Contactwinter2017

WINTER ISSUE l 2017 VOLUME 37 l NUMBER 1 l SSN 07123-3421

The Growing Fentanyl Crisis

Justice Institute of British Columbia develops Fentanyl Safety Resource for First Responders With the escalating numbers of fentanyl and opioid overdoses in Canada, the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) reacted to the “epidemic proportions” by issuing a media release on November 8, 2016.

The “JIBC Develops Fentanyl Safety Resources for First Responders” release was followed by two wellreceived workshops for first responders, and the development of a website providing education resources and essential information about fentanyl and opioid use. To view the JIBC’s media release, CLICK HERE

csse.org

- continued on page 6

What’s Inside...

President’s Message

3

Meet CSSE Member - Brenda Madley

4

CSSE Calgary Chapter Launches Book Club

5

Getting to Know Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

8

Great Leaders Always Check Their Blind Spots

10

CSSE & AQHSST - A Partnership of Collaboration 13 Maybe We Need to Take a Closer Look at HOW We Communicate

14

NEW CHSCs & NEW Members

15

Education • 2017 Education Lineup

16

• Get to Know the Instructors

18

• Course: Legal Obligations and Liabilities of Occupational Health & Safety Professionals

19

• Safety Education Needed for Northern Canada

20

• Finding More Ways for Safety Professionals to Connect

21

• Manitoba Takes Safety Education to the Next Level With…

22

• SAFE Work Manitoba Understands the Value of a CHSC Education!

23

CSSE Recognizing Excellence Awards Program

25

OHSE Student Writing Awards Program

25

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE: Contact Newsletter Working Group Tracey Harvie David Lindeman Elaine Wolfson Ontario Region

Denise Howitt EHS Partnerships Alberta Region

City of Hamilton Ontario Region

Thompson Nicola Training BC Region

Deirdre O’Reilly Editor: Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia Atlantic Region

Andrea Szametz

PUBLISHED BY:

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

CSSE Members: free of charge Non-Members: $100 per year, plus applicable taxes

Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, Inc. a federally chartered not-for-profit corporation

csse.org 468 Queen Street East, LL-02 Toronto, ON M5A 1T7 Tel: 416 646-1600 • Fax: 416 646-9460 • contactnewsletter@csse.org

President’s Message The CSSE is an Important Part of What We Believe In In 1979, I attended my first CSSE meeting.

At the time, there was only one chapter in BC: the BC/Yukon Chapter. That first meeting was certainly an eye-opener for me. Held at the Engineer’s Club in Vancouver, everyone was wearing a suit and they were all seated at round tables with a long head table at the front for the Chapter Board members. To begin the meeting, the Chapter Chair stood with his glass in hand, followed by all the men present (yes, I was the only female at that time) and, together, we all toasted “To the Queen!”

It made me proud to be a member then and I’m still just as proud today. The CSSE is an important part of me, of who I am, and what I believe in.

Through the years, CSSE members have always been supportive – along with my family, my employer, WorkSafeBC, and you, my CSSE family. Together, we are raising the profile and importance of safety practitioners and professionals, not only in Canada, but well beyond our borders.

Your participation and support on boards and committees in your Chapter, or serving on a Regional or National board or committee, form the backbone of our organization. I believe that when we, as leaders in the safety profession, provide mentorship and network with others, we are building a legacy for those following in our footsteps – one of strong purpose and insight that leads to safer workplaces, and the goal of workers going home at the end of the day free from occupational exposures and injury.

My vision includes a future of stronger chapters, empowered regions, and a more responsive Board of Directors. I’m asking you to share your ideas, needs, and support in making this a reality for all of us and our future CSSE members and leaders.

On the international stage, CSSE has a voice and sits together at the table with health and safety organizations from around the world. An excellent example of our collaborative efforts is the XXI World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, which will take place in Singapore from September 3 – 6, 2017. Held in a different country each time, the Congress offers a platform for the exchange of information and views to experts in occupational safety and health, representatives of enterprises and workers (the social partners), decision-makers in governments and public authorities, and anyone else active in the area of occupational safety and health.

The Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO) and the International Network of Safety & Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO) are working towards bringing together more than 10 safety professional and related organizations from around the world to sign the Singapore Accord on the standards of occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals (the “Singapore Accord”). This accord will seal the commitment of significant safety professional organisations worldwide to aspire towards the high standards of OHS professionals based on the INSHPO OHS Professional Capability Framework - A Global Framework for Practice. It will be a privilege and an honour to represent the CSSE at this important event and to sign the Singapore Accord on your behalf.

I’ve been a CSSE member for 37 years now, and I know how important it is to keep our momentum going forward. Thank you for your passion and commitment, and please remember that our vision starts with you and me, so let’s keep the conversation going.

Kathy Tull

3

Meet CSSE Member Brenda Madley Edmonton Chapter’s Hardworking Team Delivers Value to Members

Brenda Madley Chair

“Our Chapter success is really because of our committed volunteer contingent. Our volunteers work really hard and we believe this has been the main contributor to the Edmonton Chapter’s success.”

These words were spoken in a recent interview by Brenda Madley, a professional member of the CSSE Edmonton Chapter. Brenda joined CSSE in 2004, and is the current Chapter Chair (since November 2016), having previously served as Vice Chair (2014 – 2016). She currently serves on the Chapter’s Executive Committee.

“Our Executive really supports our committees and their very dedicated and hard-working volunteers,” says Brenda. “We have lots of Chapter activities including monthly lunch ‘n learns and ‘Connect’ networking events, our annual NAOSH Week Conference, continuing education, and other activities that support the success of OHS professionals in today’s workplaces. For me, I have benefitted from CSSE in many ways – the biggest is being connected to a broad spectrum of other professionals in my Chapter area. I also love attending the annual Professional Development Conference which provides attendees with an ‘appetizer tray of emerging OHS topics’ and enables them to be part of a dynamic and continuously evolving profession.”

In 2016, CSSE awarded the Chapter of the Year Award to the Edmonton Chapter.

Perhaps it was the strong Edmonton Communications and Engagement team (established in 2015) that swayed the judges. Brenda believes the Chapter’s communication strengths are a significant asset, which has been ably channelled through the efforts of Aimee Arsenault, who has helped “launch Chapter communications to a new level”. The Chapter has a significant presence on Facebook and Twitter, and has set a goal to have a near-daily communication with its members who use social media.

On several levels, this approach connects members and reinforces regional partnerships such as that of the Edmonton, Central Alberta and Calgary Chapters.

Brenda acknowledges that the use of social media is “still developing” and represents one tool “in [their] engagement toolbox”. Coming soon is utilizing CSSE Live to offer podcasts and articles related to relevant OHS topics.

“Another example of creating engagement is our efforts to collaborate regionally with the Central Alberta and Calgary Chapters. We met last December to discuss how to proactively work together for our members’ benefit. We want to also support the smaller Chapters in our region by leveraging the large Chapters’ resources to the small Chapters’ benefit.”

The Edmonton Chapter has been proactive in seeking collaboration opportunities with other safety associations. One example is the Chapter’s relationship with the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA). As partners, the ACSA and CSSE cross-promote events. The ACSA also hosts some Chapter lunches and the CRSP study group, which results in more financially sustainable programming for members.

