Worksite NEWS
VOLUME 22 NUMBER 10 Canada’s premier occupational health, safety and environment E-Magazine
October 2014
BIO-LABS Lacking Scrutiny By Lakeland Simms Worksite News Service The mouse was out of the house long before the public became aware that the Ebola virus would became a global crisis. Scientists wearing space-suitlike protective gear searched for hours in May for a mouse — infected with a virus similar to Ebola — that had escaped inside Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, one of the federal government's highest-security research facilities, according to newly obtained incident reports that provide a window into the secretive world of bioterror lab accidents. During the same month at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, a lab worker suffered a cut while trying to round up escaped ferrets that had been infected with a deadly strain of avian influenza, records show. Four days later at Colorado State University's bioterrorism lab, a worker failed to ensure dangerous bacteria had been killed before shipping specimens — some of them still able to grow — to another lab where a worker unwittingly handled them without key protective gear. Nobody was sickened in the incidents and the mouse was caught the next day. Yet in the wake of serious lab mishaps with anthrax and bird flu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that prompted an uproar and a Congressional hearing this summer, these additional incidents are further fueling bipartisan concern about lab safety. "As long as we keep having an ad hoc system of oversight in this country, we're going to keep seeing more and more incidents," said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, the ranking Democrat on the House oversight subcommittee that held the hearing in July. Added subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy, R-Pa.: "These incidents underscore why the committee has been investigating the safety of high-containment labs." The CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture jointly run the Federal Select Agent Program that oversees government, university and private laboratories working with dangerous viruses, bacteria and toxins called "select agents" because they're deemed to pose serious threats to people and agriculture and could potentially be used as bioweapons. Most of these facilities are "high-containment" laboratories operating at biosafety levels 3 and 4, the highest levels. Each level has increasingly sophisticated safety equipment and protocols to protect researchers from infection and keep deadly pathogens from being released. The Government Accountability Office, which is the investigative arm of Congress, has warned for years that no single federal entity is responsible for oversight of highcontainment labs and there are no national standards for their design or operation. It isn't even known how many high-containment labs are in operation nationwide because those working with dangerous pathogens that aren't on the federal "select agent" list — such as
tuberculosis, MERS-CoV coronavirus and some potentially deadly bird flu strains — aren't required to register with the CDC-USDA program. Citing bioterrorism laws, the Federal Select Agent Program doesn't publicly release details about accidents occurring in regulated labs. More than 1,100 incidents involving select agents were reported by labs from 2008 through 2012 and more than half were serious enough workers received medical evaluation or treatment, US media reported in August after obtaining copies of the program's annual reports to Congress. The reports, however, don't name the labs and provide few details beyond tallies of incidents by type. The details of the May incidents were revealed in minutes of those labs' institutional biosafety committees and related reports obtained by Edward Hammond, former director of the Sunshine Project, an independent lab watchdog group that operated from 19992008, until it lost funding. Hammond said it's difficult for policymakers and the public to judge the safety of labs and weigh the risks and benefits of proliferating bioterror-related research projects without data on how often incidents occur and details about what happened. "We need to require reporting and for reporting to be public," said Hammond, now a researcher based in Austin. Since August, Hammond has been requesting minutes of recent biosafety committee meetings from about 100 labs across the country and is in the process of reviewing the records to identify incidents. Entities that receive funding for recombinant DNA research from the National Institutes of Health are required to make certain records available to the public, including biosafety committee minutes. Among the initial records Hammond has received and reviewed so far, he identified those at Colorado State, St. Jude and Rocky Mountain National Laboratories as among the most troubling.WSN
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WELC OME TO PARTNERS IN COMPLIANCE In Alberta, a growing number of safety professionals are transforming the commercial transportation industry. Employees of those organizations are committed to excellence in on-road safety, 24-7. Partners In Compliance (PIC) provides an opportunity for motor carriers to first realize higher safety standards, and then the means to be recognized for those achievements in a voluntary program unique in North America. The PIC program has established benchmarks and relies on mandatory monitoring to ensure that member companies maintain the standard and commitment required of all PIC carriers. Together, we make our roads safer and more secure and our transportation systems more reliable and more efficient. PIC members find themselves in a prestigious group of carriers, whose main priority is safety. They are organizations where safety is something that is endemic, built around best practices in the industry. Where safety is the company's culture, the way things are done rather than an additional task, a method rather than a means to an end. Road Safety is not just for themselves and their employees but also to be shared with the general motoring public. Membership in PIC includes counties, school bus operations, oilfield hauling, oil and gas service and supply, bulk carriers, highway maintenance contractors, environmental cleanup specialists, gravel haulers and highways carriers; with fleets ranging from 1 to over 1200 units. Our most recent entrant is another first for Partners, a lone owner operator; GRD Transport is 1 truck and 1 driver, as a Member of PIC, a professional who boasts an
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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
“Excellent� rating on his Safety Fitness Certificate. Contributing to safe travel on Alberta's roadways, regardless of the size of Carrier, is about the desire to get there and back safe and sound. PIC now represents 61 carriers with more than 14,000 units in Western Canada. That means that almost 10% of the National Safety Code registered commercial vehicles in the province are operated by professional drivers who are dedicated to making safety happen! Partners in Compliance staff are busy assisting carriers who have the potential to reach PIC benchmarks as well as those who meet our criteria. If you wish more information about the program and how it fits in your Transportation business, then please visit our website at www.partnersincompliance.com. We are very proud of our current and future Partners In Compliance members. Sincerely, KimHrushenski Director, Partners In Compliance
Sickness At Work - Can You Stop It Being Abused? By John P Rees Having an Occupational Sickness at Work scheme is common, most employers have them. It is a valuable part of the benefits package and helps recruit and retain good staff. However, you will want to support employees who are genuinely ill whilst preventing abuse of the process. It is a fact that sickness at work can be abused. Furthermore it is often a relatively small number of employees who take advantage of your Sickness at Work process. Let me state clearly that Sickness is normal. Everyone gets sick sometimes, that is just a fact of life. As someone who is running a business it will cause inconvenience but you just have to get on with it. Or do you?
If someone is abusing your Sickness at Work process here are some tips you can try. 1. Reduced initial payment - Consider paying a reduced rate for the first few days of absence. Between 50% and 75% of your normal rate is common. Make sure that you do not violate national Statutory Sick Pay rules. In some countries you can pay nothing for the first few days. 2. Have a probation period before new employees can join your Occupational Sickness at Work scheme - This could be as much as 6 or 12 months. 3. Have a Sick Note rule if someone is sick for longer than two days. This means that they need to see the GP to get a doctors' certificate. If they need to pay for it then reimburse them through your expenses process. If they are not genuinely ill then visiting the GP will not be appealing and the hassle of reclaiming will deter any malingerers. 4. A more positive approach would be to reward good attendance - Award extra days holidays or some other kind of reward. Whatever you offer, make it worthwhile. Ensure that you do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. 5. Most people have off days - Days where they are not sick but they wake up in the morning and just don't feel like it. Some people will "phone in sick". They know they are lying and you suspect it. For most employers the lying is the most corrosive part. Some employers allow the employee to "Phone in not-sick" for 1 or 2 days a year. This encourages honesty and you get an early indication of any potential personal, domestic or work problem. Obviously the employee has to still inform you of their absence and their absence would make them ineligible for good attendance rewards. If you are thinking of setting up a new scheme consider some of these ideas. If you want to change an existing scheme then inform your employees of the change. I would suggest individual letters informing them of the planned change. This guy is a dick head: Worksite NEWS
E-mail your Letters: publisher@worksite-news.com Front Lines
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SAFETY IN THE OILSANDS
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WORKSAFE ONTARIO
Safety ruling upheld Maggie leads mental health campaign No more phones alone for Bell Bell Canada's practice of handing out cell phones to workers assigned to hazard environments is no longer sufficient rescue potocal, according to the Health and Safety Tribunal Canada (OHSTC). Upholding a federal OH&S decision, the OHSTC stated that Bell Canada must provide proper rescue equipment and training to those working in confined spaces. Simply calling 911 won't fly- even if it is a Bell device. The decision, released on Sept. 10, centred on the interpretation of paragraph 11.3(d) of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (COHSR), which state that every employer shall “specify the protection equipment and emergency equipment to be used by a person who takes part in the rescue of a person from the confined space or in responding to other emergency situations in the confined space.” OHSTC appeals officer Olivier Bellavigna-Ladoux's ruling upheld an April 2012 direction from health and safety officer Régis Tremblay, but expanded it to apply to all Bell Canada confined spaces. Following the deaths of two workers in a confined space in Oakville, Ont. in 2007, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, which is now part of Unifor, recommended the provision of a tripod, body harness and lanyard for rescue purposes, as well as training of employees on the use of the equipment. Tremblay described the deployment of this designated equipment as a “good health and safety practice” and recommended its implementation. Bell disagreed, arguing that the company provided cellphones for workers to call 9-1-1 if needed.“I find that the provision of a cellphone alone to call emergency services does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph 11.3(d),” Bellavigna-Ladoux wrote in the appeal decision. “Given the potential risks associated with working in confined spaces, there is a greater responsibility on the employer to ensure that proper procedures and equipment are put in place to safeguard the health and safety of employees in case of emergency.”Bellavigna-Ladoux went on to note that a cellphone alone could be ineffective, adding that even Bell provided evidence that in six jurisdictions in Ontario (Guelph, Woodstock, Ajax-Pickering, Caledonia, Markham and Unionville), the local fire department would attend if called, but have no capacity to conduct rescue operations in a manhole. “I am very troubled by the fact that in those jurisdictions, Bell employees that found themselves in an emergency situation would not have received any assistance with emergency equipment,” he wrote. Doug Dutton, president of Unifor Local 52 in Newmarket, Ont. and the Bell health and safety resource for Ontario, agreed that more needs to be in place than simply calling 9-1-1. “If you're not conscious in the confined space, you won't be able to use a cellphone, whether it works or not,” he said. Dutton added that with some fire departments, there's a 45-minute time lag, while for others, “it depends on whether you tell them that is for confined space when you call, whether they bring the equipment or the right trucks on the initial response.” Tremblay's original direction for two specific types of confined spaces, which was upheld and expanded to all Bell confined spaces, orders the company to specify protective equipment, pursuant to section 11.3(d). Dutton said that there is no completion date specified, but both Bell and Unifor have contacted Tremblay to discuss implementation.“We're still going to have some discussion about whether that means we have to do as they do in Ontario: have rescue equipment at the site any time we enter a confined space,” Dutton said, “or whether we just need to ensure that fire departments can rescue us and what the response time is, and if the response time is not adequate in our view, then we have to have rescue equipment in place.e implications for other federally-regulated sectors, such as transportation.
