Worksite NEWS
VOLUME 22 NUMBER 12
Canada’s premier occupational health, safety and environment E-Magazine
December 2014
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR COMBAT VETS Faster, Better Treatment
The federal government will provide $200 over the next six years to assist combat veterans with mental health issues they suffer from their service in war-torn regions abroad. "More must be done to combat mental illness in support of the Canadian Forces," Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said after hearing the announcement. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces also announced that an additional $16.7 million in funds will be available to support members of the Forces, veterans and their families. The government says some of the money will go toward digitizing the health records of all serving personnel and investing in brain imaging technology. There will also be additional investments in research aimed at finding better treatments and faster recoveries for serving members and veterans with mental health conditions. The Canadian Forces will also hire additional staff to help educate serving members and their families in managing their reactions to stress, and recognizing mental duress. Part of the money will go toward a new "Operational Stress Injury" clinic in Halifax with additional satellite clinics in: * St. John's * Chicoutimi, Que. * Montreal. * Pembroke, Ont. * Brockville. * Kelowna, B.C. * Victoria. "Opening in the fall of 2015, the clinic will bring high-quality, specialized mental health services and support to veterans in the Halifax area," said Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino. He said the satellite clinics will be "front-line medical facilities with medical and mental-health rehabilitation professionals ready to support" soldiers.
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SAFETY IN THE OILSANDS
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The benefits of Christmas Tree Hire Services In the Celebration of the Brightest Season of All By Beant K Bajwa Christmas is the most celebrated season in Christendom throughout the year. The birth of the Savior is marked with much brilliance and extravagance in Christmas displays, jolly songs, gift giving, fireworks and the spirit of cheerfulness. The business world is also at its brightest where corporate Christmas decorations have an abundance of glittering and colorful commercial Christmas lights. Progressive businesses engage the services of Christmas tree hire companies to take charge of their dazzling Christmas displays throughout the company premises. It is business as usual for them as another enterprise does the decorating with impressive outcomes. Having a stock of Christmas decorations and installing them year after year have become a taboo in the corporate world. It may account to cost savings but they end up as a wasteful investment, something that a thriving company cannot afford to have. Decorations are fashionable items that frequently change almost every year. Any business with outdated decors at Christmastime is set to be inferior to those with exquisite and up to date decorations. It accounts for a highly beneficial business strategy to have a lavish display of interior and exterior Christmas decorations that declare to all and sundry that the business is flourishing. It is meant to gain an advantage in the stiff competition as it has been proven to attract prospective
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Published by Morrow Communications Inc. Toll Free: 1-888-430-6405 HEAD OFFICE 3216 - 108A Street Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6J 3E2 Ph: 587-412-0173 Publisher/Editor Jeff Morrow publisher@worksite-news.com Associate Editor J.D. Greene Contributing Writers Lakeland Simms Barbara Semeniuk, Erik David Kristian Jay
clients who are greatly impressed to make an immediate visit. It is wise to dispose of the stock of decors for Christmas and rent them instead. There can be found at traditional stores and online shops a wide range of Christmas decorations to choose from. There are well respected companies that offer their fabulous and modern Christmas themed products for rent. They have an efficient staff who can give great advice on the effective design and strategic placement of the Christmas decorations. They are well trained to provide outstanding Christmas displays so there is no risk of overdoing and placing them awkwardly. Christmas trees that are pre decorated are preferable than those that are not. Renting them will save time and effort that will then be spent on tasks at hand. Proper equipment must be used in the installation of the Christmas trees and complete adherence to health and safety standards must be carefully carried out. The business cannot withstand any unfavorable incident especially at the yuletide season. Accidents, though they happen unexpectedly, must be avoided at all costs by implementing strict safety guidelines. Christmas lights are available in various designs and colors. Just like the Christmas trees, careful attention must be given in their installation to prevent accidents. The proper tools and equipment must be used and the safety rules be religiously complied with. Choosing the rental company that is well established in the field and known for its safe and outstanding services is a wise decision. It surely will not compromise its earned integrity but will be true in delivering and even surpassing expectations. The rental company will be tasked to supply high quality
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Christmas trees and decorations of the latest designs. Its competent staff will then install them strategically and use state of the art equipment whenever necessary. Having drafted the safety statement, the health and safety guidelines will be strictly executed. When the Christmas season ends, the rental company will then remove the Christmas display. The business, after having earned new clients and preserved old ones who are won over by the remarkable Christmas displays, will face the New Year filled with the promises of prosperity. With old fashioned Christmas trees and other decors on display, the company will be branded as lacking in fashion sense. Losing the positive impression of clients coupled with the resulting drop in employee morale are sure threats to its goals. Sound business sense dictates that availing of Christmas tree hire services is the ultimate solution to the problem. The company will be provided with awesome and eye catching corporate Christmas decorations that are the latest trend. Christmas trees with glitzy commercial Christmas lights and other accessories are the main attraction that never fails to delight onlookers. They are like magnets that draw existing and prospective clients to the company premises. They represent a strategy in presentation that eventually converts to profits. Beant Bajwa writes articles for PHS Greenleaf, a highly reputable company that offers excellent Christmas tree hire services. PHS Greenleaf supplies commercial Christmas decorations that are of the latest fashion. Also, PHS Greenleaf installs commercial Christmas lights of various colors and designs.â˜ş
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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
Soldiers worry about the stigma Mental Health....from page 1 The announcement came just before the auditor general released a critical report on mental health in the Forces. ' Is this not just a response to adverse press or is this a legitimate attempt to reach out and fix things? I think it's half and half. I think this government's in damage control.'— Michael Blais, Canadian Veterans Advocacy Statistics from the military show that 128 members of the regular forces and 32 reservists have committed suicide in the past decade. A Statistics Canada survey released earlier this year suggests nearly one in six full-time members of the Canadian Forces experienced symptoms of mental health or alcohol-related disorders over several months in 2013. The same survey shows that one-third of Canadian soldiers worry that seeking mental health services would harm their career. The survey was developed by Statistics Canada with the Department of National Defence. About 6,700 regular force members and 1,500 reservists were interviewed from April to August in 2013. "We firmly believe that these investments and initiatives will also help reverse the stigma of mental health, which is also a challenge," Fantino said. 'Toxic' relationship The announcement also comes shortly after veterans learned that the federal department responsible for their care and benefits was unable to spend upward of $1.1 billion of its budget over seven years. Like other departments unable to spend their appropriation within the budget year, Veterans Affairs was required to return its unspent funds to the treasury. The Royal Canadian Legion wrote Fantino, demanding a detailed accounting of which programs had lapsed funding and why. Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said the funding will better harness technology and research when dealing with mental health issues in the military. The figures put before Parliament show the Veterans Department handed back a relatively small percentage of its budget in 2005-06, but shortly after the Conservatives were elected the figure spiked to 8.2 per cent of allocation. The number began trending downward until 2010-11 when lapsed funds accounted for only 1.16 per cent of the department's budget, but the pot of unspent cash began growing again after 2011. Fantino said during the news conference that the $1.1 billion is "not lost money" and the funding is recycled back into programs for veterans. Fantino said claims that the unused funds were a strategy to balance the federal budget are false. He called it a technical budget process that does not hamper services and programs for veterans. Fantino said his department will be reaching out to the Royal Canadian Legion to provide more detailed information. 'No guarantees' funding will continue after election Michael Blais, president and founder of the non-profit group Canadian Veterans Advocacy, said the relationship between Fantino and veterans is "toxic." Blais said he welcomes the $200 million, but doubts it will be enough for what's being promised. "We're all on the same page when we want to have comprehensive care for our young men and women who have sustained mental wounds," he told CBC News Network. "Is it enough? Is it real? Is this not just a response to adverse press or is this a legitimate attempt to reach out and fix things? I think it's half and half. I think this government's in damage control." Former veterans ombudsman Pat Stogran expressed similar thoughts, calling the so-called benefits "empty promises." "I don't listen to their rhetoric at all anymore," Stogran said during an interview on CBC's News Network. He added that the time has come for a public inquiry, if not a royal commission, to reveal to Canadians how "terribly dysfunctional" he says the Canadian Forces are. He said despite the many recommendations that have been made over the past years, he's confident substantive change is not going to happen. "All you have to do is track the Canadian Forces. They have this universality of service policy where if you're not fit to deploy, you're thrown out of the military. They haven't repealed that, they haven't reconsidered it and they are exempt the duty to accommodate that normal employers have when a person is injured in the workplace," he said.