Looking ahead, Brenda is enthusiastic about upcoming initiatives such as the NAOSH conference on May 10, 2017. “We have a big team planning a fullday conference and I am looking forward to some great speakers”, says Brenda. “This is another tangible example of how our amazing team of volunteers is working hard to deliver value to our members.”

CSSE members planning to be in the Edmonton area should check the website. There’s bound to be an upcoming Chapter event worth investigating…

Edmonton Chapter Executive Committee

4

Michael Eigner Vice-Chair

Savannah Dickson Secretary

Jean-Pierre Mainville Treasurer

Corey Papp

Immediate Past Chair

CSSE Calgary Chapter Launches Book Club The CSSE Calgary Chapter is focused on providing value for our members and is continuously looking for ways to reach our member population.

The purpose of the book club is to read and discuss books that have a topic that is related to health and safety. Our hope is that those participating may expand their horizon or view of health and safety both through reading the book and the discussion that ensues.

On February 22, 2017, we held the first meeting of the CSSE Calgary Chapter Book Club. We chose to read An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield. Colonel Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut. This book recounts his journey from an eight-year-old boy watching man walk on the moon for the first time to his time to his final posting as the Commander of the International Space Station.

Colonel Hadfield offers his insight and shares some of the lessons he has learned: don’t visualize success, plan for it; do care what others think; and always sweat the small stuff.

We found there were many topics in the book that are relevant for the health and safety practitioner. These included hazard, risk, competence, communication, planning, team work, and leadership.

Next up, we will be reading Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters by Chesley Sullenberger and plan to meet up again in April.

We are also brainstorming with the Edmonton CSSE Chapter on ways to take Book Club into an online format.

naosh.ca

The Growing Fentanyl Crisis - cont’d from page 1 The Spread of Fentanyl Developed in 1959 by a Belgian chemist, fentanyl was initially adopted as a pain reliever and anesthetic for use in medical settings. It became more widespread in the mid-1990s with the introduction of a patch featuring a “slow release” over several days. Today’s prescription-grade fentanyl is 100 times more toxic than morphine – the equivalent of a grain of salt is enough to kill someone.

In Canada, the availability of statistics about current fentanyl use varies by province. After Health Canada released statistics showing a more than 40% increase in the number of street drugs testing positive for fentanyl across the country, Global News published some statistics in November 2016. Highlights include:

Province

Opioid-related Deaths

Fentanyl-related Deaths

British Columbia January – October 2016 In April, the province declared a public health emergency due to the alarming rise in the number of overdose-related deaths.

Alberta January – October 2016

Saskatchewan January – September 2016

622 (60% increase over the same period in 2015)

332

338

193

18 • 2015: 86

2 • 2015: 21

Manitoba

150 • While Manitoba did not

Ontario

529

162

New Brunswick

7 related to opioids 10 where opioids were detected

Not reported

have a tracking mechanism in place, it reported 150 overdoses of which some were related to opioids, including fentanyl

2015

alongside other substances

Prince Edward Island 2014

4

Quebec Did not report in response to requests for data

Nova Scotia January – August 2016

70

Newfoundland & Labrador

20 drug-related accidental deaths,

2015

with 18 of them testing positive for opioids and 5 contained fentanyl

Source: Global News, November 17, 2016 CLICK HERE to read more.

Safety Concerns for Front-line Workers With the rising death rate attributed to fentanyl and opioids, there is significant impetus for public officials to take action in ensuring first responders and other front-line workers are adequately trained. Every day reflects their significant emotional toll in this crisis because of the high risk of being inadvertently infected or ingesting it through touch.

- cont’d on page 7

6

Many first responders have cited their inability to deal adequately with this spike in drug overdoses. Cases vary from a user requiring higher levels of care or a user who has to be treated multiple times in a day. In some areas, first responders have described the crisis as “chaos”, a constant pressure in “putting out fires”, and the significant responsibilities associated with simply keeping people alive until paramedics arrive on the scene. Additionally, in-house and street interventions can be significantly more dangerous than those in controlled settings – descriptions often include finding a way around unknown areas, clutter, garbage, fire hazards, and piles of used syringes.

Training and advice provided to front-line workers vary. Some workers have been provided with training and others with advice on what to consider when they are out in the community (e.g., “rigorous handling techniques” and “safety tips”). The bottom line is that there is no way to predict when or where a fentanyl or opioid overdose or emergency situation will occur.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support for First Responders First responders who deal with life-threatening issues are publicly speaking out about their struggles and the mental issues they face daily. As the fentanyl crisis continues, many first responders are speaking up while at the same time others are working to take care of their widespread mental and emotional needs.

Following are examples of information-sharing and positive action: • In 2015, about one-third of Canada’s 40 firstresponder suicides were in BC (Source: “BC First Responders Unite for PTSD Awareness and Support”, Global News, August 21, 2016). There is information on what first responders are doing in response to the crisis – such as the First Cause Ride, a 140 km cycling route to raise money and awareness for a “unique treatment program” with an Internet connection that enables anyone on the “front lines” in BC to receive help.

• In BC, a Private Member’s bill was brought forward in the Cariboo-Prince George region. It would create a system to track PTSD, establish guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and management, and create educational materials for use by public health providers.

• The Ontario government’s Bill 163, Supporting Ontario’s First Responders Act, is part of a broader strategy to address PTSD for police and first responders.

• Federal MPs have called for a new research centre devoted to the mental health of first responders. A report tabled on October 4, 2016 includes estimates that 10-35% of first responders will develop PTSD. The House of Commons committee overseeing this urges creation of a body that would, among other things, collect data and devise a research strategy to recognize the particular challenges that first responders face in their work.

Broader initiatives that have been identified and/or are already in place: • Greater engagement through social media and web-based training • Facilitating the set-up of more supervised consumption or drug injection sites, including access to addiction counselling • Government crack down on illicit shipments of fentanyl (fuelled by mail-order suppliers in China and Mexico) • Enabling more readily available access to drugs such as naloxone (which reverses the lethal effects of drugs like fentanyl but only when administered immediately after an overdose) and including them in provincial drug plans or enabling them to be “over the counter” • Increased use of Suboxone (a drug used in the first line of treatment for opioid addiction) For information related to safety, handling and the status of the fentanyl issue in Canada, go to: www.fentanylsafety.com Government of Canada Press Release: November 19, 2016: Joint Statement of Action to Address the Opioid Crisis www.healthycanadians.gc.ca PTSD Association of Canada www.ptsdassociation.com Anxiety BC (resources, including self-help strategies for PTSD) www.anxietybc.com Canadian Mental Health Association www.cmha.ca St. John Ambulance (new mental health course) www.sja.ca

7

Getting to Know Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) Offers Resources on Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder It’s in the news. It’s recognized in legislation, and highprofile individuals from generals to journalists have stepped forward to tell their story about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

It’s always been around, but more than ever PTSD is getting increased attention as a work-related health issue. As the understanding of this illness increases, its definition continues to expand and evolve to include new risk factors and occupations most at risk for exposure to trauma. PTSD can disrupt your whole life: job, relationships, health, and enjoyment of everyday activities. While we may not be able to prevent trauma, there is help for those who develop significant mental health issues following the experience.

People can have very different reactions to traumatic situations. They may feel anxious, have difficulty sleeping, or replay details of the event in their mind. These are typical reactions and, with time, most people are able to get back to their daily lives. For others, these effects last much longer and getting back to one’s regular daily life is not a simple matter. PTSD is not fully understood. There is no explanation why some people who experience the same event develop PTSD while others don’t.