Toronto-A coalition of Canadian mental health advocates- lead by socialite Margaret Trudeauhas signed a ground-breaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to motivate Canadian business leaders to address mental illness in the Canadian workplace. Flanked by representatives from the Economic Club of Canada, Lundbeck Canada, Excellence Canada, Cookson James Loyalty and Mental Health International, Trudeau set the tone for the latest measure to create awareness among the business community. The MOU outlines for employers a commitment that will help them protect and improve the psychological health and safety of their employees and to reduce the more than $51-billion annual cost from health care to lost productivity. A recent global workplace survey conducted by Ipsos Mori, including employees and employers in Canada, highlights the stark reality of mental illness in the Canadian workplace: * Of the workers reporting a depression diagnosis, 40% state they did not tell their employer about their problem, which is above the global average of 33% and is the highest rate recorded in the global survey next to the United States (58%) * One quarter (24%) of employees diagnosed with depression could not continue to work during their last episode of depression, with an average of more than two months off work (49 lost working days) in that episode. Of note, the global average was 32 lost working days. Special guest Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark witnessed the signing of the MOU at the Economic Club of Canada luncheon. "One in five Canadians will be touched by mental illness or mental health related problems in their lifetime so we know this is a societal issue that affects families," says Patrick Cashman, President and General Manager, Lundbeck Canada. "But it also affects the economy. In fact, for Canadian companies, mental illness and mental health related problems impact 4% of the working population and equates to $20 billion GDP in lost productivity." "So many Canadians suffer in silence and feel they cannot come forward for help. It's an affliction that affects people of all ages, education, income levels and cultures across Canada as well as around the world," says Joseph Ricciuti, co-founder of Mental Health International and moderator of today's panel discussion. "Seven out of ten Canadians with depression are in the workforce. Good health is not possible without good mental health, so it is good business to have employees who are psychologically healthy and safe, and managers who are sensitive to the impact of their decisions on employee mental health." As a part of a "coordinated assault" to change the face of healthcare in Canada, Mr. Ricciuti was joined for a panel discussion by: Louise Bradley, President & CEO, Mental Health Commission of Canada; Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Canada's Let's Talk Campaign; Dr. Roger McIntyre, Head of the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network (UHN); Dr. Claire de Oliveira, Independent Scientist/Health Economist at CAMH; Mary Ann Baynton, Program Director for the Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace; and Karen Jackson, Senior Advisor, Excellence Canada. As the partners make their way across Canada to meet with business leaders, they will be rewarding executives and their employees for taking action immediately to implement mental health at work standards by participating in the Wealth Management Mental Health at Work® Challenge. Using Cookson James Loyalty's BestLifeRewarded® platform, the challenge provides a step-bystep introduction to implementing the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard) to businesses. Leaders can rally the challenge with employees as they carry out tasks, use health tracking tools and take part in exercises that aligned with the challenge milestones. "The challenge enables leadership to rally their employees around the effort, which improves engagement and supports sustainable health behaviour change. We are excited about validating the positive impact of the BestLifeRewarded® platform for this challenge," says Suzanne Cookson, co-founder of Cookson James Loyalty Inc., the founder of the wellness incentive platform. WSN
Steelworkers call mine safety report a good first step but see room for more progress Featured The United Steelworkers (USW) calls an interim report from Ontario's Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review “a good first step” but say more work in needed to improve health and safety in the industry. T he progress report's recommendation of a new guideline calling for high-visibility apparel for workers in underground mines is a good start, but the USW would like to see the province pass a regulation requiring the apparel. Sylvia Boyce, USW Health and Safety Coordinator in Ontario, points out the numerous injuries and fatalities that have occurred underground because workers operating mobile equipment couldn't see coworkers in their path. "A guideline, which is based on best practices, is not enforceable. Without a regulation, employers can't be forced to implement the improvements,” she says. She adds the USW would like to see the Mining Legislative Review Committee recommend the Minister of Labour implement a regulation dictating use of highvisibility apparel quickly. The USW would also like to see expanded databases to preserve mining health, safety and medical records – including more comprehensive historical records, such as miners' chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests. It also recommends measures to capture data for current and future workers. Another concern is the harmful effects of foot vibration on miners. The USW was happy
to see the recommendation a study be done on that issue, but say a more comprehensive study on whole body vibration and its debilitating effects is needed. The USW also has high hopes that the advisory group's final report due early next year will contain recommendations addressing water management as a top priority, Ontario Director Marty Warren says.WSN
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ELECTRICAL SAFETY
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TRAINING - HAZARD RECOGNITION By Charlie Bentson King Electricity is everywhere in the workplace. It powers much of the computers, machinery, equipment and tools used in the workplace and it allows us to see the work in the first place. Without electricity there is no workplace, yet along with its usefulness comes great danger. Electricity can start fires, damage equipment and injure and kill workers with burns and shocks. One electrical accident can put a company out of business for days. The proper electrical safety training could save your company millions of dollars or save the life of an employee. Electrical training is so important that OSHA has established training standards for the subject. OSHA divides the training into three categories - hazard recognition, proper work practices and hazards specific to different work environments. To understand hazard recognition it is important to understand how electricity works. Electricity is measured in force (volts) and intensity (Amps). It is the Amps that deliver electric shock. Volts provide the power for tools and machines by forcing the electricity into the machine. Amps determine the force of that power. Electrical current will only flow when a circuit or loop is completed - the loop is an uninterrupted flow of electricity
from the source to the machine and back again. This loop is interrupted by on/off switches, which stop this continuous flow. When too many pieces of equipment are hooked up to the same circuit the wiring can get too hot and a circuit breaker will break the circuit like an on/off switch does. Everyone has experienced this with his or her home circuits. You have to trek down to the fuse box or reset the circuit by popping the button on your outlet. While this safeguard is nice it doesn't always provide complete safety. Fuses, circuits breakers and wires are all rated by how much electricity they can handle. If breakers and wires are have a higher rating than a wire, a fire can result. A competent electrician should install all wiring and electrical components. In some instances electricity can jump from the conducting wire as it tries to complete the circuit. It tries to find the shortest path to the ground and if a worker is in the way, it will pass right through causing a shock. Many machines have been fitted with a ground wire, which grabs stray electricity and sends it to the ground. "Grounding" will only work if the outlet is grounded as well. All outlets that machines use should be tested to see if they are grounded. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters also provide protection. They immediately cut off electricity if they sense a change in the current. Electricity is a dangerous as it is useful but with training your employees can greatly increase their safety. Follow the OSHA guidelines for workplace safety and not only will your employees be safer but your workplace will be more efficient and productive.