CFB Edmonton on side with mental health for its troops EDMONTON - Edmonton-based military members said the federal government's decision to boost mental health supports for military members, veterans and their families by $200 million over six years is vital for the future of the forces. “There are so many broken young guys out there,” said master warrant officer Dave Burgess, who is based in CFB Edmonton and did two tours in Afghanistan to lay cables and set up communications technology on and for the front lines. “It's like the Second World War and the First World War and even Korea. We have broken kids coming home. “We have a 19-year-old kid who spent anywhere from six months to a year fighting and all of a sudden that kid has come home. And the things that kid has experienced at 19 is not what someone 19 in the city of Edmonton would ever witness. This kid has seen death. He's seen his friends killed. He's seen people maimed and the break-downs.” Burgess, who was present at the release of a new book featuring first-hand stories from Canada's years in Afghanistan, said more mental health workers are needed for the military. “Just saturate the means (of providing mental health services),” said Burgess, who remembers coming back from his first tour in Iraq in 1988, when no such services were offered. Doctors checked his arms and teeth, poked him with a few needles and sent him on his way. “Any soldier that has done any tour, not just Afghanistan, is coming back with some degradation or mental health problems. (Help is) in place right now, thank God, but that's one thing they shouldn't skimp on. Loosen the purse strings.” Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino told a news conference in Halifax that some of the new money will fund the complete digitization of the health records of all serving personnel, investing in brain-imaging technology and extending access to Military Family Resource Centres. A four-year, $15.8-million pilot project in Edmonton's Family Resource Centre and six other centres across the country will allow medically released veterans and their families to continue to receive help two years after their release. “We will continue to focus on reducing the administration burden on veterans and their families while improving front-line services and medical support,” Fantino said at HMC Dockyard. Randie Potts, a retired warrant officer who has done nine deployments, including three to Afghanistan and others in Cyprus, Egypt, Croatia and Bosnia, said he believes some people have a hard time accessing help for mental health. “It might be hollow. I'll have to see,” Potts, from Edmonton, said of the government announcement. “It depends how much the psychiatrists and social workers charge per hour, but there is a lot of work that has been done and a lot of people who came back with bad feelings.” But many, he said, have a hard time admitting they have a problem. Potts's son, Corp. Ian Potts, said there has to be more work in combating the stigma soldiers feel about having post-traumatic stress disorder. Father and son both support the government's influx of resources. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces also announced that an additional $16.7 million in ongoing funds will be available to support forces members, veterans, and their families. The Canadian Forces will also hire additional staff to help educate serving members and their families in managing their reactions to stress, and recognizing mental duress.WSN
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EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
TACTICS FOR FIGHTING CHIMNEY FIRES By Ed Brouwer Fires in masonry chimneys can burn to a temperature of 1093 C, which can damage the chimney material and allow the fire to spread to the inner walls or attic. If the effects of the approaching cooler weather stay true to our country's history, there will soon be an increase in fire calls. Most residential fires in Canada occur during the winter. This is also true of fire fatalities. Sadly, more people are likely to perish due to an accidental home fire during the holiday season than any other time of the year. There are three major causes of residential fires during the winter. Two of the three will come as no surprise: chimneys and candles. The third cause is clogged dryer vents. In fact, according to the NFPA, the number of dryer-vent fires has exceeded chimney fires since 2005, and most dryer-vent fires occur in January. Some researchers list dryer-vent fires as the No. 1 cause of residential fires. As for candles, we all love the warmth and ambiance they provide, but it is easy to forget that a candle is an open flame that can reach 1400 C. Most candle-caused fires start in the bedroom, except during the holidays when decorative candles are involved. The most common cause of chimney fires is the ignition of creosote in the flue. Creosote forms primarily due to the use of unseasoned or green wood in the fireplace. There are other factors that can lead to creosote buildup, such as failure to maintain a proper temperature inside the flue, burning wet wood, or failure to clean the chimney regularly. Fires in masonry chimneys can burn to a temperature of 1093 C. These fires can damage the masonry material, which can then provide an opening for fire to escape into voids of combustible components such as the inner walls or attic space. There are several indicators of a working chimney fire: * Sparks or flames exiting the top of the chimney * A whistling or buzzing sound in the chimney * A back flow of smoke through the heating device into the structure * Discoloration on the walls adjacent to the chimney * Smoke emanating from the cracks in the wall or electrical outlets near the chimney The minimum response to a chimney fire should be one engine company, one ladder company and an EMS unit. The engine company is required for fire extinguishment and the ladder company is required to supply tarps, ventilation fans, overhaul tools and ladders. Smaller volunteer departments may have all of this equipment on the engine, however, they still need EMS on site due to the fact that firefighters are working on the roof, often in freezing or otherwise inclement weather. The potential for injuries at a chimney fire may be greater than previously thought. NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program requires an EMS unit on fire responses. The following tactics should be considered when establishing standard operating guidelines for chimney fires: * Establish command upon arrival; safety officer and RIT should be assigned. * Conduct an exterior size-up and look for signs of a chimney fire. * Call for resources to ensure safe operations. * Gain entry; search for and remove victims; wear full PPE and SCBA; monitor oxygen levels and ensure adequate ventilation. Consistently monitor oxygen levels for carbon monoxide (CO). Chimney fires can cause the flue to fail allowing CO to escape into the walls, ceilings, attics and other voids. * Perform horizontal ventilation if needed. Positive-
pressure ventilation is the method of choice in these situations. The ventilation exit point should be as close to the heating device as possible, thereby minimizing the spread of smoke within the structure. * Advance a hoseline to the front door as a precaution. * Spread a runner or salvage cover on route to the stove or fireplace. Not only does a salvage cover catch any ashes or embers that may fall, when and if the wood is removed from the firebox it also keeps bunker boots from tracking dirt onto the carpet. Plastic tarps fail
quickly when they come in contact with fire embers, so consider fire-resistant cloth tarps. * Stop the flow of oxygen to the flue. Reducing the oxygen flow to the flue decreases the intensity of the fire in the flue and in some cases will extinguish it completely. This step may not be possible on open fireplaces. * Extinguish the fire in the firebox. Before you put the fire out, consider using the fire in the firebox to your advantage. Sometimes a mere cup of water applied onto the burning fuel will cause the resulting steam to travel up the chimney and extinguish the flue fire. Multipurpose dry-chemical agents will put out the fire in the firebox, but will not usually extinguish anything further up. Only remove fuel from the firebox if it has been extinguished and if absolutely necessary (there are very few good reasons to take this step). * Ladder the roof. If an aerial device is used, it should be extended to the chimney opening. If ground ladders are used, a wall or extension ladder should be placed at a good roof entry point, and a roof ladder should be extended to the roofline adjacent to the chimney. If the roof is covered with combustible material, a charged hoseline should be advanced onto the roof as soon as the ladders are in place. Do not place the ladder or secure the ladder to the chimney. Cautiously remove the chimney cap, bird screens, or spark arrestors with a hand tool. All firefighters on the roof should be wearing full PPE, including SCBA. * Each of our trucks has a chimney kit consisting of a mirror, a length of chain (4.5 metres), and a chimney bomb (zipper-seal bags containing dry-chemical powder), and a small fire-place shovel, all placed inside a metal bucket. * Inspect the chimney using the mirror. If there is fire, drop the chimney bombs down. When the chimney bomb reaches the firebox, the bag will burst and the
normal draft will carry the powder up to extinguish the creosote. (Be sure to communicate your actions to the interior team). * Slowly lower the chimney chain from the top of the flue to the firebox. Spin the chain to knock the creosote from the walls onto the firebox where it can be extinguished with water or a dry-chemical extinguisher. There is some opposition to putting water down the chimney based on the fear that the water may rapidly cool the flue causing it to fracture. These fractures may then go undetected and future use of the chimney may result in products of combustion being released into the walls or attic. The key is in the amount of water used and how it is applied. There are special nozzles (six liters per minute) designed to apply water inside the chimney. * Check the clean-out box. This is perhaps the most over-looked step. Clean-out boxes can be found both inside and outside the house. The boxes are usually covered by a 20-by-20-centimetre metal plate with two handle tabs on it, mounted on the wall in line with the chimney. There may be more than one – I once found three. After locating the box, use a small shovel and a metal pail to clean out the burning embers. Once this is done, you can place a small, handled mirror into the box to look up into the flue. You should be able to see if there is still a fire in the flue. * Check for fire extension. Look for obvious signs of fire extension beyond the chimney. All roof, attic and wall areas near the chimney and heating devices should be checked for the following signs of fire extension: discoloration or blistering of surface materials; hot-totouch areas; smoke coming from cracks, electrical outlets, light fixtures, eaves or roof coverings; visible glowing embers. This is a great time to use a thermal imaging camera or heat sensors if your department has them. Be sure to check each floor. If the fire extends beyond the chimney, treat it as a structure fire. * Before leaving the scene, inform the resident that the chimney must be inspected by a certified chimney inspector before it is used again. Our department has forms made up that clearly lay this out for the resident. We get them to sign and date it and leave them with a copy. We also inform our dispatch that the resident has been advised. * Check the CO levels one more time before terminating the incident. The previous tactics can be customized for use with a dryer-vent fire. Thank you for your continued efforts to make sure all our firefighters get home safely after each call. Please drop me a line if your department has any hints for dealing with dryer-vent fires. There is very little information available in print, so your input would be invaluable. Stay safe and remember to train as if their lives depend on it. Ed Brouwer is the chief instructor for Canwest Fire in Osoyoos, B.C., and Greenwood Fire and Rescue. Contact Ed at ebrouwer@canwestfire.org
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ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Electricity: Fact vs. fiction Weld Fume Management In 2011, exposure to electricity resulted in 174 worker fatalities and more than 2,000 cases involving days away from work, according to the 2014 edition of the National Safety Council's “Injury Facts.” Understanding electrical safety on the job is critical. But can you separate electrical safety myths from facts? Misunderstandings about electricity can lead to injuries and deaths, and supervisors must ensure their employees know how to work safely with and around electricity. Below, NSC addresses six common misconceptions about electricity. MYTH: Electricity will always take the path of least resistance. TRUTH: An electrical current will take any conductive path, regardless of its resistance level. MYTH: If an electrical tool falls into water, it will short out and trip the circuit breaker. TRUTH: This is not necessarily true. If the body of water the tool fell into is non-conductive, then it is not part of a loop to the ground. However, a worker should never reach into water to retrieve an item. Because water acts as a conducting path for the electricity in the tool, a worker may receive a serious or even fatal shock if he or she puts one hand in the water while another part of the body is touching a grounded object. MYTH: Electricity generally goes to ground. TRUTH: When electricity goes to ground, it does not simply disappear. Instead, ground acts as an “electrical loop” that an electrical current uses to return to the grounded power source. MYTH: Alternating current reverse polarity is not dangerous. TRUTH: Electrical tools, attachment plugs and receptacles must be properly wired so that the designated polarity cannot be reversed, according to the National Electrical Code. Often, tools have switches in one of the two conductors for the tool. NEC states that the switch should be on the “hot” conductor supplying the energy. MYTH: The voltage level has to be high to cause a fatality. TRUTH: Although voltage plays a role in determining how strong of a current flows, current is what kills. An AC voltage of only 60 volts can kill a worker. MYTH: Double-insulated tools will always protect against electricity. TRUTH: Always read the manufacturer's instructions, and never place your whole trust in any electrical safety device. To help reduce incidents of electric shock among employees, ensure your workplace has an effective electrical safety policy in place and that workers are properly trained on electrical hazards.
