to them when something breaks out. “In the past six months, they have had two separate fact sheets put together by the company saying, ‘This is what Ebola actually looks like; this is what the symptoms are.’” That said, he thinks that airlines should acknowledge the potential dangers, “or at least be prepared to admit that they don’t have all the answers.” Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

Jeff Cottrill is editorial assistant of

ohs canada.

Under the Microscope In response to the Ebola crisis, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has developed several sets of guidelines for different types of situations and workers, focusing on protocols and reporting procedures. Interim Guidance for Airline Cabin Crews, Cleaning Personnel and Cargo Personnel: How to Protect Yourself and Others from Ebola Virus Disease provides the most up-to-date precautions available for airline cabin crews and cleaning and cargo personnel when dealing with suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease. In the case of a passenger or employee who appears to be infected during a flight and has visited one of the affected countries in the previous three weeks, the PHAC advises airline employees take the following steps: • Provide a protective surgical mask, a plastic bag for disposables and (if needed) an air-sickness bag for the afflicted person; • Encourage the afflicted person to clean his or her hands, with either soap and water or an alcohol-based rub; • P lace the person in an area separate from others, preferably close to a lavatory, and restrict access to the area as much as possible; and • A ssign one crew member to take care of the afflicted person, but otherwise keep contact to a minimum. Furthermore, employees should clean their hands thoroughly after every contact with the ill person and his or her

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immediate environment. Crew members assisting the person should wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves and masks. The standard protocol is to notify authorities at the destination airport of the infection as soon as possible and to make all cleaning personnel aboard the plane aware of the potential for contaminated surfaces. Upon arrival, cabin crews should keep all passengers seated until either a quarantine officer, a border-services officer or emergency personnel assess the person and remove him or her from the plane. The guidelines also recommend ways that cleaning crews can take extra precaution to protect themselves once the plane is empty, such as wearing adequate PPE and disposing of all waste in a biohazard-waste disposal bag. Although luggage is not considered a high risk for infection, the PHAC warns cargo handlers to beware of packages soiled with blood or bodily fluids and to wash their hands frequently. “The guidelines are established pretty well, and sometimes they need to be more specific,” says Joel Kettner, medical director of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases in Winnipeg. He acknowledges that the PHAC’s standards cover a broad range. “There is what we call universal precautions, which is to treat everybody as though their body fluids could be infective.”

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HYDRAULIC FRACTURING |

Toxic FISSURES BY JEAN LIAN

What goes down must come up. Flowback fluids — returning high-pressure fluids injected into the ground to fracture the rock formation and release natural gas or oil — have been linked to the deaths of four workers who appear to have suffered from acute chemical exposures during flowback operations at well sites in Williston Basin in North Dakota and Montana since 2010. As Canada’s oil-and-gas boom continues to fuel projects that involve hydraulic fracturing, just how much — or how little — do we know about what goes on underground?

he fatalities came to the attention of the Washington, D.C.-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) via media reports, officials with the United States’ Occupational Safety and Health Administration and members of the academic community. Christina Spring, spokesperson for NIOSH’s parent agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says NIOSH is still working to obtain additional information about these and other fatalities. As such, it cannot make any “definitive statements” about the relationship between these fatalities and acute chemical exposures that may be associated with gauging tanks during flowback and production-testing operations. According to NIOSH, fracking fluids present an exposure hazard to only a few workers involved in the handling and mixing of the fluids, which are typically transferred from bulk containers into closed systems by workers wearing personal protective equipment. “We have conducted some limited worker-exposure assessments to hydraulic-fracturing fluid components,” Spring reports. “Our data did not find any exposures to the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing that exceeded NIOSH-

recommended exposure limits.” But this is where the contention begins. “The problem is that it is such a wide variety of chemicals they use,” Dr. Frank Atherton, deputy chief medical officer of health with the Government of Nova Scotia in Halifax, says about fracking fluids, which are a cocktail of various chemicals — many of which are pretty benign like guar gum, a food-grade, water-soluble paste made from the seeds of the guar plant and used as a thickener and stabilizer in foods like jelly. “So there is really nothing specific around fracking fluids that you can point to and say, ‘This is a specifically toxic chemical.’” William Stringfellow, Ph.D., director of the Ecological Engineering Research Program at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, says the chemical list is fairly extensive. “There are about 250 compounds so far that we have identified as being used in fracturing in one way or another.” In a paper published online in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in April, Dr. Stringfellow’s team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of the Pacific compiled a list of substances commonly used in fracking and found that these fluids do indeed contain many non-tox-

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ic, food-grade materials. But the researchers also identified eight compounds, including biocides, that were particularly toxic to mammals. “There are a number of chemicals, like corrosion inhibitors and biocides, in particular, that are being used in reasonably high concentrations that potentially could have adverse effects,” Dr. Stringfellow says. “Biocides, for example, are designed to kill bacteria — it is not a benign material.” A PRIMER Much of the controversy surrounding fracking activities stems from relatively recent technological breakthroughs. According to a report that addresses the environmental and associated health impacts of shale-gas extraction in Canada, released in May by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), shale-gas production through natural fractures that allow shallow vertical wells to produce at low rates over a long time has been around for decades. But in the last 20 years, large-scale commercial production of much deeper shale-gas reservoirs has become possible since the Texas Barnett Shale pioneered a new drilling technique that combines two different technologies — horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. This process involves drilling the gas well vertically from the surface before bending it at a certain depth to penetrate the shale-gas layer horizontally or diagonally. The combination of these two technologies presents new environmental and health and safety issues: using greater amounts of water, sand and chemicals; requiring higher injection rates to fracture a much larger volume of rock; and applying this method to a broader spectrum of unconventional oil and gas resources. In North America, more than 150,000 horizontal wells have been completed using multistage hydraulic fracturing in recent years, of which only onequarter are shale-gas wells, the CCA report notes. According to the Primer on the Process of Hydraulic Fracturing — drafted by the expert panel of Nova Scotia’s Hydraulic Fracturing Independent Review and Public Consultation, of which Dr. Atherton is one of the expert panelists — fracking fluids typically consist of water, proppants (like sand and ceramic pellets to hold the fracture open, so that natural gas can be extracted) and chemical additives. About 98 per cent of the volume of fracking fluid is composed of water; the remaining one to two per cent is made up of proppants and chemical additives, which can include acid (to reduce fracture initiation pressure and clean up excess cement), scale inhibitor (to prevent scale build-up on the walls of the well and eliminate the potential for blockage of tubing and equipment), biocides (to control the growth of microbes that will hinder the flow of gas), surfactants (to reduce the viscosity of the fracking fluid), gelation chemicals (to act as thickeners to initiate the fractures and carry some of the sand), friction reducers and corrosion inhibitors. While many of these chemicals may be used in fairly small concentrations, they are not necessarily stored at low concentrations. “So from a worker point of view, they may be a very 28

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dilute acid when it gets used, but there is a tank of acid there or barrels of acid that need to be handled carefully, and you need to follow the proper safety protocols when you are handling those materials,” Dr. Stringfellow says. “You need to look at not just the concentration, but the total mass material that is being used on the site, and make evaluations based on how hazardous the material is and volumes of the material used.” For instance, one per cent of a 50,000 cubic metre (m³) hydraulic-fracture stimulation would require 500 m³ of chemical additives. If 10 wells on the same well pad all undergo the same treatment, that would translate into 5,000 m³ of chemical additives. As a result, fracking may introduce new exposure risks through an added suite of chemicals and physical agents on the worksite. An increasingly recognized health risk to workers is the inhalation of silica used as a proppant in fracking, which can cause silicosis, lung cancer and other diseases, the CCA report notes. Once the injection process is complete, the internal pressure of the rock formation causes flowback water to return to the surface through the well bore. It is estimated that 25 to 75 per cent of the injected fluid will flow back to the surface over the producing lifetime of the well. Factors that determine the volume of flowback water include the properties of the unconventional gas, the design of the fracturing program and the type of fracking fluid used, the Nova Scotia primer notes. Apart from the injected water, proppant and chemicals, flowback water may contain some endogenous materials, including natural gas, salty brines, metals, nutrients, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and other organic compounds. Workers can also be exposed to NORMs that accumulate on equipment and machinery through skin contact, in addition to inhalation and water exposure. NOXIOUS RECEPTACLES As flowback fluids are often stored in tanks or open-pit ponds onsite, potential exposure to fracking fluids can occur during storage and waste disposal. One of the major exposure problems associated with tankage is the opening up of tanks. “During tankage, people need to be very careful about opening tanks, standing over tanks,” Dr. Stringfellow cautions, citing chemical reactions that can give rise to oxygendeficient or noxious gases like hydrogen sulphide. To determine the volume of liquids in flowback and production tanks, workers must periodically gauge fluid levels using a hand-held gauging stick or hand-cranked gauging tape for deeper production tanks. Other task-based activities during flowback include the following: setting and changing chokes to manage fluid flows; checking valves and determining the volume, flow rate and accumulation of process fluids; maintaining piping; and monitoring and maintaining oil, gas and water separators. As these tasks require workers to access the tanks through hatches located on the top, the fluids in each tank can create a confined space in which hydrocarbons accumulate and lead to exposures for workers gauging fluids, says Lalita Bharadwaj, Ph.D., associate professor with the School of Public