Multiple charges for doing electrical work without a license Beware of sheep’s clothing consumers Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) reminds Ontarians to check credentials when hiring someone to do electrical work to avoid hazards and costly repairs On Sept. 8, 2014 a contractor was convicted for a fourth time in a Markham, Ontario court on charges related to performing electrical work illegally in two homes. Willy Miranda, operating as Miranda Electric was found guilty on two counts of performing electrical work without an electrical contractor's licence. Mr. Miranda has been convicted of the same charge on three previous occasions. The court imposed a total fine of $12,500 for the most recent violations. Numerous hazards were found in both homes that Miranda had completely rewired. The investigation also found that Miranda falsely obtained an electrical permit in the homeowners name for completely rewiring a home and changing the electrical panel. The homeowner hired a general contractor who then sub-contracted the work to Miranda. The homeowner also hired the same general contractor and Miranda at a second residence. To address the safety issues, the homeowner had to incur additional expense to hire a Licensed Electrical Contractor to make repairs. "This homeowner was the unfortunate victim of an individual who circumvented the law and ultimately put the safety of the homeowner and others at risk. It also meant the
renovation took more time and money to complete," said Normand Breton, General Manager, Harm Mitigation, who oversees ESA's electrical contractor licensing system. "If a contractor can't provide an electrical permit or tells you take out the permit on their behalf, this is an almost sure sign that the contractor isn't licensed." Consumers are reminded when considering hiring someone to do electrical work to follow 'the three C's': check to ensure the contractor holds a valid ECRA/ESA electrical contractor licence (you can search the database at www.esasafe.com); confirm that they are arranging the appropriate inspections from ESA; and call ESA at 1-877-ESA-SAFE (1-877-3727233) if you suspect someone is misrepresenting themselves. "If you have hired a general contractor or other companies who may sub-contract work being done for you, insist that they hire a licensed electrical contractor to complete any electrical work and don't settle the final bill until you have the ESA Certificate of Inspection," added Breton Hiring an ECRA/ESA licensed electrical contractor ensures that the company you have hired: * is fully insured * uses qualified electricians to perform the electrical work you require * will arrange for permits with the ESA * can deliver an ESA Certificate of Inspection About the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) The Electrical Safety Authority's (ESA) role is to enhance public electrical safety in Ontario. As an administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario, ESA is responsible for administering specific regulations related to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians, electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety. ESA works extensively with stakeholders throughout the province on education, training and promotion to foster electrical safety across the province. More information on the Electrical Safety Authority can be found at www.esasafe.com For further information: Electrical Safety Authority Media Relations, 905-712-7819 or Media.ESA@electricalsafety.on.ca
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TRUCK DRIVER SAFETY
Harmonizing transport regs between Canada/US OTTAWA, Ont. –- Canada and the US have agreed to co-operate more closely on a number of transportation issues and harmonize more safety and security regulations. The consensus to work together was formalized by the Canada-United States Regulatory Co-operation Council and given the name of the Joint Forward Plan August 2014. It is a follow-up to an earlier program begun in 2011 that saw the two nations join together on 29 cross-border initiatives. Along with commitments to address concerns of the pharmaceutical and agri-food industries, the two governments have promised to make a number of changes that are said to benefit trucking, transportation and logistics businesses. Chief among these are the promise to simplify the rules surrounding the use of natural gas as a fuel source for transportation. Natural Resources Canada and the US Department of Energy promise to develop “common codes and standards by industry organizations, and explore any opportunities for alignment among stakeholders. This includes a commitment to share information, identify emerging areas in natural gas deployment, and explore challenges in codes and standards harmonization.” In response to this part of the plan, the Canadian Gas Association and the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance issued a statement of support of the venture. “Natural gas can help reduce the operating costs of medium-and heavy-duty trucks, transit buses, rail, marine, and off-road fleets. This helps keep the Canadian economy moving forward. Greater cooperation between the two countries will help ensure consumer choice, foster economic development, and keep Canada competitive, particularly with our biggest trading partner, the United States,” said Timothy M. Egan, president of the Canadian Gas Association. “North America has a tremendous natural gas resource advantage. Regulatory cooperation supporting greater use of natural gas in the transportation sector is a win-win for both Canada and the United States,” said Alicia Milner, president of the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance. “Canada's natural gas vehicle industry looks forward to continued collaboration with Natural Resources Canada to address technical barriers and to provide outreach to fleets interested in natural gas vehicle deployment.” The Joint Forward Plan also promises work on technology specific to the trucking industry as Transport Canada and the US Department of Transportation have agreed to collaborate on collected vehicle technology. Specifically, they intend to develop vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications technology and applications for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, including establishing the “architecture and standards to support interoperable deployment. This will include…joint planning and priority-setting, collaborative research projects, as well as information exchanges to support analyses as well as architecture and standards development.”WSN
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
Hope for Opioid Addiction W
By Nirmala Raniga ith the passing of acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman from a drug overdose, the international spotlight had once again focused on opioid and other drug abuse, a problem that cuts across all socio-economic boundaries, shattering the lives of everyone affected. The US based National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines opioids as medications that “reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain and affect those brain areas controlling emotion, which diminishes the effects of a painful stimulus.” Essentially, opioids can become addictive due to their ability to relieve painful feelings. While these drugs tend to initially create feelings of euphoria, they also cloud cognitive function and produce alternate states of drowsiness and wakefulness. Opiates are naturally derived from the opium poppy. Opioids are synthetic, or semisynthetic, opiate-like substances. Very often, individuals acquire opioids such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine through physician prescription for legitimate medical reasons. For instance, morphine is often prescribed to relieve surgical pain. Codeine is commonly prescribed as a mild pain reliever and cough suppressant. Heroin, reaches the brain quickly, can be cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids, and is particularly addictive. A recent NIDA article states, “nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin.” With repeated use, heroin changes brain function, and those addicted become increasingly tolerant, requiring greater quantities in order to achieve its sought-after effects. Once heroin enters the brain, it is converted to morphine and binds to opioid receptors in both the brain and other locations in the body. Not only do heroin users need greater quantities of the drug as they become more tolerant, but they also have to continue using heroin to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Heroin use slows respiration, which can prove fatal. Injecting heroin can also lead to the transmission of serious infectious diseases, and long-term usage can degrade the body and affect major organs. According to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, some 13.5 million people across the globe take opioids. In its 2012 “National Survey of Drug Use and Health,” the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports, “The number of persons with heroin dependence or abuse in 2012 (467,000) was approximately twice the number in 2002 (214,000).” A 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated there were 153,000 heroin users in the U.S. Opiates, specifically heroin, played a role in 80 percent of drug-related fatalities in Europe and, in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that heroin-related deaths across the nation increased 45 percent from 2006 to 2010. Though statistics regarding opioid abuse can be startling, recovery from opioid addiction is possible. Currently, many rehabilitation facilities boast success rates of nearly 70 percent and low relapse rates of 15 to 30 percent. The highest documented success rates specifically for heroin recovery are achieved through long-term treatment programs, generally lasting three to six months and offering support, structure, and longterm aftercare programs. Many successful programs offer medication-assisted treatment options to manage withdrawal and assist in maintaining abstinence and employ such prescribed substances as naltrexone, buprenorphine/naloxone, and methadone. Naltrexone, an opiate antagonist, blocks opiate receptors, produces no physical dependence and can be used
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT Facilities Offering Outreach Services Still Rising SAMHSA's latest report shows a 10 percentage increase from 2006 to 2012 The number of substance use treatment facilities in the United States that provided community outreach increased from 47 percent in 2006 to 57 percent in 2012, according to a National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Outreach services are designed to help people in the community learn about the harmful effects of substance use, and they're designed for people needing treatment, to provide encouragement and information on how they can get help. These services can be especially important for underserved populations such as homeless people and people living in rural areas, according to SAMHSA. The agency stressed that only about 11 percent of people needing substance use treatment receive such treatment, so it's important to raise awareness about the benefits of treatment and where people can turn to for help. The report is available here. It is based on the findings of the 2006 to 2012 SAMHSA National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), a survey of all known substance use treatment facilities in the United States. ion, please visit: www.recoveryhub.com
when patients are free of withdrawal symptoms. In 2010, the U.S. FDA approved a safe and effective sustained release form of naltrexone. This injectable medication blocks the effects of opioids for up to five weeks. Known to block opioid cravings, buprenorphine/naloxone blocks the effects of other opiates, including heroin, and is approved for office-based treatment. Methadone is a controlled substance known to reduce opioid's euphoric and sedating effects as well as reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It does not produce euphoria or sedation in patients receiving a stable dose and allows those in recovery to work and participate in society. Because methadone has a long half-life and is metabolized slowly, patients need only take it once a day. According to Health Canada's publication, “Methadone Maintenance Treatment,” a comprehensive approach to recovery is a critical factor in successful recovery from heroin addiction. The publication states, “The most effective opiate agonist maintenance programs provide methadone as well as other medical, behavioral, and social services”. In choosing the best treatment options, experts note that abstinence remains a viable alternative for those individuals who are young and have not experienced significant consequences to opioid use. However, evidence shows that there are improved outcomes with medication-assisted treatment. Patients should be made aware of all available options when choosing a treatment path. The most important factor in developing a treatment plan is an initial comprehensive assessment with a physician who has broad experience in addiction medicine. The Chopra Addiction & Wellness Center takes a unique approach to treating addiction, addictive behaviours, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic disorder. The first treatment facility in North America to provide a holistic method for recovery, the Center employs both modern Western medicine and Eastern healing techniques, including Ayurveda to help guests heal their lives from the inside. When guests first arrive at the Center, they participate in collaborative, extensive mind, body, spirit assessments and individualized treatment plans are consequentially developed that are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Guests have the benefits of 24-hour support staff, individual and group therapy sessions, yoga and meditation, massage, acupuncture and regular exercise both in nature and a fully equipped gym facility. After completion of our residential program, guests may be eligible to utilize our continuing care therapy incentive program that provides substantial funding for up to twelve weeks. The compassionate, supportive environment the Center has established offers the necessary structure and assistance to help address deeper issues and help suffering individuals identify and release stored emotional pain, destructive thought-patterns and life-damaging beliefs. These are replaced with more nurturing, selfempowering behaviors and experiences, which allows individuals to lead rich, rewarding, enjoyable lives. Nirmala Raniga, Founder and Director The Chopra Addiction & Wellness Center is dedicated to assisting you in overcoming destructive behaviours and stepping into a life of happiness and well-being.