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An electrical safety expert from Winnipeg is warning Canadians about the use of plug-in gadgets in their homes during te Holidays Electrical and mechanical failure resulted in 674 fires, 30 injuries and four fatalities in Manitoba in 2011, according to Manitoba's Office of the Fire Commissioner. And with the holiday season getting underway, there's a heightened risk of fires given all the devices we plug in to stay warm and brighten up the home. "Electrical in the winter is a major issue for us firefighters. Usually that's one of our biggest causes for the fire," Carmen Ready, a fire equipment specialist with ABC Fire & Safety, told News Media. Here are some tips on keeping your abode safely warm over the holiday season and beyond: 1. Inspect your electrical cords. This includes indoor cords, such as the ones for Christmas lights, and outdoor electrical cords used to plug in your vehicle. "You're inspecting it as you're pulling it through and you're making sure there's no frays, no parts that are melted, nothing where the inside cords are showing," Ready said. She added that electrical cords should not be knotted up, and the prongs are straight so they'll plug in properly. Also, be sure to grab electrical plugs by the base, not by the cord, when plugging them in or pulling them out. 2. Check the electrical outlets in your home. Just as important as checking your electrical cords is checking the outlets that they plug into. "You want to make sure that there's no burn marks, char marks around your outlet," Ready said. 3. Use space heaters responsibly. If you're using a space heater inside your home, look it over to make sure nothing has slipped in that can burn when the heater is plugged in and turned on. Ready said make sure there is nothing within a metre of the space heater when it's running. "The heat that it generates is pretty hot," she said. Be sure to inspect the space heater's electrical cord to make sure it's not frayed or melted. Finally, Ready said you should always unplug your space heater whenever you're not home. 4. Take care of your Christmas tree. To avoid having your real Christmas tree burst into flames, keep it watered regularly and carefully inspect the lights for any frayed cords. "The tree [fire] goes up so fast," Ready said. "It gets into the curtains really fast and in no time this will be engulfed in flames. And the fires do spread double every 30 seconds." 5. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Ready said people should always keep a working fire extinguisher handy, and know how to use it properly. In the event you do have to put out a fire, aim the extinguisher's hose at the base of the blaze. Ready added that people should make sure their smoke detectors are working properly.WSN
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TRUCK DRIVER SAFETY
Road Sharing Education an AMTA Priority With a closer look at what the statistics mean for the trucking industry, it is clear that more work still needs to be done to raise awareness of how to safely share the road with trucks. In 2013, there were 53 people killed and 584 injured in collisions involving truck tractors. Statistics provided by Alberta Transportation show from 2009-2013, 73.8% of the drivers of other vehicles involved in fatal collisions with truck tractors were indicated as committing a driving error. The most common were: being left of centre, following too closely or violating a stop sign. Of the drivers of other vehicles involved in injury collisions with truck tractors, 42.9% were indicated as having committed some driving error. The most common were following too closely, violating a stop sign and being left of centre. The mandate of the AMTA' Road Knights Team program is to increase awareness of safe road sharing. If you have a first-class driver who is committed to road safety who would like to be part of the Road Knights, be sure to nominate them now! The deadline is Dec 1, 2014. www.amta.ca/HR/road_knights.htm for more information.
ALBERTA'S TRAFFIC COLLISION NUMBERS DROP DESPITE INCREASE IN DRIVERS AND VEHICLES The province released its 2013 Traffic Collision Statistics showing the overall fatality rate continues on a downward trend. While the numbers fluctuate from year-to-year, traffic fatalities have declined by 22 per cent since Alberta's first Traffic Safety Plan was introduced in 2007. The number of fatalities has dropped from 458 fatalities in 2007 to 358 in 2013. There were a total of 141,638 collisions and 18,650 injuries on the roads last year – which is an increase of more than 5,000 collisions compared to 2012. In the past year the number of drivers has increased by 80,306 and the number of vehicles is up by 128,195. Traffic volumes on our provincial highways have also jumped by 3.42 per cent.WSN
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DRUGS IN THE OILFIELD Oilpatch workers in the U.S. being put to the test By Joshua Polson Statistically, drug use has a way of running down a workplace. Drug users are one-third less productive, incur 300 percent higher health care costs, and they are almost four times more likely to be involved in an accident in the workplace, which affects attendance or performance. They are five times more likely to be involved in an accident off the job, which also affects attendance, said Mark deBernardo, executive director for the Institute for a Drugfree Workplace and a senior partner with Jackson Lewis, a management-side employment law firm in Reston, Va., near Washington. “Nobody is retreating from drug testing,” deBernardo said. “Once they start, they see the benefits in terms of reduced accidents, absenteeism, turnover and better performance. ... Given the detrimental impacts of substance abuse in the workplace, employers already had and have religion when it comes to preventing substance abuse. The potential liabilities, legal and financial, are enormous if you don't.” The bustling oilfield has brought many benefits to the area, but with it comes a bit of the dark side of alcohol, drugs and crime. The scene has played out throughout the oilfields across the country with increased trade in meth, marijuana and even heroin, and bits and pieces are beginning to rear their ugly heads in Weld County. Drug arrests are up this year over last, and Greeley police are often getting tips on meth trade. But local oil and gas companies have taken a zero-tolerance approach to drugs in the workplace and will randomly test employees at the mere hint of the scourge near the work site. “Back when the oilfield started, it was a pretty rough community. It was very rough with drugs and alcohol and prostitution,” said Korby Bracken, health and safety director for Anadarko Petroleum, one of the top two oil and gas exploration and production companies in Weld. “Now, I think just who we are, that's changed. Drugs are especially not as tolerated as has been in the past. Tolerance is extremely small. It's cleaned up an awful lot.” “Some of the logic behind that is people get addicted to painkillers like Oxycontin and can't get it anymore and find heroin is much cheaper. — Jerry Garner, Greeley police chief Still, in a workforce that's building every year, there are some clues that problems may be bubbling to the surface. The Weld County Sheriff's Office reports that drug arrests are up slightly — 12 percent from last year through September. But those numbers don't specify the offender's line of work. “There has been a spike in how many of those people are connected to the industry,” said Weld County Sheriff-elect Steve Reams. “It doesn't mean they're all there on drug charges. ... We probably have a higher-than-normal occurrence of people coming to jail connected to the indu stry. ” Rea m s said whil
e companies are vigilant in their efforts to screen for drugs, the perception of bad actors is always there. “There's always that nexus that's made between oil and gas workers being on the edge of criminal activity,” Reams said. There's a growing concern of meth and drugs in the oil patch, from south Texas to North Dakota, where federal prosecutions in the western half of the state nearly tripled from 2009 to 2013, according to an Associated Press report. Greeley police say they're starting to have concerns here. “We've seen a bump in the amount of use of illegal meth tied to the oil and gas industry because of people who need to work long shifts,” said Jerry Garner, Greeley's police chief. Officials can't tie drugs or crime to the increasing oil and gas population, which now is at its highest in Weld County. According to state Department of Labor and Employment statistics, the “mining, logging and construction” industry in Weld is larger than it's ever been with a workforce 17,400 strong, or 18 percent of the total workforce. That's a dramatic change since 1990, when the industry was 7.2 percent of the total workforce. Garner said with any population increase, there's bound to be more of any crime, but he said the numbers are growing, and he expects more. “If we have a lot more oil and gas folks drawn to this area, I'd anticipate the problem will get bigger,” Garner said. “In fairness, when you have more people added to an area, no matter what they do for a living, when the population is bigger, you'll have more of everything.” Chuck Marting, a former Thornton police officer who runs Colorado Mobile Drug Testing with his wife out of their Fort Morgan office, said meth is popping up in the random screens he's paid to conduct at the drop of a hat. But so are prescription drugs. “A lot of these guys are working 12 hours or more and Red Bull is only going to get you so far,” Marting said. “There will be some guys doing meth,” but it's not overwhelming. Operational safety is such an intensive concern that companies employ massive drugscreening efforts. They will pre-screen for drugs with tests that can go back as far as 90 days. At the mere hint of a drug issue on site, they'll shut down an entire operation, lock the gates and subject everyone on site to random testing. Drug testing and prevention is standard in these industries that put people to work in safetysensitive jobs. “In the energy fields, you'll see an intolerance of drug abuse and the reason is because there is no margin for error,” said Mark deBernardo, executive director for the Institute for a Drugfree Workplace and a senior partner with Jackson Lewis, a management-side employment law firm in Reston, Va., near Washington. For every 100 employees, deBernardo said, on average, 11 of them will have used drugs in the previous 30 days. “That doesn't mean 11 percent are addicts, but they used drugs in last 30 days,” deBernardo said. Marting said marijuana is popping up, as well as pain pills, in a growing number of tests. And for those who can no longer get prescriptions, some have turned to heroin. “Some of the logic behind that is people get addicted to painkillers like Oxycontin and can't get it anymore and find heroin is much cheaper,” Garner said. Unless there's a valid prescription, there's now little tolerance for any drugs, even marijuana, which recently became legal in Colorado. Most companies will fire employees on the spot if they test positive. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. requires random testing quarterly, and employees have 30 minutes to get tested when their number is up, said Bracken. “Random drug screens are just like rolling the dice,” Bracken said. “If your number comes up, you go. Sometimes, it's twice in a row, sometimes it'll be never. ... If they do not follow through and go through with the testing, that's considered a positive. And then they get a call from HR.” Overall, Marting said he's not seen a huge swath of drug use in the Wattenberg, even with meth. “If it was a huge issue, you'd be seeing a lot of turnover in the oilfield jobs,” Marting said. “Frankly, they wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands they're asking if they were all coming back positive. ... Drug use is taken very seriously and dealt with very aggressively. If they were turning the other cheek and kicking it under the trailer, it would be a huge concern.”WSN
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TRAFFIC SAFETY More than 130 days until the end of the winter driving season Be prepared with some tips about winter tires and stay safe Richmond, BC– Drivers in British Columbia are only a third of the way through the winter driving season. Depending on where you live or work in the province, travel on winter roads and highways can be challenging. It's not too late to “shift into winter” and winterize your vehicle, starting with winter tires. Winter tires outperform other types of tires in all winter conditions once the temperature drops below seven degrees Celsius. Winter tires maintain their elasticity even at extremely low temperatures providing superior traction and grip, improving your ability to stop on snow and ice. Between October 1 and March 31, most BC Highways require passenger vehicles to be equipped with mountain/snowflake or mud and snow tires, and commercial vehicle drivers are required to carry chains. Tires with the mountain/snowflake symbol offer the best traction on snow and ice, and in cold weather. Tires with the M+S (Mud and Snow) symbol offer better traction than summer tires but are less effective than mountain/snowflake tires on snow and ice, and in cold weather. In all cases, a winter tire must be in good condition, with a minimum 3.5 mm tread depth. The Winter Tires and Chains page on the Government of BC website provides an overview of the types of winter tires required for use on signed BC highways during the winter driving season. Many drivers use their personal vehicles for work purposes. Employers should make sure their employees make it through the winter driving season safely, regardless of the vehicle being driven. The new Employer Tool Kit on the Shift Into Winter
website is a free, step-by-step guide to help businesses of any size keep their workers safe while driving in winter. The tool kit contains user-friendly information resources to help you prepare workers and vehicles for winter, keep them safe on the roads during the winter months, and assess the past season while planning for the next. Employers looking for specific information can also download individual checklists, tip sheets and other educational materials that can be presented at crew talks or monthly health and safety meetings. No matter where in the province you live or work, on average the number of crashes resulting in injury or fatality in BC due to driving too fast for the conditions spikes significantly between October and December. The average number of incidents over a five-year period from 2009 to 2013, rose from 121 crashes in October to 234 crashes in December. (Source: ICBC Annual Average Casualty Crashes due to Driving too Fast for conditions –2009-2013 Police Reported Data) Shift Into Winter is an annual road safety initiative of the Winter Driving Safety Alliance that helps build awareness about winter weather-related driving hazards, and educates drivers about safer driving practices and behaviours, whether they drive for leisure or work. Quotes: Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, Shirley Bond “With winter fast approaching, now is the time to think about how to make winter driving as safe as possible. No matter where in the province you live or work, shifting into winter means employers and workers need to make sure their vehicles are ready for ice, snow and mud by getting the right winter tires and checking their vehicle's condition. This winter, let's ensure everyone gets home safely.” Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone “We want everyone to be safe while driving our highways in winter. Safety starts at the bottom, with good winter tires with a minimum tread depth of 3.5 mm. Proper tires, and being prepared for weather conditions,
are necessary precautions for safe journeys.” WorkSafeBC Industry and Labour Services Manager, Mark Ordeman: “While winter tires and vehicle condition are important from a safety perspective, a driver's decision concerning when to drive in the winter, and their safe driving behaviour when operating a vehicle, are the most important considerations in keeping them, their family and other road users safe.” About the Winter Driving Safety Alliance: The Winter Driving Safety Alliance is a joint provincial initiative comprised of organizations committed to improving the safety of drivers during the winter months. They are the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, WorkSafeBC, Justice Institute of British Columbia, Automotive Retailers Association, B.C. Forest Safety Council, B.C. Trucking Association, Insurance Corporation of B.C., Kal Tire, Pacific Coach Lines, the City of Prince George, RCMP, and the Trucking Safety Council of B.C. About WorkSafeBC: WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a board of directors that serves about 2.2 million workers and more than 215,000 employers. WorkSafeBC was born from the historic compromise between B.C.'s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a nofault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits. For further information, contact: Lennea Durant Trish Knight Chernecki Tel: 604-875-1182 Tel: 604-232-5814 lennea.durant@roadsafetyatwork.ca trish.chernecki@worksafebc.com
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WINTER WEATHER SAFETY PSYCHOPATHS AMONG US
Work Place Safety ... Getting Ready for Winter Work Working outside in the winter can be a dirty job, but many of us have to do it. Are you ready for winter work? Here are some reminders about dressing for the weather and staying strong, healthy and safe: *Two big concerns of working or simply spending time outdoors in cold weather are frostbite and hypothermia. Both can occur at much higher temperatures than many people realize. For example, exposed skin can start to freeze at just 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) and deep frostbite can cause blood clots and even gangrene. Hypothermia is a potentially fatal condition caused by loss of body temperature, even in winter conditions people might not consider particularly nasty. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, confusion, lightheadedness and profuse sweating. Without medical treatment the victim can lose consciousness and die. Between 1979 and 1995, an average of 723 Americans died each year as the result of hypothermia. * Wear the right gloves for the work you are doing. Gloves should have enough insulation to keep you warm and prevent frostbite, but be thin enough so you can feel what you are doing if you are manipulating controls or tools. Gloves which are too thick can also make your hands and wrists work too hard trying to hold on to objects, causing repetitive strain injury. *Dress in layers of light-weight clothing which keep you warmer than a single layer of heavy clothes. Remove layers as necessary to prevent overheating and perspiring which can lead to chills or hypothermia later. Remember that wet clothing is 20 times less warm than dry clothing. Wear a hat and you'll stay much warmer when working in cold conditions. As much as half your body heat can go up in steam off the top of a bare head. Protect your ears from frostbite as well by wearing a hat that will cover your ears, or use ear muffs. * While donning a scarf or muffler might help keep your neck warm in the cold weather, it could also kill you if you work near rotating machinery. Check your winter wardrobe for entanglement hazards such as loose sleeves and dangling drawstrings. *Keep your safety eyewear from fogging up in the cold. Investigate anti-fog coatings and wipes to see if these products are appropriate for your eyewear. If you have to keep taking off your safety eyewear because it fogs up, it isn't protecting you. *Look at the soles of your winter footwear. Your shoes or boots should have adequate tread to prevent slips and falls on wet or icy surfaces. For extremely slippery situations, you can attach clogs or cleats to your footwear. Slow down when walking across slippery surfaces and be especially careful on ladders, platforms and stairways. *Eat winter-weight meals. This does not mean a high fat diet, but one with enough calories and nutrients to give you the fuel you need. Start with a breakfast of whole grain cereal and toast. Get plenty of rest. Working in the cold and even traveling to and from work in the winter takes lots of energy. Cold weather can strain your heart, even if you aren't overexerting yourself, so be sure to pace yourself when lifting heavy objects or shoveling snow.
