safework news - Volume 1, Issue 1, Summer 2010 by WorkplaceNL

Volume One, Issue One, Summer - 2010

safeworknews NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Public perception: Successful social marketing key to safety awareness How a life-altering injury made Nick Perry an inspiring motivator

Inaugural issue

Health and wellness in the workplace - are you working and living your best?

Getting people back to work

Sobeysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Calvin Green takes the teamwork approach,

page 8

CONGRATULATIONS Booth Memorial High School of St. John’s, winners of the 2010 SAFE work NL’s Who Wants to Save a Life? game show!

safeworknews

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Leadership

Back to safe work

Workplace wellness

Jackie Manuel, the NLCSA’s health and safety visionary and mentor

Sobeys takes the proactive approach and achieves success

Smart business practices for employee productivity and success

Health and safety crusader

Steps for Life walk

NewsFlash

A young man’s harrowing story of workplace tragedy, triumph and recovery

Walking together to support families of workplace fatalities, life-altering injuries and occupational disease

Kudos, industry health and safety highlights and need-to-know information for workers and employers

6 Social Marketing

How effective marketing can change social behaviour and effectively reduce workplace injuries

Play the ‘safety sleuth’ and enter to win great prizes

Spot the hazard

safeworknews NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

safework news is published four times a year by the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) of Newfoundland and Labrador to educate workers and employers about injury and disease prevention, promote a positive safety culture and provide links to WHSCC resources for safer workplaces. Editorial Submissions and Inquiries kpeyton@whscc.nl.ca

Subscription Inquiries kconnors@whscc.nl.ca

Editorial Advisor Chris Flanagan

Administration Kate Connors

Editor Kathy Dicks-Peyton

Marketing Sherry Greene

Contributors Steve Thistle Kate Connors Dee Anne Feltham-Scott Paul Daly Bill Fifield

Information Technology Florence Maloney

Printer Dicks and Company Limited

Graphic Design Mark Wessels

www.whscc.nl.ca No portion of this publication may be reprinted in whole or in part without the written permission of the WHSCC. The WHSCC reserves the right of final approval on all material.

Left to right: Ian Lehr, Morgan Sears, Stephen Johnson, Stephanie Tucker and Andrew Bonnell, each received a $1,000 scholarship and $5,000 for their school.

Governance Corner: Enhancing communications and increasing responsiveness

a successful return-to-work program is not the Commission, but employers and injured workers. Many employers are learning that modified work programs help retain experienced workers, and reduce hiring, training and overall claims costs. More injured workers are seeing first hand that early and safe return to work is the right thing to do. It may be hard work, but a successful return to work has proven to provide improved quality of life. I am pleased to see the Commission increase its efforts to communicate these important messages.

Congratulations to the Commission on developing another effective means of getting the word out about workplace safety. One of our mandates as governors of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission is to ensure the Commission works to continuously improve its communications processes and its responsiveness. This new magazine achieves both those goals.

The safework news magazine will be mailed to any employer or worker in the province who wishes to receive it. So if you are not getting yours directly, please contact the editor through the contact information on page 1. The magazine is also available online at: whscc.nl.ca.

When it comes to safety, communications has been proven to help reduce injuries. Over the past 10 years, the injury rate in Newfoundland and Labrador has declined more than almost any other jurisdiction in Canada, from 3.2 injuries per 100 workers to just 1.9 injuries last year. As injuries decline, it becomes more difficult to sustain the rate of injury reduction. But preventing the next injury is just as important as preventing the last one – which is why the Commission has introduced new tools such as increased internet advertising, youth game shows, video contests, education outreach, training accreditation and now, a new magazine.

We encourage comments and contributions to safework news. If you’ve got something on your mind related to workplace health, safety or compensation, put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and send a letter to the editor – or send us your story ideas. We will respond, I guarantee it. Ralph Tucker,

Chair, Board of Directors Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission

Communications also has a critical role to play in successful work-to-recover programs. The greatest beneficiaries of

Making a difference to friends, families and co-workers

I am pleased to present this first issue of safework news and to bring you stories of men and women in Newfoundland and Labrador who inspire others to improve workplace safety and quality of life. In this issue we also profile a member of our CEO Leadership Charter, a project that highlights the need for business leaders to share best practices and promote the benefits of safe and healthy workplaces.

Statistics offer one way to look at the world of workplace safety. But a successfully declining injury rate means nothing to a young worker who can’t walk to the stage to collect her diploma. Positive return-to-work outcomes are meaningless to a worker who is sitting at home alone while his friends and co-workers plan exciting new projects over a cup of coffee.

Jackie Manuel (health and safety visionary and mentor) is CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association. Under Jackie’s leadership the construction industry has undergone a positive cultural shift in occupational health and safety. This shift meant a safe return home for thousands of men and women who would have been injured if accident rates had stayed high.

This new workplace safety magazine is about the men and women who make a difference to their friends, their families and their co-workers when it comes to safety. It’s about people like Calvin Green (Back to Safe Work, p. 8), an assistant meat manager at Sobeys with a wife and two young children to support. Calvin found a way to overcome severe back pain and suffering to get back to work – and improve his quality of life.