www.chopratreatmentcenter.com
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Plumbers and Pipefitters
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TRAFFIC SAFETY
Advantages of using traffic safety vests By Joseph Troyer There are several ugly occurrences on roads daily that cause people injury. This makes it vital to have protective gear when undertaking any activity in or near the roadway. Traffic safety vests are part of the protective gear that can be used to protect you. They enhance your visibility, especially at night,making the roads more secure for you. The use of this protective gear has several advantages and we will discuss some of them below. Enhance Visibility First, these protective gears enhance visibility. By being visible, the wearer is protected as other road users will see him/her reducing cases of accidents. This clothing has reflective stripes that make the wearer easily recognized by other road users. These reflective stripes send light to approaching motorists making them alert that somebody is moving in the road. This way, the motorists can slow down and avoid hitting the person. Reduce Accidents Another benefit of using traffic safety vests is that they are helpful in reducing accidents on the roads. By using this protective attire, accidents are fewer in the roads and it becomes a better environment with reduced deaths. They are affordable by many users since their prices are reasonable. Moreover, these pieces of safety equipment can be put on over other clothes and are very easy to use. Seen From A Distance These protective gears are visible from a long distance, approximately a hundred meters, and they provide protection to the user. Due to their high visibility, speeding motorists can slow down and drivers can correct their vehicle's speed and path before any ugly occurrence happens. As earlier mentioned, the person
wearing this attire can be noticed from a far and thus, can be avoided by motorists. Anyone Can Use Them Another advantage to note about this protective gear is that they can be used by almost everybody. They come in different designs meant for different users. Their sizes also vary enabling people of different sizes to use them. These vests are largely used by traffic police, road workers and road contractors as well as those who participate in recreation that brings them on or close to roadways. Available Online This safety clothing is readily available at stores in different areas. They are also sold online which makes it very easy for people who are busy to get them. This is time saving since the customer does not have to walk from one store to another comparing prices and styles. All you require is a computer with an Internet connection and all comparisons and purchases can be made online. This also saves money that could be spent in traveling from one store to another. Regulated By ANSI Another benefit is that making a choice of one that best suits you is not a hassle. This is because the safety vests come with specifications from ANSI. These specifications act as a guide to customers in choosing the best safety vest for their requirements. This is based on the employment background and color of the buyer. Conclusively, traffic safety vests should not be for traffic personnel and road employees alone. Every road user should use high visibility safety vests as a way of enhancing their personal safety on the road and that of other road users. These protective gears are very advantageous and if well used, safety of everybody on the road is assured.
One road safety message finally beginning to stick With concerns mounting over the tragic consequences of distracted driving and ever-present fears about drunk driving, it's nice to hear about an issue that is motoring in the right direction. The Ontario Provincial Police reports the number of fatalities linked to motorists not wearing seatbelts is on track to be the lowest in 10 years. Between 2005 and 2007, more than 100 people died annually in collisions in which they were not buckled up. More recent data shows the number of seatbelt fatalities dropping to 68 in 2009 and rising slightly to 73 in 2013. This year, however, there have so far been only 32 deaths in which a lack of seatbelt compliance has been a factor. While noting the OPP won't be satisfied with fewer than 100 per cent of motorists buckling up, Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, provincial commander of traffic safety and operational support, calls the data “promising.” “With just over three months to go in the year, we are cautiously optimistic and hopeful about reaching a 10-year low in seatbeltrelated road deaths. But we do not want the public to take away the wrong message from this promising data,” he said in a media release. “Until people reach 100-per-cent compliance with seatbelt laws, sadly more victims of all ages will succumb to injuries sustained because they were either not wearing a seatbelt or were not properly restrained in the vehicle.” To push closer to that 100-per-cent target, OPP officers are embarking on a fall seatbelt campaign, observing all passengers in vehicles, not just drivers. The effort also includes checks to ensure that child and booster seats are properly adjusted. While it's hard to fathom anyone getting into a car or truck without buckling up, it's exceptionally encouraging that the problem seems to be going away after decades of work. Perhaps next year's fall campaign will be about distracted drivers, as Ontario drivers will have put the seatbelt issue to bed once and for all.
Worksite NEWS
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October 2014
Page 12
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE PSYCHOPATHS AMONG US
Bullying touches all races and roles his appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller to investigate the league's handling of the incident involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Many critics, however, will only be satisfied with Goodell's resignation. They cite what they describe as his tepid response to the controversy surrounding Baltimore Despite an almost daily drumbeat of domestic-violence reports in the Ravens running back Ray Rice, after video surfaced of the player dragging his news, less than one-third of U.S. organizations have a domestic-violence unconscious fiancée out of a hotel elevator, by initially suspending him for only two policy in effect. Experts suggest companies craft policies that include games. Rice was later released by the Ravens (and indefinitely suspended by the NFL), but only after video surfaced of him knocking out his fiancée. accommodations such as a safe parking space or a change in work hours While three other NFL players have been suspended for similar incidents, the for affected employees. alleged violators making headlines are not just hulking athletes. Indeed, a federal By Andrew R. McIlvaine judge in Alabama is now facing pressure to resign after he was charged with striking The National Football League is scrambling to repair its image in the wake of the his wife last month at a luxury hotel there. growing outrage over its response to a recent spate of domestic violence assaults by Despite the controversy over Goodell, however, experts who deal with domestic its players: Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the appointment of four women violence caution business leaders not to be distracted from the larger issue of to review the NFL's policies on domestic violence and sexual assault. This follows domestic violence -- the statistics show they can't afford to be. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 321 women and 38 men were killed while on the job by current or former spouses or partners between 1997 and 2009. An analysis of workplace crime statistics published in a 2012 issue of the Annals of Epidemiology found that, of women Glenn French who were killed in the workplace between 2003 President/ The Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence and 2008, nearly 33 percent died at the hands of a current or former partner. Following my earlier article entitled "Workplace Violence: A Roadmap for Prevention", "The steps employers take after they discover this I will over the next few months, focus on each one of the critical components of a can either greatly improve the situation for the Violence Prevention Program. Keep in mind when drafting your policy that you should employee or contribute to a really terrible consult the legislative requirements in the jurisdiction where your operations are outcome," says Meagan Newman, a partner at located be they provincial, federal or territorial. Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago who counsels clients on Every organizationshould have in place a workplace violence prevent policy, which is workplace-violence prevention. accessible to all employees. This document is the foundation of an employer's violenceEmployers can be cited under the prevention program. The policy should—at a minimum—communicate an for failing to take adequate safety measures to organization's commitment to preventing workplace violence, provide an overview of protect employees from an abusive partner who its violence-prevention program, and establish clear standards of behaviour that apply comes to the workplace, she says. to all employees, managers, contractors and clients. One of the most important steps that HR leaders At a minimum, your company policy should include: can take is to put in place a written policy that 1. The purpose of the policy. specifically addresses domestic violence, says 2. A definition of workplace violence in precise, concrete language, keeping in mind that violence can come from Newman. "Every employer should have a customers, students, co-workers to name just a few domestic-violence policy, because the issue affects 3. A statement reflecting the organization's zero tolerance for any acts of violence. every employer," she says. 4. The scope and application of the policy, covering employees at all levels including contractors, customers, Approximately 30 percent of U.S. companies have students, and other individuals pertinent to your circumstance. a domestic-violence policy in place, according to 5. Outline in clear terms the responsibilities of all stakeholders under the policy. the Society for Human Resource Management and 6. Outline the processes in place to both prevent and report incidents of violence. the BLS. Kim Wells, executive director of the 7. Emphasize the importance of reporting of all incidents, ensuring confidentiality, and protection from reprisals. Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence in 8. Reinforce the organization's commitment to advise employees of potential risks. Bloomington, Ill., says she's seen a "sea change" 9. Outline procedures for investigating and resolving complains. within the last five years in terms of companies 10. Reinforce the organization's commitment to support victims of violence in the form of protection and support addressing the issue. services. "It's gone from 'Why do we need to do this?' to 'We 11. Clearly outline the consequences of policy violations. know we need to do something,'" she says. 12. Make a commitment to violence prevention training and education for employees at all levels of the organization. A policy should serve as clear guidance for 13. Where appropriate, cross-reference other related policies, such as sexual harassment, and disability management, employees who are domestic-violence victims as etc. well as their managers, says Wells. Once you have established you policy, most jurisdictions require that you post it in a conspicuous location, such as "You need to specify who the employee should an Occupational Health and Safety Bulletin Board, or some other location where it is easily accessible. Further, we reach out to for accommodations such as a safe strongly recommend that you develop your policy in consultation with your Occupational Health and Safety parking space, a change in work hours or flexible Committee, or Safety Representative. Employees should be involved in the prevention program from the very hours if the person needs to go to court or move beginning to ensure their buy-in and cooperation. out of their current home," she says. Remember, your Workplace Violence Prevention Policy is the foundation of your Violence Prevention Program. We A good policy will have the following three will next look at how to conduct a workplace hazard assessment which will form the basis of your procedures. components, says Tom Koessl, an employment For further information on Violence Prevention, visit us on line at www.workplaceviolence.ca attorney and a principal at Much Shelist in Chicago: It outlines an employer's obligations, based on the jurisdiction in which the organization is located (different states and localities may have differing rules pertaining to employers' responsibilities); it lists the signs supervisors and co-workers should look for and who they should contact if they're concerned, and it includes do's and don'ts for supervisors -- i.e., don't overpromise what the organization can do.WSN
