Worksite NEWS
VOLUME 23 NUMBER 9
Canada’s premier Industrial Safety & Innovation E-Publication
September 2015
TEAM WORK
TEAM WORK
Emergency Response Continuity Planning ...page 6
THIS MONTH COMMUNICATION & INNOVATION Worker mobility......................page 7 CRANE SAFETY Closing the global skills gap......page 9 SAFETY IN THE OILPATCH Death rate sparks study...........page 12 SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE Canada’s drug crisis................page 16 SAFETY IN FOCUS Farmers on fair level...............page 21
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SAFETY IN THE OILSANDS
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NEWS & VIEWS
Vacation time is vacation time TORONTO - It appears a majority of working Canadians don't mind handling work-related matters on their own time — except during vacations, according a recent online survey. The Randstad human resources advisory firm says 59 per cent of the adult Canadian employees surveyed in April and May said they didn't mind handling work-related matters on their own time. That number dropped to 40 per cent when it came to vacations, although Randstad says there was a big difference between the sexes — with men much more likely than women to say they choose to do work during their holidays. It says 60 per cent of the men surveyed said they felt pressured by a boss to be available by email or phone while on vacation, compared with 45 per cent of the women surveyed. Randstad says employers and employees should recognize the importance of ensuring people have a chance to rest — or risk exhaustion. Randstad Canada's Faith Tull says employers have a responsibility to help employees strike the right balance, which she says is essential to keeping them motivated and ready for new challenges. "We need to encourage them to disconnect completely from time to time, and be careful as managers not to blur the lines between home and work," Tull says. Randstad says its survey is conducted four times a year in 33 countries, with at least 400 interviews per country it covers. Respondents are aged 18 to 65 and work at least 24 hours per week in a paid job, excluding self-employed people. The polling industry's professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error as they are not a random sample and therefore are not necessarily representative of the whole population.WSN
Employers warned not to overlook legal dangers of high heels By Ben Abbott Law firm Miller Thomson has warned employers to review their policies on high heels, which the firm says come with occupational health and safety risks. Partner Monique Petrin-Nicholson has said that, while high heels 'certainly look great', they result in risks for employers, particularly in the hospitality industry.“According to workplace studies, high proportions of women working in the restaurant industry report that they have tripped, slipped, or fallen while at work, with many of them reporting that they have suffered injuries because of falls while wearing high heels,” Petrin-Nicholson said in a client update. “It is important for employers to consider the health and safety ramifications of high heels in their workplaces, and to seek legal advice where appropriate in respect of applicable occupational health and safety legislation.” Miller Thomson does not recommend employers enforce the wearing of high heels outright, as this may actually contravene employee human rights.“Though rarely express and in writing, some workplaces may implement policies which require high heels. Such policies may raise issues relating to human rights legislation,” Petrin-Nicholson said. The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal said in a 2010 decision that different treatment and expectations of male and female employees - including sexually-based dress code requirements - may result in a discrimination claim.“There can be no question that appearance and presentation of employees can be a legitimate and important part of an employer's business operations. The Alberta Human Rights Commission, for example, has stated in a 2013 information sheet that an employer has “the right to establish the appearance, grooming, and dress standards that they believe are necessary for the safe or effective conduct of their business” Petrin-Nicholson said. “However, there are limits on these rights, and potential pitfalls, which may warrant consultation with legal counsel,” she said. Petrin-Nicholson suggested women in HR roles look no further than their own personal experience to gauge the effect of a long stint in high heels.“Wearing them for a long period of time can cause pain and discomfort, as many women know,” she said.WSN
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PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
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EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TEAM WORK THAT SAVES LIVES
By Erik David Worksite News Service Alberta's antiquated emergency response methods will eventually cost lives, property, production and respect of other Canadian jurisdictions that have stepped up efforts to prepare for disasters in their communities. Continuity between industry, public and municipal departments to provide immediate actions to alleviate or even overt crisis when it occurs- and it will- could save workers' lives and lives of their neighbors. There are structured immediate emergency programs available which Albertans seem unwilling to accept, and many ER specialists do not understand why. Voids between incident and deadly catastrophe must be closed. Instant communication and action must be instituted, they insist. According to the Canadian Standards Association: " A company without an emergency management and business continuity program is like a home owner without insurance." In the wake of the SARS epidemic CSA introduced Emergency Management & Business Continuity Programs, Canadian standard that covers both emergency management and business continuity planning and is applicable to both private and public organizations of all sizes. However, the CSA partnered two years ago with the Public Safety Canada and other associations to set enhanced goals for industrial communities - but with a price. The hazard response mimics the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that trains its citizens, business leaders and local officials to act in organized sequence when a crisis appears eminent- for no fee. FEMA formed the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program in 1993 to train employees and public to work as a team during disasters in their effected communities. The strategy has helped save thousands of lives and millions in damages from natural and man-made crisis. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. Alberta is slow off the mark when it comes recognizing the importance Continuity programs, according Albertabased ER expert Terry Penny. "It seems like an "OH CRAP" moment when an accident occurs on the jobsite, and one knows what to do. "It needs to be real people at real time ready to act." Penny, President of P Bar Y Consultants, believes that Alberta is on a crash and burn course to deadly disaster if more emergency plans are not put into place that include
all levels at risk. "There needs to be a Chain of Commend to rely on when a crisis occurs- where accountability and reaction become one." The Alberta Government does have a province-wide response system in place, and smaller industrial communities do rely on volunteer firefighters, but there is very little cooperation and communication at ground level, he says. "When it comes to Emergency Management in Alberta we do one thing incredibly wrong," Penny notes. "We teach the fire and tri service guys for free ICS and emergency management but we do not teach industry and civilians about emergencies or how to coop with emergencies they leave that feature to the local
municipal plans and practices." He believes commercial and industrial sectors in Alberta should establish an emergency training protocol for all employees, while working in close conjunction with the local communities and first responders. Immediate reaction could mean the difference between an incident and a deadly disaster. Continuity with communities and first responders is essential to smaller commercial operations and larger industrial sites, Perry says. In B.C. the emergency preparedness training is in placeand based on precise action. The unexpected happened one day in 2008, a day that seemed like any other to business owners along downtown Victoria's View Street - until an underground electrical fire caused a 136-kilogram manhole cover to shoot skyward just outside Sapphire Day Spa. Miraculously, the cover crashed onto the pavement, missing cars and pedestrians, before a sickly green smoke spilled out of the manhole and began to fill the street. Spa staff quickly called the fire department, and fire officials told them to stay put until further notice. When firefighters gave the order to evacuate, employees were well-prepared, chaperoning clients out of the building through well-marked exits to safety, without panic or undue stress. They had practiced this before. Employees' ability to avert chaos reflected an employer with a serious commitment — both to protecting her
staff through emergency planning and, by extension, protecting her business as well. Sapphire Day Spa owner Heidi Sherwood's approach to emergencies is commendable, but unfortunately, a too rare. Smaller businesses generally tend to put less emphasis on meeting minimum requirements for emergency preparedness, let alone planning for recovery after the fact. And that's despite the fact that it's their legal obligation to be prepared. Antiquated industry emergency management systems are not designed for current threats to high risk facilities and the communities they serve, or the hard workers they employ. Industry, government and community must band together to prepare for disasters they believe unlikely, but inevitable. Emergency drills are paramount for companies at all levels Unlike Sherwood's smaller scale spa operation, some larger B.C. employers have a built-in workplace culture around emergency preparedness. FortisBC, which is in the business of providing natural gas and electricity to customers, trains all of its employees to be comfortable with emergency drill procedures and ready to respond to crises in the short- and long-term. In February 2015, the company simulated a major gas leak, one of three full-scale, eight-hour emergency response exercises slated for 2015. “These are opportunities for employees throughout the company to experience an emergency in a safe environment,” says Michelle Petrusevich, FortisBC public safety awareness manager. “They also prevent skills from fading, and help us maintain solid relationships with first responders across the province.” One small community in Alberta has recognized the value of establishing a cooperative disaster plan that includes industry and community response. The Town of Onoway will become the first community in Canada to be serviced by a privately-owned industrial emergency response company. Effective January 1, 2016 North West Fire Rescue will take over management of regular municipal response to fire, rescue, and medical 911 calls, working closely with community leaders and local business owners to establish an emergency management program. North West Fire Rescue - Onoway Operating as Onoway Regional Fire Services will be responding to 911 calls from the fire stations located in the Town of Onoway and the Village of Alberta Beach. What does this mean to the residents and guests of the municipalities that North West will now be serving? "You can count on a speedy and professional response during your time of need or that of your friends, family, or neighbors," says North West owner David Ives. "You can count on medical aid co-responses to support Alberta Health Services for the sick and injured," he says. "Finally you can count on having new and exciting training and career opportunities near your home that allow you to participate in this dynamic new service and expand your new found skills into a full time career if you so choose."WSN