This magazine is for everyone. If you have a workplace safety champion who deserves recognition, or a safety story to share, or even if you wish to point out a hazard, please contact us.

Yours in safety,

It’s about employers too. Sobeys took a hands-on, pro-active approach to helping Calvin get back to work. The management team stayed with him every step of the way, offering unique solutions to get him back into the workforce safely. Sobeys even offered him a job closer to home, so he would not have to sit in the car for as long.

Leslie Galway, CEO Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission

Leadership Health and safety visionary and mentor By Kathy Dicks-Peyton As a health and safety visionary, Jackie Manuel, CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA) believes it is critical for CEOs to lead by example. Injury prevention affects the lives of all workers in our province. The CEO Leadership Charter supports the continuous improvement of healthy and safe workplaces.

In 2008, Manuel became a signatory to Newfoundland and Labrador’s CEO Leadership Charter, which represents an opportunity for business leaders to help shape a safety culture throughout the province, where accident prevention is seen as a crucial investment, and where everyone is responsible to act safely under any circumstances. “I am proud and honored to be counted among the province’s leaders in health and safety, many of whom I know personally and have tremendous respect and admiration for,” says Manuel. As a leader in health and safety, Manuel readily taps into her years of experience. A mechanical engineering graduate from Memorial University, she admits, “when I graduated from university I didn’t know there was such a thing as health and safety, and that’s really sad. I was fortunate to find employment with Black & McDonald Limited, a company which was and continues to be very progressive in terms of health and safety.”

Jackie Manuel, CEO, Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association.

Five years later, Manuel’s engineering career led her to the provincial government’s Public Safety Division, which is responsible for such things as inspections of boilers, pressure vessels, elevators, electrical systems and amusement rides. From there, she moved to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Branch of the Department of Government Services. continued on page 4

“The years I worked with the OHS Branch represent the most significant and intense learning curve that I have ever experienced,” says Manuel. “I was responsible for reviewing each and every accident investigation report, and over the six-year period, I reviewed hundreds.”

that the accident rate for the construction industry in our province has been more than cut in half. In the last five years alone, this decrease equates to the prevention of approximately 2,000 lost-time incidents. Manuel also takes pride in the fact that since 1996, more than 50,000 people have participated in NLCSA training programs.

Manuel points out that each report emphasized how important it was to have health and safety in the workplace. They detailed failures of equipment and systems, programs, policies, procedures, employers and workers that ultimately led to an accident where a worker was injured or killed.

Safety professionals “At the NLCSA we are fortunate in that over half of our staff are safety professionals, so the day-to-day nuts and bolts of safety in our workplace is well in hand,” explains Manuel. “However, I have implemented initiatives to address issues like working alone and work-life balance.”

Business leaders need to be prepared to share their experiences, knowledge and potentially work as mentors to assist in improving health and safety in all workplaces.

When Manuel first joined the NLCSA she was faced with a situation where a safety advisor stayed after hours to review material with a training program participant. When five o’clock rolled around, and everyone was getting ready to leave for the day, she realized that one of her staff was being left alone with a stranger. Later that evening, Manual contacted her staff member to ensure that she had returned home safely. This was the last time anyone was ever left alone with a client. The NLCSA now has a ‘No one left on the doorstep’ policy which states that the last two employees to exit the building do so together.

“At the NLCSA, we train, mentor, guide, recommend, advise, encourage, and at times nudge, poke, prod and push to ensure our members are doing what they must to protect their workers and their businesses,” Manuel explains.

Defining best practices Central to the operation of the NLCSA is the Certificate of Recognition® (COR) program, which is designed to assist companies in the development and maintenance of a company-wide health and safety management system. It is based on the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations, and goes a step further to define best practices for the construction industry.

Another initiative was to implement standard First-Aid as the minimum requirement for construction sites, even though OHS First-Aid Regulations specify that for workplaces with less than 15 workers, only emergency First-Aid is required. “We felt that standard First-Aid was a much more appropriate requirement for construction,” explains Manuel. With the support and approval of the NLCSA Board of Directors, it is now a requirement, as part of the COR® Program, that at least one person must be trained in standard First-Aid for every construction site.

“I remember dealing with member companies that would be less than co-operative in meeting the requirements of the COR program. My initial thought was to toss them out of the game if they weren’t going to play ball. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that washing our hands of these companies was not going to help them and it certainly wasn’t going to help their workers.”

Manual goes on to say that health and safety education and awareness efforts must go beyond the work being carried out by organizations like the NLCSA. “Safety is everyone’s responsibility and awareness should be taught long before a person ever enters the workforce.”

Because Manuel and the NLCSA didn’t give up on ‘the less than co-operative’ firms, the construction industry has seen a positive cultural shift in the attention being paid to occupational health and safety. The NLCSA reports

Workplace Health & Safety Crusader

Nick Perry

Take your responsibilities seriously By Kathy Dicks-Peyton

my buddy to lower the forks, and when I turned around, the load slid off the forklift. It was like getting hit with a baseball bat.”