Working with Wearable Devices
Workplace Violence Prevention: Policy Development
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FIRST AID & SAFETY TRAINING
The Importance of CPR & AED Safety Training One challenge with saving victims of cardiac arrest is that there is often a lag before bystanders take action. By Jeff Walters efore convincing a company's leaders to install automated external defibrillators in their offices and campuses, Marc Lawrence says he often has to start with a heart lesson. First, he has to explain that sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, that there often are no symptoms, and that it's not something that only affects mostly seniors, but can happen at any age. "Customers just aren't aware of the prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest," said Lawrence, the president of Downing Digital Healthcare Partners. He has spent more than 25 years working in medical device sales and information technology. In speaking with groups about AEDs, Lawrence often asks his audience to guess how many people experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the United States each year. "The highest number I ever received was 80,000, with everyone thinking it mostly affects people all over 65 years of age," he said. Actually, the number is about 424,000, with victims ranging in age from young children to adults. Analysis of the workplace fatalities reported to the Occupation Safety and Health Administration showed that up to 60 percent might have been saved if AEDs were immediately available and companies were not just relying on EMS. A Leading Cause of Death Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada, with nearly four out of five cases occurring outside a hospital. Bystanders–whether in a public gathering space such as an airport or shopping mall, or in a workplace–play an in important role in improving the chances of survival, said Dr. Robert W. Neumar, M.D., Ph.D., who is a professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine for the University of Michigan Health Systems. "In cardiac arrest, every minute counts," Neumar said. "If you consider the time it takes for a medical responder to arrive versus a co-worker or bystander, it can mean the difference between life and death."
B
Even when 911 is called immediately, it can often take seven or eight minutes or longer for EMS to arrive at the location; that doesn't account for the time it takes to locate the victim once they arrive. After 10 minutes without emergency care, resuscitation is rarely successful. Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. Cardiac arrest, which may be caused by a heart attack, occurs when the heart's normal rhythm is disrupted and cannot generate blood flow. Chest compressions administered through CPR can generate a small amount of blood flow to vital organs, but defibrillation by an automated external defibrillator is the only way to deliver the lifesaving shock to the heart, bringing it back into normal rhythm and restoring blood circulation. Every minute of delay for defibrillator decreases the success of restarting the heart. Approximately 10 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive, with survival significantly increased if a bystander quickly retrieves and employs an AED. Time is critical. The earlier a shock is delivered, the greater the chance the neurological damage can be prevented. Having an AED program in place can reduce the response time to an SCA victim by 3-5 minutes. "Every minute delay in shock delivery can decrease the chance of survival by up to 10 percent," Neumar said. Understanding the value of those few minutes is what Lawrence said is key to helping companies recognize the importance of having AEDs readily accessible in the workplace. "Relying only on EMS means you could lose the precious time you may have to save a life," he explained. AHA's Chain of Survival The American Heart Association strongly encourages companies and organizations to implement AED programs to increase the chances of survival for people who have heart-related emergencies. With an AED program, an
Ways To Reduce Accidents In The Parking Areas And Outdoor Premises Of Business Establishments By Bryce P Edison Vehicular accidents are one of the most common causes of injuries and deaths all over the world. These accidents can happen on the roads, on highways and freeways and even during off-road expeditions. And unfortunately, they can also happen just when you are parking your car or when you are leaving the parking lot of a certain establishment that you just visited. As a business owner, it is also one of your important duties to ensure that your customers or clients and pedestrians are safe when they are outside your premises. This means that you need to make sure that you have done everything in your power to make the outside area of your establishment safe and that you will not be liable for any accident and other untoward incident that may happen to your patrons and other pedestrians. To help reduce the incidences of accidents happening in the parking area and the exterior area of your establishment such as on the sidewalks, below are some tips you can follow: If your parking lot is quite "high-traffic", consider having speed bumps, road bumps and other physical devices installed on certain parts of the area. These physical devices will help control the speed of all vehicles entering and leaving your parking lot. You need to have highly visible visual warning signs installed in and around the parking lot. This means having yield or stop signs, flashing lights or pavement markings in the parking lot so that they can direct traffic and help promote and boost driver awareness.
employee will be better prepared to save the life of a coworker. Early use of AED is one of the five time-sensitive actions in what the American Heart Association calls "chain of survival," along with early recognition, early activation of emergency medical services, bystander initiation of CPR, and early advanced life support and post-resuscitation care. Since 1995, the AHA has promoted public access defibrillation programs–those focused on training l"ay rescuers"to use AEDs in public gathering areas. Florida was the first state to mandate such a program in 1997, but it has been followed by many other municipalities and states for public sites such as schools, shopping malls, and gymnasiums. All 50 states had regulations mandating such access by 2001; AED access was mandated in federal buildings starting in 2002. Such programs have been shown to have a significant impact on survival rates. Trials have shown that SCA survival rates doubled when CPR was combined with AED use, compared to CPR alone.
Invest in bollards. You can get bolt down bollards or standard ones which are very helpful for marking out routes. These bollards should be brightly colored so that they can be seen and noticed easily by drivers and pedestrians. Bolt down bollards, in particular, can help keep people and vehicles safe when an accident occurs. The bollards can absorb the initial impact of the oncoming vehicle and as such, provide the pedestrians the opportunity to get out of harm's way. This type of protective solution can also halt the movement of the vehicle. For sidewalks and other areas near your establishment, make sure that you regularly check that there are no cracks, potholes or even gravel on the pavement. All of these are the usual causes of accidents such as slips and falls. When you see the presence of any of these, make sure you have them fixed or removed immediately. Finally, make sure that the parking lot and the exterior of your establishment is properly lighted as well. Invest in good lighting features so that accidents that are usually caused by poor lighting or darkness can be prevented. To get more ideas about systems and solutions you can use to maintain and improve the level of safety in and outside your business premises, click on www.creativesafetysupply.com
www.heartandstroke.ca
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October 2014
Page 14
SAFETY IN THE OILPATCH- Emergency Response
The pipeline industry puts itself to the test Joint Emergency Management Excercise What happens if a pipeline leaks in Canada? How will a pipeline company respond? If a major incident occurs on a CEPA member's line, other companies show up to help protect communities and the environment. That is why CEPA's members organized a joint emergency management exercise on Wednesday to test and strengthen their ability to work together if they need to respond to an emergency. “Today marks a significant milestone for CEPA members – because today we test our ability to effectively collaborate, communicate and respond to a pipeline emergency,” said Dr. Brenda Kenny, CEPA's president and CEO, during the inaugural CEPA Joint Emergency Management Exercise in Edmonton, Alta. The joint exercise was the first of its kind for the industry and was aimed at testing the Mutual Emergency Assistance Agreement (MEAA), which CEPA's members signed in November 2013. The agreement formalized the industry practice of sharing human resources, equipment and tools between companies in the event of a significant incident. How the CEPA Joint Emergency Management Exercise worked: The incident command post at the CEPA Joint Emergency Management Exercise Pipeline-related emergencies are rare. However, the MEAA allows any CEPA member company to ask for assistance from another member company in the unlikely event of a major incident. Because Wednesday's exercise was designed to test the MEAA, companies followed the protocol outlined by the agreement during a simulated emergency. “MEAA is really what we are exercising – focusing on the
lessons learned (during the exercise) and collaborating as an industry,” said Stephen Lloyd, senior manager of emergency and security management at Enbridge Pipelines and chair of the committee that planned the emergency management exercise. Effectively coordinating emergency response Under the MEAA, the pipeline company requesting assistance directs the overall emergency response. Other member companies work within Incident Command System (ICS) protocols while providing assistance to ensure the response is effective and efficient and communication is kept open. (ICS is a management system used by many pipeline operators for the command, control and coordination of emergency response.) The simulation was a functional exercise, which means emergency protocols were carried out from an active command post, but people and equipment were not moved to a real site. The exercise helped CEPA's member companies test and refine the industry's collaboration during an emergency by improving overall communication and response. “Any incident is everyone's incident” CEPA's president and CEO, Brenda Kenny, speaks at the CEPA Joint Emergency Management Exercise Pipeline companies are required by regulations to conduct their own emergency response drills. However, the joint exercise was not mandatory. It was organized by CEPA's
members because they want to have a well-tested plan in place and they want to continuously improve pipeline safety by working together. “CEPA member companies have voluntarily chosen through MEAA to work together and improve response capabilities by sharing resources and best practices during an emergency,” said Kenny. “This collaboration is an indication that in our industry, when it comes to safety, there is no competition, but only collaboration. Any incident is everyone's incident.” The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association represents Canada's transmission pipeline companies who operate approximately 115,000 kilometres of pipelines in Canada. In 2013, these energy highways moved approximately 1.2 billion barrels of liquid petroleum products and 5.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Our members transport 97 per cent of Canada's daily natural gas and onshore crude oil from producing regions to markets throughout North America.