PTSD can occur at any age, and can last months or years. Symptoms often begin within one to three months following the traumatic event, and may include the affected person becoming estranged from others or oddly unaffected because they are generally in shock.

Later, they may experience recurrent images or thoughts of the traumatic event, nightmares, or flashbacks.

Not every person who experiences a traumatic event will experience PTSD. With time, support, and good self-care, most people recover. A person may have PTSD if the symptoms get worse or last for months or even years and interfere with daily life.

Disorder or Injury?

The cause of PTSD is often obvious: it is a psychologically traumatic event that triggers feelings of terror and causes flashbacks. Factors that affect the likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress include the severity, duration, and proximity of the person’s exposure to that traumatic event. The risk is generally highest among those who thought they would be killed or seriously injured during the event.

Is it Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Post-Traumatic Stress Injury? This discussion around language and labels has attracted considerable attention. Those who support dropping the “D” in PTSD believe that doing so will reduce any perceived stigma associated with the word “disorder”. This perceived stigma might deter those in need from seeking help. Supporters of switching “injury” for “disorder” hope using “injury” will lead to a greater acceptance of those who experience post-traumatic stress. Greater acceptance will allow those affected to heal without prejudgment. For now the terminology is interchangeable and the discussion on this important issue continues.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress?

Post-traumatic stress is an extreme reaction to exposure to a traumatic event. It may develop following either direct or indirect exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Direct exposure may occur through experiencing one or more traumatic events or through witnessing such an event happen to others. Indirect exposure can occur when learning about a traumatic event or when exposed to details about an event.

8

Soldiers exposed to warfare were among the first to be identified as being at risk for PTSD. First responders who are exposed to traumatic events on a regular basis, such as police officers, paramedics, firefighters, nurses, emergency dispatchers, correctional workers, and First Nations emergency response teams are also recognized as being at risk. These occupations are now identified in the workers compensation legislation of a number of provinces, resulting in the formal recognition of certain cases of PTSD as being work-related.

Causes

Violent personal assault, rape, mugging, car or plane accidents, military combat, industrial accidents, and natural disasters are the types of triggering events which have caused people to experience PTSD. In some cases, seeing another person harmed or killed, or learning that a close friend or family member was in serious danger has caused the stress.

Symptoms

Reducing the Risk of PTSD

The symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event; however, they may also take years to appear. The duration of PTSD and the strength of the symptoms vary.

According to the PTSD Association of Canada, people who experience PTSD may have a variety of symptoms.

Responses can include a deep sense of helplessness, abnormal fear, feelings of devastation, flashbacks from the event, a feeling of emotional numbness, aversion to social contact, and avoidance of situations that might trigger memories of the event. Additional responses can include depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, panic attacks, irritability, anger outbursts, difficulty with concentration or memory, feelings of vulnerability, fear of normal everyday activities, or feeling overwhelmed by the smallest of tasks.

To reduce the risk of PTSD, employers in vulnerable professions can offer programs aimed at preventing, mitigating, and managing the effects of stress. These programs can help increase overall awareness of mental health issues, decrease the stigma of PTSD, and build the resilience of workers exposed to traumatic situations. For example, first responders can learn how to use stress management techniques during and after stressful events. Training on topics such as anger and stress management, creating a healthy home life, suicide intervention, and addictions awareness can also help minimize the effects of PTSD. Early intervention after a traumatic event is critical.

Employers should plan ahead to ensure that affected workers receive appropriate information and support, and early access to treatment.

PTSD is treatable. Workplaces can help by providing awareness education to all staff, specific education to those in most need, providing access to services and support, and encouraging the individual to talk to someone (e.g., peer support, councillor, professional, etc.) about the event.

Treatment According to Statistics Canada about half of the people with PTSD fully recover within three to six months of symptoms developing, but others can experience symptoms for years.

Treatments for PTSD, which include medications and psychotherapy, can improve symptoms. Cognitivebehavioural therapy can also be effective. Through this therapy, individuals learn how to change their thought patterns to overcome anxiety. Support groups can also help as a place to share thoughts and feelings of the traumatic event, and gain confidence in coping. In some cases, treatment may be required for many years to prevent relapse.

When left untreated, PTSD symptoms can become worse, and result in: • Drug or alcohol addiction, • Chronic pain, hypertension, and other physical problems, • Employment problems, • Relationship problems and divorce, and • Self-injury.

Why Only Some?

While most people experience trauma at some point in their life, not all traumatic experiences lead to PTSD. First responders are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events, but not all will develop PTSD. It’s not known why trauma causes PTSD in some people and not others, but it’s likely linked to many different factors.

These factors include the length of time the trauma lasted, the number of other traumatic experiences in a person’s life, their reaction to the event, and the kind of support they received after the event.

This article can be found online here www.ccohs.ca To read Glyn Jones’ article The Fort McMurray Fires: The Aftermath – Checking on the Progress CLICK HERE. Glyn looks back on the disaster and provides a snapshot as to how the residents are coping with the fire’s legacy, including PTSD and the re-building of their lives and the community.

Resources • First Responders First - CLICK HERE • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Canadian Mental Health Association - CLICK HERE • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces - CLICK HERE • Knowledge and tools necessary for recovery, PTSD Association of Canada - CLICK HERE • Areas of Care: Operational Stress Injuries and PTSD, The Royal Mental Health Centre - CLICK HERE • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , Mayo Clinic - CLICK HERE • PTSD: National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - CLICK HERE

• Disorder, National Institute of Mental Health - CLICK HERE • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Statistics Canada - CLICK HERE

CCOHS Fact Sheets • PTSD - CLICK HERE • Workplace Stress - CLICK HERE

9

Great Leaders Always Check Their Blind Spots By: Glyn Jones, CRSP I remember fondly the days just after I got my driver’s license. I was a proud graduate of the CAA driving school in my home town of Aurora. Not only did I learn to keep my hands on the wheel at “10 and 2” (that was before airbags) but also to always check my blind spot before making a lane change. This is good advice for new drivers and good advice for future leaders too!

Many people may not even be aware that they have a blind spot. I don’t mean a driving blind spot but a leadership blind spot. Not checking your blind spot or not being able to see your blind spot can be a severely career-limiting flaw. Even the most effective leaders have flaws. Unfortunately, many leaders don’t know what those flaws are or how to fix or manage them.

Although he did not express it exactly right, Rumsfeld was talking about the United States’ blind spot with respect to Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime – things that were unknown to the US but known to Iraq. This history, on its own, should teach us that the risk of not managing blind spots can be very detrimental.

So what do I mean by your leadership blind spot? When your colleague tells you that you act in a certain way or your facial expressions or body language are contrary to your messaging and you don’t agree with them or you are surprised or perplexed by their comment, then you have not been checking your blind spot. If you know yourself the way others know you, then you have been regularly checking your blind spot.

In reality, some of us have better self-awareness than others. I have said before that a starting point for your leadership development is to “know yourself”. I would wager that right now you can easily think of someone you know who has no clue that they act a certain way (e.g., picky, argumentative, gossipy, or loud) even though everybody else around them seems to know it.

This lack of personal awareness is what I am referring to as a blind spot. These are the things about ourselves that others can see, but we do not.