If you were given the opportunity to look one day into the future, what might you imagine? You might see yourself getting important things done or talking to friends and co-workers. You almost certainly would not see yourself sustaining a life-altering workplace injury. Young worker Nick Perry of Victoria, British Columbia, did not think it could happen to him. More importantly, Nick could not have imagined how painful and devastating a serious workplace accident could be.

The force pushed Nick to the ground, folding his body in half. “When I opened my eyes I was staring at my shoes.” With no feeling from his belly to his toes, Nick used the only strength he had left to call for help. Despite his agonizing cries, his co-worker was in shock and could not move off the forklift. Someone finally heard Nick’s screams and came out from the shop.

When Nick tells his story, he holds nothing back. The language is colorful, and his story is both tragic and triumphant. The reality of what happened to Nick is unforgettable – so unforgettable that everyone who hears him speak looks at workplace safety differently. Nick was in St. John’s recently to deliver his powerful message to members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association and employees of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

His injury resulted in a 12-hour surgery to reconstruct his spine and graft one of his ribs into his back. At first he was diagnosed with paraplegia. He couldn’t walk, dress himself or even go to the bathroom, and the aftermath of his injury led to anger and depression. “It got to the point where no one wanted to come see me anymore.” Nick spent several weeks in hospital before being transferred to a rehabilitation centre. Three months later he returned home in a wheelchair. Through the intervention of what he calls an “an amazing physiotherapist”, Nick has worked to overcome his physical challenges and is now able to walk again – but his life is not back to normal.

Nick’s story begins at a lumberyard on a sunny Saturday morning. Normally he would be off on weekends, but there was extra work to do and he was called in for overtime. One of his tasks was to go to a back shed to move sheets of fibreboard. “I was looking up at the pile and thinking how unsafe it looked because at the time it was unstrapped,” recalls Nick.

Nick struggles to control pain. He can’t do the things many young people take for granted, like ride a bike, go for a walk with a girlfriend or get up and dance. Nevertheless, in the face of adversity, he has found solace and travels throughout Canada on behalf of workers’ compensation boards telling his story. He wants other young workers to know their rights and responsibilities and be better prepared for the workplace.

Using a forklift, he moved the load from the shed to the parking lot. It started to shift. Nick immediately shut off the forklift and went looking for help. Unfortunately, everyone was too busy performing other tasks or serving customers. Frustrated, Nick got impatient. He believed that if he found a solution to a problem, he would be seen as a good employee. It was then that he enlisted the help of his friend, a new employee at the yard.

“Take your responsibilities seriously and look out for yourself and the safety of others, because in a split second you could easily get hurt.”

Nick’s co-worker jumped on the forklift, while Nick investigated the nearly 3,000-pound load. “I then told

Social Marketing Effective marketing can change social behavior – and reduce injuries

Absolutely. While both Just Do It! and Diamonds Are Forever have helped create billions in sales, there is no easy measure of successful social marketing.

By Chris Flanagan

There is no profit to drive social marketing campaigns and no sales to measure success. As a result, social marketing does not rank as high on the best campaigns lists. In fact, Advertising Age includes just one social marketing campaign in its Top 50.

When marketing and advertising gurus get together to debate the best campaigns, there’s one characteristic that trumps all – staying power. A couple of decades in the public consciousness beats a trendy catch-phrase every time. Not surprisingly, one of the top-ranked advertisers of the last century has kept the same tag line for more than 20 years: Nike’s Just Do It!, created by the Oregon-based agency Wieden+Kennedy, is the second best marketing slogan of all time, according to Advertising Age Magazine.

Ranked at Number 26, the U.S. Forest Service’s Smokey the Bear – Only you can prevent forest fires – advertising campaign was launched August 9, 1944, and has changed very little in 65 years. Today Smokey is one of the most recognized figures in the United States and according to the U.S. Forest Service, has helped reduce the amount of forested areas burned annually, from about 22 million acres to 7 million.

So which slogan ranked Number 1? The top-ranked slogan has been around for more than 70 years and has helped change social behavior in a way that has earned billions for its owners. The slogan: Diamonds are Forever, coined by a DeBeers copywriter in 1938. It was part of a campaign that helped turn diamonds from a luxury item into an essential ritual for every marriage engagement.

The WHSCC’s goal is to reduce workplace accidents as effectively as Smokey reduced forest fires, and change social behavior as effectively as Diamonds are Forever. The quest to build the best campaign was to first address size. A successful project needs resources and exposure. To increase both, WHSCC teamed up with Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to create a campaign to address a common theme and target a large audience.

The question is, can a relatively small organization like the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) create a social marketing campaign as powerful and timeless as Diamonds are forever? The answer:

change the way they think about workplace safety. Backing up these measures are actual injury rates: the lost-time incidence rate in all three provinces has declined, with Newfoundland and Labrador seeing a 20 per cent decline in the first two years of the campaign.

The three workers’ compensation boards teamed up for research, issued a joint Request for Proposals and hired the Halifax-based creative marketing agency Extreme Group. Extreme put together a campaign that emphasized incidents that led to major accidents and started with the slogan: Think Small. Statistics from all three boards indicated that relatively minor incidents – not catastrophic events – were the cause of the vast majority of workplace accidents.