Off-the-Job Safety: Don't Let SnowShoveling Snowball Your Health Shoveling snow is hard work. By understanding your physical health and taking the appropriate precautionary measures, you can reduce the risk of injury. By Davis Turner According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, shoveling show accounts for more than 11,500 emergency-room visits each year. Shoveling-related problems – whether they necessitate a trip to the ER or not – range from herniated discs and tendinitis to fractures and spinal-cord injuries. Studies also suggest that shoveling can elevate the risk of heart attacks. When shoveling snow – not to mention dealing with icy roads trying to walk on slippery pavement – caution is the key word, according to Dr. Jeffrey Cole, director of electrodiagnostic and musculoskeletal medicine at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey. “Most people don't recognize the dangers that snow and ice present, nor do they realize the amount of stress that shoveling combined with cold weather can put on the body,” Cole says. “For older and more sedentary individuals, the likelihood of injury is even greater. While we can't prevent injuries, we can try to minimize that risk.” Kessler Institute offers these tips for making snow-shoveling a safe winter activity: * Avoid caffeine or nicotine before shoveling, especially if you have a history of or are at high risk for a heart attack. These stimulants can increase your heart rate and cause your blood vessels to constrict, which places extra stress on the heart. If you have a heart condition, respiratory issues or back problems, check with your doctor before
WARNING: Enjoy with Caution Alberta Snowmobile Association EDMONTON – Winter means one thing for many Albertans: pulling out the snowmobile and enjoying the province's vast rural space. Snowmobile enthusiasts are being encouraged to enjoy the machines this winter but to also take safety precautions. “Understand the area you're going to, understand the hazards, go very well prepared, have the proper safety equipment and have a plan,” says Emerson North of STARS Edmonton. The Alberta Snowmobile Association has as many 6,000 members. Members are already marking dangerous areas. “Barb wire fences, narrow bush crosses, lakes, rivers, stuff like that,” says Addam Saruk of the Alberta Snowmobile Association. STARS also recommends finding out if you'll have cell phone service before heading out to more remote areas. If not, leave an itinerary behind with a friend or family member. There is also new communication technology that can serve as a safety measure. “There are devices you can get that you can operate with your cell phone that actually operate through a satellite,” explains North. STARS says it responded to 20 snowmobile related calls last year. Emerson North says it can take 20 to 40 minutes for STARS Air Ambulance to arrive at a scene, and getting near a patient can be a challenge because of the remote areas snowmobile riders tend to travel. “We'll fly in to a parking lot, for example, if they're in really tight trees and then we'll go in with a group, extricate the patient, bring them out to the helicopter and then we'll take off,” says North. North says allowing youth to drive a snowmobile is particularly dangerous because of the power the machines possess. “They're much smaller. They don't have the same strength and they're large, very powerful, very fast machines, so they come with a lot of hazards.” North says he's seen the dangerous of improper use of a snowmobile first-hand. “They're quite sick patients. You get injuries to their chest or their pelvis or their legs which tends to be quite scary.” Hypothermia can also be common. The Alberta Snowmobile Association is currently travelling around the province setting up markers to let snowmobilers know of any hidden dangers like barbed wire fences.WSN
doing any shoveling. * Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. * Dress in layers and be sure to wear a hat, gloves and sturdy, non-skid waterproof footwear. Avoid wearing scarves or hats that block your vision, and wear sunglasses or goggles to reduce glare. * Move slowly and cautiously, and watch where you're walking. What might look like wet pavement could be black ice, so be extra careful. When walking down stairs, plant your feet securely on each step and hold the handrail firmly. * Before shoveling, warm up for about 10 minutes. Do some basic exercises to stretch your back, arms and legs, and walk or march in place. “Warm” muscles generally work more efficiently and are less likely to become injured. * Try to shovel fresh snow, before it becomes packed or refrozen. It might be helpful to shovel a few times during a snowfall rather than waiting until the storm ends when the snow is deeper and heavier. * If possible, try pushing the snow rather than lifting. When lifting, pick up small amounts of snow at a time using your legs, not your back. Scoop the snow in a forward motion and step in the direction as you throw the snow. Avoid twisting and tossing the snow over your shoulder or to the side. * Switch hands periodically and alternate the side to which you're throwing snow to more evenly distribute the workload and repetitive muscle use. * Use a sturdy snow shovel that has open ends to allow you to easily toss the snow to the side. * Pace yourself. Be sure to take frequent breaks to rest and avoid overexertion. Exhaustion can make you more susceptible to injury, hypothermia and frostbite. Most importantly, if you begin to experience any pain in your chest, arm or neck, shortness of breath or profuse sweating, stop shoveling immediately and seek emergency medical attention.WSN
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ERGONOMICS & THE HEALTHY WORKPLACE
Proper posture in the office By Anthony Galante We are usually on our best behavior at home, eating healthy, exercising, and getting plenty of rest. However, many of us do not carry these practices over to the workplace, instead snacking on junk food, remaining sedentary all day, and working more hours than we should. Sedentary practices in particular are harmful because they often lead to serious health issues. Getting up and moving around periodically and exhibiting good posture when seated and walking have positive effects. What is Good Posture? Proper posture makes a person appear confident but it also helps the body function properly and can prevent back pain. Slouching and stooping make it difficult for ligaments and muscles to balance the body, which may result in headaches, back pain, and other issues. Good posture helps the back maintain its natural curves, stabilizing and strengthening the spine. When standing, pull in the abdomen, relax the shoulders and pull them back, and let hands hang at the sides naturally. Keep your feet hip distance apart and balance weight evenly. Relax the knees and do not tilt the head because this causes the spine to shift. Practice good standing posture by placing the buttocks, head, and
shoulder blades against a wall, limiting the amount of space between the wall and the back to the thickness of your hand. Maintain this posture when walking around the office. S pending most of the day seated does not eliminate the ability to practice good posture. Select an office chair that allows both feet to rest flat on the floor while knees and hips are level. Sit back in the chair to ensure that it supports the curve in the lower back. Stretch the top of the head to the ceiling and tuck in the chin slightly. Relax the shoulders and keep the neck and upper back straight while working. Why is Good Work Posture Important? Exhibiting good posture prevents writing, typing, and other repetitive tasks from causing chronic health issues. Good typing posture reduces pressure on inactive back and shoulder muscles and gets blood flowing to active muscles. Slouching and keeping arms away from the sides can lead to joint and muscle pain and loss of feeling in the arms. Even one day of exhibiting bad posture at work can cause issues. Chiropractic care is a non-invasive way to treat back, shoulder, and arm pain resulting from poor workplace posture. Through spinal manipulation,
www.alexandertechnique.com By Robert Rickover As a teacher of the Alexander Technique, I am frequently asked about chairs by my students, and about which designs are best. Some have been given very expensive, ergonomically-designed chairs at work and wonder if they are actually any better than ordinary ones. Others complain about their car seats, or about the curved plastic chairs often found in waiting rooms and in many airport lounges. It is certainly true that some chairs are a lot more comfortable than others, and that some chairs make it easier to have a healthier upright posture. But even if you could find the “perfect chair”, you could hardly carry it around with you all day long. Sooner or later, you would be confronted with a choice between standing or sitting in a less than desirable chair. From an Alexander Technique perspective, looking for the “perfect chair” is an exercise in futility. It is our body that sits in a chair, and if we want to improve our comfort and health, our primary attention must be directed at improving our own functioning - that is, what we do with our own body when we sit. It's a sort of “bad news, good news” situation: The bad news is that we can't blame our aches and pains on our furniture. As the cartoon character Pogo once remarked, “We have met the enemy and they is us!” The good news is that we have it within our power to change the way we sit and, in fact, we can learn how to sit well in virtually any situation that presents itself to us. But what about those expensive ergonomically-designed chairs? Won't they insure good seating posture at least during the time you're using them? I'm afraid the answer is “no”. It's entirely possible to slouch, or distort your body in other ways while using these chairs. An ergonomist colleague of mine tells me that offices around the country are littered with unused very expensive chairs (and other furniture items) because they haven't been heplpful. In fact, some ergonomic designs are positively harmful. When I lived in England, training to become an Alexander Technique teacher, I often had occasion to use the British Rail system. I soon noticed three distinct types of seats: older, very basic, seats with padded flat bottoms and backs; somewhat newer seats (from the 1950's and 60's) that had a forward bend in the seat backs; and some quite new seats that combined an exaggerated bend with a forward-protruding head rest. I noticed that the newer chairs made it very difficult for the average rider to sit without having his or her head pushed so far forward that a slouch was almost inevitable. These new seats were among the most challenging I've ever encountered. The older chairs were far better because their neutral design didn't force unnatural body contortions. I learned that the new seats were designed by ergonomists and that the way they went about their design was to match the chair to posture of the average rider. But the average rider has pretty poor sitting posture to begin with, so these chairs were simply reinforcing that
chiropractic treatments realign the body to make pain and numbness disappear. Patients can prolong the effects by maintaining good posture. AlgChiro.com is an Algonquin chiropractor that has been serving the local area for over two decades. If you are suffering back pains from bad posture, we may be able to help you! For more information www.algchiro.com