It is the blind spot area of the matrix we are concerned with. This quadrant represents information that you are not aware of but others are. No one understands this quadrant of the Johari matrix better than Robert Bruce Shaw, a consultant with Princeton Managing Consulting Group in New Jersey. He advocates that, in the leadership arena, there are five common blind spots future leaders need to watch for and manage.

When I think about blind spots I am reminded of the quotable quote offered up by Donald Rumsfeld, George W. Bush’s Secretary of Defense. Obsessed with going to war with Iraq, he said:

“ As we know, there are known knowns; there

are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know. 1 - Donald Rumsfeld

”

1

10

www.youtube.com/watch

What Rumsfeld was talking about is commonly referred to as the Johari Window created by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham. It was designed to help individuals have a better understanding of themselves, and to help them develop better relationships with others.

Known to Self

Not Known to Self

Known to Others

OPEN

BLIND SPOT

Not Known to Others

HIDDEN

UNKNOWN

- cont’d on page 11

5 Common Blind Spots To Watch For And Manage 1. The strategic thinking blind spot

4. The assumption blind spot

Many leaders are better at being managers of process than they are at thinking strategically. For many, getting caught in the weeds and the details is their blind spot. Most leaders will over-estimate their capacity to think strategically and often use the word “strategic” as an adjective to describe their plan even when they are actually describing a tactical plan or a simple management process.

Instead of thinking strategically, a leader with a strategic capability blind spot spends most of his/ her time down in the weeds thinking and talking about operational issues and resolving near-term challenges. In the most extreme cases, the leader can get so lost in operational details that a broader, more strategic view of the future for the operation is never developed.

It is the wisest person who knows for sure that you should never assume anything about anyone. Many leaders assume that all others are just like them when in fact statistically this is simply not possible and not true. These leaders unfortunately go into many situations with a flawed understanding of how others think about any given situation and about the values ascribed. This assumption blind spot creates a tendency for them to think that others are like themselves, particularly in regards to what motivates them, how they make decisions, and what their preferences are in dealing with conflict. The assumption blind spot often leads to bad decisionmaking and a weakening of relationships.

2. The know-it-all blind spot Executives with the know-it-all weakness cannot take others’ points of view into consideration, even regarding minor issues. They will likely be guilty of always interrupting people when they’re speaking and always seem to find fault in what others are proposing. When given a choice between being right or being effective, the know-it-all leader’s preference is to be right. Relying on such false hope and intuition will usually not turn out well. So focused are the “know-it-alls” on the action and discussion and so confident are they in their own abilities, these leaders don’t fully explore the options and the associated risks before moving forward with a plan of action.

3. The unbalanced blind spot The unbalanced blind spot is inability to balance the “what” with the “how”. This creates risks with respect to outcome. Some leaders with this particular flaw place excessive emphasis on results over process.

This makes it hard for them to see that they may be inadvertently creating a “win at all costs” mentality within their organizations. Other leaders susceptible to this blind spot focus too much on how well their employees work together and don’t place enough emphasis on delivering results. In both cases, these leaders fail to recognize the need for balance between what an organization needs to achieve and how it goes about achieving it.

5. The “been-there-done-that” blind spot This blind spot has its genesis in the thinking that past experiences are always relevant and helpful in solving current problems. It is true that past experience is valuable and can be used to shape thinking; however, many with this blind spot take it too far. New challenges are viewed as being similar to past challenges and addressed as such. This may include applying proven methods that simply do not fit. This approach can lead to catastrophic failure if the new challenge is actually quite different than those faced in the past. The blind spot may develop because the leader wrongly assesses their past success and promotion as having been as a result of how they did things in the past instead of the more general assessment of inherent potential for doing great things in the future.

While it is true that every leader is individually and uniquely flawed, there are a few tools that all leaders can use to see past the blind spots that are holding them back. Future leaders need to apply the necessary thinking and uncover their blind spots if they are to optimize their capacity.

- cont’d on page 12

11

Here are a few ideas as to how you can do this: 1. Seek feedback from others

4. Monitor yourself

The advice of others can be an all-important warning system for you. Ask people who are close to you to give you honest feedback on your behaviours. Ask them to tell you when they see you doing something that jeopardizes your capacity to maintain trust and build engagement with the team and others. Listen to their advice and take action! This will help to shrink this “blind” spot.

Great leaders know themselves. Focus on increasing your self-awareness and looking out for how you react in different situations. This can reduce the number and types of unknown knowns. We are all capable of increasing the level of our self-control and in doing so managing these blind spots.

2. Open up about behaviors in general If you know you do things that may be seen by others as negative or that have the capacity to diminish trust or degrade engagement, challenge yourself to acknowledge this and explore the root of this behaviour. Share your thoughts with someone you trust and encourage them to ask you how it’s going with that habit. You will be surprised what transparency and accountability can do in terms of reducing your “blind spot” of behaviours.

3. Build a strong team - CLICK HERE Surrounding yourself with excellence is never a bad idea. Having a diverse team of smart people around you who are willing to engage in debates and difficult conversations on the best path forward is a leading indicator of blind spot compression or elimination.

While not commonly used in leadership development circles, the Johari Window can help anyone analyze and manage their behaviours. This will help you shrink the size of your blind spot, and hidden and unknown windows which, in turn, will increase the size of your “open” window. That will put you on a path towards increasing capacity to lead others.

Glyn is CSSE’s Regional Vice-President of Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. He is partner at EHS Partnerships Ltd. in Calgary and is a consulting occupational health and safety professional with 30 years of experience.

GLYN can be reached at

gjones@ehsp.ca

12

CSSE & AQHSST A Partnership of Collaboration Opportunities for Collaboration CSSE and the Association québécoise pour l’hygiène, la santé et la sécurité du travail (AQHSST) have recently completed the first year of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that has enabled both organizations to take advantage of each other’s specified resources and programs. As the two organizations share similar mandates and goals, CSSE has been keen to enter into this arrangement, and it has greatly benefited both organizations’ members.

CSSE Past President, Jim Hopkins, signed the document on behalf of CSSE, and AQHSST’s Past President, Esther Thibault, signed on behalf of AQHSST in February 2016.

Thomas Abercrombie, RVP for Ontario/Quebec and CSSE Board member, has been a driving force in the development and advancement of the relationship between the AQHSST and the CSSE. “I am very happy to say that through discussions with the CSSE, AQHSST, and, more recently the BCRSP, that we see the common goal of advancing the OHS profession both inside and outside of Quebec,” said Abercrombie. “The partners are committed to this and we are leveraging the strengths of each organization to make this happen. We cannot do this on our own and our collective strength will spell win-win for our members and certificant holders. We have a lot in the works and I look forward to advancing this partnership.”

For AQHSST members, the MOU enables them to take advantage of CSSE offerings such as attending the national launch of NAOSH Week, receiving a 10% discount on their first year’s membership fees, and accessing CSSE publications.

CSSE believes the benefits are tangible and valuable.

Examples include expanding CSSE’s reach into Quebec and to other health and safety professionals and exploring new opportunities going forward. In May of this year, in collaboration with both organizations, Michel Crepeau will be teaching Obligations and Liabilities in French.

CSSE and AQHSST are keen to collaborate on promoting health, safety, environmental hygiene and other topics of importance to occupational health and safety practitioners. In addition to enhancing the benefits of membership in both organizations, the broader vision includes leveraging the two organizations’ profiles, programs, and presence on the larger stage.

As we know, at the end of the day, what’s important is that Canadian workers get home safely at the end of their work day. This MOU certainly supports that vision.