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COMMUNICATION & INNOVATION
Worker mobile technology customized By Bob Ashenbrenner Worker mobility is not a new concept for utilities. Since industry inception, service technicians and even managers have spent most of their working hours in the field. The only real change to this decades-long constant has been how utility workers capture and communicate data--and how fast. Pen and paper methods are tried and true. Even early technology solutions could suffice when necessary. But with the sense of urgency that has taken hold in today's high-speed tech society, the only acceptable way for utilities to operate is in "now" mode. They need notifications of issues now. They need access to data now. They need to be able to assess and make a resolution decision now. "Now" doesn't accommodate time-consuming trips back and forth to the office to access data or consult with decision makers. The only way for utilities to guarantee these immediate reaction capabilities is to embrace the latest mobile tools and software available. The secret is to invest in mobile tablet PCs that extend the full computing experience from the office, to the vehicle and into the field without losing critical workflows, connectivity or speed. And more important is choosing the right mobile technology that will accomplish this goal now and remain viable six months or even six years from now as productivity demands change and utility assets evolve. Perhaps that's one reason why Xplore Technologies' rugged mobile PC lineup, in combination with the recently acquired Motion rugged tablet portfolio, has remained one of the most sought after mobile computing tools by utilities over the past decade.
What's Good for You May Not Be What's Best for Me
We frequently receive request for quotes from utilities to deliver 100 tablets to field workers serving natural gas pipelines, or for 1,000 tablets for linemen. It's not the size of the order that's notable, but that they typically request one device for one group of workers-a single mobile platform with identical specifications (device form factor, ruggedness, software, etc.). Utilities are not monolithic. They have workers with different skills and different responsibilities, and each has a unique mobility requirement whether they realize it. Workers who spend all their time in the field and supervisors who may split their time between the field and office don't require the same workflows, keyboarding requirements or even ruggedness levels. And while utilities may be asking for bids for one type of worker (i.e. lineman), they may have a need for other devices for other workers (i.e. installers) in a year. Xplore Technologies' solutions allow companies to meet all these needs, with devices and services that can be upgraded as needed and ensure interoperability, compatibility and overall function between multiple device form factors, operating systems and accessories--as well as compatibility with back-end systems and infrastructure. Utilities in particular benefit from the more purpose-built rugged mobility solutions, both short and long-term. With the right tablet PC, utilities will be able to make incremental software or module upgrades to support new workflows without requiring an entire infrastructure overhaul--which in turn protects their device investments.
Why Portability is Not Mobility The distinction between the two is crucial because some people view portable and mobile as synonymous, which limits their ability to see the value of a truly mobile device. While you can make a mobile product suitable for desk work, you can't make a portable notebook suitable for mobile work. Portable laptops and notebooks are generally used while sitting. They are awkward to use while standing upright. No one stands with a notebook and comfortably types. And while they may be rugged, these devices are not mobile. On the other hand, standing and working at the same time are the forte of almost any smartphone or tablet PC--which is why Xplore and Motion tablets have only been offered in a slate tablet form factor. That's also why each of the slate tablet models having starting weights between 2 pounds and 5.45 pounds. About the author: Bob Ashenbrenner is the solutions architect for Xplore Technologies.
Emergency Communication Saves More Than Lives: Calculating the Real Dollar Value of Lost Productivity
Brian Halina, Director Labour Relations
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA 17725 - 103 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5S 1N8 Ph: (780) 451-2412 Fax: (780) 455-9815 Toll Free: 1-800-252-9375 ecaa@ecaa.ab.ca Website: www.ecaa.ab.ca
“Voice of the electrical industry in the Province of Alberta�
Emergency and Incident Mass Notification Services (ENS) are the secure automated distribution and management of important alerts and critical messages to multiple recipients on multiple devices, activated via browser (PC or mobile device) or phone. Emergency notification has become an integral and mission critical component of organizations communication strategies. On both a routine and emergency basis, notifications to affected stakeholders before, during and after an incident or crisis dramatically increases an organization's ability to quickly restore productivity to normal levels. Practical reality demonstrates that timely, effective, and efficient communications with employees and stakeholders during crisis situations provides fiscal and operational stability that impacts the bottom line, can reduce damage to property, and save lives. The lack of effective and appropriate communications to organizational stakeholders can negatively impact all business aspects including finance, operations, IT, and human resources. ENS have become an indispensable component to corporate communications strategies. Whether to notify large numbers of stakeholders during an emergency or contact affected stakeholders about operational, manufacturing, or supply chain disruption incidents. A mass notification system can deliver measurable ROI to organizations. The ERMS ROI Calculator provides such a method to estimate the ROI due to real dollar loss during crisis and business interruptions. This powerful tool has aided many organizations to crystalize the potential dollar loss and prove the value of ENS. To see the potential financial benefit your organization may realize through ENS, contact an ERMS representative. We'll show you our ROI Calculator and demonstrate the enormous financial impact that lack of timely communication during a crisis can have on your organization. Importantly, we will leave you with an ROI statement you can share with your team that illustrates the kind of return on investment you can expect from an emergency notification system like ERMS Advantage. When disaster or business interruptive incidents occur, it is critical to have an effective and easy-to-use Emergency and Incident Mass Notification Service ready to act. ERMS provides this trusted gold standard service to many organizations including American Express, and Bell, as well as many Federal, Provincial, and Municipal Government agencies.WSN
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guy.harris@hcgi.media franci.motz@hcgi.media www.craneandriggingconference.com
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CRANE SAFETY
Closing the global skills gap But in many countries, a lack of available operators does pose a challenge to crane owners. In Japan, this autumn, I talked to crane manufacturers who reported that, with government stimulus spending and the upcoming Tokyo Olympics boosting construction, a shortage of operators threatened to delay projects. In India, last month, I talked to crane manufacturers who said that, while pay was still low by global standards, it was rising fast for some jobs. At the same time, labourers were increasingly unwilling to work on job sites unless there was a tower crane available. After a series of accidents on sites like the Delhi Metro, the major contractors in the country are now specifying safer cranes and demanding staff are competent and qualified. It's not just a problem that faces project leads and crane companies in Asia. In Europe too, as some markets begin to recover, they find skilled operators in short supply. Daniel recently spoke to crane owners and dealers in the UK for a region report. He tells me that many of them report that operators are reluctant to travel far to jobs, when there is work available on their doorsteps. That's OK if you need someone to work a crane in a big city like London; but when you want to send an all terrain out to a wind farm in rural Cornwall, say, it poses a challenge. As discussed in recent comments, that has also allowed operators unions to push wages up, in line with increasing demand for staff. How then to ensure an adequate supply of skilled operators? I think the answer is to provide a clear path into the job, and to push for free movement of skilled labour. Around the world, from ICEMA in India, to the SC&RA and NCCCO in the USA, and ESTA and CECE in Europe, trade associations and training bodies are developing certification schemes for lifting crew. As much as possible, these bodies should coordinate their efforts to make sure that certificates are transferrable. Certification schemes should be designed to work alongside on-the-job training to offer young people a path from unskilled labouring, through rigging and familiarisation with lifting, to certification as a crane operator. With transferrable certifications available around the world, the industry should push governments to recognise these when granting working visas. WSN
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Great Pacific reveals electric Carrydeck Great Pacific Equipment developed the new ECrane 4500 with a zero emission operation in mind. The carrydeck crane has a 4.5-ton capacity with a modern, allelectric operating system and an environmentally friendly footprint. The ECrane is designed with a self-aligning hexagonal boom using externally adjustable wear pads for proper boom section alignment and easy maintenance. The ECrane 4500 has a www.cransrus.com sheave height of 27 feet and 9 inches on the main boom and 35 feet and 4 inches with the jib attached. The operator's station is ergonomically designed with operator comfort in mind and plenty of legroom, easy to reach functions and a highly visible control panel.
