Harmful asbestos fibres can be found in more than 3,000 common building materials. Recently, a friend of mine said their 18-unit condo building had a plumbing job done and found asbestos in the drywall from 1977. The contractor followed all safety procedures and notified residents. At Simon Fraser University, hazardous material experts are assessing its […]
Listening and responding to workers’ concerns and suggestions is an essential way that employers can improve the health and safety culture of their workplace. Recently, I spoke with an elevator mechanic who shared a very good example of positive health and safety culture. While repairing or modernizing elevators, he and his crew would often come […]
A new web-based tool provides health and safety information through a customized report. The first version of the My Health & Safety Resources tool from WorkSafeBC is live. It’s now easier for workers and employers to get health and safety information relevant to your industry. This includes finding out which specific requirements of B.C.’s Occupational […]
Here’s how to improve safety when driving during the winter in B.C. Winter is coming. And for some, winter-type weather is already here. The first thing I ask myself before I drive during the winter is: Do I really need to go? Chances are, I don’t. But sometimes you really do need to drive. It […]
Emergency information tubes include maps, information about power sources, and more that responders need to know about evacuated properties. It’s been a year since B.C.’s atmospheric river event caused catastrophic flooding and landslides. So many have been hit hard by its effects. Lives have been changed. Employers are still rebuilding and being prepared is on […]
Regulation changes in B.C. outline employer responsibility when unsafe work refusal is unresolved, and work is reassigned. The refusal of unsafe work is a fundamental right for workers. It’s also a responsibility. The new amendments to B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation support this right by specifying how employers must respond. An employer must investigate […]
Employers must support workers during ongoing labour shortage that often leads to longer shifts, less supervision, and more responsibilities. Due to recent staff shortages, workers are finding themselves in situations they may not have experienced in the past. The labour shortage means that many hospitality workers are working longer hours, with less supervision and more […]
Slips, trips, and falls are preventable in restaurants when employers work with front-line workers to address hazards. A friend of mine was working in the kitchen at a popular nightclub. He says: “I was taking a hotel tray of chicken wings out for a buffet we were putting on. I lost my footing because of […]
A risk of exposure to fire and explosion exists for workers who weld or do other work that generates sparks and can ignite fuel when oxygen is also present. “Hot work” is any task that involves burning, welding, riveting, grinding, or using fire- or spark-producing tools, or other work that produces a source of ignition. […]
A mechanical engineer shares how her experience with poorly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) sparked her to start designing safety clothing for women. Being able to use a washroom is something we rarely discuss and often take for granted. But for many women who work outdoors, it can be a major ordeal. “Trying to answer […]
