Workplace health and safety programs generally focus on accident/incident assessment and avoidance, and are established to ensure that employees (and others) perceive the workplace as a stable environment in which they are able to carry out their jobs safely and effectively. However, many management teams fail to consider the fact that the ‘health’ aspect of[…]

  A workplace incident is categorized by severity, and generally defined as a situation or occurrence that adversely affects the safety and well-being of the people and/or operation of a facility. In order to deal with a workplace incident adequately, management must establish a plan for investigating, reporting and correcting the things that contributed to[…]

  The Global Harmonization System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals is a system proposed by the United Nations to standardize the labelling of chemicals around the world. The GHS has been in development for many years and is closer to implementation now than ever.   GHS is an international system designed to standardize the[…]

  The first Day of Mourning was recognized on April 28, 1984 by the Canadian Labour Congress. The Congress chose April 28 because on that day in 1914, the Workers Compensation Act was given third reading in the Ontario legislature. The British Columbia provincial government recognized its first Day of Mourning on April 28, 1987,[…]

  First aid response and treatment procedures should be a key component of any workplace OHS program. There will perhaps come a time when a worker, supervisor, customer or other visitor will suffer an illness or injury in your workplace that requires immediate first aid attention, and the responsibility is on employers to ensure that proper[…]

  Toolbox meetings (or crew talks) can be an effective way to deliver information, introduce new concepts, skills or procedures, and generate work-based discussions. Although most prevalent in the construction industry, toolbox meetings can be used to promote safety in the spectrum of workplace industries, environments and situations. Seizing the opportunity to hold an informal[…]

  The following is an excerpt from an article featured in the April 2008 issue of On-Site magazine titled “Software eases safety compliance”. The article, written by Adam Pletsch, puts the spotlight on Simply Safety as an efficient safety management tool.   Tracking safety-related information on the jobsite is an almighty challenge, especially when the[…]

  The safety of fallers working in BC’s forest industry comes into greater focus as the BC Forest Safety Council has announced updated safety requirements to ensure that fallers are adequately certified and evaluated. This year, the Council will be launching an annual renewal fee system for BC’s certified fallers, and will also be piloting[…]

  In 2008, the BC Forest Safety Council will introduce three new initiatives, working to enhance occupational health and safety in BC’s forestry industry. While the Council will of course continue to focus on existing programs, it will also address issues of forest worker wellness, improved incident reporting and investigation methods, and expanding the involvement[…]

  In November 2007, OSHA announced its final rule regarding who is responsible for paying for employee Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). While many OSHA standards require that employers provide PPE to employees to protect them from potential job-related injuries, illnesses, or fatalities, it has previously been unclear whether the employer or the employee is responsible[…]