SAFE SLINGING & RIGGING ONLINE TRAINING OVERHEAD CRANE ONLINE TRAINING
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CRANE SAFETY
SAFETY OPTIONS FOR OVERHEAD CRANES An overhead crane is a crane having a movable bridge with a hoisting system which glides atop a fixed overhead runway. Operating an overhead crane is no child's play. These cranes are robust machines capable of Ryan Marks moving enormous weight and heavy objects from one place to another. Even a second's inattentiveness or carelessness can lead to gruesome accidents if the operator doesn't know the proper safety options on bridge cranes. Additionally, there are vital maintenance procedures which play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of overhead cranes. It is therefore imperative to be very careful while operating these monstrous machines and all safety procedures must be correctly followed. Safety Options while Operating the Crane While working an overhead crane, the correct safety options can help you avert costly injuries and life-threatening disabilities. Before you begin to use the bridge crane, read the operating manual thoroughly as each crane has its individual specifications. Even then, there are certain general procedures applicable during use of any overhead crane. * Wear personal protective gear and head protective gear while operating or working near overhead cranes. * Before moving the load, always ensure that you have a clear line of visibility all around and lift the
load high enough to clear any obstructions below. * Warn colleagues beforehand so they clear out the area over which the load is to be moved and never allow anybody to ride the load or the hook. * Move the load as smoothly as possible without sudden jerks in any direction. To lift load vertically and gently, position the hoist directly above the load before lifting it and lower it directly below the hoist. Always keep two complete wraps of ropes on the hoist to ensure a smooth movement. * Respond to signals only from the personnel operating the lift except for emergency stop signals; which can come from any direction. * Never exceed the lifting capacity of your overhead crane. Always test for balance by lifting the load a few inches off the ground before lifting it further. Upkeep of your Crane Maintenance is another vital area about which most of us become complacent over time. This can be a fatal mistake which can cost you in terms of time, money and health. Thorough inspections are a must every time you think of using your overhead crane. Take a quick look at the outside of the machine to check for any loose ends or hanging components. Start the crane and check for any abnormal sounds or movements from the hoist, bridge or trolley. Ensure that the hoist is moving smoothly in all directions in consistence with the control buttons. Moreover, always wear standard harness and protective clothing while inspecting the crane.
PARTNERS IN TRAINING
Ryan Marks is an industry expert in overhead bridge cranes and works for Uesco Cranes which can be found at http://uescocranes.com
www.actisafety.ca www.knuckleboomtraining.ca/high-voltage-warning
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CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
The Ultimate Guide to Gas Fired Power Plant Fire Hazards By Sarah Block Gas-fired power plants are growing in popularity. Canada has already begun to phase out coal-fired power plants in favor of gasfired power plants. Gas is less expensive and a cleaner form of fuel than coal. However, with a surge in gas-fired power plants being built, a closer look needs to be taken on the fire hazards within these plants. In 2010, the Kleen Energy Systems Power Station, a combined cycle gas and oil power plant, had an explosion in the turbine building when natural gas was being purged from the gas line. Six people were killed. In 2014, the Didcot B Power Station, a gas-fired plant, had a major cooling tower fire. The fire spread from one to three cooling towers. Luckily, no one was injured. However, it does serve as an example of what can happen in gas-fired power plants and the need for proper fire protection. Fire hazards are abundant in gas-fired power plants. With natural gas, lube oil, and combustible materials throughout these plants, a small spark can grow into an inferno. Gas-fired power is on its way to becoming one of the biggest producers of power in North America. With less than 20% of the global coal-fired capacity residing in North America, gas is bringing up the rear and establishing itself as a contender for king of energy production. But what are the fire hazards in these plants? Cooling Tower Cooling towers are deceptive by name. It's a cooling tower. It has water flowing through it. Despite these facts, they do pose very real fire hazards. Cooling towers contain combustible materials throughout the structure: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass reinforced plastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene nozzles, and wood. While the water flowing through the cooling tower may hinder a fire, the water is not everywhere. There are dry spots and occasionally the water is turned off for maintenance. Hot work accidents, smoking, or electrical arcing can cause fires that can spread quickly with the abundance of fire fuel. Another way cooling tower fires begin is from outside sources like Didcot B Power Station. NFPA 14 states, "A significant percentage of fires in water cooling towers of combustible construction are caused by ignition from outside sources such as incinerators, smokestacks, or exposure to fire." It goes on to explain fires that begin in cooling towers, "Ignition within these structures can be caused by welding, or cutting operations, smoking, overheated bearings, electrical failures, and other heat or spark producing sources." Cooling towers require very specific fire protection that is designed and installed in accordance with NFPA and FM Global standards. Whether the tower is crossflow or counterflow, a fire protection system can be designed to meet its needs. Another item of note is the corrosive nature of cooling towers. Because of the wet environment, fire protection can deteriorate faster than in other environments. Contaminated
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water, lack of pH balance, and the warm environment can lead to the deterioration or corrosion of fire sprinkler piping. It is important to schedule annual inspection, testing, and maintenance to ensure that the fire protection is still up to par. Steam & Gas Turbines Lube oil is the most common cause of turbine fires. In a recent study referenced by FM Global, during a 15 year period, 17 large turbine building fires resulted in $400 million in gross loss. Lost generating capacity was at 20 million MWh. The average loss per fire was $24 million US dollars with an average of a 24 week outage. In the FM Global report referenced above, FM Global sites fire events in which fire protection was present. In example one, a hot surface ignited leaking lube oil on a steam turbine; employees activated a water spray system. The fire was extinguished without property damage, and the generator was only down for six hours. In example two, an oil leak in a gas turbine started a fire. The fire was suppressed with gas suppression. It limited the damage to $20,000. That is a 199.66% reduced damage cost from the average. For steam turbines, the best automatic fire protection system is a water-based system, which can act quickly and tap down the fire. For gas turbines, it is recommended to use inert gas fire suppression. Inert gas is a good alternative to Co2 suppression because it is non-lethal and safe with humans present. Generator Much like turbines, a generator's main fire hazard is lube oil. Lube oil may be released during any number of maintenance errors or due to deterioration. Lube oil is often released in a spray formulation, due to the high pressure. Spray lube fires become large fast, and it is very necessary to have fire protection present. The best fire protection for a generator fire is inert gas. It will not hurt the equipment or affect the health of nearby plant personnel. Compressor Compressors have natural gas that can leak and cause explosions and subsequent fires. Natural gas is dangerous in quantity of over 5%. When natural gas reaches 5-15%, it can explode when temperatures reach 1,165 degrees. Considering an undeveloped, postflashover fire is about 1,000 degrees and a fully developed gas fire reaches about 1,500 degrees, it won't take long once a fire spark ignites for the natural gas to reach an explosive level. Natural gas also has the added danger of being colorless and odorless. A scent is added to natural gas, but if it is going through soil, the scent could be scrubbed. Another issue is natural gas' tendency to reignite once extinguished. The best fire protection for compressors is gas detection and fire sprinklers. Gas detection can alert plant personnel of a gas leak before it grows out of control. An automatic fire sprinkler system will keep the fire under control before it can spread and possibly extinguish it. Transformers If you follow power industry news, you will see transformer fires peppered throughout. Transformer fires are dangerous and hard to control. They usually start with a short-circuit. A small short-circuit creates an electrical arc that vaporizes the oil within the transformer. In less than a second, an explosion can happen. Deluge fire sprinkler systems are recommended for transformers. Transformer fires are fierce and need immediate, thorough action. Deluge fire sprinklers drench the immediate area, pouring water on the transformer. This helps control the fire until it can be extinguished. Protecting people, property, and production is a top priority for all businesses. Power plants can reduce damages, their staff's safety risk, and lost production time by installing and maintaining proper fire protection for each area of the gas-fired power plant. With a surge of gas-fired power plants joining the power market, now is the time to take action, and ensure that your plant's fire protection is up to code and ready for when a fire ignites. F.E. Moran Special Hazard Systems provides fire protection for power plant, chemical plant, and refineries. Learn more on this top at http://www.femoranshs.com.