Health at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. “Depending on the volume of the fluid within that pond, there could be some physical hazard to the worker if they are in the vicinity of the large leakage or break, for example, as a result of the fluid rushing out of the pond,” she cautions. To understand the risks of chemical exposures in modern oil-and-gas extraction operations, NIOSH published in August the preliminary results of its evaluation of some potential chemical-exposure risks during flowback operations at six unconventional oil-and-gas extraction sites in Colorado and Wyoming during the spring and summer of 2013. Exposure assessments conducted during normal, 12-hour operations identified benzene, which is present naturally in flowback fluids, as the primary volatile-organic-compound (VOC) hazard for workers, not only because of its carcinogenicity; it is also acutely toxic to the nervous system, liver and kidneys at high concentrations. Inhalation risks for benzene exposures appear to be associated with the amount of time spent working in close proximity to hydrocarbon sources, such as around hatches on flowback and production tanks. Fifteen of the 17 samples analyzed met or exceeded the NIOSH-recommended exposure limit of 0.1 parts per million (ppm) as a full-shift total weighted average (TWA), and two of the 17 samples met or exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists’ threshold limit value of 0.5 ppm as a full-shift TWA for benzene. Respirable silica was also detected in four of five personal-breathing-zone samples. Opening thief hatches and gauging tanks are the primary

posure risks warrants conservative approaches to protecting workers,” the NIOSH report recommends. Dr. Bharadwaj thinks that there should be alternative work processes to replace those in which exposure risks are inherent. “Currently, the gauging operations to determine fluid levels in tanks are done manually. Perhaps there could be development of automated gauging operations that could take the place of those manual operations,” she suggests. Meanwhile, the NIOSH report recommends the following measures for companies that conduct flowback operations: • Develop alternative tank-gauging procedures to limit exposures to hydrocarbon vapours emitted from hatches on the top of tanks. Adapt flowback and production tank-sampling ports with vents that exhaust away from workers or eliminate the use of hatches as primary access points; • Provide training to ensure that flowback technicians understand the hazards of exposure to benzene and other hydrocarbons, the importance of monitoring atmospheric conditions for lower explosive limit concentrations and how to apply work practices that limit their exposures to chemicals and the potential for fires and explosions; • Limit the time personnel spend in proximity to hydrocarbon sources, establish a controlled perimeter around flowback tanks and require that any portable tents or sunshades remain out of and upwind of the controlled area; • Use calibrated personal flammable-gas monitors with alarms in areas near flowback tanks; • Use respiratory protection as an interim measure until en-

Much of the controversy surrounding fracking activities stems from relatively recent technological breakthroughs. task-based activities that increase inhalation exposure risks. Additional exposures may occur due to fugitive emissions from equipment in other areas in the flowback process, such as chokes, separators, piping and valves, particularly when one performs maintenance on these items, the NIOSH report concludes. Although workers at all locations wore personal protective equipment, none of the flowback technicians, production-watch technicians or water-management technicians donned respirators, nor were they clean-shaven, which would have been necessary if respirators had been used. Potential chemical exposures may also occur during many stages of exploration and production, which can give rise to VOCs, including naphthalene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene. Other VOCs associated with hydraulic fracturing and flowback — for example, propargyl alcohol, methanol and dimethylformamide — have the potential to injure multiple organ systems when exposures exceeding occupational exposure limits are repeated and not well controlled. As airborne concentrations of hydrocarbons and benzene fluctuate greatly during flowback operations, depending on the temperature and pressure of the process liquids and reservoir hydrocarbon conditions, “the unpredictability of ex-

gineering and administrative controls are implemented; • U se proper hand protection to prevent dermal exposure to liquid hydrocarbons; and • Monitor workers to determine risks for benzene exposures through personal breathing zones and real-time air sampling for activities involving exposure to flowback fluids. DEADLY SECRETS What you do not know cannot hurt you. But when it comes to fracking fluids, that adage cannot be further from the truth. British Columbia became the first province in Canada to enforce the public disclosure of ingredients used for hydraulic fracturing on January 1, 2012. The law requires companies to upload a list of ingredients used in fracking to FracFocus within 30 days of completing operations — the point in time when a well is able to produce gas. The site collects voluntary submissions of chemicals used by fracking companies. Alberta followed in British Columbia’s footsteps later that same year. In November 2013, the National Energy Board (NEB) jumped on the bandwagon after signing an agreement with the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission, the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil www.ohscanada.com

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and Gas Compact Commission to participate in the FracFocus.ca website. On October 30, 2013, the NEB issued the first and only authorization for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells in the north. Those two wells were drilled last winter, and ConocoPhillips disclosed the chemicals used on the FracFocus.ca website, NEB spokesperson Tara O’Donovan says from Calgary. While Canada is moving towards greater transparency regarding the disclosure of substances used in fracking, some chemicals remain shrouded in secrecy. Although reporting to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) — Canada’s legislated, publicly-accessible inventory of pollutant releases to air, water and land, including disposals and transfers for recycling — is mandatory for operators of facilities that meet NPRI-reporting requirements, hydraulic-fracturing activities are exempt from reporting to the NPRI. Facilities that conduct well-drilling and completion activities, including fracking, do not generally meet the NPRI’s employee threshold, information from Environment Canada notes. As well, while the additives used in fracturing fluids are generically similar, each company uses a different mix of chemicals based on site conditions and local geology. As such, some companies provide full voluntary disclosure, but others claim that the composition of high-pressure fluids must be protected to safeguard their competitive advantage. For hazardous materials, companies wishing to protect their intellectual property may apply to the Hazardous Material Information Review Commission for a claim exemption under the Hazardous Material Information Review Act to deem the ingredient or formulation a proprietary trade secret. Alex Ferguson, vice-president of policy and performance for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers in Calgary, says the determination of which ingredients are considered trade secrets falls under federal jurisdiction. “It is not a common thing,” he notes. “It is just a mechanism for the fed-

bacteria colony. Information from the company says the process reduces employee exposure to hazard-rated biocides and that practical application of the CleanStream™ technology has been ongoing since April 2009. But critics who oppose the disclosure exemption abound. “I think there needs to be full disclosure of the use of chemicals. I don’t even think it is in the industry’s interest to maintain a high level of secrecy,” Dr. Stringfellow contends. Dr. Bharadwaj agrees. “A better understanding of what concentration of chemicals and the identity of those chemicals we are dealing with in certain media — for example, in the flowback water or even released air — gives us a better assessment of potential exposures to individuals on a workplace and also to the public.” This, in turn, can aid in the design of proper engineering controls, she adds. Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, a non-profit foundation in Oakland, California that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility, acknowledges that while FracFocus has given people access to more information on the chemicals used, trade secrets are still allowed. “In some ways, they are prone to allow that without a hard look into whether that is really a trade secret and what they can really do to perhaps preserve the secrecy, or is there some way to get the information out in a way that it doesn’t reveal formulations,” Fugere notes. She adds that it is “critically important” to compel that information to be made public. “You take less precaution if the public does not know specifically what type of harmful chemicals are being used.” A CLOUDED PICTURE A report that benchmarks 24 companies in the United States and Canada engaging in hydraulic-fracturing activities against investor needs for disclosure of operational impacts and mitigation efforts says the oil-and-gas production industry consistently fails to report measurable reductions of its

“You take less precaution if the public does not know specifically what type of harmful chemicals are being used.” eral government to recognize there is a business interest here, and we want to make sure that people are competitively doing new research on new things.” He adds that the industry is “mindful” of the chemicals that are injected into the ground. “There is a pretty big move towards eliminating toxicity from the components as new research is being done.” For instance, oilfield service company Halliburton’s CleanStream™ System uses ultraviolet-light technology to control bacteria in oilfield and pipeline applications, while minimizing or eliminating the need for hazardous biocides. Fluid flowing through specialized chambers in a mobile unit is irradiated with ultraviolet light, which is absorbed into the bacteria’s cell wall and damages its DNA structure, killing the 30