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Worksite NEWS October 2014 Page 15
ERGONOMICS
Posture Priority Making Your Workstation It's a simple concept with age-old history, yet it continues to take a toll on our bodies and minds- and mostly while we work. Ergonomics means fitting your workstation to your needs, not trying to fit yourself into a one-size-fits-all workplace. If you have a poor Ergonomic set-up in your work area – whether you work at home or in an office outside the home – it can potentially lead to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, tendonitis or neck or back pain. How do we improve a workstation so that by the end of the day our bodies are not riddled with discomfort and pain? Let's start with some basics of why people who work at a desk find themselves in pain. One of the biggest causes of injuries at a computer workstation is poor posture. Observe other people in your work area. You probably see slumped shoulders, necks extending forward, bent wrists and awkward positions. While you're working, your shoulders should be relaxed, and your neck and wrists should be in a neutral position. For the neck, this means your head should be aligned above your shoulders, not jutting forward. Your wrists should be fairly horizontal, with your hands resting on the keyboard, not bent up or down. Your elbows should rest at your sides at about a 90 degree angle. Another risk factor for injury is repetitive motion. How many keystrokes have you done by the end of the day? How many times have you reached for the phone? Repetitive
motions, especially if you have poor posture or are sitting in an awkward position, can be extremely detrimental to your body. When evaluating your workplace, it's easiest to start with the chair. First, learn how to adjust your chair (height, seat depth, arm rests, angle of the backrest, etc.). Set the seat height so that your thighs are nearly parallel with the floor. A backward lean of the backrest of 1015 degrees is acceptable and will take some of the pressure off of your lower back. Your feet should rest flat on the floor. Where your keyboard should be placed depends on your height. To determine the ideal location, sit at your desk, relax your shoulders, and bend your elbows to 90 degrees. Where do your hands fall? If you are under 6 feet tall, your hands probably fall below your desk. If so, the keyboard is too high for you and you need to adjust the height of your chair to accommodate for this difference. If you raise your chair in order to type correctly and your feet are dangling, a simple solution is a foot rest. If you have raised your chair as high as you can and the keyboard is still too high, you may need to consider attaching a keyboard tray underneath your desk. The mouse should be placed directly next to your keyboard and on the same level to reduce any excessive reaching. You should not have your keyboard on a tray and your mouse up on the desk. When moving the mouse around, use a full arm motion. Isolating the motion of the mouse to the wrist alone can put you at risk for injury. The computer monitor is another adjustable part of the workstation. The top of your computer screen should be at or just below your eye level and about 18-30 inches away from your face (depending on your vision). If you are experiencing neck pain or headaches, be sure to check the height of your monitor. If you find that your eyes are dry or fatigued at the end of the day, your screen may be too high. This happens because when the screen is too high, you blink about 50% less than you should. Screen glare can be reduced by placing a filter over the screen or adjusting the location of the monitor in relation to windows and lights in your work area.
HealthPostures rolls out Stance Angle Chair Burnsville MN- Mounting requests for the Stance Angle Chair has propelled ergonomics manufacturer, HealthPostures , to release an enhanced version of the ergonomic office product. HealthPostures announced that the redesigned ergonomic Stance Angle chair will market in 2015. According to David Watkins, HealthPostures' Sales and Marketing manager, "The Stance Angle Chair was discontinued in 2008. But, since that time, demand for the product has actually increased." The Stance Angle Chair is built to increase comfort and support for people who spend several hours a day working at a desk. In addition to giving users the capability to adjust their supportive seating to several different positions, the Stance Angle Chair allows workers to alter their posture throughout the day. Benefits associated with these ergonomic options include reduced back pain, improved posture, reduced neck strain and less numbness. The Stance Angle chair adds extra comfort and support for the many people who already work with a height adjustable desk. Levers on the side of the chair take workers from a sitting to a standing position. As the chair moves, a padded back supports the spine. According to HealthPostures' developer, Jared Elliott, during the redesign, the ergonomics company is "going to focus on the up-grading the upholstery/seating and mechanical adjustments of the chair.” HealthPostures designed the original Stance Angle Chair and now specific benefits the redesign aims to offer workers overall ergonomic comfort and a large range of posture and support features. Five years of development work went into the original design of the ergonomics product. Consumer demand and a shift toward workers alternating
between standing and sitting are largely responsible for the re-launch. Post re-launch distribution is expected to be significant. Jared shares that, "The product will be available to the general public and our entire dealer network." Sales for the upgraded ergonomics product are expected to be strong. About HealthPostures HealthPostures LLC builds ergonomic equipment that helps people to stay healthy while they work. The firm has been designing and manufacturing ergonomic sit stand solutions since 1996. Part of the company's mission is to "strive to provide quality products that will help transform your sedentary life so you have a healthy way to work." Office solutions sit stand products Health Postures designs and manufactures include dual monitor sit stand work stations, adjustable mouse stands, dual monitor arm accessories, Stance move seat extensions, industrial surface. For more info contact Scott McDonald , HealthPostures 1 (952) 873-3266 Ext: 101
AFE
Worksite NEWS October 2014
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HEALTH CONSTRUCTION & WELL-BEING SAFETY
Working at extreme heights By Chris J Elliott
Preventing Falls: In truth there are three core methods for preventing falls supported by an over reaching Work at heights has become a topic in recent times with most nations and laws slowly need for a stable work platform/area. The three methods are in order of effectiveness: changing in how they define a height - but most publicity has surrounded the use of Safety Barriers and Edge Protection - A wall or barrier of more than 1.1 metres in ladders and whether they are suitable for work at heights. height is the ideal means of ensuring safety at heights. Its the only method for large Traditionally we could assume a height was in the region of 2 metres - legislation populations working at heights or where public are allowed into an area. usually setting this as the height at which injuries would occur and should be controlled. Safety Harnesses and Restraint Lines - These when used properly by trained people are the nest best method. They need to be used or at least set up by competent people Obviously as we increase from 2 metres the potential risks increase until somewhere and will only protect the user. Depending on the work and the requirements the ideal around 15-30 metres after which the end results don't change much. restraint system is one that actually prevents a fall - so a tether line that prevents you However in recent times there's been a move to say anything that could harm by falls falling off the edge is better than one that allows you to step off the "edge" but prevents etc. should be deemed a height. I wouldn't disagree that any possible risk should be you falling more than 2 metres. assessed and evaluated but equally we know that risk increases with height in most Safe Distance - in theory - on flat roofs with limited numbers of people you can reduce cases and the care needed thus increases too. But obviously take account of other factors risks by ensuring no one enters an area within 3 metres of the edge. Its limited in that it - what will be fallen onto, what are they carrying/holding all of which can increase the requires workers to remember the distance when occupied with other things - but for risks. short term work it can be a simple solution when other solutions aren't practical. So what are the risks - the obvious ones are people falling and items falling onto those Preventing Items Falling below - but also consider the safety of the structure or equipment used to get people to To prevent items falling good housekeeping is essential at all times - but equally height and the general means of access to the height. ensuring things can't fall by means of physical barriers, kick boards on scaffolds/platforms or lanyards attaching tools to the workers all help reduce the risks. If risks remain then exclusion zones below the work area are required areas that the public and staff don't/can't enter. Obviously this may also be a hard hat zone to help mitigate risks for staff required to work in such areas. When looking at heights with regards to storage areas such as mezzanine storage ensure items are not stacked higher than the safety barrier or if they are some means of preventing falling items is in place. Access Equipment: Obviously when a height can be reached by means of steps or doors then the issue is resolved - but when you need to use access equipment, the use of scaffolds, elevating work platforms (EWP) such as cherry pickers or scissor lifts are better than ladders. They typically provide edge protection and kickboards to reduce the risks from tools and equipment falling too. When such are used it is important to ensure the scaffold is properly constructed and signed off as required by competent people and that work platforms are maintained, inspected and checked by competent people to ensure their continued safety. Ladders have not been outlawed as claimed by some - there's merely been questions raised as to whether they're suitable for prolonged work. It as always boils down to risk assessment. We have to accept scaffolds or EWP are safer than ladders - however for short term work or work in inaccessible areas a ladder may be the only realistic option. As general access the same rules for safety as ever apply - position it right, make sure its stable, ensure its in good order and the user is competent and knows the basics of ladder safety. Also there are options to make use of safety harness and anchor points for work on ladders that will last more than 15 minutes or involve less than ideal tasks for a ladder. When using ladders and step ladders think about the user and what they're doing - plus the frequency of use. Standard ladders and step ladders are fine for occasional simple jobs - but in warehousing, archive arears where people will be loading/unloading items at height then invest in step ladders with handrails and good working platforms. Specialist Height Working: When we consider the use of rope access systems the same principles apply its just a more extreme case and relies utterly on the competence of those setting up the work. When looking at rope access you need access to specialist riggers - now that means specialist qualifications - typically IRATA but there are other bodies that certify trained personnel depending *NOW AVAILABLE OSSA Fall Protection Training For Your Instructor on the country or industry. But competent people are the key. 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October 2014 Page 17
