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In the News
Working at heights is by nature a risky business. Nonetheless, construction workers, painters, window washers, firefighters, scaffolders and live performance workers are among those whose jobs require them to work at elevations. The question of safety is paramount in their performance. Prevention is the goal, but if falls do occur, a method of arresting or stopping and cushioning the impact is necessary.
Much research has focused on the best methods of fall prevention. The obvious one is simply to eliminate the risk of a fall by eliminating the need to work at heights. In the construction and other trades, however, this is impractical. Several studies have looked at the effectiveness of various safety devices for workers who are at risk of falling more than 2.4 meters (8 feet). These devices include:
Hazard Alert
A New Brunswick worker who was completing repairs in a chipper machine left one of his tools inside the conveyor. When he descended into the conveyor to retrieve the tool, someone started the conveyor at the operator's console. The worker was crushed to death in the machine.
Too many workers lose their limbs or their lives from working on machinery that is not properly locked out. New Brunswick's Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) has issued a hazard alert, "Lock Out -- Your Life and Limbs Depend On It" to raise awareness of the importance of lockout procedures for all potentially hazardous machinery.
The WHSCC recommends the following preventive action:
CCOHS News
People who fall down don't always fall from a great height. In fact the majority, approximately 60 percent, fall because they have slipped or tripped at ground level. These same-level falls are a common cause of injury and disability in the workplace.
A new online e-course from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) offers guidance on how to prevent same-level falls in the workplace. It contains practical information, tips, and examples to help workers, managers, supervisors and health and safety committees understand the causes of falls and take preventive action. The information applies to all work environments, including offices, the service sector, manufacturing and construction.
Users will learn the basic causes of slips, trips and falls. The course explains how factors such as floor surface, stairs, walkways, housekeeping, obstructions, spills, and outdoor slip/trip hazards can all determine whether or not a workplace is a safe place to walk. It focuses on injury prevention, and outlines the responsibilities of workers and employers under occupational health and safety law.
The content of "Preventing Falls from Slips and Trips" is suitable for managers, supervisors and workers who may encounter slip and trip hazards in the workplace, and for facilities managers, workplace committee members, safety professionals and human resources staff who are responsible for safety training and compliance. Anyone who needs to improve their awareness of same-level fall hazards can benefit from this course.
The course on average takes 45-50 minutes to complete. A certificate of completion is issued after the learner passes the exam. The user-friendly, online e-learning format allows users to learn at their own pace, in their own environment.
E-learning courses from CCOHS are unique in that they provide the user with course content that is:
OSH Answers
If you, like most working Canadians, are hearing a lot about WHMIS but aren't exactly sure what it's all about, the following Q&A might shed light on the beloved acronym.
What is WHMIS?
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is Canada's comprehensive way of providing information on the safe use of hazardous materials used in workplaces. That information comes in the form of hazard identification and classification through product labels, material safety data sheets (MSDS) and worker education programs.
What is the purpose of WHMIS training?
The overall goal is to give workers knowledge and information that will protect their health and safety every day on the job.
Do I have to be educated and trained in WHMIS?
Yes. All Canadian jurisdictions require that employers develop, implement, and maintain a worker education program that will enable workers to work safely with hazardous chemicals. The first step is classification (i.e. is it a controlled product?) of the products used in your workplace. You are required to learn how to use product labels and data sheets, how products may affect a person's health or safety, and what the necessary safety and emergency response procedures are in the workplace.
What do you mean by 'controlled product?'
Controlled products are what we call products, materials, and substances that are regulated by WHMIS legislation. (Products that are not controlled don't need labels, MSDS's or training). All controlled products fall into one or more of six WHMIS classes that consider the product's health, fire and reactivity hazards.
What, in general, does a WHMIS training program include?
Very simply, training typically has two parts:
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