Category: Training & education

Photo of a group of workers wearing hard hats and safety glasses, standing for a safety meeting

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 […]

Photo of Mitchell Martin, tow truck driver and owner of Mitchell's Towing, standing at the door of his tow truck.

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 […]

Photo of a young woman checking her head injury in the bathroom mirror.

A sports injury specialist in concussions explains why immediately recognizing and responding to concussion-causing events is so important.  In my previous post, Stunt performers join forces to tackle concussion, I wrote about stunt performers too often repeating a stunt, even when they are feeling effects of concussion from a prior attempt. Concussions affect other workers […]

Photo of Trawler vessel at anchor in a calm bay at Roche Cove, Sooke, British Columbia.

Commercial fishermen are likely to meet Fish Safe teams on docks, where they’re sharing information about preventing collisions.  The Port of Vancouver receives 3,160 vessels each year — about 9 ships per day, and it predicts this could increase to about 12 ships per day by 2026, based on a 2016 analysis. More vessels, tug […]

Photo from safety videos shows lego figures as workers standing in a row

B.C. students get creative with the theme of this year’s WorkSafeBC Student Safety Video Contest — “I am doing my part.”  For a unique look at how young workers can stop the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the workplace, see the winning entries in the WorkSafeBC Student Safety Video Contest. Each video […]

Photo of engineer using virtual reality goggles outdoors on construction site

Workplace health and safety training programs use virtual reality to recreate hazards, incidents, best practices, and more.  Several industries are using virtual reality (VR) to deliver workplace health and safety training. Workers can don their headsets and see images that simulate real-life workplace experiences. “The sky’s the limit. You can recreate any incident, any safe […]

Photo of person wearing non-medical face mask and holding sign in Mandarin "I'm doing my part"

COVID-19 health and safety information is available in 120+ languages in B.C., where more than a million people use languages other than English.  At first, I wondered if there was much point in writing — in English — about resources available in other languages. But I’m writing this with the hope that readers will pass […]

Photo of cleaning staff reaching as they disinfect elevator to avoid contagion

The risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) may increase at workplaces where processes have changed because of COVID-19 safety protocols.  During the past few months we’ve seen many changes in how people carry out their jobs. Physical distancing, protective barriers, increased cleaning measures, and other safety solutions may lead to workers moving differently. Workers at fast […]

Photo of person wearing face mask to protect against COVID-19 and about to climb ladder to put up winter holiday lights

Along with COVID-19 health and safety measures, remember to keep safety in mind for the usual seasonal activities like climbing ladders and driving in winter conditions.  Follow ladder safety when putting up decorations Putting up holiday lights is one tradition we can still enjoy while staying close to home. This year, I notice many people […]

Photo of a person working a ditch in the middle of the road, surrounded by cones on the roadside.

Freshen up your knowledge on traffic safety to help keep roadside workers safe while they do their jobs in the cone zone.  Mitchell Martin is a dad, husband, and soccer coach. He’s also a tow truck driver who provides crucial help for stranded drivers. Mitchell is one of more than 10,000 people who work on […]