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
The battle of the mind PTSD and the ethics of erasing bad memories. Research on possibility of erasing recollections raises ethical questions Dan Campbell relives the battle every day. His senses, his mind, and his emotions are all effected. Memories of the horrifying nights and days spent fighting war in Afganistan haunt him. One attach imparticular his brazed in his thoughts. He feels the bullets whiz past his head. The tracer rounds zipped between his legs. It was his first firefight as a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan. "I was completely frightened and scared like I'd never been before in my life,” he says. As the attack continued, the sights, sounds and smells started to form memories inside his brain. The fear he felt released the hormone norepinephrine, and in the complex chemistry of the brain, the memories of the battle became associated with the fear. 'I think one day, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, we will be able to delete a memory.'- Dr. Sheena Josselyn, senior scientist, Hospital For Sick Children Research Institute Six years later, a sight or sound such as a firecracker or car backfiring can remind him of that night in 2008. The fear comes back and he relives rather than remembers the moments. "It can be hard. Physically, you know, there's the tapping foot, my heart beating,” he says. Like so many soldiers and victims of assault or people who have experienced horrific accidents, Campbell was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. Now a newspaper reporter in Yellowknife, Campbell thinks one day he may get therapy. But for now he is working on his own to control the fear and anger the memories bring. But what if he could just erase those memories? What if he could wipe out the fear as if it never existed? * Listen to the Ideas documentary Hit Delete Some memory researchers believe they are getting closer to helping former soldiers like Campbell and others haunted by the past delete the fear memories. Warning system Memory, in an evolutionary sense, is about survival, says Dr. Sheena Josselyn, a senior scientist at the Hospital For Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto. It is our warning system to prevent us from repeating dangerous actions. But traumatic memories, such as those in the brains of people with PTSD, can interfere with daily living. They can cause sleeplessness, or if sleep comes, disturbing dreams. They can bring moments of anxiety and can make normal relationships with others impossible.
In her lab, Josselyn is working to find a way to delete, or at least dampen, the fear associated with traumatic memory. Current research says a memory is located in various parts of the brain. The neurons, or brain cells, that are encoded with the fear are in one part of the brain while other parts of the memory are elsewhere. Josselyn, working with rodents in the lab, is developing ways of locating the group of neurons that hold the fear. Once she has that, then she hopes to target just those cells chemically and disrupt their ability to keep that fear encoded. “We're not there yet,” she says, but “we're certainly getting close in rodents.” “I think one day, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, we will be able to delete a memory.” Ethical hurdle There are many hurdles to overcome. The brain has 86 billion neurons. The memories Josselyn is working with may be stored in as few as several hundred neurons. Scientists are researching ways of deleting traumatic memories in the human brain, such as those created in the midst of war. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP) Current techniques are nowhere near specific enough to delete so small a group and leave everything else intact. And there is an ethical hurdle. Some ethicists believe that deleting memories deletes a vital part of a person's identity. “It's those emotions that tell you who I am,” says Dr.
Francoise Baylis, who holds the Canada Research Chair in bioethics and philosophy at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Baylis cautions that deleting even the worst of a person's memories can interfere with the sense of self. She does not want people to suffer, but she says learning how to deal with the fear and anxiety can produce strength. 'Anything but a disorder' Campbell questions the research as well. He believes his memories, his fears and anxiety are part of who he is. “You go to a place and see some pretty horrible stuff and you're a little different after, sometimes [you have] strange mental reactions. I think that is anything but a disorder. That's normal.” Back in her lab, Josselyn knows that her research may not be for everyone. But for those who cannot function because of traumatic memories, she wants to relieve the suffering. She suggests that what she is proposing could produce the same effect as therapy, but faster. “Some people would argue, and I wouldn't disagree, that what cognitive therapy does is eventually change your brain's circuits," she says. "So we are doing the same thing that cognitive therapy might do. They are taking away the emotional component of a memory in much the same way we do. It's always towards the common goal, it's just the routes in are different.”
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WORKSAFE BC
Falling will make co-workers look down on you But stay focused Richmond, BC- WorkSafeBC has launched a campaign to reduce the number of falls from heights, in partnership with five Lower Mainland construction companies representing 22 jobsites. From 2004 through 2013, falls from a height in BC accounted for 92 worker deaths and 22,610 serious injuries. According to WorkSafeBC's 2013 Statistics publication, released today, the greatest number of deaths and injuries occurred in the construction industry. Twenty-five percent of all accepted construction claims are related to falls from a height and are the most frequent and costly incidents in the industry. The 2013 Statistics publication drills down to how workers are hurt and some of the reasons why. Carpenters, roofers, and labourers have the highest likelihood of falling at residential construction worksites, with falls from ladders and from roof/scaffolding the most common. Recent WorkSafeBC research indicates time and economic constraints, lack of training, and an enhanced need for leadership in the area of safety as factors influencing falls from a height. The other challenges to creating a culture of safety include peer pressure and entrenched work habits. This latest campaign strives to address these findings and includes new training resources, a social media contest, hard hat stickers, poster, perimeter fencing and innovative, oversize signage reminding employers and workers that: "Focusing on safety won't make your crew look down on you. Falling will. Speak up for safety." The five construction companies partnering with WorkSafeBC on this initiative are: Beedie Development Group, ITC Construction Group, Polygon Homes Ltd., PCL Construction and Scott Construction Group. For more information, see WorkSafeBC online resources to assist employers and workers. Vice President of BC Prevention Services, Al Johnson, says the campaign should help change minds about the serious effects of falls from heights. "Falls from a height in construction can often result in serious injury or death. One of the goals of this campaign is to encourage ownership of the culture of safety within industry by employers and workers. We hope that employers and workers will overcome any reluctance to talk about safety and speak up about risks from falls on their work sites." Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, adds: "Worker safety is a top priority for our government. With one million job openings projected by 2022 many of them will be in the trades — and many of them in the trades at the highest risk for falls from heights. This makes it doubly important for WorkSafeBC to focus on educating and training employees and employers about safe practices on job sites. Every worker in our province deserves to get home safely
Packing the safety punch BC gives green light to alternate escape device
A widely-used European safety devise which allows trapped workers escape from mobile equipment when the primary hatch is unusable, has been given the green by WorkSafeBC. Safety Punch is now produced in Canada by Punch Systems Inc. STP is reportedly common in the United Kingdom and several African countries, but has yet to catch on widely in North America. It consists of a red button that one installs on a window on mobile equipment, particularly vehicles used in construction. If the vehicle rolls or tips over, the worker inside can use STP as a secondary emergency exit by hitting it, breaking the glass. Another advantage of the product is that, if installed on the outside of a window, it allows rescuers to reach a worker who may be incapacitated or unconscious. “It's a pretty clever device,” said Scott McCloy, director of media relations with WorkSafeBC, which approved the product for use in B.C. construction and road work in early September. “It's an interesting idea, one that the industry brought to us.” Product has limitations, regulator says According to McCloy, the Council of Construction Associations (COCA) approached WorkSafeBC in June with an endorsement of STP. WorkSafeBC met with COCA more recently to confirm that the product was useful, but had several limitations. “One of the limitations is, the window can't be too thick, because if it is too thick, then no matter how hard you push the punch, it's not going to break the window,” said McCloy. In addition, STP must not obscure the view of the operator and has to be installed on a certain kind of glass. “What you don't want to do is create a secondary hazard. In other words, if you just hit the Safe T Punch, the glass shatters and a worker's injured as he or she is trying to get out of the cab and injured by broken glass.” Despite the limitations, WorkSafeBC decided that STP was a reasonable alternative to a main emergency exit and met section 16.17 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Section 16.17 requires, among other items, that any mobile equipment built after Jan. 1, 2000 must have a clearly marked alternate means of emergency escape and that the means must meet the requirement for alternate exits from the date of manufacture. The escape means must not pose additional safety risks nor be located on the same surface as the entrance door, and a worker should be able to open it with less than 135 Newtons of force. McCloy stressed that WorkSafeBC's approval of STP was not meant to be seen as an endorsement of the product. But he also noted that STP could serve as an alternative to retrofitting older equipment with an extra door or hatch, which could be very expensive. “Some companies can afford to do that, others can't,” he said. “And sometimes you can't retrofit a cab, because the window is part of the structure.” Much of the province's construction industry is pleased with the product, including COCA and the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association. “It won't be effective in all situations,” said McCloy, “but it can be effective in certain situations, and it's a very low-cost alternative compared to trying to install a door.”