So, just as Nike did not mess with its success, the Atlantic partnership went into the 2010 season with a plan to keep the Take care of it before it’s an injury concept and expand it into other areas.

Think Small evolved into a campaign featuring a nail, a bucket, and a ladder. The campaign centered around a series of three television commercials that highlighted insignificant situations that could lead to serious injury if left unchecked. The campaign made the simple but essential point that workplace accidents, like forest fires, were caused by humans and could be prevented.

Nail

The result is two new television commercials that will run in rotation in the spring and fall 2010 alongside the nail, bucket and ladder ads. The first new commercial is called Blade and Guard. Like the three commercials before, it brings to life an inanimate object to tell a story: ‘Once there were two friends, a blade and a guard…’ it begins. Theme and concept

Bucket

Ladder

remain the same and the ad ends with the familiar tagline: Replace it before it’s an injury. The second television commercial features a high-pressure pipe, temporarily fixed with duct tape. Left alone, the tape can’t handle the pressure and lets go at the worst possible moment. Fix it before it’s an injury sends a strong message that temporary fixes of any type are generally unsafe.

The nail, bucket, ladder campaign was successful and effective in using minor variations of the tag line: Take Care of it before it’s an Injury. Nail, bucket, ladder, won nearly a dozen national and international prizes, including two awards at the 2008 Cannes international advertising festival. This festival is considered the most prestigious in the world. Its top prize: Agency of the Year, is the most coveted prize in advertising.

The Atlantic Canada workplace safety campaign is about inspiring people to take action in their workplace. The concept revolves around workplace safety hazards that are, quite simply, being ignored. Each are in their own way appealing for somebody to do something about the situation presented. By imparting these inanimate objects with these very human traits, the partners have been able to present a very straightforward, direct message in a very emotional way.

Another measure of success is imitation. In this regard, nail, bucket, ladder is a runaway winner. Several organizations have seen the campaign online and written the Atlantic partners requesting permission to use it for their own injury prevention initiatives. Requests have come from NASA, the Toronto Transit Commission, New Brunswick Workers’ Compensation Board and Alberta Occupational Health and Safety – making it the first workplace injury prevention campaign to be used by half the provinces in Canada.

By proving successful over two years and two iterations the Take care of it before it’s an injury campaign could be well on its way to a Top 100 ranking in marketing circles. Regardless of how the campaign is ranked, it continues to help reduce workplace injuries, which is the only measure that really matters.

The best measure of success however, is results in the field. According to independent surveys, three-quarters of employers and two-thirds of injured workers recall seeing the television spots, despite limited media placement. Over 60 per cent stated the spots were effective and helped

Back to safe work Sobeys proactive approach By Kathy Dicks-Peyton Sobeys employee Calvin Green is back to safe work.

If employers want to save money and create healthier, safer workplaces - they need to know about PRIME, the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission’s (WHSCC) employer incentive program which recognizes good occupational health and safety (OHS) and return-to-work practices with a five per cent refund on average annual assessments. Sobeys, one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest employers, has been participating in the PRIME program since its inception in 2005 and has made great strides in supporting and encouraging its employees on the path to health and safety. Most recently, Sobeys was recognized for its PRIME compliance in a WHSCC newspaper ad campaign. Health and safety education awareness is something this company puts before all else.

A worker’s success story There are many days when Calvin Green of Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s thinks about what it was like to have a hockey stick in his hands or to stand at home plate waiting for a fast pitch softball that would become a home-run hit. Ball hockey and softball were his favorite recreational activities, but in 1996 a workplace injury changed that. A young father of one son and his wife pregnant with their second child, Calvin was working hard to support his family. One night while working the night shift at Sobeys on Topsail Road in St. John’s, he lifted a carton of bleach off a conveyor belt… “I was really aggressive when it came to lifting,” Calvin recalls. “I simply lifted the box, felt a little pull in my back, and didn’t think much of it really.”

participates in a home exercise and back strengthening program specifically designed for him. As for ball hockey and softball, the only action he now sees is coaching. “I miss playing, I can’t even touch my toes – but I have my health and I have a job,” he says with a smile.

Calvin did, however, let a co-worker know that he felt the pull, and continued working. When daylight came and his shift was over, Calvin said “see ya later” to his co-workers, headed out the door, got in his car and drove home. “I had basically forgotten about lifting the bleach and the pull I felt in my back.” When he awoke later that evening and tried to get out of bed, Calvin couldn’t move. “I was in so much pain, and for three days, I couldn’t even put on my socks.”

As an employer, Sobeys works hard to minimize the risk of injury to its employees. From its entry level orientation program, monthly safety sessions, staff meetings, mandated monthly safety meetings, annual safety audits, and posted information on safe work practices and safety alerts, the health and welfare of Sobeys’ employees is paramount.

The injury took Calvin away from his job for weeks. “It was really hard and I didn’t want to be on workers’ compensation, I wanted to be working,” he recalls. “I remember being determined to get better and I did whatever I could to get back to work.” With the help of his family doctor, physiotherapy and chiropractic care, he went back to his pre-injury job at Sobeys. “It’s a great place to work and I was so happy to be back.”