CLICK HERE for French translation of this article.

Accédez á la version française de cet article en cliquant ici

“

The AQHSST is proud of this partnership as it benefits both members of AQHSST and CSSE to promote the OHS profession. During the last year we have had great opportunities to discuss and share experiences between our organization and with BCRSP in order to review the needs, the goals and how we can work together to help everyone.

This way, we are able to provide more services and it’s an added value for the members.

”

- Danny Morin, President, AQHSST

13

Maybe We Need to Take A Closer Look at HOW We Communicate By: Robert R. Montgomery CRSP, CHSC, NCSO

I’ve rarely met a Business Professional that doesn’t appreciate the importance of intentional communication, but I’ve met many Health and Safety Practitioners that ‘act’ as if it doesn’t matter.

What does that say about the value we offer our employers?

Over the years, I’ve had many conversations about why HSE initiatives have not been embraced nor genuinely and wholeheartedly accepted by employers. Recently, in the midst of the latest recession, I’ve heard about many HSE practitioners that have been the victims of ‘downsizing’, ‘laid off’ or been a part of an entire HSE department decimated as a ‘cost-cutting measure’.

Many have been shocked or bewildered at the news or receipt of their ‘pink slip’. Although undoubtedly many employers have overreacted or reacted inappropriately, perhaps we should look a little closer at why some HSE personnel have become ‘sacrificial lambs’. Maybe there are lessons to be learned...

My contention is that we shouldn’t be surprised if the manner in which messaging was delivered was not carefully considered to ensure those receiving it actually ‘got it’ in the way it was intended. The result?

Hard work gets missed, employers lose out on valuable programming, and those crafting the work may never fully understand the reasoning.

edit by E. Beck

When we look closely at ‘how’ we communicate, there are many factors to be considered and many barriers that could impact the process and result in our messaging being ‘unclear’ or, ‘misinterpreted’ along the way. Every day we send and receive information in ways that may or may not be appropriate for our intended audience and, once ‘off track’, it can be difficult to recover. Since most of our messaging is non-verbal, we transmit what we ‘feel’ as well as the subject itself. Further, we may believe our message to be logical, but if ‘delivery channels’ or ‘circumstances’ relating to the recipient are not fully and intentionally considered, our message may be received in a manner that evokes an unintended or negative ‘emotional’ response rather than a logical one. This gets compounded further when the receiver of our messaging attempts a response based on partial or inaccurate reception of the original message.

Confused? The net result is usually chaos or worse...

What does this mean for the practitioners of HSE? In short, we need to take the time to study the principles of Organizational Behaviour, incorporate them into our work and apply a ‘higher standard’ to all of our communication. As we begin to understand the dynamics that exist within our workplace and become better communicators, others will gain greater clarity on the intrinsic value of a professionallydesigned OHSMS and... take us more seriously. Next time a recession comes around, hopefully it won’t be our heads that are first on the chopping block...

Something to think about.

Robert is a management consultant and Adjunct Professor at the University of Fredericton where he facilitates ‘Communications for the OSH Professional’ within the MBA program. He is currently the Chair of the Public Relations Subcommittee of the National Education Steering Committee of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering and lives in Calgary, Alberta. You can contact Robert through www.mtnind.com or mtnind@telusplanet.net.

This is the first in a series of articles addressing how HSE practitioners might become better communicators. If you found value in this article and would like to see more, please let us know.

14

NEW CHSCs NEW Members NEW CHSCs Dayle Biggin • J.W. Lindsay Enterprises Roy Bradfield • Fort McKay Group of Companies Michael Daley • Thompson Creek Metals Tony Graham • Matrix NAC Mike Pemberton • Outlook Safety Inc. Prabhakar Shanmugam • Enbridge Pipelines Pat Strizzi • PSPC

NEW Members Nancy Carroll • Western Electrical Management Karey Pieper • Veresen Jennifer Koenig • Calgary Airport Authority Jesse Frost • Cameron Canada Corporation Kevin Brown • Seaspan ULC Chrissy Novak • Motor Vehicle Safety Association of Manitoba Matt McDonald • James Dick Construction Limited Nicole Victor • BC Hydro Shawn Crockett • BC Hydro Shara Bagnell • County of Dufferin Kevin Atkins • Parkland Fuel Corporation Julie Fogle • Dynamic Pressure Services Inc. Barton Taylor • HAZ-MATTERS Emergency Management Inc. Cara Pembroke • XPO Logistics Jennifer Hall • Ottawa Carleton District School Board Carla Schatz • Saskatchewan Government Insurance Angie Smith • Powerstroke Well Control Ltd. Bill Bray • SHSA Chris Castellano • Motor Vehicle Safety Association of Manitoba Kon Li • Simon Fraser University Doug Kereliuk • Vallen Tania Hansen • PHSA (BCEHS) Eva Mcnulty • Backwoods Energy Services Jatinder Sandhu Christin Schaab • ISNetworld Mike Allegretto • CBI Workplace Solutions Bob Nielsen • Mainroad Contracting Jodie Tattoni • Ramboll Shane Mallard • Keyin College Govindraj Srinivas • Arabi Enertech KSC Scott McLeod • BIS Training Solutions Crystal Graham • Grupo Bimbo Kenson Silverthorne • Knoll Inc. Keith Hall Tina Tremblett • Roughrider International Christine Kuznak • THINK Safety Consulting Barry Woodcock • Sysco Victoria a Division of Sysco Canada Inc. Doug Keir • BCIT Lourdu Richard Antonysamy nadar • Technip France, RME Grant Pozniak • Pozniak Safety Associates Inc. Craig Joy • University of New Brunswick Charlotte Bierman • County of Grande Prairie Tracy Dawe • County of Grande Prairie Brian Preston • Matrix Service Canada Lacy Thurman • Alberta Construction Safety Association

Daniel Oluwabiyi • TOTAL E & P Nigeria Emeka Nwala • TOTAL Mike McCron • Municipality of Clarington Nigel Rogers • Vale Luc Belliveau • Luc Belliveau consultant SST Ltd. Bosede Felicia Ajakaye • Medadson International Limited omotoshoajayi Ajayi • Total Exploration Nigeria Limited Kelly M. Roncin • KellyKo Services Inc. Mike Keegan • Mike Keegan Safety Consulting Services Farid Shahzada Khan • FAST Metro Riyadh Brad Geddes • Cenovus Karbet Djedouboum • ESSO CHAD Joanna Moro • Safety First Consulting Laurie Reid • Laurie Reid Safety Services Hilary Steele • One Wind Services Inc. Samuel Elemchukwu Enyadike • Onshore Construction, Offshore and Drilling Paul Elkins • Alberta Energy Regulator Tammy Scantlebury • Nordion Inc. Karl Johnson • Tron Construction & Mining Limited Partnership Jenna O'Donnell • Jenna O'Donnell OH&S Consulting Dean Boucher • Envirocon Environmental Services ULC Aleeza Agno • Casino Rama Resort Shabnam Mir Seraji • Honeywell Katie Selman • Chemfab Industries Glenn Thurston • City of Oshawa George Ibane • Snamprogetti Saudi Arabia Company Limited Carolyn Cuthbertson • Public Services Health & Safety Association Christine O'Donnell Adrian Varao • WSPS Natalia Pashutina • YMCA Lyna Huynh Jamie Lundrigan Antony Kerr • A Kerr Safety Services Inc. Faye Sharples Margaret Hegarty • Plains Midstream Deanna Renyk • Mount Royal University Chantelle MacDougall • Fluor Mary Young Adesuyi • BCIT Bernice Kwok • Safety First Consulting Professional Corporation Doug Brown Thyssen Mining Joseph Gross Arleta Tyzo • Mount Royal University

15

Developing Effective OHS Training Courses

Assessing OHSE Training Needs & Options

march 04–05

june 24–25

CSSE Vancouver, BC

CSSE Regina, SK

This course provides the OHSE practitioner, whether an internal or external consultant, with the introductory knowledge and skills to design effective training courses based on an analysis of organizational and employee needs. Filled with tools and strategies, the course will take course developers through needs analysis, instructional approaches and much more.