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Worksite NEWS October 2014
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CAREERS AND EMPLOYEMENT
www.rigzone.com We offer challenges and prospects both in Canada and internationally. So whether you’ve just started your studies, have recently graduated or you're an experienced professional - discover what we have to offer and how you can apply. www.shell.ca/home/content/can-en/aboutshell/careers
Tips for avoiding electrocution hazards Worksite NEWS October 2014
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CAREERS & EMPLOYMENT
Women shaping the Workplace Toronto– Much has been said about Canada's progressive business environment removing the glass ceiling for women in the workplace. Yet a recent study among 501 female business leaders, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Randstad Canada, suggests that many of the key inhibitors to female progression are not easily identifiable factors that can be addressed by corporate policies or workplace procedures, because wider societal perceptions of women and the complexities of male and female interactions are at play. Personal Appearance Affects Promotion When asked if personal image, including appearance, can impact career progression, 90 per cent of respondents said that they believe that overall image, including looks, have a substantial impact on a woman's career progression, while only 37 per cent believe image can have the same effect on a man's career. “While this is a sensitive issue, marked differences in opinion between those women over 55 and those under 35 suggest that there may be progress underway,” said Gina Ibghy, Chief People Officer, Randstad Canada, adding that while 55 per cent of older workers are the most likely to say that image plays a very large factor in a women's career, only 42 per cent of younger women say the same. In fact, 33 per cent of those respondents under the age of 35 feel image plays no factor at all. Addressing another sensitive topic, the Randstad study also asked Canada's female business leaders if having a male or female boss can affect career progression. Based on the responses, Canadian women are divided in their opinions, with half stating that the gender of a superior does not impact a woman's chance to obtain a managerial or executive position and half say that it does. Interestingly, those stating that gender plays a role feel that a female boss is more likely to inhibit their progression than a male superior. “We are surprised by this outcome in the study,” said Gina Ibghy. “Because it is a common perception that women support other women in the workplace and another aspect of the study identified that mentorship and advocate programs for women by women are considered important for career advancement.” Respondents Say Women Are Better Leaders Than Men The study also investigated another hot topic of debate - the question of whether men or women make better leaders. Sixty-five percent of the respondents say that women are better leaders, citing enhanced communication, empathy, flexibility and organizational skills as contributing to this belief. But 77 per cent say that women have to work longer hours and harder than a male counterpart to attain these positions. When asked about more traditional workplace challenges three in five women say managing work and family as the most challenging obstacle that women face, at 61 per cent reflecting a slight increase from 60 per cent when asked the same question a year ago. Taking this question a step further, when asked if they think that companies take women's personal commitments outside work into consideration, almost half at 49 per cent, say that companies fear absences among female employees due to family commitments and that this has impact on career progression. Women also cite the potential for maternity leave as a large "fear factor", with 24 per cent having experienced this as an impediment to promotion. “There are still vast differences in the way women are treated in corporate Canada, and it isn't just about compensation and access to the corner office. Less measurable, but no less important factors restricting advancement and being provided chances to make business critical decisions are at play," said Gina Ibghy. "It's against that backdrop that we conducted the research and developed the Women Shaping Business campaign. By acknowledging these issues still exist, we aspire to start to affect There are not many colleagues, associates, or even friends I would stick my positive change for women in the Canadian workplace.” neck out for on behalf of Worksite NEWS. Endorsements and referrals can Randstad Canada recently launched its second annual Women Shaping easily backfire. Business campaign with a call for nominations of women leaders who Jamie Nagle is a different matter. That is because he has a much different are impacting their organizations and their communities. Canadians story. can nominate by sharing stories of female leaders they admire at I have never had the pleasure of knowing such a dedicated, consciences and www.womenshapingbusiness.com. ethical worker. Jamie deserves every opportunity to achieve his chosen “There is no doubt that women are strong leaders. Our goal is to profession and career passion. encourage executives, employees and all Canadians to have an open I will explain. discussion about the last workplace taboos that create obstacles for When Jamie contacted my office five years ago with a safety concern he had female executives,” added Gina Ibghy. at the jobsite where he was employed, I quickly realized his fears were genuinely aimed at the wellSo what does help women advance in the workplace? The study being of his coworkers. His motives soon were a driving force for his future career choices. respondents say that it is those women leaders themselves who are Jamie, who's background is in construction, has achieved safety certification in nearly ever area of his demanding equal opportunities that continue to be the biggest influence trade. on making executive positions more obtainable for women. His goals now include working for a company that believes in the same moral and legal safety Other interesting insights from the Women Shaping Business study obligations as himself. include: Jamie deserves the respect and recommendation of Worksite News. He is one reason we have had a * Women continue to see a substantial perceived divide between men long relevant existence. and women when it comes to salary (78 per cent), promotions (72 per You can find out more about Jamie from his linkedin profile or call him directly at 403-307-3711 or cent), getting the best tasks and projects (70 per cent), influencing email: nags81@live.ca important decisions (67 per cent), travel opportunities (57 per cent.)
SAFETY PRO ON THE GO
Worksite NEWS
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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Tower harness Miller has released it's new harness for tower climbing, providing the ultimate in fall protection performance, comfort and durability for workers on cellphone, TV, radio and utility towers, says the manufacturer. The Miller AirCore Tower Climbing Harness is up to 21 per cent lighter than similar competitive harnesses for all day endurance, reduced fatigue and increased productivity, says Miller. Its strategically designed and placed padding takes up less surface area to improve air flow; minimize contact with the neck, lower back and inner thighs; and reduce chaffing and irritation. It includes a removable and adjustable Bos'n chair, a removable belt with tool loops and stretchable webbing that conforms to the shape of the worker with less bunching, binding or kinking. www.millerfallprotection.com
Canadian FR Protection
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WearWell Garments offers Canadian made, top quality flame-resistant garments like this FR Industrial Fit Coverall. The coverall features action back pleats; concealed Nomex brass zipper closure with one concealed snap at neck; fabric backed zipper; two front chest pockets; left pocket with bartacked pen stall; two back patch pockets; one patch wrench pocket on back right thigh; two lower inset pockets; fabric backed snap adjustment on sleeves; and side access vents with fabric backed snaps. This coverall is manufactured in 9 ounce UltraSoft which is rated at ATPV calories/cm2 = 12.4; HRC - 2. www.wearwellgarments.com
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Hand Care
www.acornsafety.com
Condor personal protective equipment offers a wide variety of quality gear which meets and exceeds relevant ANSI and OSHA standards. The new line of mechanic's gloves helps protect hands on the job from scratches, scrapes and bumps without sacrificing dexterity. High impact cut-resistant gloves feature a Kevlar lining for optimal cut resistance and padded palms for impact resistance. TPR molded knuckles and fingers are designed for maximum hand protection in the harshest environments. www.acklandsgrainger.com
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Worksite NEWS
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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
www.albertaspecialtyservices.com Canadian Industrial Training
River City Centre Mall 620B 8600 Franklin Avenue Fort McMurray, Alberta T9H 4G6 Contact: Lori Burke
Get listed: worksite01@shaw.ca
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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