I visit many places online when I’m looking for ideas about what to write for this blog. One great source is WorkSafeBC’s monthly Health and Safety Enews. Since this blog began in 2010, I’ve talked about health and safety with hundreds of people in different industries. Many of their stories will stay with me forever. […]
New videos explore what motivates agriculture workers to make safe choices. One reason, beyond rules and regulations, is having family who rely on you. Reg Steward has had many opportunities to learn about what motivates people to work safely. For the past 18 years, he’s worked with AgSafe, the health and safety association for B.C.’s […]
“If I could save another person from drowning … I’ll be so happy.” Survivors speak out with hope in new WorkSafeBC video to keep others safe on the water. Wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) could have made all the difference. That’s the message in Turning the Tide: PFDs in the Fishing Industry, a new […]
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 […]