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effects on communities and the environment from fracking operations. Disclosing Facts: Transparency and Risks in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations, which addresses onshore operations in North America from January 2012 to August 2013, is a collaborative effort of As You Sow, Boston Common Asset Management, Green Century Capital Management and the Investor Environmental Health Network. Findings indicate that not a single firm succeeded in disclosing information on even half of the selected 32 indicators related to management of toxic chemicals, water and waste, air emissions, community impacts and governance. The highest-scoring company, Encana Corporation, provided sufficient disclosure on just 14 out of 32 indicators. Quan-

On the Road Well sites are not the only places where workers can be put in harm’s way. Operating vehicles that service oil wells have proven just as precarious. The number of truck trips required to supply water and fracking chemicals to, and transport waste water from, a horizontally-drilled well site can run up to the thousands. “It is a very crowded place, so there could be potential for accidents to occur,” suggests Lalita Bharadwaj, Ph.D., associate professor with the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Washington, D.C., increases in oil-and-gas extraction activity correlated with a hike in the industry’s rate of fatal occupational injuries. From 2003 to 2006, there were 404 work-related fatalities among oil and gas extraction workers in the United States, which translates into an average annual fatality rate of 30.5 per 100,000 workers — roughly seven times the rate for all workers. Nearly half of all fatal injuries among these workers were attributed to highway motor-vehicle crashes and machinery striking workers. The dangers on the road are further compounded by oil-field exemptions from highway-safety rules that allow

tifiable data are lacking, and much of the disclosure by companies is narrative and qualitative in form. As well, only four of the companies surveyed clearly state on their websites that some of the chemicals used were protected by confidentiality claims and thus were not disclosed. Many of the industry’s website representations about disclosure of fracking chemicals are incorrect to the extent that they convey an expectation that chemical disclosure is complete when, in fact, it is not, the report concludes. “A lot of the issues that are addressed in the report also bear on worker safety to the extent that [if] you have got open-pit and air-quality problems affecting homeowners, you are also going to have air-quality problems that are affecting the workers,” Fugere argues. She attributes the lack of transparency to a number of reasons. “One is simply that companies simply do not like to, in essence, go public with what they are doing,” she suggests. “That way, they cannot be held to any standards.” The resources required to compile, report and update relevant data is another contributing factor. That said, she observes increasing pressure on companies to disclose their practices. “Knowing what those chemicals are is incredibly important to people whose water supply may be harmed and be able to trace those back to the companies that are putting the chemicals in the water.” Transparency through disclosure also allows companies to share their best practices and set a standard for other companies, she adds. The report recommends reducing the toxicity of fracking fluids, reporting quantitatively on progress in toxicity reduction and clarifying when confidential-business-information claims prevent full disclosure of chemicals used.

truckers servicing the oil and gas sector in Canada and the United States to work longer hours than drivers in most other industries do. Transport Canada exempts extra-provincial truck undertakings or federal carriers and their drivers of oil-well-service vehicles from the hours-of-service off-duty requirements stipulated in Sections 13 and 14 of the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations. A company wishing to operate under the exemptions must have a valid Oil Well Service Vehicle Permit issued by one of the western provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — in addition to meeting other requirements set out in the exemptions. The purpose of the exemptions is to allow drivers to meet the mandatory off-duty and daily off-duty time requirements by accumulating off-duty time in sleeper berths or in alternate sleep accommodations. Alex Ferguson, vice-president of policy and performance for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers in Calgary, says the industry is mindful of the dangers associated with production activities, and that the western provinces are focusing on how to manage those processes. “We are seeing more and more alignment, especially in western Canada.”

TURNING THE TIDE The wind of change is blowing. The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency announced on May 9 that it would initiate a public participation process to seek comment on the information that should be disclosed for fracking chemical substances and the mechanism for obtaining this information. On the corporate front, drilling-services company Baker Hughes Incorporated in Houston announced on October 1 that it had implemented a new policy of disclosing 100 per cent of the chemistry contained within its hydraulic-fracturing fluid systems without the use of trade-secret designations. Here at home, the Northwest Territories (NWT) announced on June 2 the development of regulations under the NWT Oil and Gas Operations Act that set out filing requirements for projects involving hydraulic fracturing. On September 30, Nova Scotia introduced amendments to the Petroleum Resources Act, which will place a moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing for onshore oil and gas shale development. In October, Newfoundland and Labrador announced the names of five individuals appointed to an independent panel that will conduct a review of the socio-economic and environmental implications of fracking in western Newfoundland. A final report, due in a year’s time, will be made available to the public. “I suggest full, mandatory disclosure of all chemicals and amounts used,” Dr. Stringfellow says. “The composition of the chemical and additive mixtures should be known and there is no reason a safety plan should not include hydraulicFollow us on Twitter @OHSCanada fracturing chemicals.” Jean Lian is editor of

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YOUNG WORKERS

BY MICHAEL SMITH

Often, the final punctuation in a life story is not a period, but a question mark. After 15-year-old Christopher Lawrence was entangled in a conveyor belt at a gravel-crushing site outside Drumheller, Alberta in July, safety inspectors fanned out across the province in early commencement of a planned inspection blitz on gravel-crushing sites. The death of the teenage worker has raised a larger question: should Lawrence have been permitted to work in that position at all?

lberta is Canada’s fastest-growing province by population and economic output, largely due to dramatic investment in fossil-fuel development. It is also one of the fastest-growing employers of youths — the secondhighest in Canada — and one of the most laissez-faire: any Albertan aged 12 and up is considered an “adolescent” and can legally work at any job with a permit from Employment Standards, except clerking in an office and delivering flyers, which do not require a permit. Thanks to a controversial expansion in 2005 of the types of jobs that 12- to 14-year-olds can do, that list now includes restaurants and retail stores. “Since 2005, the provincial government here in Alberta has been conducting what I would call a ruthless experiment with child labour,” charges Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) in Edmonton. “Alberta is virtually alone among provinces in allowing kids as young as 12 to hold what we would describe as adult jobs.” All provinces and territories except Alberta, British Columbia, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories impose restrictions on minors working in foodservices and heavy industries. In British Columbia, children under 12 cannot be employed without a child-employment permit issued by the Director of Employment Standards under the provincial labour ministry. The same applies to youths under 16 and 14 in Manitoba and New Brunswick respectively. Saskatchewan

sets a general minimum working age of 16; 14- and 15-yearolds can work if they have permission from a parent or guardian and have completed the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course. Canada is one of dozens of countries that have not ratified the International Labour Organization Convention 138 on minimum age. Much concern has focused on Alberta’s agricultural sector, in which employment of children is unregulated. According to the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, 41 people under 15 died of agriculture-related injury between 1990 and 2009. And there are few rules relating to employing children on family farms. “If you think your nine-year-old can drive a combine, go for it. And yet it is one of the three or four most hazardous industries in Canada,” says Bob Barnetson, Ph.D., associate professor of labour relations at Athabasca University in northern Alberta. YOUTHFUL IMPRESSIONS It is a well-known fact that young people are at greater risk in any industry. Annual data collected by Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour indicate that young people’s share of workplace injuries is routinely disproportionate to their share of the workforce. The Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta’s 2014 employer handbook estimates that www.ohscanada.com

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youths between 15 and 24 are one-third more likely to be injured at work than their older counterparts. A study entitled Incidence of Work and Workplace Injury Among Alberta Teens, published last year by Athabasca University, found that 49.7 per cent of workers aged 12 to 14 and 59 per cent of those 15 to 17 reported at least one injury on the job during the previous year. Government inspectors found 73 per cent of workplaces violated the Employment Standards Code. Researchers say prosecutions happen less frequently than once every five years. “The strongest safety right is the right to refuse unsafe work. But very few employees are going to exercise that right, particularly if you are a minor,” Dr. Barnetson says. “You are not only less powerful than the employer, you are also less powerful than the adult [who is] telling you what to do.” Candace Martens, community outreach worker with the Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre, notes that many young workers get injured due to lack of job experience and knowledge of dangers. Martens, who conducts workshops on workplace rights in high schools, says young workers often try to take on more than they can handle, but not because they want to show off. “They are showing they can fit in.” Gina Puntil, programmer with Alberta Workers’ Health Centre in Edmonton who oversees the Work Plays program, visits high schools in Alberta every year with professionally-produced theatre productions on the realities of work. Each presented scenario is followed by a 20-minute talk-back. Students and teachers also receive resources and contacts of people to whom they can direct questions. “We are all pretty tentative asking about safety situations. To be a teenager, with so many other things going on in their lives, it might not seem important — and they also feel like they are invincible,” suggests Puntil, who urges young workers to trust their guts. “If you feel like something is wrong, you are probably right.” In Work Plays’ anonymous surveys of students, 68.6 per cent responded that they knew they had the right to be informed of workplace hazards, and 60.9 per cent said they were aware that they could refuse unsafe work — despite 65.7 per cent receiving no safety training. Yet the high injury rate associated with young workers suggests that their lack of power — relative to not just their employers but also their older co-workers — could be making it hard for them to avoid taking on dangerous jobs and resist exploitation. In 2005, Alberta passed on to parents the responsibility of monitoring safety in foodservice jobs for young people: under the revised rule, employers in the res-