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SAFETY IN THEAMONG OILPATCH PSYCHOPATHS US
High death rate in U.S. oilpatch sparks study As Canada experiences its ceremonial crashing of oil & gas prices, complete with layoffs, let-downs and rip-offs, just across the southern border drilling activity couldn't be more robust- and the alarming rate of death and injuries among oilpatch workers has sparked a major study into the safety programs used to protect them. The oil boom in North Dakota and elsewhere has helped the U.S. become the world's leading energy provider and has captured the attention of Hollywood producers. It also has claimed the lives of dozens of oil field workers. In the largest study of its kind, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which investigates the causes of workplace health problems, said it intends to examine the factors that cause injuries and accidents in the oil fields in an effort to improve safety. Scientists from the institute will distribute questionnaires starting next year to 500 oil field workers in North Dakota, Texas and one other state that will be determined in the coming months. “This is a high-hazard industry, and different states have different levels of maturity when it comes to safety and health for this workforce,” said Kyla Retzer, a Denver-based epidemiologist with the institute's oil and gas program, which will be administering the study. A recent investigation by Reveal showed how major oil companies avoid accountability for workers' deaths in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota and Montana. On average, someone dies about every six weeks from an accident in the Bakken – at least 74 since 2006, according to the first comprehensive accounting of such deaths using data obtained from Canadian and U.S. regulators. The number of deaths is likely higher because federal regulators don't have a systematic way to record oil- and gas-related deaths, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn't include certain fatalities. In response to Reveal's investigation, the federal agency pledged to step up enforcement against major oil companies and scrutinize speed bonuses in the Bakken, which some critics fear undermine safety. As part of the new study, workers will be asked the hours they work and whether they wear protective gear as well as whether employers typically provide written safety policies and make their employees aware of their right to stop a job when they spot a potential safety hazard. Truck drivers in the industry will be asked whether they are paid by the hour or the load and whether their employers require that they drive in bad weather. The institute is collecting comments from the public on the forthcoming survey through Sept. 8. Scientists plan to ask energy companies for permission to invite workers at man camps, which house laborers; trucking centers and other facilities to participate in the survey. The results of the study, which will be finished by early 2017, will be published in peer-reviewed health and safety journals. In addition, scientists intend to share their findings with federal OSHA officials and make specific recommendations on potential improvements at safety or oil and gas industry conferences. “Sometimes, health and safety is not a top priority,” Retzer said. “We haven't had a lot of opportunities to talk to workers directly. We want to better understand what their concerns are and how we can address them.” Kari Cutting, vice president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, dismissed the institute's focus on hazards in the oil fields. “I do not have any facts that would lead me to the conclusion that there are major concerns,” said Cutting, whose council represents more than 550 companies in the oil and gas industry. “I think North Dakota is very much in line with other states as far as putting safety as priority one. Gathering that kind of (survey) information will go a long way to pointing out the fact that the industry has a robust safety culture.”WSN
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SAFETY IN THE OILPATCH
Seven Life Saving Rules By Todd Coyne Ensuring the safety of the more than 120,000 Albertans who work directly in oil and gas extraction is a top priority for the industry. That's why, in response to potential job site hazards, the OSSA (Oil Sands Safety Association) developed seven 'life saving rules' (along with symbols to promote them) for businesses operating in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Some may be self-evident, but all are vital to maintaining a safe workplace. 1. Obtain authorization before entering a confined space – think twice about crawling into spaces without proper authorization. Vessels, tanks or pipes can have dangers including explosive gas, poisonous air or lack of oxygen. Authorized access keeps you safe. Or claustrophobia, although this is not explicitly stated by OSSA. 2. Protect yourself against a fall when working at height – using fall protection equipment is necessary when working outside a protective environment where falls over 1.8m are possible. 3. Work with a valid permit when required – these tell you what to do to stay safe. 4. Verify isolation before work begins and use the specified life protecting equipment – this lifeprotecting equipment is specified by the work permit (see rule 3) including breathing apparatus, electrical arc flash protection or chemical resistant suits.
5. Obtain authorization before overriding or disabling safety critical equipment – when ensuring safety on the workplace, it is not advisable to disarm the very equipment that is trying to keep people safe, so OSSA requires authorization to do so. Some examples of safetycritical equipment are emergency shut down valves, fire and gas alarm systems and in-vehicle monitoring systems to name a few. 6. No alcohol or drugs while working or driving – this is the case for mostly every job imaginable and is no different when it comes to job sites in the oil sands. It is widely known that alcohol, illegal, or misuse of legal drugs/substances impairs judgement and the ability to safely perform a job. 7. Do not put yourself in an unsafe position in relation to Mine mobile heavy equipment (this rule is specific to oil sands mining operations only) – obtain proper authorization to enter specialized areas (mine area, shovel operations) or work near moving equipment, and confirm safety operations with the person in charge. Do not work “in the line of fire” without appropriate authorization. And why follow these rules? Other than the fact they can save your life and reduce the potential for injury or death, if rules are not followed the consequences can include an investigation and disciplinary action. For more serious infractions, the rule-breakers could even be fired.