When an employee becomes injured, Sobeys relies on a team approach with the company’s occupational physician and an occupational therapist, its administrative managers and WHSCC case manager. “Our first goal is to ensure the safety of our employees, and we have a very good success rate for transitioning employees back into the workplace early and safely,” says Kim Lynch, Disability Manager for Sobeys Newfoundland and Labrador. Sobeys also takes pride in the fact that it takes care of its employees. When someone is injured, and unable to come to work, the company stays in touch with them. “We motivate and encourage our employees and let them know that we will do whatever we can to help them,” adds Lynch.

Determined to work again at Sobeys For the next six years Calvin continued working – but in July 2002, while lifting a pallet, he sustained another back injury, and was diagnosed with disc herniation and nerve root impingement. Sounds painful – and it was. Once again Calvin had to miss work. However, he and his employer worked together to lessen the burden carried by an injured employee. Calvin was treated by a chiropractor and other medical professionals while undergoing several medical investigations. Determined to get back to work, Calvin participated in Sobeys’ early and safe return-to-work plan once he received back to work clearance. “I started off working two hours a day and then gradually returned to my regular duties in April 2003,” he explains.

Taking care of employees Calvin’s story is an excellent example of how Sobeys takes care of its employees. As part of his early and safe return-to-work plan, it was suggested by one of his medical professionals that Calvin’s driving endurance was very low. Without hesitation, Sobeys transferred him to a store that was 20 minutes closer to his home, to help alleviate some of his discomfort while driving.

Over the next several months Calvin experienced recurring back pain, and in January 2004 underwent surgery. Following a rehabilitation plan which included physiotherapy, chiropractic care, occupational therapy, and ease-back (light duties to get him back to his pre-injury job), Calvin went back to work in June 2004 and took his pain with him. “I learned to control it to a point,” he says.

Care and concern for Sobeys employees is also evident during the bi-weekly meetings attended by Lynch, the occupational therapist, and a WHSCC case manager. During these meetings, injured employees are contacted to discuss any additional needs or services they may

Today, Calvin enjoys his job as an Assistant Meat Manager with Sobeys. When he’s not working, he

continued on page 12

Steps for Life walk On May 2, 2010, more than 4,000 people in 28 communities across Canada walked together to support families of workplace fatalities, life-altering injuries and occupational diseases. Preliminary numbers indicate that more than $225,000 was raised. In Newfoundland and Labrador, walks took place in St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Corner Brook, raising more than $17,000. The Steps for Life Walk is an event organized by Threads of Life, a national registered charity dedicated to supporting families along their journey of healing. To learn more about this organization visit: threadsoflife.ca

Back to safe work continued from page 9

feel are required. This contact provides a venue for the injured employee to raise any issues or concerns with the team. “Many small fixes are fulfilled during this process which otherwise may have gotten tied up in red tape,” explains Lynch. “Positive feedback we receive from these injured employees confirms that they appreciate this special touch.” At one of its recent monthly safety sessions a new policy was designed - any item weighing over 40 pounds is now a mandatory two-person lift. “Hopefully, turning this preventative measure into policy will decrease our musculoskeletal injuries (MSI – soft tissue injuries) and keep our employees safer in the workplace” adds Lynch. Another health and safety initiative for Sobeys was to have an occupational therapy clinic (Central Rehab) design a prevention manual which teaches employees how to prevent MSIs, and the company also has a JSA (job site analysis) on file for every position. This is a great tool in assisting the Sobeys’ occupational company physician, along with the Sobeys management team, in transitioning injured employees safely back into the workplace. Regular meetings and telephone calls with Sobeys’ WHSCC safety advisor help raise awareness of injury prevention, as Lynch often has the advisor speak at store safety meetings and other events. According to Lynch, there are many times when Sobeys has injured employees back to work participating in early and safe return-to-work programs prior to their injury claims being adjudicated by the WHSCC. “The bottom line is that we need to protect our employees and we are working as a team to accomplish this goal.” As an employer, Sobeys works hard to build a workplace safety culture that engages its employees to work safely – protecting themselves and their co-workers. “A great achievement for Sobeys would be if all of our employees developed a workplace attitude of Work Smart – Work Safe,” says Lynch. It is evident that as a company, Sobeys believes the key to having successful safety and early safe return-to-work programs is education and communication. It’s really quite simple,” Lynch says with a smile – work smart – work safe. Just add safety to your work, your home and your play!”

“A great achievement for Sobeys would be if all of our employees developed a workplace attitude of Work Smart – Work Safe.” - Kim Lynch, Disability Manager, Sobeys Newfoundland and Labrador

SPOT THE HAZARD ----------

This Spot the Hazard photo has been deliberately staged to display several dangerous work habits and safety hazards. Tell us how many you can spot and email your response to: kpeyton@whscc.nl.ca. In our next issue we will publish as many responses as we can, along with the correct answers. All emails submitted will be entered for a draw, and one lucky hazard spotter will win a SAFE Work Newfoundland and Labrador deluxe First-Aid kit. Remember that if you spot the hazard and assess the risk, you will always find a safer way every day!