taurant and foodservices industry no longer need to get a government permit to hire employees aged 12 to 14 if they have the consent of a parent or guardian. But in a province that is rapidly attracting newcomers and where most employees are paid an hourly minimum wage of $10.20, parents are not always trying hard to dissuade their teenaged kids from working. “If [young workers] are first-generation or they have come from another country with their parents and are working to support their family, they won’t complain. They need that money, and they are not going to refuse unsafe work because they are scared of being fired,” Martens suggests. “Most people want to make their first boss happy.” GROWTH SPURT Concerns over the safety of young workers deepened when the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour floated the idea of opening foodservice work up to children 12 and under during public consultations on the Employment Standards Code in March. To solicit public feedback, the ministry developed a discussion guide with a list of questions, one of which relates to young workers. The ministry’s Edmonton-based communications officer Lauren Welsh clarifies that there is no proposal to expand the scope of work to 12-year-olds. “At no time did the government suggest that plans were in the works to implement any particular change. The questions posed were simply there to stimulate discussion and feedback.” That said, there seems to be no appetite for tightening rules either. “The annual cost of youth unemployment or underemployment to the government of Alberta is $177 million in lost revenue and program costs and a reduction in Alberta’s GDP of $667 million,” says Welsh, citing cost estimates based on statistics for Albertans under 24. “Without meaningful employment, youth suffer from reduced workplace skills, low job satisfaction and productivity. Youth bring with them new ideas, their knowledge and interest in technology.” Ron Egan, recruitment manager with Clark Builders in Edmonton, works with 16-year-olds who aspire to become carpenters, through Alberta’s Registered Apprenticeship Program. “It is an opportunity to get into a trade, and I am a big believer in that,” he says. “If we don’t work with them today, where are they going to go tomorrow? Not everyone is cut out for university, and you can make great money as a carpenter.” Egan has worked with 15 teens in the last seven years. “Now they are journeyman carpenters, working their way through life — buying a house, a car, making their start as young adults.” He adds that the benefits he sees are not just for young workers. Alberta’s labour supply has not been keeping pace with its rapid growth, and encouraging people into the trades earlier is increasingly important for his industry and the province. “It is a huge issue,” Egan notes. “From Tim Hortons to construction, there is a shortage.” The Alberta government forecasts that the province will

“Alberta is virtually alone among provinces in allowing kids as young as 12 to hold what we would describe as adult jobs.”

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SAFETY SCHOOLING The foundation for safe-work practices may have to be laid before young people even hit the job market. Some situations described by teens in Work Plays’ follow-up surveys are unsettling, with young workers recounting workplace injuries that include having an arm sucked into a machine, a foot being nail-gunned, infection from pulling out poison ivy without gloves and getting burned by hot oil from fries at work. Puntil says students often share private stories of sexual harassment at work — something that weighs heavily on her. Martens says young workers are often asked to do tasks

that are more dangerous, because they do not understand the dangers involved in the task. “A more experienced worker would say no, but a young worker, if you are asked to do something, especially if it is outside of what you normally do and you might get a raise or a promotion, then you might be eager to do it.” She adds that students are regularly “amazed” to find out that they have rights at work or that young people should be trained before being put at risk on the job. “Often, employers won’t pay them for training. And when I ask, ‘Were you watching someone else or were you just doing the job?’ they often say, ‘I was doing the job, but they considered it training.’” There is one thing that both advocates and critics of expanded child labour might agree on: the need to make young people more aware of the realities of work. “They need to be aware of equipment running around them, of not putting themselves in unsafe situations,” Egan says. “I am not sure counsellors in school are huge sources of information. Do schools even have the knowledge to pass on to these students? It would be nice if we as industries were invited in to talk about the trades, how we work.” But it is not enough to tell workers to keep themselves safe. “That is sort of like blaming the victim,” McGowan suggests. “I have been AFL president for a decade now, and I have seen multiple campaigns aimed at workers, not employers — even an insulting campaign aimed at young workers, ‘Don’t Be Stupid.’” He thinks that the only way to turn around the safety situation is if employers and governments do more in supervision and training and provide access to proper safety equipment, especially for young workers. Welsh stresses that employers need to lead by example and make sure that all employees are properly trained. That includes spending as much time as necessary training young workers, teaching workers to report illnesses and injuries immediately, educating employees to report potential hazards and responding promptly to all health and safety concerns. If the aim is for young workers to value safety, recognizing the work done by young workers is a step in the right direction, Dr. Barnetson suggests. “What are we actually teaching young people in service jobs?” he asks. “We are teaching them to be docile, and we are teaching they are only worth nine or 10 [dollars] an hour.” Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

Michael Smith is a writer in Toronto. www.ohscanada.com

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need an additional 407,000 workers by 2023. “While the number of workers entering the workforce or moving to Alberta will increase over the same timeframe, we are still expected to be short 96,000 workers,” Welsh says. But McGowan refutes the suggestion that what has been termed as Alberta’s laissez-faire approach towards employment regulation stems from a labour shortage. “There is no evidence of that. All the numbers suggest we have a healthy, but balanced, labour market.” He claims that the low-wage service sector including fastfood restaurants is setting its sights on vulnerable workers — youths from 12 to 14 and temporary foreign workers alike. McGowan reports that when the AFL published a list of companies in Alberta hiring temporary foreign workers, acquired through an Access to Information request, retail and fastfood companies stuck out. “All mainstream work for 12- to 14-year-olds should be prohibited,” McGowan stresses. He adds that while jobs like babysitting may be reasonable, “anything beyond that introduces stress and hazards, we think is inappropriate.” Safety regulation may have a hard time keeping up as the drive for more labour presses on. Part of this has its roots back in 1992, when the Conservative government of Ralph Klein cut the labour ministry’s budget in half and reduced the number of workplace safety inspectors in the province to 86 right up until 2010. “For years now, Alberta has had the lowest rates of inspection and the lowest rates of prosecution for employers who have put employees at risk,” McGowan charges. “On the one hand, we have more people working in dangerous occupations, but on the other, we have fewer workplace inspectors.” In March 2011, Minister of Employment and Immigration Thomas Lukaszuk announced a three-year plan to hire 30 new safety officers that would bring the number of inspectors in the province to 132 by 2014 — a 55-per-cent increase from 86 officers in early 2010. In January, Alberta’s labour ministry expanded the powers of inspectors to include issuing tickets, and last fall saw the introduction of a new administrative-penalty system that can issue fines of up to $10,000 per violation per day. Welsh reports that as of mid-September, three such penalties had been served to employers and 31 tickets had been issued to workers. But laws need to be enforced to be effective, Dr. Barnetson stresses. “There is no chance you are going to get caught breaking labour laws, and if you do, you won’t be prosecuted.”

LAW FILE

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Express Route to Safety By Jeff Cottrill

bill proposing to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to take violence against transit operators into consideration may result in stiffer penalties against those who assault bus and taxi drivers. Introduced in May by Senator Bob Runciman, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Assaults Against Public Transit Workers), or Bill S-221, which passed its third reading in the Senate on September 24, would amend section 269 of the Code so that courts imposing sentences for assaults against transit operators must consider the fact that the victim of the offence was a public-transit operator performing his or her duty as an aggravating circumstance. It applies to drivers of buses (including school buses and intercity coaches), paratransit vehicles, taxis, subways, streetcars and ferries. “I am optimistic that it is going to be dealt with in a timely way,” says senator Runciman from Ottawa. The Conservative expresses confidence that Liberals and NDP members in the House will approve his bill. “I think we have essentially allparty support. I would be surprised if we didn’t.” Members of Parliament have introduced similar bills regarding transit-worker safety in the past, but none of these bills became law. Last year’s attempts included C-531, sponsored by NDP parliament member John Rafferty, and C-533, authored by Liberal Ralph Goodale. Unifor has been a staunch advocate of S-221. Representatives of the union endorsed the bill before the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs in Ottawa in June. Also supporting the bill is the Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council (ATUCC), based in Rexdale, Ontario. “It is an important and significant tool,” says ATUCC director Mike Mahar. “It is only one tool in a multitude of things that we have put in place.” An incident in Ottawa spurred Runciman to take action against violence directed at transit operators last year. A man assaulted an OC Transpo bus driver who was on the job, then dragged him out onto the street and continued beating him. The driver could not return to work for months because of his injuries, but the perpetrator got away with a suspended sentence, despite having 17 previous assault convictions. Runciman believes that this kind of incident poses a broader public safety hazard — one that “not only jeopardizes the driver,” but “also endangers the other passengers on the bus and people in cars who are driving by the bus and pedestrians on sidewalks.” Mahar feels that driving a bus, streetcar or taxi in Canada is becoming more dangerous, and he attributes this to a number of factors. “Society itself, the way that they are shifting, they are not taking responsibility for their fellow man, if you will. But the systems have changed, the pace of public transportation is so much heavier, and the funding, of course, is 36