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September 2015 Page 14
TRANSPORT SAFETY
Still off the rails Two years after a massive and deadly disaster involving Quebecs's Lac- Mégantic rail system, derailments are still common place for its new owners. Montreal, Maine and Atlantic — and the company that bought it after it declared bankruptcy — have experienced a number of train derailments since the 2013 Lac-Mégantic rail disaster. In the year following the Lac-Mégantic train derailment and explosion, the former MM&A reported 13 derailment incidents in Canada and the United States. The following year, in 2014, the company formerly known as MM&A — now called Central Maine and Quebec (CMQ) — counted 14 incidents, according to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) and its American equivalent, the Federal Railroad Association. No one was hurt in these instances, and no dangerous products were spilled. However, André Lachapelle, a member of a citizens' committee concerned with rail safety in Lac-Mégantic, said that the quality of the tracks between Nantes and Lac-Mégantic hasn't improved. In the early-morning hours of July 6, 2013, a train carrying 72 tanker cars of oil that had been parked overnight on the tracks derailed in Nantes and sped toward Lac-Mégantic. It derailed right into the centre of the small Quebec town, causing several of the cars carrying fuel to explode. Forty-seven people were killed. In November 2014 alone, CMQ reported four derailments. Wear and tear on the train tracks have caused the rails to spread. Ian Naish, the former director of railway investigations at the TSB, said the rails have spread even further as trains have gotten heavier and heavier. In May 2015, a CMQ train derailed in a Farham, Que., rail yard. The locomotive's hand brake was defective. A similar incident had happened just over a year before that. Three incidents involving dangerous cargo — two in the U.S. and one in Magog — did not result in leaks. It maintains that it's committed to investing in railway improvements, and that $10 million has already been spent in that area. Transport Canada is closely watching CMQ, and in 2014 issued seven notices to the company to have it check its lines in several locations. Rail-safety advocates have asked to be informed about what trains are carrying through their towns. Nefarious History Vera Granikov lives near the tracks in Pointe-St-Charles. He says a train carrying empty fuel tanker cars derailed in front of her Montreal home in 2011.
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She said the trains passing by didn't used to cause her home to shake, but now they do. And, she said, there seems to be more of them passing each day. She said she had a call too close for comfort just a few years ago, before Lac-Mégantic. "There was actually a train that derailed right in front of our house in 2011 in the middle of the night and there were oil cars that derailed and fell over. Luckily they were empty," Granikov said. Since the Lac-Mégantic train crash two years ago, nearly three times as much oil crosses Canada by rail. And it will be a few more years before the DOT-111 train cars involved in that crash will be replaced. Gerald Gauthier, the director of the Railway Association of Canada in Montreal, said change can only happen so fast.WSN
Web-based route finder launched TORONTO— CITT has launched the new web-based CCLP Route Finder, which generates a personalized professional development plan. The company said that people who are looking to build their expertise and credibility as a supply chain professional now have a quick way to find out what it takes to become a CITT-Certified Logistics Professional with the new application. “Industry's interest in CITT and the CCLP designation has exploded,” said Catherine Viglas, CITT president. “We're just wrapping up our biggest and most popular spring semester in CITT's 55+ year history, and we wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to get started with confidence and have their own personal PD plan in hand for this fall or going into next year. “With so many people learning from CITT, we've seen a wide range of incoming personal experiences and backgrounds. Yet everyone coming to CITT for our webinars, courses and the CCLP designation shares a keen desire to succeed in this business, maximize the portability of their knowledge and credentials and boost their earning potential.” CITT noted that though people's personal routes to the CCLP designation might be different, it emphasized that everyone ends up in the same place – “with core set of national industry standards and business knowledge, skills and abilities and a deep understanding of how to build or manage profitable, stable supply chain logistics operations.” You can locate the new CCLP Route Finder on CITT's Web site by clicking here by calling (416) 363-5696 ext. 0.
AFE
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September 2015 Page 15
CAREERS TRAINING HEALTH &&WELL-BEING
WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY: FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT THE BLAME As business increasingly uses safety performance as a criterion to judge the worthiness of a supplier, avoiding these common mistakes is crucial to remaining competitive. By Phil La Duke
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afety engineers help to make better decisions about the operation of the workplace, inform on policies and procedures enacted by management, and ensure compliance with the law. But the one thing a safety engineer can never do is to keep workers safe. Safety is increasingly important to profitability. As more firms use supplier safety performance as a criterion for sourcing business, safety can no longer be seen as only a moral/ethical issue. Being prohibited from bidding projects for a set time period because of a poor safety record can mean financial ruin. The smaller the company, the larger the potential financial impact. If this happens, the worst remedy is to try implementing a quick fix that actually makes things worse. Here are some common mistakes: Blame the Worker. In the late 1920s, Herbert Heinrich
studied worker safety and concluded (using dubious research methods) that 90 percent of all worker injuries were caused by unsafe behavior. Contentious debate among safety professionals still rages today between those who believe in Heinrich's theories and those who do not. Regardless of whether or not one ascribes to the work of Heinrich, many companies continue to believe that, at the heart of the matter, injuries are largely caused by clumsy, foolish or reckless workers. The truth is that no one wants to be injured and no process is designed to produce a worker injury as an outcome, so it is important to investigate beyond the human element. Safety Engineers Should Protect Workers. If safety engineers don't protect workers, what's the point in having them? This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of safety engineers. They help to make better decisions about the operation of the workplace, inform on policies and procedures enacted by management, and ensure compliance with the law. But the one thing a safety engineer can never do is to keep workers safe. Give Up Too Soon. When workers are injured, costs escalate and pressures mount from customers, it's easy to demand fast results in safety. Unfortunately, they seldom come. Sustainable solutions take time to implement; results may not be realized for years. But too often, viable, sustainable solutions are abandoned simply because results don't happen soon enough. Beware of false starts that waste time and money. Adopting Safety Fads. From the cute children's poster contest to overly complex behavioral models, the safety arena is filled with fads. Some of these might achieve a measure of success, but they can also add bureaucracy that
costs more than the safety returned from their investment. As with any other business element, economics is the driving force behind safety. Blame the Culture. Corporate culture is a powerful force in business that can be used as an excuse to ignore safety issues. Deep-rooted safety culture issues might exist that must be addressed. Perhaps a cultural intervention is necessary. But blaming the culture conveniently excuses not doing anything or weak internal attempts that are actually worse than doing nothing. Rush to Judgment. Injuries may appear to result from a single cause when, in many cases, they actually result from many interrelated causes working in concert. Rushing to judgment often attacks the symptoms of a problem instead of the causes. As the symptoms lessen, the true hazard can lay dormant until all the right conditions exist for it to spring to life and injure or kill a worker. Take the time and effort to uncover the true roots of the problem instead of merely satisfying the urge for rapid resolution. If there is no time to do it right, when is there time to do it over? Count on Common Sense. Common sense is the collective understanding of a population. However, the bigger the population, the less common sense there is likely to be. Give employees credit and assume they have some basic survival skills, but also teach them, show them and repeatedly tell them how to stay safe. Phil La Duke Phil La Duke is a partner in the Performance Assurance Practice at ERM: Environmental Resources Management, 3352 128th Avenue, Holland, MI 49424, 313-244-2525313244-2525, www.erm.com.
