When it comes to workplace safety, one size does not fit all. Photo credit: © WorkSafeBC (Workers’ Compensation Board of B.C.), used with permission By Marnie Douglas Ensuring personal protective equipment (PPE) fits every worker isn’t just a best practice; it’s a critical requirement for creating safe and inclusive work environments. Body shape, size, and […]
The guideline outlines the requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE) to be available for all body types, not just sized for men’s bodies. A new guideline addressing the issue of ill-fitting PPE, which can compromise worker safety, came into effect in November 2022. I instantly thought about Jodi Huettner when I read a recent WorkSafeBC […]
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 […]
The E-Limit tool gives workers, employers, and occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals easy access to exposure limits for B.C. An exposure limit is “the maximum allowed airborne concentration for a particular substance from which nearly all workers are believed to experience no adverse health effects over a working lifetime.” In other words, it’s the […]
Every day we face moments of decision, moments where we need to make safe choices, like fastening a seat belt and paying attention to yellow lines. Long ago, back in the 80s, I was sitting in the passenger seat of my mom’s car after school. As we drove along, she reminded me to put on […]
Choose and use the right hose for the fuel you are storing or distributing to help prevent rare but catastrophic explosions. In 2017, a fuel transfer worker died when gasoline vapours were ignited by a spark from static electricity. (See Fuel tanker explodes, fatally injuring worker for details of this incident.) This type of tragedy […]
Boots are important for protecting your feet from hazards in your workplace. They require regular inspection, just like any other type of PPE. Recently I read an article in OHS Canada about when to replace workboots. To find out more about workboots, I contacted Theresa O’Hara, an occupational health and safety officer with WorkSafeBC who […]
Find out how new technology and updated training and supervision requirements are helping improve safety for traffic control workers. “Being able to take workers off the road and away from traffic helps negate the very real danger that is present every minute of each shift,” says Fred Bradshaw, Saskatchewan’s Highways Minister, in a Journal of […]
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 […]
X-ray technology is increasingly being used by employers to inspect the safety and quality of products. They need to know its impact on worker safety. X-ray machines are not new. For many decades, we’ve seen them used for medical, dental, and veterinary diagnostics. All of these machines are used by highly trained people and are […]