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always a challenge.” When customers get frustrated with service disruptions, which often result from budget cuts, some take their anger out on the drivers, Mahar suggests. Danny Nicholson, senior communications advisor with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), notes that bus and streetcar drivers in Toronto face frequent attacks from riders. “A lot of the assaults are things like spitting, punching, even throwing drinks or water or coffee,” he says. But more serious assaults happen too. “We had one employee tragically murdered a number of years ago. He was a collector,” Nicholson says. He cites a bus driver who was shot in Scarborough several years ago and could no longer drive because the shooting impaired his vision. The perpetrator was sentenced to eight years in jail. Like Mahar, Nicholson is hopeful that the amendment would deter violence. “If that results in stiffer penalties, then somebody may think twice before punching or spitting at one of our operators over a fare dispute or an invalid transfer.” Matthew Friedberg, criminal defence lawyer with Toronto firm Caramanna Friedberg, believes that S-221, if passed, will beget tougher sentences by making the victim’s profession an aggravating factor. “This doesn’t leave any discretion to the judge,” he notes. “As it works its way through the system, it may get watered Nicholson is down and the language may change.” But whether the amendment dishopeful that courages people from violence against the amendment transit operators is a trickier question. “That really would come down to whether you accept general deterrence would deter as a philosophically valid purpose of sentencing,” Friedberg explains. “If violence. you accept the notion that people who commit these sorts of offences know about the law, think about the law when they are committing these offences and are motivated by the law, then yes. But those three propositions are very controversial assumptions.” Friedberg thinks that the amendment will give transit employees a stronger sense of security. “They may feel safer,” he suggests, “which may have a social value in and of itself.” Another politician trying to improve transit workers’ safety is Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who announced new policies for the city’s taxi industry in June, with plans to install security cameras, global-positioning-satellite locators and black boxes in cabs. The measures were in response to the murder of cab driver Ziad Bouzid in November 2013. Runciman says the changes will help beef up cabbie safety in Montreal, but may not necessarily prevent violent crimes. “Whatever they can do to improve safety, I would be supportive of. But at the same time, they have got to do things that are practical, in terms of cost.” In Toronto, Nicholson reports that the TTC has installed

protective barriers on buses and streetcars. “We have installed closed-circuit security [cameras] on all of our vehicles now, so if somebody assaults one of our operators on a vehicle, the chances of them getting caught are going to be very good.” Friedberg suggests that another piece of legislation — a non-criminal law requiring transit employers to provide a minimum amount of protection — might be helpful, since S-221 imposes no consequences on employers for lack of due diligence. “I don’t necessarily see an employer wanting to be motivated to provide more protection simply because of this amendment,” he says. “It is just a sentencing provision.” Mahar says the ATUCC has made promoting S-221 a priority. “We have partnered up with other like-minded groups.” He cites meetings with more than 100 lawmakers, Members of Parliament and senators. In the meantime, the TTC has launched a marketing campaign discouraging customers from violence, in addition to the aforementioned security improvements. It has also organized a staff committee to deal with employee assaults and assigned court advocates to lobby for tougher sentences. As a result, Nicholson claims, assaults against TTC drivers have decreased from two to one per day in recent years. “People see the posters saying that if you assault one of our operators and get caught, we are going to ask for the toughest penalties possible,” he says. Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

Jeff Cottrill is editorial assistant of

ohs canada.

DRIVEN TO VIOLENCE

The incident that prompted Bill S-221, in which an Ottawa bus driver was brutally beaten by a passenger with a history of assault convictions, is far from unique in the Canadian public-transit industry. According to Mike Mahar, director of the Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council in Rexdale, Ontario, more than 2,000 assaults against bus drivers occur across the country every year. More than 40 per cent of bus drivers have experienced some form of assault. The following are some instances of violence perpetrated against transit operators in the past two years: • July 2014: A bus driver in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia was attacked and knocked unconscious by three young men, after trying to break up a fight on the vehicle. • March 2014: Three women ganged up on a bus driver in Vancouver, pulling her hair, yanking her to the floor and punching her, after she had asked them to leave the bus for drinking and being disruptive. • July 2013: A passenger repeatedly punched the operator of a moving bus in Kelowna, British Columbia, breaking his jaw, because the driver would not stop at a non-designated spot. • March 2013: Two cab drivers in Toronto were stabbed by passengers in unrelated incidents within the same week in Toronto. A third was strangled by another rider.

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DECEMBER 2014

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

LEAD POISONING

Northern Exposure By Carmelle Wolfson

hen John Dicks was hired to take down cladding (tin siding) on a mill and crusher plant at a decommissioned lead-zinc-silver mine in the Yukon and remove the insulation underneath, he did not expect that he and his co-workers would suffer adverse health effects. The labourer was hired by subcontractor ALX Exploration Services to dismantle the Sa Dena Hes Mine, located 50 kilometres northeast of Watson Lake and owned by JDS Energy & Mining Inc. and Teck Resources Limited. He alleges that he and his co-workers were not adequately protected from exposure to heavy metals onsite. “They managed to supply us with special shampoos and soaps to get rid of heavy metals, but that wasn’t until two weeks after we started working onsite,” Hicks says. “Our wash station consisted of a five-gallon water can with a cap and then that “This is the soap that was supposed to take away heavy metals from your hands.” largest Yukon He adds that the visors for torch work and the dust masks provided workplace were not appropriate. After about three weeks of work, occupationalDicks claims that his crew was fired exposure when they took the afternoon off due to a heavy snowfall that made it investigation in dangerous to work. Upon his return home, he started feeling ill, including anxiety attacks, forgetfulness, recent memory.” anger, sleeplessness and lethargy. “I know it was exposure. I know it had to do with that, because I had never felt like that before,” he recalls. Dicks was tested for lead exposure six to eight weeks after stopping work, but the test came back negative. He believes that he may have waited too long, as his symptoms had mostly dissipated by then. But some workers at the mine site who were tested had elevated lead levels in their blood. The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) is investigating the incident. “This is the largest Yukon workplace occupational-exposure investigation in recent memory,” YWCHSB spokesperson Richard Mostyn says from Whitehorse.

A HEAVY MATTER The recent incident at the Sa Dena Hes mine, which was shut down in 1992, resulted in two stop-work orders, after the YWCHSB received doctors’ reports of lead exposure among workers. The YWCHSB issued a stop-work order on July 17 to JDS on the mill area and another to Teck on the rest of the mine site. Work on a large portion of Teck’s site resumed on July 19; 38

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the stop-work order on the mill was lifted on July 23 after safety concerns were addressed. Following workplace inspections, two orders each were issued to subcontracted companies Priority Steel Erectors, ALX Exploration Services and Brad Paddison Contracting. The YWCHSB asked each company concerned to compile a list of people who had visited the site as part of the decommissioning and take blood samples from them. As of September 23, the YWCHSB had received 48 blood tests from 189 site visitors. “We have got those tests back; we are pouring through them. But I don’t know how many of those have had elevated lead-exposure levels in their blood,” Mostyn says. According to inspection reports provided by the YWCHSB, JDS Energy & Mining Inc. subcontracted 30 companies to dismantle the mill area of the lead-zinc-silver mine. A JDS representative claims in a statement that “in advance of the dismantling work, a Hazardous Building Materials Assessment was completed and hazardous materials were removed from the worksite wherever possible.” Industrial hygiene protocols, personal protective equipment and specialized cleaning products specific to lead were also used and deemed appropriate to the level of risk and duration of the project, the company adds. But an inspection report issued to JDS Energy and Mining Inc. on August 9 shows that parts of the disassembled mill were contaminated by lead. The report also suggests that JDS and Teck did not carry out medical monitoring in accordance with section 29 (2) of the Yukon Occupational Health Regulations, which states that a worker must be medically examined within 15 days of employment or lead exposure. The company confirms that a worker raised a concern regarding possible elevated lead levels onsite. “JDS instructed potentially affected workers to complete a medical assessment to confirm their blood-lead levels. To the best of JDS’s knowledge, the results of the blood analysis conducted on the workers were below the levels set out by the YWCHSB, which would require any action beyond an annual recheck,” the statement says. Paul Bozek, Toronto-based occupational hygienist and past president of the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario, says it is uncommon nowadays for workers to get acute lead poisoning. “I have never seen it myself in 30 years of practice.” He adds that lead is a recognized hazard that has been around for thousands of years, and most employers who have lead in their workplaces take appropriate precautions. “The dangers of lead are well-documented,” Mostyn says. “The procedures to deal with them are also well-documented. And companies must take measures to deal with dangerous substances when they are working with them.” Jeff Sloychuck, business agent for Local 2499 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in Whitehorse, believes that the incident is not an issue of lenient regulations. “I think that the