Provides the OHSE practitioner, whether an internal or external consultant, with the introductory knowledge, skills and tools for identifying training needs and evaluating high-quality health and safety programs available to meet those needs based on adult learning principles. Course objectives apply to multi-industry training courses.

Instructor: Patt Marquis

Instructor: Patt Marquis

Project Management

Essential Value of OHS Management Systems

may 06–07

CSSE Calgary, AB

Responsible for evaluation and ongoing development of high-quality safety initiatives within organizations or implemented an OHS management system? This course will provide the tools and strategies to enable the OHS leader to provide the best consultative advice to systematically evaluate the value of OHS Management Systems within a specific organizational context.

Instructor: Tammy Moore

Obligations & Liabilities

april 04–05 june 10–11

16

CSSE

IH-R

WCS PIP AQHSST

EDUCATION 2017 LINEUP

april/may A30–M01

PIP Toronto, ON

Designed to provide OHS practitioners with the tools and techniques to plan, manage, close and evaluate a project related to the OHS environment.

Work on a “live” project from the OHS environment and apply PM tools and processes to simulate a complete project life cycle. Based on 5th edition of PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) and Canadian best practices in the safety profession.

Instructor: Andy Davis

Essentials of Risk Management AQHSST Montreal, QC

CSSE Edmonton, AB

may 27–28 june 21–22

CSSE Vancouver, BC IH-R Winnipeg, MB

This course is designed to develop an awareness and understanding of the legal obligations and potential liabilities encountered when providing OHS advice. The focus is on defining the nature and scope of obligations and illustrating strategies for reducing the liabilities that may arise from poor performance. This course provides invaluable information for every level of experience.

This course provides the OHSE practitioner with the knowledge, skills and tools to be able to provide effective OHSE-focused risk management advice to company management and to exercise leadership in bringing an understanding of the principles of OHSE risk management to the workplace. Contribute to the building of a safety culture within or for your business or organization.

Instructor: Michel Crepeau

Instructor: Fred Leafloor, Andrew Harkness

IH-R

CSSE

WCS PIP AQHSST

EDUCATION 2017 LINEUP Measurement & Evaluation

Applied Risk Communications

march 18–19 march 25–26 april 05–06

CSSE Edmonton, AB CSSE London, ON WCS Vancouver, BC

Communication is the key component in every aspect of health and safety. Engage in robust and challenging case studies; learn and apply techniques to communicate important information to groups of people who are stressed, concerned or even apathetic about hazards; proactively plan communication messages and much more.

Instructor: Cameron Nicolson, Erika Caspersen

april 05–06 april 26–27 april/may A30–M01

WCS Vancouver, BC IH-R Winnipeg, MB PIP Toronto, ON

As occupational health and safety initiatives become more sophisticated and emphasize more of a managed systems approach, measurement and evaluation tools must also become more strategic in their intent, use and application. Learn key measurement and evaluation techniques that can be used to support development, implementation and maintenance of OHS intelligence-based processes.

Instructor: Ryan Davis, Andrew Harkness

Consulting Skills

march 18–19 march 25–26 april 22–23 april/may A30–M01 may 27–28

IHR Red Deer, AB CSSE Winnipeg, MB CSSE Saskatoon, SK PIP Toronto, ON CSSE Ottawa, ON

This course is highly recommended for both internal and external occupational health and safety consultants.

Provides an understanding of, and practice in, the application of professional consulting skills in the context of OHS practice. Review the functions and roles of a consultant; describe the phases of the consulting process and much more.

Instructors: Matthew Allen, Darrell McQuigge

17

Get to Know the Instructors INSTRUCTOR:

F.C. (Fred) Leafloor, CHSC, CRSP, CRM

Fred has worked continuously within the occupational safety and health industry for over 30 years, keeping pace with the advances in the sector. As founder and President of Safety First Industrial Safety Services, he has successfully practised OSH consulting in national and international markets in the oil and gas, maritime, aviation, diving, and heavy construction industries.

Fred maintains an active participation within the CSSE at the local and national levels. Within the CSSE’s education structure, Fred initially co-developed three of the CHSC programs (Legal Obligations & Liabilities, Applied Risk Communications (ARC), and Essentials of Risk Management (ERM)). In 2015-16 he led the teams upgrading both the ARC and O&L programs to Edition 6. He has presented over 100 CHSC courses, lately focusing upon the ARC and ERM.

CSSE INSTRUCTOR FOR: Applied Risk Communications • Essentials of Risk Management Legal Obligations & Liabilities

INSTRUCTOR:

S. Daniel Black

Daniel Black is a partner in the Employment and Labour Law Section of McCarthy Tétrault, LLP in Toronto. His practice involves advising employers on a wide variety of employment and labour law issues, including employment standards, workers’ compensation claims, arbitrations and collective agreement negotiations, with an emphasis on occupational health and safety matters.

Daniel has appeared before a variety of employment and labour-related tribunals, including the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, boards of arbitration, and the Tax Court of Canada.

Daniel Black was one of the original developers of CSSE’s “Obligations and Liabilities of the OHS Consultant” and has continued to instruct it for several years.

CSSE INSTRUCTOR FOR: Legal Obligations & Liabilities

INSTRUCTOR:

Michel Crépeau, B.Sc., CIH, ROH, CHSC

Michel J. Crépeau, B.Sc., CIH, ROH, CHSC is Regional Manager with Total Safety Services Inc. based in Burnaby, BC. Michel is very familiar with the various regulations related to occupational health and safety in federal and provincial workplaces. He has over 30 years of local, national and international experience in occupational health, safety and environment and has managed the development, implementation and performance of a wide variety of EHS programs.

Michel’s work experience includes federal, provincial, municipal and industrial risk assessments as well as hazard investigations.

He has worked extensively in the recognition, evaluation and control of workplace occupational health hazards in a wide variety of roles. Hazard evaluations have been carried out in various industrial and commercial establishments, governmental workplaces as well as in homeowner residences. Michel is fluent in both English and French, and has worked on projects throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. He frequently delivers training courses on health and safety to a variety of clients.

Michel is registered with the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (ROH), certified with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (CIH), and certified with CSSE (CHSC). He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Chemistry) from the University of Ottawa and a Graduate Diploma (Occupational Hygiene) from McGill University.

CSSE INSTRUCTOR FOR: Legal Obligations & Liabilities

18

COURSE

Legal Obligations and Liabilities of Occupational Health & Safety Professionals This updated two-day course is designed to develop an awareness and understanding of the obligations and potential liabilities that may be encountered by the OH&S professional when providing advice in the area of occupational health and safety. The focus is upon defining the types of obligations and potential liabilities and illustrating ways and means of reducing these risks.