When curvature and comfort combine prevailing pattern. So, what advice can I give regarding chairs? First, don't look to a chair as the primary solution to poor posture - remember it's your posture and so it's you that has to learn how to change it. But if you have a choice, I recommend very simple, basic designs - fairly flat, reasonably firm bottoms and backs that do not force your torso into any particular shape. In addition, there's a lot to be said for having your knees at a lower height that your hips. This tends to encourage the natural “double C” curvature of your spine that provides easy upright support for your body. The simplest way to do this is to use a stool whose base is higher than the typical chair when you can. My students are often skeptical when I recommend this (“There's no backrest!) but most of those who try it for a few days report feeling far more comfortable once they get used to the added height. 1. The Alexander Technique is a century-old method of learning how to release harmful tension from your body. It can teach you ways to direct your body so that you can have an easy upright posture in virtually any sitting situation you find yourself in. The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique is a comprehensive information source. RESOURCES Nowhere is the interplay of ergonomic and Alexander Technique concepts better illustrated than in the design of the chair, and the ways in which we use them. The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body and Design provides a wonderfully fresh look at an object so common in our society that most of us pay little or no attention to it. Galen Cranz, a professor of architecture at the University of California Berkeley and a teacher of the Alexander Technique, has written what is probably the definitive work on this topic. Everybody who sits on chairs can learn a great deal from this very readable book. You can order this book at the Alexander Technique Bookstore (USA) in Association with AMAZON.COM or The Alexander Techndique Bookshop (UK) is Association with AMAZON.CO.UK You can read an excellent article by Ms Cranz on the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies Website (The article must be downloaded - click on "sample article" under the Alexander Technique heading.)The Ergonomics.org website explores the relationship between the science of ergonomics and the benefits of Alexander Technique training. Robert Rickover is a teacher of the Alexander Technique living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also teaches regularly in Toronto, Canada. Robert is the author of Fitness Without Stress - A Guide to the Alexander Technique and is the Alexander Technique Content Editor for America OnLine, Suite101.com, and OmPlace.com. He is the creator of The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique Web Site Homepage: www.alexandertechnique.com/nebraska.htm
Worksite NEWS
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SAFETY IN THE OILPATCH
The need for Fracking: The need for safety A
s fresh oil has flowed south of the boarder, so have new jobs for Canadian oilpatch personnel. Hydraulic fracturing – or “fracking,” as it is often referred to – is the process of drilling deep beneath the earth's surface to crack, or fracture, rock formations to access oil and natural gas deposits. The process is not new, but advancements in technology spurred a recent boom and vaulted the United States to No. 1 status among the world's oil and gas producers. Workers continue to flock to oil-rich states such as North Dakota, where oil and gas production on the Bakken shale formation has helped drive down the unemployment rate to 2.8 percent – the lowest in the United States. Wherever fracking exists, so too does a need for safety. According to OSHA, 823 workers in the oil and gas extraction industry were killed on the job from 2003 to 2010. The fatality rate was about 7 times greater than for all other industries, and hazards ranged from chemical exposures to vehicle crashes. Some questions about fracking – such as the long-term health effects of silica exposure on workers – might not be fully answered for decades. But OSHA and NIOSH have stepped forward to provide hazard alerts and possible solutions, and those who work in the industry say the emphasis on safety and health is greater than ever. In the meantime, new supplies of oil and natural gas continue to flow, satisfying a public that is hungry for both. “We're likely to drill it all,” said Dr. Bernard Goldstein, an environmental toxicologist and the former dean of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. “It's just a question of when and how fast we're going to do it.” On the job Since 2008, Dan Doyle has served as president and owner of Reliance Well Services, a hydraulic fracturing company based in Erie, PA. About 15 employees work at Reliance, whose reach spans more than 20 counties in western Pennsylvania
and New York. Geography often dictates the type of fracking that takes place. In the Appalachian Basin, where Doyle works, employees frack what are called conventional wells, drilling vertically into sandstone. Elsewhere, such as in North Dakota, workers drill horizontally into shale. Both methods require plenty of heavy equipment and careful planning for an effective job. Depending on the site, sedimentary rock layers can be tight, which means that oil and gas does not flow easily, so companies pump in “fracking fluid” to h e lp e x tr ac t t h e r es o u r c es . M an y companies do not reveal the combination of water and chemicals used in their fracking fluid, which has led to questions about how safe it is for workers and nearby residents. The process is complex, but the essence of worker safety remains simple, Doyle said. “The best way to keep a worker safe is to forecast and look things over and try to anticipate, and then design a safety program around that,” Doyle said. “It's more than just buying the [flame-resistant clothing] and steel toes and hard hats. It's trying to identify potential issues, and that comes from being onsite and learning what to look out for.” What does he look out for? “Truck traffic,” Doyle said. “We set up in the middle of the night sometimes. Almost every one of our setups is in the dark. So we require that everyone carries a flashlight, anyone backing a truck in has a flashlight, everybody has to wear their high-visibility 'FRs' when they are setting up. Keeping people out of the way, watching for pinch points – that's one of the biggest things.” Other factors include learning to recognize fluids that are under pressure versus fluids that are non-pressurized. Reliance uses third-party rigs on its jobsites, which means workers must constantly be aware of what the rig operators are doing and when to stay away. “Communication, really, is primary,” Doyle said. At Reliance, Doyle requires his workers to read a company-produced book about
safety and complete extensive onsite training. “The awareness for the environment, the awareness for safety – those two have far outpaced the technological changes, which have been enormous,” Doyle said. “Really, the big, big changes have been in safety and environmental.” Identifying hazards In a rapidly growing industry, OSHA and NIOSH have tried to keep pace by identifying worker safety and health hazards. Oil and gas workers could be subject to many dangerous conditions, according to OSHA, including: * Vehicle crashes *Struck-by/caught-in/caughtbetween hazards * Explosions and fires * Falls * Confined spaces * Chemical exposures NIOSH recently conducted field studies that identified overexposure to airborne silica as a worker health hazard. Researchers collected 116 full-shift air samples at fracking sites in Arkansas, Colorado, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas. Of the samples, 79 percent had silica exposures greater than NIOSH's recommended level of 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter. The agency also delved into other possible risks during flowback operations – when process fluids are collected on the surface after fracking – and found that workers gauging tanks could be exposed to higherthan-recommended levels of benzene, a known carcinogen. Fifteen of 17 samples exceeded NIOSH's recommended exposure limit. Keith Wrightson serves as worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen, a Washington-based advocacy group that has called for an end to fracking. He said it concerns him that companies do not have to specify which chemicals they use in their fracking fluids, and it upsets him even more that crystalline silica – a known hazard – is prevalent. “Over the last 10 years, the oil and gas and fracking industries have begun to expand, so now we can make the assumption or the takeaway that exposure to silica is also occurring at the same rate,” Wrightson said. “As more and more states allow fracking operations, more and more people are going to be exposed to the silica sand.” The effects of that exposure could be stark, Wrightson said. He has pushed for OSHA to update its hazard alert on silica and its effects on the fracking industry. “It's granular sand,” Wrightson said. “It gets stuck in your lungs. So once it's down there, it's down there. It doesn't go anywhere. … And, over time, that starts to rip and tear inside of your lungs, and you develop silicosis.” Rapid pace In the short term, OSHA and
NIOSH recommend protecting workers from silica exposure by collecting respirable dust samples, applying water to roads and around the well site to reduce dust, limiting the number of workers and time spent by workers in areas where dust and silica levels might be high, providing respiratory protection when necessary, and several other measures. I n the long term, both agencies have teamed with industry trade associations, companies and experts on a Respirable Silica Focus Group to help determine lasting solutions. In addition, NIOSH is designing conceptual engineering controls and searching for industry partners to help test those controls, as well as partners to research other chemical hazards. Answers can be tough to come by because fracking sites can vary markedly from one site to the next, even in the same geographic region, Goldstein said. “It's really hard to know what's going on when these are individual small sites,” Goldstein said. “Now, you may have a thousand or a couple of thousand or 10,000 individual small sites, so it's a big industry. But it's not like the big industry is a major refinery that has 4,000 or 5,000 workers and has all of the oversight that you would expect there.” Meanwhile, fracking continues to take place at a furious pace. Goldstein questioned the speed of the process for a finite supply of oil. He said waiting for further research and clearer answers could keep workers safer in the long run. “My major issue is, there's only 20 or 30 or 40 years, depending on who you believe, of this stuff available,” Goldstein said. “Are we really better off rushing ahead now? Are we better off doing it from this year for the next 30 years, or doing it five years from now for the 30 years beyond that? We just haven't looked at that. We don't look at these things.”WSN
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WORKSAFE ALBERTA
The Safety Song Remains the Same Serious safety breach: but no dismissal
By Jeff Morrow/Publisher Worksite News
2014
seems to be ending on a low note for Alberta's newly elected government, now faced with a number of workplace fatalities many believe are the result of years of weak safety legislation and bureaucracy malaise. So...Pucker-up for the New Year Albertans, the Song Remains the Same. With Alberta in the midst of another economic boom and workplace fatalities on the rise, questions are surfacing about whether the province is doing enough to prosecute cases against unsafe employers. No transpirety; No accountability! Last year, workplace deaths jumped to a near-record high of 188 in Alberta — and there have already been 120 deaths in the first 10 months of this year. Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan said Alberta prosecutes workplace safety violations at a much lower rate than British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. “Our prosecutions almost always have to do with fatalities,” McGowan said. “The message to employers is clear: Unless you actually kill someone, you will probably get nothing more than a slap on the wrist. And that's troubling.” Convictions in cases posted on the province's website show the courts have levied nearly $4 million in fines against companies and their owners in 2013 and 2014. Two of the three convictions this year involved fatalities, while six of nine cases in 2013 involved a worker death. Some provinces proceed with formal charges through the courts, while others levy administrative fines. For example, British Columbia, which levies an average of 260 penalties annually and collects an average of $3.6 million in fines, has moved to toughen both penalties and enforcement in the wake of two sawmill explosions in 2012. But B.C. seldom prosecutes cases in the courts as Alberta does. Some critics want to see the penalties in Alberta increased if a case is successfully prosecuted. Under provincial OHS rules, companies can be fined up to $500,000 for a first offence and $1 million for a second offence, or a jail term of up to one year can be imposed. Anne-Marie Williams, whose husband Randy was killed in 2008 on a Calgary construction site, said the companies responsible for her husband's death declared bankruptcy and avoided fines totalling $2.4 million. She said higher fines and more prosecutions won't fix that problem — but jail time would. “You can fine people all you want, but it's jail time that makes people stand up and pay attention,” Williams said. Anne-Marie Williams looks at photos of her husband, Randy, who died in a workplace accident in 2008. Liberal MLA Dr. David Swann said Alberta likes to tout itself as exceeding safety standards, but its Cadillac claims are dogged by Pinto performance. “We don't provide the resources to occupational health and safety to do their job to do more monitoring and investigation of these injuries,” Swann said. “We still don't have the priority for safety and prevention in the workplace that we should have in 2014.” Swann accused the PC government of “skimping” on the resources. He said inspectors who go into workplaces require the time and training to identify the root causes and make the systematic changes that are needed. The ministry says it is doing just that, bolstering the number of occupational health and safety inspectors, investigators and technical advisers and increasing their training. Staff has increased to 129 in 2013, up from 102 four years ago. By the end of this year, the ministry expects to have 42 of its staff certified as peace officers, who can write tickets. The budget for OHS compliance — inspections, investigations and prosecutions — has also steadily increased from $22.4 million in 2012 to $27.4 million in 2014-15, although only $16 million has been spent so far this fiscal year. But NDP critic David Eggen maintains Alberta has fewer OHS inspectors than the national average. “When it comes to prosecutions, there doesn't seem to be either the enforcement capacity, nor the deterrent of harsh penalties — and that's a bad combination,” he said.WSN
