Health and Safety ReportVolume 4, Issue 9 - September 2006

When workers incur injuries or illnesses from the workplace, the costs - both human and financial - are high. The financial impact on the employer when one employee gets injured in a workplace accident is approximately $5,000 in lost work days. The more than 5 million such accidents that occur in Canada every year, translates into over 50 million lost work days annually.

Employees, too, pay a hefty price. A serious injury may result in anxiety or depression, strained relationships with co-workers, and a disrupted life at home. Injured workers suddenly find themselves on a reduced income and often with wait times for compensation payments.

The obvious solution to minimizing the impact of workplace injuries is to eliminate the incidents that cause injuries to workers. However when injuries do occur, a safe and timely return to work for the injured employee - as soon as medically possible - can greatly reduce the financial and emotional burdens.

Studies show that early intervention is critical. At six months post-injury, an injured person's likelihood of returning to work falls below 50%. At one year, the rate is 20% and at 2 years, less than 2%. The loss continues to be costly as the employer must hire and train replacement workers and reschedule jobs.

Both the employer and the employee benefit from a timely and safe return to work. The injured worker earns an income again and remains active and productive, both of which are important to the healing and recovery process. The employer benefits by retaining the employee and his/her accumulated knowledge and experience.

Under both provincial and federal Human Rights legislation, employers have a duty to make every reasonable effort to accommodate an employee covered by a protected ground of discrimination within human rights legislation, which includes physical or mental disability.

While the specific steps may vary from place to place, under occupational health and safety law, employers, employees and their compensation boards all have certain legal obligations that support a safe and early return to work. Employers are required to contact the worker as soon as possible after the injury and maintain communication while the worker is recovering. They must also attempt to provide suitable employment that's consistent with the worker's functional abilities and restores, if possible, the worker's pre-injury earnings. The compensation board must receive all of this information. Compensation boards may also have other or varying requirements

The employee, too, must maintain contact with the employer after the injury, assist in the process of identifying suitable employment, and keep the compensation board informed as required.

After an injury, it's a good idea for the employer to complete a Physical Demands form, with input from the employee and other people who are familiar with the job and what it entails. This form should go to the employee's doctor. Once the doctor has reviewed the job's physical demands, he or she can complete a Functional Abilities form to state exactly what tasks the injured employee can or cannot perform. At this stage, it's time to establish a Return to Work Plan to outline the individual's goals, timelines, and clearly defined responsibilities.

These are just the initial steps of a Return to Work program. Ongoing monitoring of the worker, and addressing any issues as soon as they arise, require diligence and a well-structured plan.

Return to Work is a shared responsibility. Everyone working together towards a common goal of early and safe return to productive work for the employee can help reduce the human and economic impact of workplace injuries and illness.

You can't see them, but you might be able to outsmart them - here are some tips to help slow down those "germs" that spread infections and make "holes" in the employee attendance records.

Individuals can slow the spread of infections, primarily by staying healthy. That means a well-balanced diet, regular exercise and plenty of sleep. But there are other ways to lessen the spread of infections too. One of the best is frequent hand washing - all you need is soap and warm water - and to wash, especially after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Also, when you are out in public, try to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, which are potential routes of entry.

Other tips to help stop the spread of "germs"? When you have a cold or flu, stay home so you don't spread it to other people. The old rule of covering your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing still applies, but be sure to use a tissue so you can throw it away.

A workplace can proactively help in prevention of infectious illnesses by implementing an infection control plan. This plan should include ensuring proper ventilation, and providing clean facilities for hand washing. If washing facilities are not possible or if workers are on the road, waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used. If a very bad cold or flu is making its way through the office, you can also try to reduce the number of "things" that get touched by other people - ask people to not share mugs or dishes, and remove magazines and papers from waiting areas or common rooms.

Other ways to squash a bug

Cleaning - Influenza viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to 2 days. In most workplaces and homes, cleaning floors, walls, doorknobs, etc with soap and water is very adequate. In some workplaces, such as a hospital or health care facility, further cleaning can be done. When necessary, work surfaces can be cleaned using a bleach and water solution, or alcohol, depending on the surface (visit the OSH Answers link at the end of this article for more information).

Social distancing - Not to be antisocial, but sometimes handshakes may not be appropriate. Also, viruses spread easily in large crowds, so keeping a distance of at least one metre (3 feet) will slow their spread. As added precaution, you may want to replace face-to-face meetings with phone calls, or video conferences. In a pandemic situation, it may be necessary to allow employees to work from home, or to work flexible hours (to keep the number of interactions to a minimum). You may also want to think about keep large gatherings such as meetings and workshops and business travel, to a minimum.

Employees who feel empowered and valued at their workplace are more productive, more loyal, less stressed, and have better physical, emotional, spiritual, social and mental health. According to the last 20 years of research, healthy organizations are good for employees, the business and the bottom line. It has become an accepted fact that healthy organizations have a competitive advantage and incur fewer costs associated with absenteeism, recruitment and healthcare.

