Canada to develop mental health at work standard • B.C. alliance launches roadside work safety campaign • WorkSafeBC consults on OHS injunctions policy • Signs point to safety at B.C. construction sites • At least one-half of leaders bully at work: Study • Ontario targets conveyor belts in safety inspections • Ontario issues about 1,100 orders associated with workplace violence bill • WorkSafe Saskatchewan and business launch safety glasses campaign
Canada to develop mental health at work standard
Canadian employers will have increased support for improving the psychological health and safety of employees with the development of a new Canada-wide standard. The voluntary National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace will provide organizations with the tools to achieve measurable improvement in psychological health and safety for Canadian employees, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC). Canada is the first country in the world to develop such a standard, according to the government.
B.C. alliance launches roadside work safety campaign
The Work Zone Safety Alliance has launched a “Cone Zone” safety campaign in British Columbia to make drivers more aware of the dangers to workers in potentially high-risk environments that are located close to traffic. Thousands of workers, including municipal workers, tow-truck drivers and emergency personnel work close to traffic every day, said the organization. The campaign is a provincial initiative supported by 16 organizations including WorkSafeBC. Its messages will encourage people to reduce their driving speeds and driver distractions and respect the roadside as a workplace.
WorkSafeBC consults on OHS injunctions policy
WorkSafeBC is looking for feedback on a discussion paper and new proposed policy on OHS injunctions. OHS injunctions, under the Workers Compensation Act, “are an effective tool to achieve compliance with health and safety requirements when other measures are unsuccessful,” according to the discussion paper. Currently, WorkSafeBC has no policy regarding these injunctions and a policy would increase awareness of these injunctions as a compliance tool and provide guidance to WorkSafeBC regarding their use, it said.
Signs point to safety at B.C. construction sites
Some construction sites in British Columbia have a new way to be reminded of workplace safety on the job — workers just need to check out the signs. WorkSafeBC and non-profit organization Preventable are working together on the initiative, which has put signs reminding workers about safety at eight pilot sites across the province. Construction is a high-risk industry, with 14,405 WorkSafeBC claims coming from construction worksites in 2010. Thirty-two of those injuries led to deaths, with 19 due to occupational disease, the highest number of work-related fatalities in any industry sector in the province, according to WorkSafeBC.
At least one-half of leaders bully at work: Study
More than half of leaders bully, according to a new study. Researchers from Toronto-based Iceberg Navigation interviewed 138 leaders, including 72 CEOs, 26 executive directors and 40 board chairs, from across North America in the public and private sector. The research suggests at least one-half of those interviewed are bullies, according to the organization.
Ontario targets conveyor belts in safety inspections
A two-month long enforcement blitz in Ontario focusing on conveyor belts has resulted in more than 3,000 work orders. Guarding was the biggest problem identified during inspections, which took place from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour. The orders were issued against 833 workplaces. Of the 3,092 orders, 944 involved machine guarding. The second most common order was for maintaining equipment and the third was taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers.
Ontario issues about 1,100 orders associated with workplace violence bill
In the year after Ontario passed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act to address workplace violence and harassment, the province has issued about 1,100 orders related to the new legislation, according to the ministry of labour. The legislation requires employers to assess workplace violence risks and develop workplace violence and harassment policies and programs. From June 15, 2010 to March 31, 2011, ministry of labour inspectors investigated more than 400 complaints involving workplace violence and issued about 600 orders associated with the new legislation. They also investigated more than 1,000 complaints involving workplace harassment.
WorkSafe Saskatchewan and business launch safety glasses campaign
Thousands of pairs of free safety glasses will be handed out across Saskatchewan this summer, thanks to a partnership between WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Magna Electric Corporation (MEC). The campaign was the brainchild of MEC president Kerry Heid, the 2010 WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Employer Award winner. Of the top five body parts injured at work in 2010 in Saskatchewan, eyes ranked third. The glasses will be handed out by MEC employees and distributed through presentations in high schools in the fall.
Canadian employers will have increased support for improving the psychological health and safety of employees with the development of a new Canada-wide standard. The voluntary National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace will provide organizations with the tools to achieve measurable improvement in psychological health and safety for Canadian employees, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC). Canada is the first country in the world to develop such a standard, according to the government.
B.C. alliance launches roadside work safety campaign
The Work Zone Safety Alliance has launched a “Cone Zone” safety campaign in British Columbia to make drivers more aware of the dangers to workers in potentially high-risk environments that are located close to traffic. Thousands of workers, including municipal workers, tow-truck drivers and emergency personnel work close to traffic every day, said the organization. The campaign is a provincial initiative supported by 16 organizations including WorkSafeBC. Its messages will encourage people to reduce their driving speeds and driver distractions and respect the roadside as a workplace.
WorkSafeBC consults on OHS injunctions policy
WorkSafeBC is looking for feedback on a discussion paper and new proposed policy on OHS injunctions. OHS injunctions, under the Workers Compensation Act, “are an effective tool to achieve compliance with health and safety requirements when other measures are unsuccessful,” according to the discussion paper. Currently, WorkSafeBC has no policy regarding these injunctions and a policy would increase awareness of these injunctions as a compliance tool and provide guidance to WorkSafeBC regarding their use, it said.
Signs point to safety at B.C. construction sites
Some construction sites in British Columbia have a new way to be reminded of workplace safety on the job — workers just need to check out the signs. WorkSafeBC and non-profit organization Preventable are working together on the initiative, which has put signs reminding workers about safety at eight pilot sites across the province. Construction is a high-risk industry, with 14,405 WorkSafeBC claims coming from construction worksites in 2010. Thirty-two of those injuries led to deaths, with 19 due to occupational disease, the highest number of work-related fatalities in any industry sector in the province, according to WorkSafeBC.
At least one-half of leaders bully at work: Study
More than half of leaders bully, according to a new study. Researchers from Toronto-based Iceberg Navigation interviewed 138 leaders, including 72 CEOs, 26 executive directors and 40 board chairs, from across North America in the public and private sector. The research suggests at least one-half of those interviewed are bullies, according to the organization.
Ontario targets conveyor belts in safety inspections
A two-month long enforcement blitz in Ontario focusing on conveyor belts has resulted in more than 3,000 work orders. Guarding was the biggest problem identified during inspections, which took place from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour. The orders were issued against 833 workplaces. Of the 3,092 orders, 944 involved machine guarding. The second most common order was for maintaining equipment and the third was taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers.
Ontario issues about 1,100 orders associated with workplace violence bill
In the year after Ontario passed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act to address workplace violence and harassment, the province has issued about 1,100 orders related to the new legislation, according to the ministry of labour. The legislation requires employers to assess workplace violence risks and develop workplace violence and harassment policies and programs. From June 15, 2010 to March 31, 2011, ministry of labour inspectors investigated more than 400 complaints involving workplace violence and issued about 600 orders associated with the new legislation. They also investigated more than 1,000 complaints involving workplace harassment.
WorkSafe Saskatchewan and business launch safety glasses campaign
Thousands of pairs of free safety glasses will be handed out across Saskatchewan this summer, thanks to a partnership between WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Magna Electric Corporation (MEC). The campaign was the brainchild of MEC president Kerry Heid, the 2010 WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Employer Award winner. Of the top five body parts injured at work in 2010 in Saskatchewan, eyes ranked third. The glasses will be handed out by MEC employees and distributed through presentations in high schools in the fall.
