Read how to make the most of your safety meetings, so your workers learn and retain health and safety information. Workplace health and safety training starts on the first day of work, with an orientation for new workers. It’s a regulatory requirement — part of an overall health and safety program. I wrote about this […]
Handling electric vehicle batteries can put workers at risk. Here are some of the hazards and risk controls you should know, as an employer. As the use of electric vehicles (EVs) increases, safety advocates are looking at how to improve safety for workers who tow, recover, and recycle them. EVs are powered by high-voltage lithium-ion […]
Find out how haunted houses stay scary while keeping communicable disease prevention in mind, and learn other Halloween safety tips for 2021. Haunted house organizers have changed the way they scare people during the pandemic. One organizer described the challenges of keeping people 2 metres apart, to meet physical distancing requirements. “How do you elicit […]
Online training does not replace the site-specific training that new workers need. An OHS consultant weighs in with tips for employers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online training has become more popular than ever. “The pandemic resulted in a clear paradigm shift to virtual learning; training could continue, remote teams could be connected, and the value […]
Here’s some advice for anyone who needs new winter tires — including what type of tires to get, when to use chains, and why stock in stores may be low. Winter tires are an investment in safety — for you, your family and friends, and others sharing the road. Tires with adequate traction are essential […]
As an employer, you need an anti-bullying and harassment strategy to protect workers who check customers’ vaccine status. As of September 13, B.C. employers are required to check the proof of vaccination for anyone who wants to access certain events, services, and businesses. This includes, for example: Restaurants with table service (indoor and patio dining) […]
Communication, training — and math — are all key for the crews who recover and lift heavy-duty vehicles from challenging terrain. It’s a heavy responsibility that requires advanced math skills. “When you have a 100,000-pound load suspended in the air by a tow truck and have to move it as well, what kind of forces […]
Employers must ensure that non-qualified workers and their materials, equipment, and machinery remain at least 3 metres (10 feet) away from high-voltage sources. Power lines overhead and underground pose a risk of electric shock to workers in many different industries. For example, this summer in B.C., a landscaping worker sustained an electric shock during tree-falling […]
If you work with spray foam insulation or finish coatings, you may be exposed to isocyanates, and should know the health effects of working with them. Exposure to isocyanates — chemicals released into the air by varnishes, paints, coatings, and insulating spray foams — is often a silent exposure. Recently, I noticed on Twitter that […]
As students head back to school and many people return to work, remember to share our roads safely and watch out for people working in the Cone Zone. It’s that time of year again: Students are going back to school. And this year many people are returning to their offices after working from home. If […]