Because every OHS professional can be at risk, this course provides invaluable information for every level of experience - from the novice to the seasoned professional, and from the “internal” employee advisor to the third-party independent consultant.

Course participants will be able to: ■ Learn your obligations or duties to the client, the workers and the public ■ Learn what standard of care and skill is expected of an OHS practitioner ■ Understand with what type of legislation you should be familiar ■ Assess and handle conflict of interest ■ Consider ramifications when preparing a report to management ■ Understand what is a report disclaimer and when you might need one ■ Discuss the major ethical issues faced by the OH&S profession ■ Discuss (in-depth) the liabilities faced, based on contracts and legislation ■ Understand the role of professional liability insurance ■ Understand the application of privilege and disclosure to the OH&S consultant ■ Learn the important elements of an OH&S contract

“The Obligations and Liabilities course provided me with a new way to look at how I

conduct my work in relation to my own company’s liabilities. ” - O&L Candidate

To go back to the Obligations and Liabilities Course page, please click on the following link: BACK TO OBLIGATIONS AND LIABILITIES

19

Safety Education Needed for Northern Canada By: Ryan Freeman There is a huge demand for more HSE training in Northern Canada as safety professionals continue to grow in their careers and look for more professional development opportunities. The CSSE has provided a valuable service by offering a variety of courses to anyone interested in advancing their knowledge of health and safety. In my opinion, the CHSC designation provides a big impact in strengthening skills and offering value to those working in OH&S. Having two days in a classroom with other safety professionals with similar interests is huge value on its own. One advantage of this program includes giving the student an exposure to a wealth of knowledge in shared experiences with other students. The style of exam that is used is brilliant, as it gives the student the opportunity to apply what they learned with their own knowledge and skills in an exam format measured against an established and accepted standard.

Unlike other programs and designations where tests typically offer multiple choice answers, which can be just a test of memory, the CHSC program goes beyond to test the ability of the student to develop, build and defend results from different elements that relate to a safety program. Whether risk assessment, project management or training development, the expectation is for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by spending the necessary time and effort to review class material, complete their research, and send in their submission. I have found this process ensures a student understands the course material and can demonstrate the knowledge that will help make them successful in their career.

20

CRSP, OH&S Specialist, Safety & Training, Human Resources/Safety, Canadian Pulp Ltd.

Lastly, I have found the instructors are top notch with a wealth of knowledge in their field. This adds a lot to the experience. Programs like this this should be highly valued by employers, as those who have obtained their CHSC designation have put the time and energy in to show they have the skills and knowledge necessary to add value to their company. I believe this shows the true value of these courses in that the concepts can be applied to make the work of safety professionals more effective.

I hope the CHSHC program keeps evolving and all safety professionals take advantage of this to help bring their skills to “the next level�.

Finding More Ways for Safety Professionals to Connect By: Kasy Kaczanowski

CRSP, CHSC, NCSO, HSE Advisor, Husky Energy

I think the CSSE recognizes safety professionals need skills and knowledge that go beyond the fundamentals of theoretical and technical safety concepts; I believe that is reflected in the training the CSSE offers. In addition, I have found the CSSE understands that members need ongoing support and this is offered with ongoing training modules. I find the material included in the modules to be relevant and the quality of instruction has always been exceptional.

For the future, I think it’s important to consult with members and offer new courses that address the most pressing needs. I have two thoughts about possible future modules, namely:

1.

Training that helps members build their confidence in linking program concepts or initiatives back to “root” standards to acquire a better understanding of which standards apply where and how to navigate through the maze.

2. Safety professionals work in places where their ability to succeed is limited by the “underdevelopment of accountability systems” in their overall corporate structure. Often, they may not have much control.

Consider a training module that provides safety professionals with tools to improve or drive an accountability system “from the bottom up”.

I know the provision of training ultimately comes down to cost, but a lot of companies don’t support sending employees too far from home for a specific course. At times, I’ve felt the lack of availability of a course closer to home has been limiting.

Finally, I think most safety professionals understand that one of their best resources is other safety professionals. We need a better system for reaching out to one another for help and support. I think one of the most important things CSSE could do is identify the barriers that prevent us from connecting and build bridges for us. There isn’t anything I’m challenged with that someone down the road hasn’t already mastered – we need to find more ways to connect.

21

Manitoba takes Safety Education to the Next Level with…

Manitoba Chapter-Offered Courses

The Manitoba Chapter understands the value of CSSE education and is committed to the membership.

Ellen Kotula and Dana Johnson are quick to state they are “fortunate to have so many dedicated members eager to pursue continuous professional development”. They wanted more CSSE courses to be available for their membership so… they were proactive!

Ellen and Dana approached Safety Services Manitoba (a division of WCB Manitoba) and made their case – and the response was very positive with free classroom space, coffee and muffins for all participants at every course offered to the Chapter.

Wow! The Chapter then stepped up to provide a catered lunch for each course. Combined, this helped reduce the cost of delivery and made courses more affordable for their membership.

Thank you to...

22

“We attempt to schedule Chapter-offered courses quarterly to provide members with regular programming.

This helps them work towards their goal at a faster pace,” said both Ellen and Dana. “Also, our Chapter Executive is a group of dedicated safety professionals who meet on a monthly basis to discuss and organize course offerings within the province. We communicate regularly with our sister chapters in Saskatchewan and share upcoming course offerings and pertinent chapter information with them.”

It seems to work well, as over 75% of planned classes move ahead. “We will continue to offer our members regular CSSE-sponsored professional development courses and want to thank all of our members for making Chapter-offered courses a success. Our hope is for continued success for years to come.”

Manitoba Chapter Chair Ellen Kotula, CRSP, CHSC, and Chapter Secretary Dana Johnson, CRSP, CHSC, for their leadership… looks like a challenge to other Chapters.

SAFE Work Manitoba Understands the Value of a CHSC Education!

A safety designation is required for most positions at SAFE Work Manitoba (SWMB).

The CHSC is one of only a few safety designations accepted as prerequisites for employment.

We heard about this and wanted to know more so we contacted Veronica Suszynski to tell us her story and help us understand how this came to be….

“I started working at SAFE Work Services a small department within the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Manitoba in 2010. Coming from a disability management perspective, I realized that obtaining a safety designation would be beneficial in supporting my transition to a position in safety. The rest of the team jumped onto the opportunity and SAFE Work Services began supporting 7 staff to achieve their CHSC designation.”

We asked her why the group decided to pursue education through the CSSE...

“We were able to extract practical tips from every workshop to use in our day to day work. One of the nice thing about the training was learning from the different experiences and perspectives that each instructor shared with the class.”

It was true! We asked her for more detail about the history of this…

“In 2014 SAFE Work Manitoba (SWMB) was established to take on the prevention mandate in the province of Manitoba. This was previously split between the WCB and Workplace Safety and Health (Department of Labour). As part of the transition, a number of staff from the Department of Labour were transitioned to SAFE Work Manitoba and, along with additional staff hired from the WCB, were supported by SWMB to complete their CHSC designation. SAFE Work Manitoba has since hired staff who have voluntarily opted in to complete their CHSC designation even though they already have other safety designations.

A safety designation is required for most positions at SAFE Work Manitoba - the CHSC is one of the safety designations that is accepted to be considered for employment.“

Clearly Manitoba has an enlightened approach. Well done, SAFE Work Manitoba!