Well Employee wellness should be seen as an asset in any organization.

Workplace wellness is smart business practice By Kate Connors

. Fitness subsidies for memberships at local gyms . Encourage employee fitness through lunchtime walks

. Provide motivational speakers . Encourage corporate sports teams . Promote incentive and recognition programs . Promote awareness of Employee Assistance Programs

. Provide information on child care programs . Use employees who are in-house experts in areas such as yoga, fitness, running

. Encourage the importance of healthy eating . Encourage higher water consumption by supplying water coolers

. Encourage regular stretching at workstations to help reduce strain

The average person spends anywhere from eight to 10 hours per day at their workplace. Excluding the eight hours of sleep which health care professionals recommend we get each night, about half of the day is therefore spent at work. That’s significant and that’s why it is important for workplaces to be healthy and safe environments. For many people, work is no longer just a job; it’s an integral part of their lifestyle. Young workers in particular, are seeking employers who recognize that work and lifestyle must blend well together. Every employer/employee relationship focuses on performance – individually and collectively. Today’s smart business leaders want to encourage individual performance because that is what helps lead to corporate success. Employers have caught on to the connection between wellness and job performance. Many offer incentives beyond monetary packages and career opportunities. For example, they may provide exercise equipment on site, as well as gym memberships and child care. These sorts of incentives do not exist in all workplaces, and not all employers can provide such amenities.

ness Unfortunately, there are still many workplaces where employers and employees create their own unhealthy environment, sometimes unconsciously, by failing to recognize the connection between wellness and performance. From a physical health perspective, many workplaces do not offer healthy choices in their cafeterias. Many employees take the elevator out of habit, rather than the stairs. From a mental health perspective, high levels of anxiety are created by sustained and tolerated unhealthy employer/employee relations. Unhealthy relationships can be a major cause of stress among individuals and may lead to low morale, decreased productivity, high absenteeism and low employee retention. Having an effective wellness program may help employers and employees build healthy lifestyles. This can translate into healthier employees, more positive attitudes, less sick days, less human error, safer work habits and ultimately impact an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom line.

Many employers have discovered that it is important to promote and maintain healthy workplaces in order to be a productive and successful organization. This accounts for the emergence of workplace wellness committees as something different than occupational health and safety committees, but equally as significant for the overall health and well being of an organization. It is important that employers and employees be aware of their joint efforts in creating and maintaining an effective workplace wellness program. Having support from everyone in an organization creates a powerful, positive and energized workplace. An effective workplace wellness program helps reduce stress and provides positive, healthy choices for all employees. Having a workplace health and wellness program is not only important, it is smart business.

NewsFlash Mine rescue technical advisory committee formed The WHSCC has established a Mine Rescue Technical Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from the WHSCC, the Occupational Health and Safety Branch of the Department of Government Services, as well as representatives who are actively engaged in a technical or operating function in the Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian mining industries. The Committee serves to identify, evaluate and prioritize health and safety issues related to mine rescue training and promote the continuous improvement of emergency preparedness in Newfoundland and Labrador mines by providing advice and recommendations.

and Sid Hynes, Oceanex, on being named among the 2010 Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine. Among the group of Top-50 CEOs, Frank Coleman was named CEO of the Year. Nominees for Top CEO honours are judged on their proven managerial ability, reaction to challenging situations, leadership philosophies, organizational growth over a three-year period, and commitment to industry and community development. JSM Electrical wins safety award Thumbs up to CEO Leadership Charter signatory Jim Murray and JSM Electrical Limited of St. John’s, on receiving an Award of Excellence from the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA). JSM Electrical provides electrical work to the industrial and Jim Murray commercial construction sector, and participates in all phases of the construction process. The company has a strong commitment to occupational health and safety, not only from management, but from its employees.

Currently there are five underground properties in the province requiring mine rescue trained personnel: Teck Duck Pond Operations (Millertown), Rambler Metals and Mining (Baie-Verte), Beaverbrook Antimony Mine (Glenwood), Iron Ore Company of Canada (Labrador West), and Nalcor Energy (Churchill Falls). Each property has at least one certified mine rescue trainer. All future underground operations established within Newfoundland and Labrador must meet the requirements of the Mine Rescue Training Standard. For more information call: Steve Tilley at: 709-778-1237.

Directors personally liable for unpaid assessments Six Leadership Charter signatories named among Top CEOs in Atlantic Canada

Did you know that when an incorporated business fails to pay its assessments to the WHSCC, the company’s directors are personally liable for the unpaid amount? In the event the WHSCC pursues a director for outstanding assessments, legal action may be executed and potentially impact the director’s personal credit rating. Therefore, if an individual ceases to be a director of a business, they must ensure that the appropriate documents are filed with the Registry of Companies at the Department of Government Services. It is also important that home addresses for directors are kept current with the Registry of Companies and the WHSCC.