legislation is probably there.” As many Yukon worksites are in remote locations, spread out far apart and difficult to access, “it is very difficult for an oh&s officer to be travelling and checking these sorts of sites. It is something that possibly we may need to look at having these companies help to pay for.” Sloychuck alleges that JDS and Teck outlined standard precautions in the safety plan approved by the provincial government, which subsequently were not followed. “I think some of these companies [are] teeming to come into the Yukon and not pay attention to basic oh&s standards that they are used to everywhere else.” Bozek says symptoms of acute lead poisoning can include weakness, nausea and abdominal pain, which will generally appear within days or weeks of high levels of exposure. Extremely high exposure can be treated through chelation therapy, while workers with lower lead levels should be removed from the site until their levels return to normal. In cases of chronic low exposure, workers may suffer anemia. At the Sa Dena Hes Mine, Bozek speculates that inhalation and accidental ingestion through contaminated skin or clothing were likely the primary routes of lead exposure. Precautions in such cases include donning respiratory protection, separating work clothes from street clothes, having access to decontamination showers and ensuring that workers wash their hands thoroughly before taking breaks to avoid accidental exposure through contaminated food or drinks. Bozek says bulk sampling for surface contamination prior to a demolition project is common. A pre-demolition survey

on such a site in Ontario would involve swipe-testing for lead in dust deposits on surfaces and bulk materials. Anything above 0.5 per cent by weight of lead in a settled dust layer “would be considered a hazard that requires full protection.” For workers who disturb settled dust layers or work with equipment with lead-contaminated ores, levels should not exceed 0.05 milligrams per cubic metre of lead in the air. Airborne lead can be monitored with filters and personal air-sampling pumps affixed to workers and measured on a full-shift basis. “They are very simple, they are very cheap and they are very effective [methods] in predicting that you could have a problem,” Bozek says about air and surface sampling. But lead is not the only heavy metal that is of concern at the mine cleanup. Using torches to demolish metal structures made out of or contaminated with zinc could potentially lead to metal-fume fever, Bozek cautions. Other metals, like cadmium and arsenic that may be found in trace quantities, may also be an area of concern. He advises workers who suspect that they have been exposed to lead to report their concerns to their employers and undergo blood-lead testing. Onsite respiratory protection and personal-hygiene practices should also be reviewed. Dicks says he does not want to go through that ordeal again. “It was a bad part of my history. I’ll be careful next time.” Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

Carmelle Wolfson is assistant editor of

ohs canada.

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DECEMBER 2014

SAFETY GEAR

ERGONOMIC CHAIRS

Take a Seat By Carmelle Wolfson

or those with sedentary jobs, a good posture often starts with a good chair. But when it comes to seating options, one chair is not necessarily as good as the next, according to Terry Cassaday, chief executive officer and founder of ergoCentric Seating Systems in Mississauga, Ontario. “There is a ton of misinformation,” Cassaday says. And users often do not have the knowledge to guide their decisions when choosing the type of chairs on which they sit for the better part of the workday. So what makes a chair ergonomic? According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in Hamilton, Ontario, an ergonomic chair is one that suits a specific worker’s size and body dimension, the particular workstation and the tasks performed. In other words, ergonomic chairs are designed to suit a range of people by minimizing physical effort and discomfort and, thereby, maximizing efficiency. Choosing the proper ergonomic chair is essential to a healthy and productive workforce, since sitting all day places pressure “Ergonomics is on the back. “The human body is not made for sitting,” Cassaday sug- about fitting the gests. “When you sit in a poor posture, you can be damaging the discs 95th percentile.” between the vertebrae in your spine. But the discs don’t have pain-sensitive fibres, so you can be damaging them, but may not even feel it until they [are] herniate[d] and impinge on a nerve.” An ergonomic chair is designed to reduce those stresses, he explains. Joan Downing, owner and president of Chairs Limited in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, notes that the way tasks are performed in the workplace is changing. “Rather than getting up or down to go to a filing cabinet or photocopier, people are sitting for long periods of time.” This trend, she says, may be increasing the risk of health problems. PROFESSIONAL ADVICE One often overlooked consideration during the selection process is the hiring of an ergonomist, occupational therapist or other health and safety professional to advise on outfitting the workspace with ergonomic chairs. For employees with special needs, this is particularly important. As ergonomics is still a burgeoning field, companies are often not aware of the role ergonomists play, Cassaday suggests. “Each person may not need an individual assessment, but we have university-educated ergonomists in this country — they are the experts at this. And yet we still have companies purchasing furniture without even getting their opinion.” Fitting an ergonomic chair to an individual “is more of a science,” says Terry McHale, marketing director with Ergomat in Lorain, Ohio. “You probably want to work with some 40

DECEMBER 2014

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one who is particularly well-versed in the requirements of an ergonomic seat support.” Scott Openshaw, human factors lead at Herman Miller, Inc. in Holland, Michigan, explains that professionals are typically hired to conduct workplace assessments at two points during the purchasing process: before a workplace is outfitted with new chairs, so that they can inspect the office and offer recommendations on various products that the employer may want to purchase; and after new office furniture has been purchased, so that they can educate the workforce on how to use them properly. “It is important to teach them how to use the chair,” stresses Openshaw, who has worked with companies that conduct 15-minute team meetings, during which a sales representative or an ergonomist shows employees how to adjust the chairs. “Most people have ergonomic chairs, and they don’t know how to adjust them,” says Steven Smith, a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist and senior associate consultant with Human Factors North in Toronto. He relates that he has visited workplaces where zip ties have remained on adjustable levers for up to two years after they have been purchased. “They haven’t even been trained, or they haven’t received the knowledge to know how to adjust this chair. So you are investing money in adjustable features, which aren’t getting used.” TAKING THE CHAIR TO TASK When assessing the fit of an ergonomic chair to the workplace, the purchaser should consider the environmental factors of the workspace, the size of the individual using the chair and the tasks the worker will perform on it. “If they are standing, then you have to get a certain type of chair that will allow them to sit longer at a higher desk or give them support while they are standing,” Openshaw advises. If they are sitting in a small space, “you don’t necessarily want to have a huge chair that will interfere with the surroundings.” Downing says the flooring should also be taken into account. Other considerations include good lumbar support, correct height so that the feet are firmly planted on the ground and a sliding seat to adjust to different thigh lengths. Depending on the task, one may need to change the features on the chair. Each workplace may also require slightly different models, says Openshaw of Herman Miller, which has sold office chairs to law firms, corporate offices and police- and fire-department dispatch stations. Those who work in training rooms for just a day need chairs that are less adjustable than those used by computer workers, Downing notes. For seating options in factories or warehouses, durability and whether the materials of the seat are easy to clean with harsh cleansers and disinfectants need to be considered. “In a nurse’s station, they don’t spend a lot of time sitting in a chair,” Openshaw illustrates. “They come in for a couple

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT): ERGOCENTRIC SEATING SYSTEMS; ERGOMAT; CHAIRS LIMITED

minutes, type up some notes, then they are back up running around.” For such tasks, he suggests removing the armrests to make it easier to get in and out of the chair.

