My friend developed a bad case of Lyme disease after getting a tick bite. The risk is low in B.C. but we still need to know how to prevent and handle bites. In 2004, my friend Alessandro was bitten by a tick while picking grapes in his East Vancouver yard. At one point, he noticed […]
Please use caution when carrying ladders through passageways, doorways, or any place where your view is obstructed – I was nearly hit by one last spring. It’s time for spring cleaning! But before you haul out your ladder at work or at home, I have something to say about ladder safety. Usually we talk about […]
Have you ever wondered about the name of the Ironworkers Memorial bridge? This video shares stories from some workers who survived its collapse in 1958. The worst industrial disaster in Vancouver’s history happened on June 17, 1958, when one of the spans being constructed for the new Second Narrows Bridge collapsed. Seventy-nine workers plunged into […]
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? How about getting more sleep? See why it’s a good idea; read the NSC’s 2017 Employee Survey on Workplace Fatigue. My New Year’s resolution for 2018 is to get more sleep. Being tired is something I avoid as much as possible, but occasionally I stay up too late […]
This is my last post of the year. Here’s 2017 in review, with my top moments from the year. Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting. See you in 2018. I’d like to thank everyone for speaking of safety with me in 2017. Thanks to all my readers and to all the experts who shared […]
Asbestos is toxic but was once prized for its fire-proof properties. People used it to insulate pipes, flooring, drywall, and more. Kids even played in it. “It had a white dust that drifted down when you ran your toy trucks on it,” says Trevor, who lived in the asbestos mining town of Cassiar, B.C. as […]
A viral video from Burnaby shows more work is needed to keep traffic flaggers safe. Drivers need to step up for the safety of people working on roads. Recently a video of a Burnaby flagger hit by a car went viral. The CBC has since reported that the driver in the viral video was charged with […]
Chlorine helps sanitize swimming pools, but can be dangerous if handled improperly. Learn about the hazards of chlorine and how to protect yourself. The big ceiling fans at the pool were blowing down during our warm-up for seniors’ aquafit, and one older lady was clearly not happy about the breeze. I was by far the youngest […]
“How do you speak up for safety?” That’s the theme of WorkSafeBC’s 2017 Student safety video contest. The contest challenges B.C. students in Grades 8 to 12 to answer this question in a creative video, then post it on YouTube, where people can vote for their favourites. All styles of video — drama, comedy, documentary, music […]
It’s really hard to watch — but so worth watching. A powerful new video tells the story of a young worker who was badly injured in a restaurant kitchen. Matthew Bowcott was 19 when he slipped on a wet kitchen floor while carrying a big container of boiling cooking oil to a disposal bin. He […]
