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In the News
If your work involves lifting, you are likely at some risk for injury, especially to your lower back. Whenever possible, try to eliminate the risk by re-thinking the work - reduce awkward postures and forceful movements. Reduce the weight, lifting time, distance the item is carried, and the repetitive nature. While it may not be realistic to completely eliminate all of the risks associated with lifting, the number and the severity of injuries may be greatly reduced by implementing these safe work practices.
Prepare and plan for the lift
Hazard Alert
The ideal conditions and temperatures for potato harvesting in Canada begin in mid September and continue until the middle of October. With only weeks to get the crop in, farmers often have to hire additional people to work in the fields and the storage buildings. There are many risks involved in potato harvesting including working with large machinery, motorized vehicles, long hours, all kinds of weather conditions.
These seasonal workers may not have previous farm experience, which makes it all the more important for all workers to be given a safety orientation with a complete review of safety procedures and practices to prevent injuries.
The prevention update prepared by the Workers' Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island (PEI) offers the following guidelines to help keep workers safe.
General
To reduce the risk of injury, don't allow visitors, including family and friends of workers, in the fields. Also, no child under the age of 14 should be allowed in the fields or in the trucks. Make sure workers are properly trained and follow safe work procedures for the equipment they are working on.
Review the following safety tips to help ensure that all workers have received an adequate orientation:
Operators
Partner News
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes mental health as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.
In a European campaign "work. in tune with life. move europe", the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) has focused on helping promote mental health in workplaces.
The main objective of the campaign is to increase awareness among organizations and the general public about the need for, and the benefits of, mental health promotion at the workplace. Additionally, useful and practical measures and models on promoting and preserving mental health will be shared amongst the organizations participating in the campaign. Based on the available literature and examples of good practices collected, materials will be produced to help employers and employees implement measures to promote good mental health at work.
The official launch of the campaign is set to take place October 2009 at the joint ENWHP / ProMenPol Conference in Berlin.
The ENWHP has carried out a number of important European initiatives over the past decade which have established workplace health promotion (WHP) as a focus for public health. The "Promoting Good Practice for Mental Health at the Workplace" campaign is their eighth initiative to date.
Learn more about "Promoting Good Practice for Mental Health at the Workplace" campaign.
CCOHS News
With the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting that the number of human cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 continues to increase, and the flu season in Canada approaching (usually runs from November to April), planning for the impact of an influenza pandemic is essential. Now is the time for Canadians to take steps to be ready for an influenza pandemic. Organizations should put contingency plans in place to ensure core business activities can be maintained over several weeks if a high number of employees become ill and have to stay home.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has a variety of tools to inform you and help you prepare for an influenza pandemic, and help minimize the impact.
Be informed
Take the free, twenty-minute Pandemic Awareness e-course and learn what a pandemic is and how it may affect our workplaces and communities. Find out ways to help stay healthy and reduce the spread of the virus.
Learn the steps that workplaces can take to plan for employee absences and business continuity during a pandemic to minimize its impact, in the hour-long Pandemic Planning e-course.
Listen to the free ten-minute long podcast, Planning for Influenza, as CCOHS President and CEO Len Hong discusses how organizations can plan and prepare for a possible flu outbreak by having a business continuity plan.
Be resourceful
The CCOHS Pandemic Planning website provides tools and resources to help you, your workplace and community to prepare for a flu pandemic and help you and your family stay as healthy as possible.
The toolkit can help get your business ready:
Get the answers to your pandemic planning questions from the fact sheets in OSH Answers.
Spread the word and prevent the spread
Get your prevention messages out to your employees with CCOHS posters. Get the Upper Hand on Germs shows the correct way to hand wash. Prevent the Spread illustrates healthy hygiene habits that help prevent the spread of viruses in the workplace. These posters can be downloaded for free or ordered as full poster sized, colour prints (English on one side, French on the other).
Be ready
Start planning now so you can be ready when a flu pandemic strikes. Let CCOHS help you prepare to meet the challenges of a flu pandemic.
Helpful Links:
Pandemic Planning website: www.ccohs.ca/pandemic/
Pandemic Awareness e-course: www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/pandemic_aware/
Planning for Influenza podcast
Pandemic planning OSH Answers: www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/pandemic_flu.html
Listing of Canadian and International Pandemic Plans, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Posters: www.ccohs.ca/products/posters/
The Health and Safety Report, a free monthly newsletter produced by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), provides information, advice, and resources that help support a safe and healthy work environment and the total well being of workers.
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