America are the best quality, since they use thicker steel and are “beefier products”. She also recommends taking note of the warranty. “I wouldn’t go any less than a five-year warranty.” While chair-manufacturing technology may not have ONE SIZE FITS ALL? changed a great deal over the last 20 years, various companies The height, leg length and weight of the user are all determin- do offer different features. Cassaday says ergoCentric offers an ing factors when choosing an ergonomic chair. “You got to air bladder in the lumber support of chairs that will move outselect the right size. Fit is important,” Smith emphasizes. ward when pumped. The company is coming out with its While no one chair can fit every person, a fully-adjustfirst mesh chair, the tCentric Hybrid chair, this year. He able ergonomic chair should fit the majority of workers in claims that while the mesh material allows breathability, any given workforce, Cassaday says. “What my company making the chair more hygienic for multiple users, most does is, we say we will fit 100 per cent of your workers, mesh chairs made by other companies cut off circulation but it won’t be with one chair.” ergoCentric offers chairs in when the thighs press on the front edge of the six different seat sizes and various back sizes, including a seat. This new model seeks to address that issue bariatric chair to fit employees who weigh up to 500 pounds. with cushions underneath the mesh to prevent “Ergonomics is about fitting the 95th percentile, bethe user from sinking too low into the chair. cause it recognizes there is no way you can fit the Herman Miller chairs are made of an elastic, meshvery smallest or the very biggest.” type material called Pellicle weave to To cater to users with different builds and give support and allow for air flow, “so statures, Chairs Limited offers a chair for heavy you don’t feel like you are getting too and tall workers and a flat-backed chair for broadhot sitting in the chair,” Openshaw says. shouldered workers. Downing reports that her Herman Miller’s Embody chair has company’s chairs fit 90 per cent of people. “You are a seat with pixellated cells that adjust going to miss the five per cent that are tall and the to the individual when seated. It relaxes five per cent that are small, and then you need to in high-pressure areas and provides more get into custom.” support in areas that do not have a lot of Regardless of a person’s size, a seated worker pressure. “It is a polymer, a plastic type of should change postures throughout the day. spring with different properties that “Just because you have a chair with all these ergoCentric’s tCentric Hybrid™ chair allow it to be both stiff and flexible,” adjustments, it doesn’t mean you should sit in (bottom left) uses breathable mesh Openshaw adds. it all day. Postural change is important,” Smith fabric. Ergomat’s ErgoPerfect POWER For Downing, high-quality advises. That means alternating sitting and chair (top) is made of durable polyurefoam is important, so Chairs Limthane bubbles, while the Chairs Limited ited uses a self-injection mould. She standing or including some reclining. Cassaday points out that chairs designed Dolphin series chair (bottom right) suits recommends that buyers look for for dedicated tasks like data entry differ from tall and broad-shouldered workers. fabric that has a 30,000 rub count those meant for multitasking. “They would or higher. Depending on how this need a chair that would be adjusted to their structure, but the type of chair is used, Downing suggests that this type of chair chair might not need to rock, to free-float, because they are should normally last for 15 to 20 years. Chairs Limited uses just at their desk all day.” On the other hand, workers who at- fabric with a 100,000 rub count. tend meetings or talk on the phone a lot require chairs with a When selecting a chair, it always pays to have the user free-float rocking functions that can lock in place when they test it out. Some manufacturers will deliver the product on a do computer work. trial basis. “From an overall fit perspective, like if the armrest Downing observes that one of the biggest technological range is not suitable and they are too high for you, you will advancements is the advent of sit-to-stand desks — electric- notice that right away,” Smith says. “But from a comfort perpowered desks that will raise and lower with the push of a spective, some people might take longer to tell if the chair is button. These can be pricey, but Downing says a sit-to-stand comfortable or not. And I think that is really going to come keyboard tray with a monitor arm that moves up to a standing down to individual preference.” position costs about one-third of the price. A high-quality chair can last up to 20 years in certain circumstances, Downing says. But if the chair is no longer comNAMING THE PRICE fortable, it may be time to replace it. Smith cites a list of tellAs with any product, price is a key factor. “Chairs range any- tale signs: compressed foam; visible damage to the chair, such where from a couple hundred dollars up to $1,000,” Smith says. as material wear, rips or tears; creaking or not working propWhile specialty chairs can cost more, Downing does not erly; and if the body of the user has changed, for instance, recommend spending beyond $1,000 unless the chair is after a worker has returned to work following an injury. made of leather. McHale says Ergomat offers more economi“Comfort and ergonomics are not necessarily synonycal choices, as the company sells mostly industrial chairs. mous,” McHale says. Instead, one should look for a chair that At office-supply stores, lower-end chairs may cost only works with one’s body and suits the tasks. “I don’t think you $100. “But I think the majority of those — where a lot of want a chair that you are going to sink into, a soft chair. You thought and design and input has gone into them, rather want it to fight back.” than just being a mass-produced type of chair — those prices Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada are somewhere between $500 and $1,500,” Openshaw notes. Downing thinks that chairs manufactured in North Carmelle Wolfson is assistant editor of ohs canada. www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

ACCIDENT PREVENTION

SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS

A Slippery Slope ALL TOO COMMON: Slips, trips and falls (STFs) are common hazards in workplaces. Every year, more than 42,000 workers in Canada sustain injuries from falls. This number represents 17 per cent of time-loss injuries accepted by workers’ compensation boards or commissions across the country in 2011, according to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada. While STFs are among the most common causes of injuries at work, the majority of falls occur not from heights, but on the same level (66 per cent), notes the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in Hamilton, Ontario. With the winter season upon us, one must take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of STFs in the workplace.

BROKEN BONES: Falls on ice can result in fractured limbs, cracked ribs, concussions, strains, sprains, back injuries and even death. In Ontario, one in five lost-time injuries results from falls, 20 people die every year from them and one employee is injured every 20 minutes due to falls, notes the province’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in Toronto. As such, preventing falls is not only wise, but also the law. Employers, supervisors and workers in Ontario can be prosecuted for not complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers, provide information and instruction and ensure that workers use the proper equipment.

ON THE JOB: Whether working outdoors in oil and gas facilities, mail delivery, mines and at construction sites or inside warehouses, retail shops and healthcare facilities, ice and snow create slippery surfaces that may lead to STFs. Ice patches and reduced visibility from blizzards can create hazards for those on the road, while ice and snow can be tracked indoors by foot, creating slippery floors. The wholesale and retail sectors, in particular, suffer high rates of STF injuries, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Washington, D.C. reports. Wholesale and retail workers who handle and move materials as part of their jobs are at increased risk for falls. Carrying boxes or containers can obstruct the vision of workers, and poor lighting in warehouses and retail establishments further reduces visibility. Employees in grocery stores and meathandling facilities are especially prone to these types of injuries. Other contributing factors include walking surfaces that are in disrepair, irregularities or changes in floor height, contaminants on the floor and tripping hazards from clutter like cords or hoses. RUNNING AGAINST TIME: Workers who feel rushed are at higher risk of injuries, which increases with age, fatigue, failing eyesight and ill-fitted footwear. The NIOSH recommends that employers develop policies outlining employer and worker responsibilities towards reducing STFs and provide cleaning supplies in convenient locations and large waterabsorbent mats in areas where water, ice or snow may drip or be tracked onto the floor. As well, floor surfaces should be kept clean and dry, while aisles and passageways should be free from clutter. If water goes beyond the edge of the mat, it needs to be replaced. Keep in mind that flooring with a static coefficient higher than 0.5 for high-risk areas is safer, as it has more traction. The coefficient of friction measures how difficult it is to slide one kind of material over another. Workplaces may also want to consider installing more light fixtures in poorly lit areas, checking that light bulbs are bright enough and installing light fixtures that emit light from all sides in areas like parking structures, storage rooms, hallways, stairwells and walkways, the WSIB notes. 42

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SPICK-AND-SPAN: Poor indoor-cleaning methods can also contribute to STF hazards. In winter, when a large amount of water gets tracked into establishments, make sure that floors and work surfaces are cleaned as soon as they become wet. Warning signs should be placed in wet areas, and passageways should be kept clear at all times. When cleaning wet areas, NIOSH recommends marking the area to be cleaned and cleaning one side of the passageway at a time to allow room for passing. Employees can help ensure the that walkway is not obstructed when transporting large materials, walking with caution (making wide turns at corners) and pushing rather than pulling carts to allow a better line of sight. Using cleaning methods that are effective for the floor type without introducing slip-andtrip risks while cleaning is underway is also key. The Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom advises that pedestrians should not be allowed to pass through areas that have just been cleaned until they are dry. Consideration should also be given to the work environment by ensuring that floors that are likely to become wet are not the kind that become unduly slippery. Slopes or steps should be clearly visible and sufficiently lit, and walkways and work areas should be clear of obstructions.

DOCTOR’S ORDERS: The healthcare sector is another industry prone to STFs. Slip-and-fall injuries as a result of ice and snow can happen in entrances, parking lots, walkways and on stairs outside healthcare facilities. The incidence rate of lost-workday injuries from STFs on the same level in hospitals in the United States was 38.2 per 10,000 employees in 2009 — a whopping 90 per cent greater than the average rate for all other private industries combined at 20.1 per 10,000 employees, according to data from the United States’ Bureau of Labor Statistics. The NIOSH recommends the following injury-prevention strategies when faced with winter-weather conditions in healthcare facilities: • Institute a program that promptly removes ice and snow from parking lots, garages and sidewalks; • Distribute weather-warning emails to employees and post notices on bulletin boards; • Place freeze-warning monitors in entrances and parking areas; • Provide maintenance phone numbers on posters and in emails and encourage staff to report icy conditions; • Place bins filled with ice-melting chemicals and scoops that anyone can use in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic; • Place additional mats in entrances; and • Consider slip-resistant footwear for employees.