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Canada’s drug crisis- record rate of deaths Canada is in the midst of a deadly drug use crisis causing the sudden deaths of addicts and casual users unaware of the potent effects of the poison they are ingesting. In many cases victims are first time buyers of the painkiller Fentanyl which dealers aren't counting on as repeat customers. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid painkiller, is estimated to be 80 times as powerful as morphine and hundreds of times more powerful than heroin. It is often sold as fake OxyContin pills. Doctors prescribe Fentanyl to help patients manage chronic pain. It's also found its way onto the streets, sometimes sold as fake OxyContin pills, or laced with other drugs like cocaine. "This really is a disaster that's happening right across Canada," says Philip Emberley, the Canadian Pharmacists Association's director of pharmacy innovation. "I don't think any community is actually immune to this at all." Most recreational drug users don't expect the extreme drowsiness, difficulty breathing and slowed heartbeat that can come after popping one little green pill. But when they think they are taking OxyContin and the concoction actually contains fentanyl, a drug hundreds of times more powerful than heroin, those symptoms can kick in and lead to an overdose. For many years, Canada has had "large numbers" of opioid-related deaths, says Benedikt Fischer, a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. And among them the proportion of fentanyl-related deaths has been rising, he says, especially in certain provinces. Last year, 300 people died from illegal drug overdoses in B.C., according to the Coroners Service of British Columbia, and it appears 25 per cent of those deaths involved fentanyl. Three years earlier, the coroner's office only detected fentanyl in five per cent of these types of deaths. In Alberta, 120 people died last year after ingesting fentanyl, according to Alberta Health, compared to only six in 2011. Between 2005-09, 210 people in Ontario died at least in part as a result of fentanyl overdoses, according to an annual report from the office of Ontario's chief coroner. 'Regular' folks dying Just as alarming is that many of the faces behind these statistics do not fit the profile of hard-core drug addicts. It's a false assumption that most are "your stereotypical, street-level, life-long heroin or opioid junkie addict," says Fischer. Instead, many are "regular, often middle-class, working folks." This summer, investigators traced a number of suspicious deaths back to fentanyl overdoses. Jack Bodie, a 17-year-old Vancouverite, died after ingesting fake Oxy pills laced with the drug. Less than two weeks earlier, a North Vancouver couple was found dead after ingesting toxic levels of fentanyl. "We're not even stopping this problem from expanding," says Benedikt Fischer, CAMH senior scientist. In both cases, friends and family described the victims as recreational drug users. "That is where we start to get into overdose situations," Emberley, from the Canadian Pharmacists Association, says of people who have limited experience with drugs. When doctors prescribe fentanyl, it is only offered to patients who have taken another type of opioid before. Emberley says that's because patients need a certain level of tolerance to handle a dosage of this highly potent drug.
How to Accurately Choose a Drug Rehab That Fits Your Needs By Thomas M Johanson Each year, millions of people from across the globe enter drug rehab centers. The sad truth is that the majority of them had undergone drug rehabilitation before and then relapsed after a short time. Statistics indicate that one in ten had been to rehab at least five times before. There are various rehabs that offer different programs and promises for one's rehabilitation. With a plethora of choices, how can one accurately choose a rehab that fits the needs? Questions to Ask For one to make the right choice, here are some questions that one should ask before making his decision. What are the expected results of the rehabilitation? There are as many results as there are as different programs. There are programs that consider attending meetings or taking a prescribed medication is a success. There are rehab that consider completion of their 28-day program a success while others base their success rate on the percentage of former patients who stay sober and abstinent after they get back home. Other programs include factors such as relationships, morality, employment and such in their success meter. It is best to ask the rehab center how they measure their success and success rate. What is the length of the program? Most programs offer a 28-day program that entails detoxification and rehabilitation. For most addicts, this length of time is insufficient to achieve established sobriety. Since
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addiction involves mental and physical damage, most addicts need more time to become firmly sober. Are there substitute drugs included in the program? There are drug treatment programs that offer pain killers for addicts recovering from heroin and prescription pain killers. This program is referred to a harm reduction program wherein the goal is to reduce the harm created through the use of illicit drug use and not for complete sobriety. Rehabs with a pharmaceutical orientation may rely on potentially addicting drugs to ease their patients' withdrawal symptoms. Other programs focus on the person's physical health by using minerals, vitamins and a regimen of exercises. What at the means used for alleviating physical cravings for the illicit substance? Severe cravings are expected during the initial stages of rehabilitation. Most rehabs offer prescription medications to help suppress cravings and offer counseling and support meetings to help the person deal with cravings. There are programs that offer detoxification, nutritional and other methods that efficiently address an addict's cravings. This offers a more effective method for a recovering addict to achieve complete sobriety. Does the program include a nutritional program? An appropriate nutritional program must be integrated into a drug rehab program. Majority of addicts are in a very poor state of health and nutritional support so his nutritional deficiencies will be addressed. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Does the program include an aftercare program that teaches recovering addicts life skills to support a sober life? A recovering person will eventually be presented with stress and influences that might prod him to use again. He must have the necessary skills to deal with these problems and stresses successfully. A great program will have a life skills training program to equip recovering persons when they get back home. A fitting program should include building up one's skills in facing problems and stress, and methods of alleviating cravings. A long-term program that addresses a recovering person's daily approach to stress in life will most likely believe that relapse is not a natural outcome of rehabilitation.
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September 2015 Page 17
ELECTRICAL SAFETY FortisAlberta launches mobile app to report and view outage information Alberta -- FortisAlberta, an electricity distribution company, has launched a Mobile App that includes an outage map. Through the App, customers are able to report outages, view current and planned outages and get the details they need right away. "Enhancing our customers' experience through technology is a significant priority," says Rob Tisdale, Vice President, Customer and Information Services. "To achieve this, we continue to leverage and implement new technology to provide our customers with greater access to information about FortisAlberta and their electricity service." With real-time mapping information, customers may view the cause, start time, estimated restoration time and the number of customers affected in their area, regardless of location, all through FortisAlberta's outage map. With increased visibility, customers can see exactly what area is affected, and they are able to zoom into specific areas and receive more details instantly. This self-service tool will provide customers with the ability to receive relevant outage information immediately, with added functionalities to come in future releases. The Mobile App is available for download on Apple, Android and Windows platforms. FortisAlberta serves the electricity needs of homes, farms and business in more than 200 growing communities across rural Alberta. The company's focus is the safe and reliable delivery of electricity with more than 120,000 kilometres of power lines. Source: FortisAlberta Inc.
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The accident that should never happen Knuckle Boom Crane Training: Thankfully they weren't seriously injured (kind of an arbitrary statement IMHO), and we know it could have been prevented. This happens far more than it should in the USA, Canada and around the world, and this was compounded by the fact it was a night time emergency they were responding to. There are many systems available (yes we provide a quantifiable solution but I don't want this post to be a pitch for it ), that while these systems have a premium cost to them, they do not cost more than 1/50 of the purchase price of the equipment they are operating, and ultimately, pale in comparison to a life lost in the line of duty. There simply is no excuse for a life lost when it absolutely could have been prevented don't you agree? I know this may sound awful, but why is it human nature to get to prevention only after someone is injured or worse? That was a question I'd gladly poll to find out from HS & E managers as well as anyone in the first responder roles to have their thoughts. Has this always been a budgetary issue? I think so, will it ever be changed, I'm open to dialogue but feel it may not. So please do comment and to all those lives lost in the line of duty, we mourn for those and extend to the families our deepest heartfelt thoughts, Godspeed.