Hats off to CEO Leadership Charter signatories: Frank Coleman of Coleman’s Food Centres; Cathy Bennett, owner/operator of Bennett Restaurants (Your St. John’s McDonalds); Nora Frank Coleman Duke, Fortis Properties; Earl Ludlow, Newfoundland Power; Steve Winter, Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation;

A Mine Rescue Technical Advisory Committee has been established to identify, evaluate and prioritize health and safety issues related to mine rescue training in Newfoundland and Labrador. G.J. Cahill and Colemans named among Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies

Traffic Control Person (TCP) Certification Training Standard established for TCP training providers and trainers.

Congratulations to CEO Leadership Charter signatories Fred Cahill and the Cahill Group of Companies and Frank Coleman and Coleman Food Centres, on being recognized among Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for 2009. According to The National Post, the best managed designation symbolizes Canadian corporate success: companies focused on their core vision, creating stakeholder value and excelling in the global economy. The program has continued to raise the profile of Canadianowned businesses that have out-performed their competitors, created thousands of jobs, achieved sustainable growth and excelled both at home and abroad.

TCP training providers must apply and be approved by the WHSCC to deliver certification training.

No change to First-Aid kits or First-Aid regulations The WHSCC has been receiving a number of inquiries from employers and stakeholders asking for information on recent changes to the Newfoundland Labrador Occupational Health and Safety First-Aid regulations and the marketing of new mandatory First-Aid kits. Employers and stakeholders are advised that there have been no changes to the First-Aid regulations or to the schedules that outline the contents to be included in a First-Aid kit. Any questions or concerns regarding compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety First-Aid regulations or the required contents of a First-Aid kit, contact the Department of Government Services, Occupational Health and Safety Branch at: 709-729-2706. New traffic control regulation to take effect Traffic controllers in Newfoundland and Labrador will not be permitted to work as of January 1, 2011, if they have not completed a traffic control program approved by the WHSCC, which meets the

TCP certificates issued by training providers from January 1, 2008 - June 1, 2010, may be accepted pending approval by the WHSCC of the training providers. If the training conducted during this period is not approved, participants will be required to complete the training with an approved TCP certification training provider. TCP Certification Training has an expiry date of three years, upon which the course must be completed again for renewal. For further information contact the WHSCC at: www.whscc.nl.ca (709) 778-1552, TOLL FREE 1-800-563-9000. Workplace fatality claims up The number of workplace fatality claims accepted during 2009 was 42, up from 23 in 2008, and the highest in 20 years. The increase was the result of the Cougar Helicopter tragedy and increases in other sectors, particularly the fishing industry. The WHSCC has reallocated prevention resources to high-risk sectors and is working with industry sectors to further emphasize workplace safety. “One workplace fatality is one too many,” said WHSCC CEO Leslie Galway. “As we mourn the loss of so many, we must remember to take all steps and precautions in our workplace procedures, particularly in high risk areas, to ensure a year like 2009 never happens again. We must never be complacent. The key to future safety can be found through understanding how every incident occurred and how to prevent against these incidents.” Lost-time claims drop below 4,000 The number of workplace injuries resulting in lost-time compensation claims in the province dropped below 4,000 for the first time in 50 years, according the WHSCC’s 2009 Annual Report published in June 2010. continued on page 18

NewsFlash continued There were 3,999 lost-time injury claims in 2009, down from 4,255 a year earlier.

Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy responds to the need for safer workplaces

The last time the number of reported lost-time injury claims was below the 4,000 mark, was in 1958, when there were 3,410 claims. The number of claims has been above 4,000 ever since, peaking at 10,642 in 1989. The decline over the past decade is across all industry sectors.

Through the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has committed $80,000 over the next three years to increase young worker awareness about on-the-job safety through the Passport to Safety program.

Passport to Safety is a national health and safety awareness program developed by Safe Communities Canada that aims to revolutionize thinking among youth about on-the-job safety. After completing the program, youth will earn a certificate they can attach to their resumes. Passport to Safety is intended to become a foundation on which youth can build all the other essentials required to be safer and healthier workers.

The lost-time incidence rate, which measures the number of claims per 100 workers employed in the province, remained at 1.9 in 2009, and has declined steadily from a high of 3.2 in 2000. In other indicators, the number of medical aid-only claims in 2009 was 2,335, down 25.6 per cent from the 3,139 claims reported a year earlier. The incidence rate among young workers declined to 1.8 per 100 workers, down from 2.0 a year earlier.

The Passport to Safety program will be available to high-school aged youth in Newfoundland and Labrador throughout the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years. Young people can access the program by visiting: www.passporttosafety.com/nl where they can sign up for an account. Fishing industry safety video launched

First-Aid Technical Advisory Committee established The WHSCC has established a First-Aid Technical Advisory Committee with representation from the WHSCC, the Occupational Health and Safety Branch of the Department of Government Services, and industry representatives from St. John Ambulance and the Canadian Red Cross. The committee serves to identify safety issues related to First-Aid training, provide recommendations for potential resolution on issues as well as advice and recommendations on the standards for First-Aid training.