23

8

BEST PRACTICES

SAFETY

OF A

LEADER

1. VISION

The senior-most executive must “see” what safety performance excellence would look like in that organization.

3 COLLABORATION

Works well with others; promotes cooperation in safety; asks for and encourages input; helps others resolve safetyrelated problems; and encourages others to implement their decisions and solutions.

6. COMMUNICATION

The leader encourages people to deliver honest, complete information about safety (even if unfavorable), keeps people informed, and communicates frequently and effectively up, down and across the organization.

8. ACTION-ORIENTED

An excellent safety leader is proactive rather than reactive in addressing safety issues.

24

2. CREDIBILITY

When s/he says something, others believe it and do not question motives or hear a mixed message.

4. FEEDBACK & RECOGNITION

Provides effective feedback and recognizes people for their accomplishments.

5. ACCOUNTABILITY

Gives workers a fair appraisal of safety efforts and results, clearly communicates people’s roles in safety and fosters the sense that people are responsible for the level of safety in their organizational unit.

7. VALUES SAFETY

Acts to support safety values and principles. S/he leads by example regardless of position, title or role, and s/he clearly communicates to employees that safe behavior is expected.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN LEARN MORE MORE

R

Exciting Changes for 2017

G

CSSE Recognizing Excellence Awards Program

N ECOG IZIN

C SSE

The nomination process for the CSSE Recognizing Excellence Awards Program will be opening in mid-March and we are implementing some exciting changes in 2017.

The CSSE’s Recognizing Excellence Awards Program provides the opportunity to recognize and celebrate excellence in health and safety, whether it is for a special project, an outstanding achievement or a lifelong commitment to the betterment of the health and safety profession at the chapter, regional and national levels.

Previously, CSSE offered 3 awards as part of its Program: Outstanding Service (Safety Professional of the Year) • Outstanding Achievement • Special Project The following changes will be implemented for the 2017 Award Program: 1. Replacing the Outstanding Service (Safety Professional of the Year) Award with two distinct awards: a. Outstanding Service to CSSE (Volunteer of the Year) Award The award for Outstanding Service to CSSE (Volunteer of the Year) is given to CSSE members who demonstrate their volunteer commitment to the CSSE at the chapter, regional and/or national levels.

Outstanding Service to CSSE awards will be presented at the chapter and regional levels. CSSE Volunteer of the Year will be presented at the national level. There is no progression of nominations through each level.

Chapter Chairs submit nominations for the Chapter level; RVPs nominate for the Regional level; and the Awards Committee and select Board members will nominate for the National level. This award does not provide nominations from members. b. Outstanding Service to the Safety Profession (Safety Professional of the Year) Award The award for Outstanding Service to the Safety Profession (Safety Professional of the Year) is given to CSSE members whose careers have been distinguished by a sustained commitment to excellence in the field of occupational health and safety.

Nominations are open to the CSSE membership. Nominees for the Safety Professional of the Year will be considered from applicants who receive the Regional Outstanding Service Award.

Creating these two awards categories would expand recognition and provide an opportunity to extend recognition for professional accomplishments more broadly among the membership.

2. Creating a new award: “New to the Safety Profession” Award This new award will be presented at the chapter level only. It was thought that this process would allow for a more grassroots approach, and would be an opportunity for new safety professionals to be recognized for their professional accomplishments within their chapters.

To be eligible for the New to the Safety Profession Award, the following criteria must be met by the applicant: Must have a minimum of 2 years, but no more than 5 years, of safety work experience Must be a CSSE member in good standing Must have volunteered at the chapter level within CSSE, as well as outside of CSSE, i.e., workplace, local groups Each and every CSSE member knows someone that deserves to be recognized, whether it is a colleague, a friend, a mentor or an individual in the safety community who stands out above the rest. Stay tuned for an announcement on the opening of the 2017 award nomination process.

OHSE Student Writing Awards Program Submission Deadline Approaching!

The annual CSSE OHSE Student Writing Awards Program supports excellence in student writing by Canadian students registered in a one, two, or three - year OHSE program (full-time or part-time) at an accredited college or university in Canada.

The purpose of the CSSE OHSE Student Writing Awards Program is to stimulate interest among OHSE students in the exposition or argument for or against, or research on, OHSE issues and to recognize outstanding achievement in this endeavour. The awards program also gives post-secondary students the opportunity to research OHSE issues, develop ideas, or bring proposals for reform to the attention of the safety community. Writing may stem from assignments in an OHSE course or be separate, original, self-generated compositions of interest to the student (3,000 words or less).

For more details, and the entry form, please visit the CSSE website - csse.org • Submission Deadline: April 30, 2017

25

Advertising in a great way for CSSE members to advertise their products, services or events directly to their target market ww

for Working Together Workplace Safety

THINK SAFETY Health & Safety in

a Changing World

Compliance • Leading Beyond

SEPT EMBE R 17-20

HALIFAX ENTRE CONVE NTION C

pational Health, We focus on Occu onmental Services Safety and Envir

website.ca

Advertising in

NOVA SCOTIA

to home, From the jobsite along the way... and everywhere

PROFESSION

ME AL DEVELOP

NC NT CONFERE

E

ST...

THINK SAFETY FIR the docks, ce, to From the workpla along the way... and everywhere

The voice of

OH S&E

in Canada

E FRETY

SAFELES!

website.ca

GOGG

STOP BY BOOTH

CSS E

® tion P®/PSAC designa Obtaining a CRS the from others within will set you apart emphasize that you OHS industry and lth hea to ed mitt com are professionally the workplace. and safety within

305 FOR YOUR FRE

E PAIR

Is SAFETY your TOP priority? your budget” “Protection that fits

website.ca

VICE 24/7 CLAIMS SER website.ca

THINK

SMART

E WO RKP LAC ES CLE AN AND SAF

TO EVE RYO NE ARE A BEN EFIT

website.ca

website.ca

Benefits of advertising in CSSE Contact magazine: ✓ Distribution: to all CSSE members - that’s over 5,000 members nationally! ✓ Delivery: your message will reach safety professionals in Canada and around the world ✓ Audience: Targeted towards occupational health & safety professionals ✓ Consistency: Produced and distributed quarterly with fresh new material each issue

Please see next page for rates and specs.

For more information or to discuss advertising opportunities, contact Perry Ruehlen - pruehlen@csse.org

1/4 page vertical ad Business Card

Full colour • 3.5” x 4.25”

Full colour • 3.5” x 2”

$150

$75

1/4 page horizontal ad Full colour • 7.5” x 2”

$150

1/2 page ad Full colour • 7.5” x 4.375”

$250

For more information or to discuss advertising opportunities, contact Perry Ruehlen - pruehlen@csse.org

csse.org CSSE Contact is published four times a year by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, Inc. Contents of Contact are protected by copyright, except for (i) advertising or other copyrighted materials belonging to other persons or organizations and included herein by permission, and (ii) forms contained within this publication.

Permission is granted for CSSE members-in-good standing to reproduce contents which are copyrighted by CSSE, subject to the condition that such material is to be used on a not-for-profit basis only, and that acknowledgement is granted to CSSE. Information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable. No warranty, guarantee nor representation is made by CSSE as to the absolute correctness or sufficiency of any representation contained in this publication.

Opinions expressed are those of the authors and should not be taken to constitute any official or unofficial policy of the CSSE or any government body.