Worksite News Service In a landmark legal decision that could turn back pages on the safety guide, an Alberta adjudicator ruled that a worker cannot be fired for willfully ignoring the company safety policies. Darryl Shuya worked as a shipping operator for and oilseed processing facility run by ADM Agri-Industries in Lloydminster, Alta., The facility crushed canola and shipped the resulting oil for food applications, and also produced canola meal pellets for livestock feed. Shuya was hired in October 2001. On March 24, 2013, Shuya was three hours into a 12-hour overnight shift when the unloader he was supposed to be operating wasn't working. Unloaders were used to move canola pellets from large bins to hopper cars or trucks and sometimes they got stuck because of pellet clumping in the bin. When unloaders were stuck, the common procedure was to "jog" the motor's electrical switch off and on to give the sweep arm inside the bin momentum to break free. If that didn't work, the clogged pellets would have to be accessed through a hole in the side of the bin. In this case, Shuya thought he could get the motor going if he helped it turn. He took a pipe wrench and attached it to the shaft of the motor's gear box, then turned the motor on. Though he knew proper procedure was to lock out a machine before working on it, he thought he wouldn't be able to turn the shaft with just the wrench and would need to turn the motor on. When the motor started, the pipe wrench pushed Shuya's hand against the motor and broke one of his fingers. Shuya was taken to a hospital and treated. He returned to work the rest of the shift on light duty. Breach of safety policy resulted in dismissal On March 28, ADM suspended Shuya pending an investigation of the accident. It was concerned with the risk Shuya had taken, particularly since the company had updated its safety and work rule policy earlier that year in order to crack down on what it perceived to be a rash of workplace accidents. The safety policy had guidelines for locking out equipment and performing a job hazard analysis before starting any task. It also included the concept of cardinal violations, which were defined as "knowingly willful and grossly negligent violations that may result in serious physical injury, death or significant property damage." Though the policy provided for a progressive disciplinary process for violations, it also stipulated progressive steps could be skipped for cardinal violations. Shuya and other employees were trained and tested on lockout procedures, job hazard analyses and the entire safety policy, and Shuya acknowledged he understood it. ADM determined in its investigation that Shuya was well- trained and aware of its policies and he was lucky he didn't suffer a more serious injury. It also found he failed to perform a job risk analysis and didn't follow the procedures for locking out the unloader and bin. As far as the company was concerned, Shuya's actions willfully and knowingly violated its safety rules and demonstrated negligence, and this amounted to a cardinal violation under the safety policy. ADM terminated Shuya's employment for cause on April 8, 2013. Shuya acknowledged that he violated safety rules and he didn't think he would be injured by his actions. However, he said he had worked for ADM for more than 11 years without any disciplinary issues, so termination was too harsh for his misconduct. He pointed to two other serious safety violations a few years earlier in which one short-term employee with prior discipline was dismissed while another long-term employee with no previous discipline was not disciplined. This showed ADM was inconsistent in its discipline, said Shuya. Zero-tolerance rules more common The adjudicator noted that zero-tolerance safety rules are becoming more common in plants like ADM's where there is a risk of serious injury. However, the adjudicator also pointed out that it has been established that for misconduct to constitute just cause, it must be wilful, or "being bad on purpose." The adjudicator found that Shuya's actions were deliberate and not a momentary lapse. He knew what he was doing and that they weren't following safety protocols. Under ADM's safety policy it was serious misconduct and the adjudicator agreed. The adjudicator also found the fact that Shuya was aware of and had acknowledged ADM's safety policies, which specifically named violation of lockout procedures as cardinal violations. The enforcement of the rules was important to ADM so workers wouldn't become complacent and follow unsafe practices in the workplace. This emphasized the seriousness of Shuya's misconduct, said the adjudicator.WSN
AFE
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Devtra Celebrates 25th year The Grey Fleet HEALTH & WELL-BEING
The company behind The Checker marks anniversaryof promoting workplace safety for Canadians OAKVILLE, Ontario—Devtra Inc., the producer of The Checker equipment inspection checklist books and The Checker Mobile, is celebrating 25 years in business this year. “We want to thank all of the clients and customers we've had the pleasure of serving over the past 25 years, and we're looking forward to continuing to help companies become safer over the next 25 years and beyond,” said Devtra's cofounder and president, David Lefevre. Lefevre and Shawn Macpherson founded Devtra in 1989 to help U.S. and Canadian businesses improve equipment safety training with on-site training classes, which eventually led to the development of Devtra equipment training manuals. This training included instruction on equipment inspections, which steered Devtra toward the creation in 2000 of The Checker, which is now Devtra's focus. “Many companies in the 1980s weren't inspecting equipment at all, and many of those that did were using a hodgepodge of poorly designed handmade or manufacturer-supplied equipment inspection checklists,” Lefevre explained. “There was a lot of
confusion, a lot of items being overlooked, and very little, if any, coordination or enforcement of inspections. That led to unsafe workplace conditions.” “To help companies across North America address this problem, we created The Checker to provide a consistent, easy-to-use, standardized format for checklists for hundreds of types of equipment.” Lefevre is quick to point out that a standard format for every inspection checklist doesn't mean that the items on each checklist are the same. On the contrary, one of the key advantages of The Checker over other checklists is that each Checker checklist is designed with all the items that need to be checked to ensure the safety and optimal operating condition of the specific type of equipment that's being inspected. In addition to checklist books, The Checker has launched The Checker Mobile, a SaaS offering that allows inspections to be done on mobile devices linked to inspection management software. Devtra can customize The Checker Mobile inspection forms to accommodate any type of inspection, safety audit, or risk assessment.
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Company expense or brand awareness? By Chris Webber Many of you may be wondering what the Grey Fleet is, even though most organizations have one. Sometimes the Grey Fleet is comprised of one; sometimes it can run into thousands of employees. The Grey Fleet, simply put, consists of those people who conduct business on behalf of organizations using their personal vehicle. They represent 100,000's of people in BC alone, many of whom unknowingly put themselves and the company they work for a huge risk. So, it poses the questions: how many businesses have protocols in place to mitigate their risk and verify that the very same people who are actively working on their behalf to increase sales, margins and the bottom line are actually protecting themselves, their families and the company and are not potentially adding to a company's expense line or harming the brand image? Visiting clients, team meeting or having other reasons to meet someone invariably means using a vehicle of some sort. Typically, it involves travelling on highways or going across town into areas with which we may not always be familiar. Each time we do this we are of course putting ourselves at risk. Our risk is compounded when we're not sure where we're going, as we either estimate our intended arrival, refer to a map, dashboard GPS or Smart phone GPS, while at the same time, driving on very busy roads, trying to avoid other people who are often doing the same thing. Our risk increases significantly, if while trying to ensure we follow our GPS directions, we answer our cell phone, send, receive or read text/email messages, adjust the radio station, put make-up on, shave, eat a sandwich or one of a thousand other distractions open to us. Most, if not all, of these behaviours are not only risky … they are illegal. Why we do this? Especially when we see images on TV of the consequences of drivers distracted by such things and the carnage which results. The stress and trauma, for all those involved and their family and friends are simply not worth it. Moreover, when a member of the Grey Fleet has an accident, while executing their business duties, aside from the potential permanent loss of a team member and the traumatic experience for the individuals involved, as leaders, we are now short a key member of staff. This means you either have to hire someone else, which itself can be costly and cumbersome or, alternatively, you may need to ask other team members to cover the shifts/duties of the injured person. This adds stress and pressure to the team as a whole. The stress that is felt by fellow team members should not be underestimated, especially when teams work closely together and your performance relies on the tight bonds which have formed. In addition, we then have to consider who was responsible for the accident and how that can impact your company, both criminally and financially. For example; if a team member is driving and texting at the same time, while conducting business, the company will potentially be liable and could be sued, especially if the leadership of the organization was aware that conducting business while driving was a known, common practice and either it allowed to continue or actively encouraged it. In other words, if your due diligence is found wanting, the consequences can be grave for you and your company. As leaders we have a moral, ethical and legal obligation to our team to ensure we mitigate the team members' risk and the company's risk by instituting and employing practices and procedures which demonstrate not only that our due diligence is complete, but that we have demonstrated true leadership by ensuring the health, safety and well-being of our team are our primary core values. If your Grey Fleet is putting you and your business at risk, and you know about it, you are responsible for the consequences. Simply review Bill C-45 and the Criminal Code to understand the consequences of inaction. Chris Webber is the Director of Operations and Marketing for the FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC. He has held leadership positions with Top 100 companies such as Loblaw, Sobeys and Best Buy. FIOSA-MIOSA is the health and safety association for manufacturers and food processors in British Columbia and the home of Occupational Safety Standard of Excellence (OSSE) Accreditation Program.