A safety video entitled Getting Back Home, has been launched to help eliminate fatalities and injuries in the fishing industry. It was produced Getting Back Home in partnership with the Getting Back Home is a safety video Department developed for the fishing industry to of Fisheries help eliminate injuries and fatalities. and Aquaculture, WHSCC, the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI), and the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board. The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University produced the video in conjunction with Memorial Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Distance Education and Learning Technologies. It will be distributed to all fish harvesters in the province.

The WHSCC has the mandate to establish standards authorizing training providers to deliver First-Aid training to employers in Newfoundland and Labrador, and has adopted standards outlined in the Canada Labour Code. First-Aid training providers who can demonstrate to the WHSCC that they meet these standards, are eligible to offer training to employers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Please visit the WHSCC website for a complete list of approved First-Aid training providers at: www.whscc.nl.ca/prevention, or contact the Prevention Services Department at (709) 778-1552.

WHSCC Prevention Workshop Series Ergonomics Prevention June 28 – St. Anthony June 30 – Corner Brook

Industrial Hygiene - Noise

Getting to Know WHSCC – An insight to our services July July July July July July July July

July 28 – St. John’s July 29 – St. John’s

6 – St. Anthony 8 – Corner Brook 14 – Labrador City 15 – Goose Bay 20 – Gander 21 – Clarenville 22 – Marystown 27 – Bay Roberts

September September September September September September September September September September

8 – Labrador City 9 – Goose Bay 14 – Gander 15 – Clarenville 16 – Marystown 21 – Corner Brook 23 – St. Anthony 28 – Bay Roberts 29 – St. John’s 30 – St. John’s

For information on how to register, venues and times call: 709-778-2926

Online services for employers Registered connect users can now file their Form 7 - Employer Report of Injury online. Not sure how to do this? Follow our step-by-step tutorial at: www.whscc.nl.ca Need a clearance letter? Simply go to whscc.nl.ca and follow the link to connect. After you register, your business you will be able to request clearance letters or set up a sub-contractor status list, and

be notified nightly of clearance status changes.

Tired of completing pages of occupational health and safety minutes?

Wondering about your current balance or last year’s assessment rate?

These minutes can now be submitted and managed online.

No need to call or write - account information is also online. If your business is already registered for connect, simply speak to your on-site connect administrator about using the service, which includes account balances, recent payments, rate history and cost reports.

For more information on connect services, call: 709-778-2902

Get ready, get set...connect whscc.nl.ca 19

Health and safety education: Be in the know! Regardless of whether you run a small, medium or large business, all employers have a legal responsibility to protect the health and safety of their employees. Via training programs, emails, intranets or the posting of information throughout your workplace, employees should be kept informed of new regulations, safety procedures, the use of safety equipment, security requirements and related information. At safework news we want to provide you with a quarterly package of information that will assist in carrying out your health and safety mandates. From safety shares to human interest stories, to news, accomplishments, and a listing of upcoming training sessions, conferences and events – we hope the content of this new publication will stimulate discussions on the needs and objectives for further development of occupational health and safety initiatives in our province’s workplaces. The underlying philosophy of occupational health and safety legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador is an internal responsibility system. Its foundation is that everyone in the workplace – both employees and employers – is responsible for their own health and safety and that of their co-workers. When it comes to health and safety, every worker regardless of age, has the following three basic rights in the workplace: 1. The right to know about hazards in the workplace and what precautions must be taken to prevent injuries from these hazards. 2. The right to participate in safety and health activities in the workplace without fear of any form of discriminatory action such as discipline. 3. The right to refuse work that one reasonably believes can be dangerous to oneself or others. When it comes to safety at work, it’s everyone’s responsibility. No one should have to risk injury or death, and by combining efforts employers and employees can learn from each other and find a safer way every day.

Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Editor

We would like to hear from you...

Kathy Dicks-Peyton is the Manager of Communications and Event Planning with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

Give us your insight on safework news content, or topics for discussion relating to employer assessments, workers’ compensation, and workplace health and safety. Send your comment to: safework news c/o Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission 146-148 Forest Road P.O. Box 9000 St. John’s NL A1A 3B8 or send us an email: kpeyton@whscc.nl.ca

Safework by Design Rod Stickman: workplace safety’s newest celebrity spokesperson A new collection of workplace safety videos from the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) take a hands-on approach to some key issues in occupational health and safety, told in the voice of a quirky character found in safety signage around the world. The animated character Rod Stickman is a two-dimensional spokesperson for workplace safety, offering tips for workers and employers on sprains and strains, returning to work, improving communication on workplace safety, avoiding slips and falls, and working from heights. The videos are part of the WHSCC’s marketing partnership with the Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Workers’ Compensation Boards. Developed in consultation with actual occupational health and safety committees and workplace safety professionals, the videos address a serious issue in an entertaining way. The videos are intended to inspire discussion and action at the workplace level to prevent injuries, to help people get back to work when they are hurt, and to ultimately reduce the human and financial toll workplace injury takes. Watch for more later this summer as the campaign rolls out. In the meantime, visit the Rod section of the Safe Work website at: www.whscc.nl.ca

To learn more, and to put Rod to work in your workplace.

In the workplace we have THREE basic rights.

Do you know what they are? 1. The Right to Know 2. The Right to Participate 3. The Right to Refuse

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