To celebrate the increasingly popular phenomenon of healthy workplaces, Canada sets aside a week each year. This year's Healthy Workplace Week will take place October 23-29, 2006. Workplaces are invited to organize their own activities to increase awareness about the positive impact workplace health has on personal and organizational performance.

The theme for Healthy Workplace Week 2006 is "Make a Difference in Your Workplace." Even small actions can make a big difference, which is why individuals have the influence to create at least a "pocket of health" in their organization. Small, positive actions often have a ripple effect.

Studies reveal that every healthy, high-performing organization happens to have a senior decision-maker who was committed to creating a healthy workplace at an early stage in the process. These executives recognized the need to create an environment where people can buy into a vision, and where they feel respected and listened to. They are committed to ensuring a healthy balance between workers' home and work lives. They encourage creativity, innovation, and productivity, which inevitably lead to profit. If this sounds fairly simple, it is - but it doesn't happen overnight.

An on-line resource, www.healthyworkplaceweek.ca, can help your organization get started. The site features activities to enhance an individual's well-being, activities to support managers, and activities for organizations to implement.

There is no limit to how your organization can participate. For starters, the Healthy Workplace Week website gives examples of the top activities companies have done in previous years. These include giving out healthy workplace report cards, conducting a "Workplace Health Fair" or a personal health quiz, and other suggestions as shared by the organizations that came up with them.

The key is to focus on what's already going well in your workplace and aim to do even better. Try these tried-and-true ideas, or find your unique way of celebrating Healthy Workplace Week to give your organization a well-deserved pat on the back and promote good health.

Anyone working with a hazardous material should understand its hazards, as well as the necessary controls for working safely with the material and what to do in case of an emergency. Canada's Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) makes it a legal requirement for employers to supply chemical safety information to all workers, through labels on chemical products, and material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and to provide appropriate training. An MSDS contains information on how to safely handle the product and is an important part of a workplace chemical safety program. Understanding this information is essential!

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) introduces an e-learning course designed to be part of a full chemical safety training program. WHMIS: Understanding MSDSs teaches workers, supervisors and health and safety committee members, and anyone who uses MSDSs about the 16 different sections of an MSDS covering product identification, hazard identification and control, emergency preparedness and response, and more. Course participants will gain an understanding of the purpose of WHMIS labels and MSDSs. They will learn to appreciate the significance of the information that's required in the different sections of an MSDS. The course explains how to identify hazards and precautions from a product label and MSDS. The course also includes a glossary of chemical terminology and information on where to get additional information.

This intermediate level course meets the requirements of provincial and federal regulations in Canada for MSDS training. A computer with Internet access is the only equipment required. Participants can learn at their convenience, at their own pace and in their own environment. This e-course takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete.

CCOHS has an established reputation as a leading provider of thorough, authoritative information. Course contents undergo a review from labour, employer and government representatives to ensure the information and approach are credible and unbiased.

Two sales clerks in British Columbia, who were working in a retail store in evening, encountered a shoplifter who tried to bolt out of the store instead of stopping at the cash register. One of the sales clerks grabbed the shoplifter and was dragged outside the store. The shoplifter swung a bottle at the sales clerk, who was cut and required stitches.

WorkSafe BC reminds workers that no one should try to physically stop a shoplifter unless they have received specialized training in how to intervene without risk to themselves or to co-workers. When a shoplifter is about to exit the building, it's best not to lock the doors; people who feel trapped are more likely to panic and become violent. Stay at arm's length away from the shoplifter. Don't try to chase the shoplifter, but make a mental note of his or her height, weight, hair and skin colour, features, clothing and shoes. Report the incident immediately to your manager, security or police.

Employers can help prevent incidents like the above by implementing a theft prevention plan that considers the business' hours of operation, the store layout, and employees who work alone. Employees should all be trained in the safe way to respond if they see a shoplifter. Employers can dissuade a potential shoplifter by making sure the store is well-lit and has good visibility throughout. Employees who make eye contact and greet everyone who enters will also help discourage shoplifters, who prefer to avoid attention.

In another BC workplace, an explosion occurred while cakes were baking in an industrial, gas-fired rack oven. The oven door, which weighed about 200 pounds, was blown off the oven, causing significant damage. Several workers suffered ringing in their ears and other minor injuries. The incident could have seriously injured or killed someone.

BC Safety Authority investigated the incident, and found that the draft control had not been properly set up. Furthermore, the oven had not been adequately maintained and serviced, and its burner mountings, heat exchanger and other components had overheated, cracked, and deteriorated. This caused unburned gases to be sucked into the baking chamber, causing the explosion.

To prevent a gas explosion from an industrial oven, bakery employers should obtain relevant information on inspections, service and safety, from the manufacturer. Gas-fired ovens should be inspected and serviced at least every six months. The draft of a rack oven must be set up in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Only a qualified person, such as a certified gas fitter working for a licensed gas contractor, should conduct the inspections and servicing.

Licensed gas contractors must ensure that rack ovens are set up according to the manufacturer's draft requirements and take into account ambient pressures that may affect draft. Follow the manufacturer's checklist for inspection and maintenance.