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September 2015 Page 18
MINE SAFETY & TRAINING
DEEPER-FASTER-SAFER High-Tech radio tabs on workers
Worksite News Service The modern mining industry has gone deeper, faster than ever. But with increased depth comes added risk. Safety has become paramount. Intense heat, lack of fresh air, contaminants and structural instability is driving researchers' efforts at the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) to design protective equipment that can stand up to the realities of a deep mining environment. That is why next generation of integrated personal protective equipment (IPPE) will represent a remarkable feat of integration and collaboration by multiple industry partners. The suits and helmets will embody everything from thermal controls and air supply to communications and heads-up display capabilities. They will filter, cool, protect and monitor vital signs, while providing lighting, power supply and recording functions. “All mines will have the same issues as we go deeper,” says Douglas Morrison, CEMI president and chief executive officer. “Many are at that Rubicon we call 2.5 kilometers. That's typically the point where it becomes difficult to push cool air from the surface and keep it cool when it arrives. It's a significant line in the sand.” The idea behind the IPPE project is simple enough: designing helmets and suits that protect people in these stressful conditions, Morrison notes. “For years miners have been strapping on pieces of equipment, from batteries on their hips to hard hats. We can do much better than that.” Much of the inspiration behind the new design proposals are being gleaned from space exploration, says Dale Boucher, president and CEO of Deltion Innovations Ltd. in Sudbury, Ont., one of several industry partners on the project and a developer of tools for deep space mining. “Deep mining presents a problem that space technologies can help solve,” he explains. To that end Deltion has come up with three basic concepts for the new-generation “coveralls” – all of which have been derived from the manned space program. The first is a technique for cooling the core temperature of humans that evolved from the Apollo era of the space suit. The cooling system is being coupled with a unique breathing system from the Kennedy Space Center to provide extended periods of clean air intake. The second is a sensor for measuring critical biometric signatures developed by the Canadian Space Agency. “Nobody has to tape on electrodes – it all fits into a vest,” Boucher notes. “The signatures can be transmitted to a monitoring station or a trauma centre to speed dispatch.” The final integration piece is a Kennedy Space Center technology that can predict heat stress failure before symptoms occur. “If you start to exhibit the symptoms of heat stress, it's usually too late,” Boucher says. “Integrating all three elements into a single set of coveralls is what we're chasing,” he adds. The helmets themselves will be an equally intriguing piece of integration work, encompassing everything from video and camera capabilities to built-in displays and noise cancellation. The inspiration Morrison says comes from various sources, from motocross display systems to built-in breathing and filtering apparatus used in firefighting. “We have to make work more effective and comfortable, complete with good voice and video communications,” Morrison says. “Much of this is bringing in technologies that already exist. But it's doing it in an entirely new way.”
The Albian Sands mine became the first to use Radio-Frequency Identification DeviseRFID tracking on its contract workers. What's more, the company says, very few Shell operations staff were ever allowed to view the RFID system map and fewer still were given the tools to identify the dots on the control room screen as specific workers. The company promised the contractors that at no point would their on-site data be shared with their employer. “While laws prohibit us from individually attributing any information, what the RFID tags are able to provide is information in aggregate,” Yost says. “So what we're able to see in real time are where there may be some pinch points. In a previous turnaround we had heard there was a bit of a bottleneck at our permitting station – where workers have to come in, apply for permits for the work they're doing and then go out and do it – and historically it'd take us a little while to identify the problem through word of mouth or through the supervisor and then you'd have to go watch the problem for yourself. But with this system we could ideally be able to rectify the problem in real time on a much shorter time scale.” But good intentions aside, not everyone's comfortable with Shell's new toy. Having the capability to micromanage a workplace in real time and reduce worker productivity to a data set – even if explicitly not used in such ways – is for many a step too far. There is a phenomenon known as database creep, and it describes how an otherwise benign technology like location tracking can become unintentionally paired with an existing data set and reveal something that the employer never intended to track in the first place. And once that capability is there, it's very hard to remove. A 2008 report to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada details how introducing workplace RFID can be a first step down a slippery slope to workplace surveillance. “If an RFID tag on a tool or object in the workplace is read in context with other chipped devices, such as the employee's identification card, the potential for employee surveillance becomes very real,” the report says. “The value of tool tracking may be considered to be higher than the dignity of the workmen who use the tools.” WSN
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WORKSAFE BC
Putting a stop to occupational diseases In the construction industry, we're once again reminded of a sobering fact that occupational disease continues to be the top cause of workplace death, taking the lives of innocent workers, who often, don't even know they've been exposed until it's too late. You may have heard people say that what you don't know can't hurt you. Well, in the case of asbestos, the opposite is true: what you don't know can actually kill you — slowly and painfully. It sounds morbid and isn't probably on your list of favourite topics to discuss. But that's the thing — because it isn't talked about, people still know very little about how to protect themselves, leaving them vulnerable to certain disease and death. Since the year 2000, more workers in B.C. have died from asbestos-related disease than any other workplace injury. The silent, tiny, asbestos fibres are inhaled and get lodged in lung tissue and over time, can cause scar tissue to form in the lungs, resulting in irreversible damage that can lead to mesothelioma, asbestosis, and numerous other cancers. Most buildings pre-dating 1990, including homes, likely have some asbestos material in them — that's a lot of potentially dangerous workplaces. And given that asbestos fibres become airborne easily, are light enough to stay in the air a long time, and can be inhaled without you knowing. It's in your best interest to be informed about your worksite and make sure you and your workers are protected. It can take years for the full impact of asbestos to take hold so those suffering from asbestos-related diseases tend to be
older workers. Although you may be inclined to assume that it's a hazard only mature workers need to be concerned with, the truth is that workers who are now dying from these diseases were much younger workers when they were first exposed. A real area of concern is in the home and commercial renovation sectors, where many of the new exposures can take place. As employers and building owners, you're responsible for getting hazardous materials surveys done by a qualified surveyor to determine if there's asbestos on your worksite. If asbestos is detected it must be removed by a qualified trained remover. (See Section 20.112 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for more information.) As part of WorkSafeBC's 2015 High Risk Strategy, a team of officers will once again focus on the renovation and demolition industry. They'll be checking to ensure sure the proper surveys have been completed and proper procedures are in place. This is more than just enforcement, though, our officers are here to answer your questions and have developed resources that can help you and your workers stay safe. This includes a new series of videos that outline the risks and what you can do to protect yourself and your workers: * Workers: https://youtu.be/FT_AYq1MK90 * Contractors: https://youtu.be/Y4L3-DFQZE0 * Homeowners: https://youtu.be/GxliLqlfDKk For more information on asbestos, check out the following
resources on worksafebc.com/asbestosbeaware: * Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos booklet *10 Steps to Compliance with asbestos abatement requirements of section 20.112 for a pre-1990 house/building demolition * Construction Toolbox Meeting Guides: Health Hazards of Asbestos (Meeting Guide #TG 07-26), Asbestos Removal (Meeting Guide # TG 07-27) We all have a responsibility to keep our workplaces safe year-round and to be sure everyone goes home safe. Don't let this silent killer decide your fate. Plan for safety and protect yourself against asbestos. If we all commit to building a culture where health and safety is the priority, and we're all encouraged to make a contribution, we can work to make fatalities and workplace incidents a thing of the past.WSN
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SAFETY ON THE HOME FRONT
HOLM’S RENO TIPS: No. 1 is safety Choose your tools wisely By Mike Holms It's smart for all homeowners to have a basic understanding of different tools, their uses, and their general safety. I'm all about hiring the right pros when you need them, but I also understand that people like to feel self-sufficient and do things for themselves. I'm a big believer in doing things right, but that also means doing them safe. For that, you need to be educated and learn the proper way to work with tools. No. 1 is your safety. Make sure you have the proper gear for the work you'll be doing and the tools you'll be using. That usually includes a pair of safety glasses, a respirator, proper gloves, footwear and maybe ear protection (if there's going to be loud machinery or tools being used). It’s smart for all homeowners to have a basic Even if other people will be doing the work — understanding of different tools, their uses, and let's say you hired landscapers or someone to their general safety. build you a deck or a fence — but you will be in the area where they will be working, maybe checking out the work yourself, you should be wearing all the proper gear as if you're doing the work yourself. It's meant to protect you on any active job site. What you wear is also very important. By that, I mean wearing workpants made of a tough material, like canvas, or even jeans if it's just a simple DIY project like drywall repairs or painting. But absolutely no shorts! Even if it's just yard work, you want to protect your legs. Every homeowner should have some basic knowledge about tools — not necessarily to renovate their home themselves, but maybe for smaller projects, such as hanging a picture, changing a door, building a shelf, or maybe even doing some interlocking stonework outside.