DO YOUR PART: Regardless of the type of workplace, employees can help prevent STFs. If workers see wet floors or icy walkways, they should eliminate the hazard or arrange for someone to deal with it. When workers experience accidents or near-misses or notice dangerous situations, they should report them promptly. Employees who are provided with personal protective equipment, such as slip-resistant footwear or fall harnesses, should wear and take good care of them. The Environmental Health and Safety and Facilities at Princeton University recommends the following ways to avoid winter slips and falls: • Wear appropriate footwear by selecting shoes with rubber or neoprene composite soles that provide better traction on ice and snow; • Factor in extra time to get to one’s destination to avoid rushing, taking shortcuts over snow piles or traversing areas where snow or ice removal is incomplete; • Bend slightly forward and shorten one’s stride or shuffle the feet for stability when walking on slippery surfaces; • Hold on to the vehicle for support when entering or exiting the vehicle, during which slips and falls often occur; • Take advantage of floor mats to remove moisture from the soles of the shoes at entrances; and • Avoid walking on wet or slippery areas if possible. www.ohscanada.com

DECEMBER 2014

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A D V E R T I S I N G D I R E C T O RY

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C A N A D A

Masterlock

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Carswell

Nasco

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DuPont

Superior Gloves

www.personalprotection.dupont.ca For ad see page 5

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Workrite

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ADVERTISING DIRECTORY

Grace Industries

www.workrite.com/canada For ad see page 2

The Annual Index for articles published in OHS Canada in 2014 is now available online at our website.

C A N A D A

ANNUAL INDEX 2014

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So, what’s on your mind? DECEMBER 2014

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

Does your workplace have a plan that addresses oh&s risks from severe weather events?

Should workers comp boards increase the use of surveillance to weed out fraud?

Yes

66%

Yes 43%

24%

No 54%

Undecided

10%

Undecided 3%

Total Votes

240

Total Votes

276

Go on — have your say. Check out www.ohscanada.com to vote in our latest poll.

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DECEMBER 2014

TIME OUT PRICKLY POTATOES: Looking for a needle in a haystack? the *#!* out” of his car and threw her phone on the street as Try scouring for them in potatoes instead. Taters from Prince Edward Island have been acquiring a thorny reputation of late. Police have found sewing needles in potatoes across Atlantic Canada. By mid-October, there had been six reports of metal objects that were intentionally placed in spuds from the Island, QMI Agency reports. The potatoes were allegedly harvested and packed by Linkletter Farms in Summerside. The Food Inspection Agency has since issued an advisory to customers. For potato lovers, it may be wise to bite with care.

STARSTRUCK: Following the gun attack on soldiers in

Ottawa on October 22, American media praised Canadian news outlets for showing restraint and avoiding sensational coverage of the incident. But one Sun News reporter did not receive the memo. Anderson Cooper, newscaster for CNN, was on Parliament Hill reporting on the event that day, when he was approached by the Sun TV contributor, who pressed Cooper to a take a photo with him, Salon reports. Cooper declined, calling it “wildly inappropriate” timing as someone had just been killed. Miffed, the Sun contributor sent accusatory tweets and uploaded a video of his exchange with the newscaster. Although the man later apologized, Sun News Network said it would no longer work with the journalist.

BULLY BUSTED: Some people become teachers to mould young minds, but others do it to get on a power trip — like playing the schoolyard bully. One teacher in Ontario seemed to have taken on that role, after she started working in schools under the Bluewater District School Board, where she routinely picked on students. The elementary-school teacher was stripped of her licence after she pushed a girl’s head into a water fountain, called another boy “rat face” and made disparaging comments to children with autism and learning disabilities, The Post reported on October 20. Perhaps the advice to “pick on someone your own size” is not quite the right approach, as she also allegedly intimidated six adults who later testified at a disciplinary hearing in September. MORNING DELIGHT: For a man in New Brunswick, it was just another morning on October 15, when he stopped by McDonald’s in Fredericton for a cup of coffee, medium black — so black that he could not see the dead rodent until he popped the lid off to enjoy the last few sips. The mouse was too tiny to make a noticeable difference in weight and was stuck to the bottom of the cup, CTV News reports. The man, who claims to have a “cast-iron” stomach, checked into a hospital and was told to come back if he felt sick. Meanwhile, he preserved the damning evidence in his freezer until a representative from the fast-food chain picked it up. The man has not consumed any coffee that he has not made himself since. OVER THE TOP: Taxicab drivers are often on the receiving end of abuse from customers. But an über-aggressive cab driver from Uber in San Francisco turned the tables by assaulting a passenger, following an argument about her destination address, local television news network KPIX 5 reported on October 20. The rider claims that the driver told her to “get 46

DECEMBER 2014

ohs canada

she raised it to his face to snap his photo. The ridesharing service says it has suspended the cabbie’s account and refunded the victim, including replacing her phone. This is not the first time the company has received bad press: in September, an Uber driver was charged for allegedly attacking a passenger with a hammer. The company might want to consider offering a free course in anger management to its drivers.

FROZEN ASSETS: Two technology companies have

gone out of the way to help female employees juggle worklife balance. Apple and Facebook made headlines in October after they offered to pay to freeze the eggs of their female employees, CNN reports. Has women’s standing in the workplace gone a notch higher, or is that a subtle nudge for women to work through their prime? The answer depends on who you ask. Needless to say, only female applicants need apply.

GAMERGATE: It seems that not everything in the video-

game industry is fun and games. An academic and public critic of sexism in video-game culture cancelled a lecture after an email threatened a shooting massacre if the talk took place as planned at Utah State University, The New York Times reported on October 15. The email was signed “Marc Lépine”, the name of the shooter in the Montreal École Polytechnique massacre in 1989. Under Utah state law, campus police cannot prevent people with weapons from attending public events. This is not the first time the academic has received violent threats for her work; bomb threats routinely precede her lectures. Will the feminist cultural critic emerge as the hero or the villain in the battle of “#Gamergate” being waged on social media? That one is to be continued...

ON THE NOSE: For workers suffering debilitating spinal-

cord injuries, take heart. Regaining range of motion may soon be possible through an unlikely source: one’s sense of smell. As the saying goes, the nose knows. An experimental treatment carried out by surgeons in Poland, in collaboration with scientists in England, has proved successful on a 40-year-old patient who was paralyzed from the chest down, after doctors transplanted the patient’s olfactory ensheathing cells from his nose into his spinal cord, BBC News reported on October 21. The charity that conducted the research says it hopes to offer the treatment free of charge. For those who suffer from similar injuries, the smell of hope cannot be sweeter.

LIAR, LIAR: Ever heard of a claustrophobic miner? That is

just one of the false claims made by an Italian miner who invented stories of amnesia, pains, hemorrhoids and drunkenness just to get out of work, according to an article on British news site Mail Online on October 21. With the help of accommodating doctors, the 60-year-old pensioner took a whopping 35 years of sick leave before retiring and claiming his pension in 2006 with hardly a day’s work. While the miner’s work ethic is far from commendable, he cannot be faulted for lack of candour. But employers in Italy who want to be rid of lazy workers may just have to wait until they retire. Follow us on Twitter @OHSCanada

2014 Readers’ Choice Awards

You be the judge! Now’s your chance to review and vote for the products and services you buy, like and would recommend to others.

Viewing entries is fast, easy and can take you as deep into the features benefits as you want to go.

Voting is open from November 10 to December 31, 2014 – www.ohscanada.com Simply click on “vote now” for your favorite product or service in each category.

Winners are announced in January, 2015. Look for winners on www.ohscanada.com & www.pipelinemagazine.ca and in the January/February issue of OHS Canada and Spring 2015 issue of Pipeline Magazines.

Vote & Enter after each vote, register for your chance to win a GoPro or iPad Mini! Grand Prize winners announced after voting closes – midnight December 31.

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ohscanada.com/readers-choice 47 www.ohscanada.com DECEMBER 2014

Introducing the 3M Safety App for your iPad

Creating a

safer world through 3M innovation.

Imagine having the entire 3M Personal Safety catalogue, and all the product information, organized and available on your iPad . Imagine being able to filter through all the options and find the 3M Personal Protective Equipment that’s just right. Now, you can and it’s free on the App Store. ®

Apple, the Apple logo, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. 3M is a trademark of 3M and The Power to Protect Your World is a service mark of 3M Company, used under license in Canada. © 2014, 3M. All rights reserved. BA-14-18895 1403-00428 E