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POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
UBC partners with medical team to combat PTSD with POT
New funding pledge may risk pension plan
NANAIMO, British Columbia--The University of British Columbia Okanagan and Tilray, a Health Canada Licensed Producer under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), will conduct the country's first clinical trial to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Pending regulatory approvals, the UBC-Tilray study is poised to be one of the first in the world to run a large-scale clinical trial examining medical cannabis as a treatment for a mental health disorder. “The UBC-Tilray trial will enable us to learn more about the science of cannabis as therapy for PTSD” The Phase II, placebo-controlled, randomized, triple blind, crossover clinical trial will gather evidence about the safety and efficacy of different medical cannabis strain combinations to manage chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD symptoms resulting from trauma experienced by veterans, first responders, and sexual assault survivors. Chronic PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, and changes in sleep and appetite. “Even with current treatments, many patients continue to struggle with the debilitating effects of PTSD,” says Associate Professor Zach Walsh, the principal investigator for the study, a clinical psychologist, and co-director of the UBC Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. “There is promising preclinical and anecdotal evidence supporting the potential of medical cannabis to alleviate PTSD symptoms, particularly among veterans. We have an ethical responsibility to examine all possible treatment options to ease their suffering.” “Physicians and patients have been asking for more scientific evidence to inform their decisions about medical cannabis. The results of this study will give them more information rooted in clinical research,” says Dr. Ian Mitchell, a co-principal investigator for the study, a practicing emergency room physician and site scholar for the Kamloops Family Medicine Residency program with UBC's Southern Medical Program. “Many patients with PTSD have symptoms that are terribly disruptive to their lives and often poorly treated with current therapies. We need new and better treatment options.” Study participants will include 40 Canadian men and women who meet clinical criteria for PTSD (DSM-V) due to trauma experienced during military service, as a first responder, or as the result of sexual assault. The trial is expected to launch in early summer 2015, pending necessary regulatory approvals, and is scheduled to conclude in late 2016. “Tilray's medical cannabis is already helping Canadian veterans and former RCMP officers cope with PTSD symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety,” says Philippe Lucas, vice president for patient research and services at Tilray. “This clinical trial will provide physicians worldwide with scientific data to make informed decisions about providing PTSD patients proper treatment.” T ilray is the first and only Health Canada MMPR Licensed Producer to announce clinical trials studying the medical benefits of cannabis for a mental health disorder. Tilray will provide financial and coordination support for the study, in addition to donating several different medical cannabis strain combinations with varying levels of THC and CBD to be administered to patients participating the study through vaporizers – a non-smoke method of ingestion. “The UBC-Tilray trial will enable us to learn more about the science of cannabis as therapy for PTSD,” says Dr. Joshua Eades, chief science officer at Tilray. “The use of strains with varying cannabinoid profiles will help us understand more about which cannabinoids are most effective at alleviating PTSD symptoms in veterans, first responders and trauma victims.” Tilray opened a state-of-the-art research and production facility to grow, process, package and ship medical cannabis for Canadian patients in April 2014. Located in Nanaimo, British Columbia, the $20 million, 60,000-square-foot facility employs more than 100 Canadians including research scientists, botanists, and horticulturalists who are industry leaders in medical cannabis research and related agricultural sciences. WSN
The newly announced funding to step up mental health care for Canadian military personnel may jeopardize the pension of those still serving who suffer the effects of Post Traumatic Stress, according to the president of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy group. By coming forward with physical or psychological injuries — such as PTSD — in their first decade of service, many soldiers are at risk of being medically released and losing out on a full pension, according to Michael Blais. "It seems there's a dedicated effort to release those who are wounded prior to the 10-year period," says Blais. "As a consequence, we have these kids out there, seriously wounded and no pension, and feel they've been abandoned." Two days after the government pledged to spend $200 million over six years on mental health counselling for soldiers, Auditor General Michael Ferguson released a report criticizing the military for making it so difficult for soldiers to get psychological treatment. * Mental health in the military: Ottawa to spend $200M over 6 years * Auditor general criticizes veterans' mental-health services Neither of these two announcements, however, address the issue of soldier pensions. Meeting the 'Universality of Service' As with many vocations, every member of CAF pays into a pension. A report by Auditor General Michael Ferguson has criticized how difficult it is for psychologically troubled soldiers to receive mental-health counselling. In order to work, however, they must meet the military's "Universality of Service" standards, which are a set of physical and psychological criteria that ensure a member is fit to carry out their designated job. According to the Department of National Defence (DND) website, "every member, regardless of military occupation, must meet the Universality of Service standards in order to remain in the CAF."If members sustain a physical or psychological injury any time during their service, they can seek rehabilitation services and counselling. WSN
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CAREERS AND EMPLOYEMENT
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CAREERS & EMPLOYMENT
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WORKSITE DIRECTORY
Acorn Safety P.O. Box 3527 City of Industry, CA 91744 Contact Robert Bowles Ph: (775) 284-7212 Fax (626) 961-2200 bbowles@acorneng.com Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) Head office: #101, 225 Parsons Road SW Edmonton, AB T6X 0W6 Tel: 780-453-3311 or 1-800-661-2272 www.safestart-safetrack.com Fax: 780-455-1120 or 1-877-441-0440 Executive Director: Dan MacLenna edmonton@acsa-safety.org Calgary: #101, 292060 Wagon Wheel Link Rocky View, AB T4A 0E2 Tel: 403-291-3710 or 1-800-661-6090 Fax: 403-250-2852 or 1-877-258-5881 calgary@acsa-safety.org Fort McMurray: Nomad Inn Hotel 10006 MacDonald Avenue Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1S8 Tel: 780-715-2157 Fax: 780-715-1684 fortmcmurray@acsa-safety.org Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry 9th Flr, 10808-99 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0J5 Ph: (780) 427-5585 Fax: (780) 427-5988 Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) 3660-Blackfoot Trail S.E. Calgary Alberta T2G-4E6 Ph: (403) 214-3428 Alberta Specialty Services Ltd. Rear Bay 4, 2705 5 Ave NE Calgary, AB T2A 2L6 Ph: (403) 225-2759 Toll Free: (877) 347-5588 Fax: (403) 253-4560 info@albertaspecialtyservices.com
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Ph: (780) 791-1230 cict@telus.net www.cict.ca Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) 14920-118 Ave Edmonton, Alberta T5V 1B8 Ph: (780) 454-6181 Fax: (780) 451-3976 www.clac.ca BC Construction Safety Alliance #400, 625 Agnes Street New Westminster, BC V3M 5Y4 Ph: (877) 860-3675 Fax: (604) 636-3676 Contact: Alicia Brady abrady@bcsa.ca www.bccsa.ca Creative Wellness Solutions PO Box 3061 Tantallon, NS B3Z 4G9 Ph: (902) 820-3096 Toll Free: (877) 480-9355 Fax: (902) 820-3097 Contact: Dr. Lydia Makrides info@wellnesssolutions.ca CTK Safety Consulting 79 Eastbrook Way E Brooks, Alberta T1R 0H9 Ph: (403) 501-5686 Cellular: (403) 363-9304 Fax: (403) 793-8030 ctksafety@telus.net Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta 11235 120 Street Edmonton, AB T5G 2X9 Ph: (780) 450-1777 Contact: Pat Barnes bpbarnes@telus.net Electrolab Training Systems PO Box 320 335 University Ave Belleville, ON K8N 5A5 Canada Ph: (800)267-7482 Fax: (613) 962-0284 Contact: Claire Stewart cstewart@electrolab.ca
Enform Safety and Training 1538 - 25 Avenue NE Calgary, Alberta T2E 8Y3 Ph: (800) 667-5557 Fax: (403) 250-1289 Contact: Tanya Plimmer tplimmer@enform.ca Grant MacEwan University PO Box 1796 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2P2 Ph: (780) 497-5796 Fax: (780) 497-4593 GRB College of Welding 9712—54 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta Ph: (780) 436-7342 Fax: (780) 436-7344 grb@grbwelding.com www.grbwelding.com Institute for Work & Health 481 University Avenue Suite 800 Toronto, ON M5G 2E9 Canada Phone: (416) 927-2027 x 2131 Fax: (416) 927-4167 gpalloo@iwh.on.ca www.iwh.on.ca ITF Association 40 Scenic Drive NW Calgary, Alberta T3L 1C2 Ph: (403) 241-8443 Contact: Tes Bewick KnowledgeWare Communications #204, 20475 Lougheed Hwy Maple Ridge, B.C. V2X 9B6 Contact: Ron McNutt Ph: (800) 893-9333 info@kccsoft.com Manufactures Health & Safety Association (MHSA) #201 292060 Wagon Wheel Link Rocky View, Alberta T4A 0E2 Fax: (403) 279-1993 Toll Free: (888) 249-2002 Contact: Lorne Kleppe lorne@mhsa.ab.ca Moldex-Metric Inc. 10111 West Jefferson Boulevard Culver City, CA 90232 Contact: John Ambrosio Ph: 800-421-0668
Fax: (310) 837-9563 Team -1 Academy 780 Pacific Road, Unit 19 Oakville, ON L6L 6M5 Ph: (905) 827-0007 X 26 Fax: (905) 827-0049 www.team1academy.com The Checker by Dectra Inc. CA - PO Box 265, 146 Lakeshore Rd W, Oakville, ON L6K 0A4 US - 2316 Delaware Ave, # 611, Buffalo NY 14216-2687 Ph: 800.291.4719 Fax: 905.469.8831 shawn@thechecker.net www.thechecker.net Turning Technologies Canada 35 Cedar Pointe Drive, Suite 39 Barrie, ON, L4N 5R7 Toll Free in Canada: 1.888.522.8689 x 212 Ph: 705.726.8876 x 212 Fax: 1.866.552.8935 Contact: Peter Ferreira National Sales Manager pferreira@TurningTechnologies.ca www.TurningTechnologies.ca Contact Us: www.TurningTechnologies.ca/contact
Unique Products (E-Zee`Lock Outs) 16865 - 110 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5P 1G8 Contact: Pat Hanlon Ph: (780) 974-7039 Fax: (780) 444-0807 pat.hanlon@shaw.ca Work Authority 415 Thompson Drive Cambridge, ON N1T 2K7 Canada Ph: (416) 896-3525 Fax: (519) 740-6096 mike.thomas@workauthority.ca Worksafe B.C. Toll Free: 1-800-663-9509 www.worksafe.bc.com YOW Canada Inc. 1306 Algoma Road Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3W8 Contact: Marie-Chantale Perron Ph: 1-888-288-0489
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Worksite NEWS December 2014
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