September 2015 Page 20
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Worksite NEWS
September 2015 Page 21
SAFETY IN FOCUS
Farmers may soon be on fair safety level By Erik David Worksite News Service
I
t may have been a bleak, dry season for many Alberta farmers, but years of plowing through government red tape to get adequate safety standards in place may soon have its harvest. The Farmworkers Union of Alberta has fought the PC government for decades over issues involving safety and equality for paid farm workers, who are exempt from occupational health and safety rules and workers' compensation, as well as the Employment Standards Code and Labour Relations Code. Alberta is the only province in Canada with those exemptions. Certain farm operators have private insurance and voluntary workers' compensation, but it's not widespread practice, said Eric Musekamp with the farm workers union. He said he's hopeful the province will bring in tighter regulations. “I'm very optimistic, I'm very upbeat about it,” Musekamp said during the 11th annual Farm Worker's Day, which commemorates those killed or injured on farms. “However, as we speak this moment, nothing has changed. Until something actually physically changes, until there's a piece of legislation that actually does something, we're still where we've always been,” he added. Liberal MLA David Swann said the NDP is “moving in the right direction.” “They're saying the right things,” said Swann, a vocal advocate for farm workers' rights. “I would expect something in the October sitting or we're all going to be very disappointed. They can at least bring in mandatory workers' compensation.” NDP Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier promised in June that the government will bring in new regulations to protect Alberta's farm workers, though it remains unclear what form those regulations will take. Farm worker safety had long been a priority of the NDP when the party was in opposition. Last year, then-NDP leadership candidate Rachel Notley called on Tory leadership candidates to “make a clear promise” about whether they'd fix what she called a “gross injustice in Alberta.” “We need to fix this problem before anyone else gets injured,” she said in 2014. Shortly before this spring's election, Notley released a statement on the Day of Mourning for killed or injured workers. “The Day of Mourning is also an opportunity to remember some of the most vulnerable workers in Alberta today: farm workers,” she wrote on April 28. “They work without the right to organize, take rest periods or receive the minimum wage, safety protections or mandatory workers' compensation coverage.” Rick Strankman, a longtime farmer and the Wildrose MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, said he still believes education is the best way to encourage worker safety and that legislation could be punitive for producers. “I think the key to this is to phase it in a soft fashion,” he said. “There are many nuances to this legislation that we haven't seen yet.” “From my 40-plus years in agriculture, the best thing to do to create farm safety is to educate people,” Strankman said. Labour Minister Lori Sigurdson called Alberta an “outlier” when it comes for farm worker safety. “Every other jurisdiction in Canada does have farm and ranch (workers) included,” she told reporters. “We're concerned about that in Alberta and so we are looking at moving on that because everyone should be able to go work regardless of the workplace and come home safe.WSN"
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WorkSafeBC Safety Videos Group formed to protect Ontario nurses Exceed 25 Million Views on YouTube since 2006
The Ontario government has created a roundtable to address the growing problem violence and abuse of health care workers. The group, including the labour and health ministers, hospital CEOs and the head of the Ontario Nurses' Association, is to meet for the first time in September. “Workplace violence is a serious hazard in the health care sector and that's simply not acceptable,” Labour Minister Kevin Flynn said in a statement. Over the next three years, the group plans to look at how to prevent violence against Since its launch almost a decade ago, the WorkSafeBC YouTube channel has received more nurses in hospitals before moving on to other areas of the health-care sector. than 25 million views and has more than 18,000 subscribers. In 2014 alone, WorkSafeBC's YouTube channel received more than three million views, with more than half of those views Reported violent incidents in several Toronto-area hospitals have increased dramatically in the past three years, the Star reported in July. originating from Canada and the United States. WorkSafeBC started delivering videos and slide shows via YouTube to make safety resources In an open letter soon after, Ontario's NDP health and labour critics urged the government to take action. more accessible in every region of the province, and to reach out to people who increasingly Violent incidents in the University Health Network, including Toronto General and take their information from the internet. Toronto Western, doubled, from 166 to 331, between 2012 and 2014. “The safety videos produced at WorkSafeBC are a valuable educational tool B.C. employers can use in the prevention of workplace injuries and diseases,” says Gordon Thorne, manager “This is not just a one-off; these are daily occurrences of violence taking place in hospitals,” said Linda Haslam-Stroud, president of the Ontario Nurses Association of product and program development at WorkSafeBC. “Our goal is to continue to see these (ONA) and a member of the anti-workplace violence roundtable. “Our nurses are trying resources being accessed by an increasing number of industries and organizations across to provide the best care possible under very difficult circumstances.” B.C.” In one high-profile case, a nurse at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health was In 2014, WorkSafeBC produced 15 new safety videos, adding to its existing library of more than 450 multimedia products on its YouTube channel. The channel experienced an increasing allegedly beaten severely by a patient last December. The labour ministry laid charges against CAMH under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to provide amount of online traffic in 2014, up 21 per cent over 2013 and up 63 per cent since 2012. sufficient information and supervision to protect a worker from workplace violence and “The WorkSafeBC videos are a great resource for our members,” says Lisa McGuire, CEO, failing to implement measures and procedures to protect workers from workplace FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC, the safety association for B.C. manufacturers. “The violence. videos we have used the most illustrate in a simple, straightforward format the day-to-day Many other instances of abuse go unrecorded, Haslam-Stroud said, adding that she mistakes people can make, the subsequent accidents which can result.” hopes the roundtable will lead to mandatory reporting of all incidents. Last year, WorkSafeBC translated 10 safety videos into seven written languages: Chinese – She also wants the group's final report to call for better security in hospitals and to traditional and simplified, Punjabi, Korean, Spanish, French, and Vietnamese. Work safety ensure that units are always properly staffed with nurses. organizations in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Poland, and South Workplace violence in hospitals, to say nothing of other parts of the health-care sector, Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, have sought permission to access and translate costs the province $23.8 million annually, the labour ministry said. WorkSafeBC videos. Violence claims make up 10 per cent of lost-time injuries in hospitals.
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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 Fax: 780-455-1120 or 1-877-441-0440 Executive Director: Dan MacLenna edmonton@acsa-safety.org Calgary: #101, 292060 Wagon Wheel Link Rocky View, AB T4A 0E2 Tel: 403-291-3710 or 1-800-661-6090 Fax: 403-250-2852 or 1-877-258-5881 calgary@acsa-safety.org Fort McMurray: Nomad Inn Hotel 10006 MacDonald Avenue Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1S8 Tel: 780-715-2157 Fax: 780-715-1684 fortmcmurray@acsa-safety.org Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry 9th Flr, 10808-99 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0J5 Ph: (780) 427-5585 Fax: (780) 427-5988 Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) 3660-Blackfoot Trail S.E. Calgary Alberta T2G-4E6 Ph: (403) 214-3428 Alberta Specialty Services Ltd. Rear Bay 4, 2705 5 Ave NE Calgary, AB T2A 2L6 Ph: (403) 225-2759 Toll Free: (877) 347-5588 Fax: (403) 253-4560 info@albertaspecialtyservices.com
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Canadian Industrial Training
River City Centre Mall 620B 8600 Franklin Avenue Fort McMurray, Alberta T9H 4G6 Contact: Lori Burke 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 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 Fax: 1-613-248-0711
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