GET COMPLIANT - Safety Meeting Topics

COVID-19 AN ISSUE IN COMMON AREAS AT WORK

1/18/2021

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) incident monitoring shows an increase in COVID-19 exposure with the failure of controls in workplace common areas.

What can you do?
Have your safety representative conduct a hazard assessment and control to consider things like:

the size of the area
the number of people using the area
how people move through the area
high touch surface

When a hazard cannot be eliminated, it needs to be controlled.
Be sure to follow the standardized hierarchy of controls that must be followed:
1. first choice – engineering controls (e.g. plexiglass barriers) 2. second choice – administrative controls (e.g. staggering break times) 3. third choice – personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g. gloves, face shields, respirators).

Don't forget, all employers need to have procedures for rapid response if or when workers show symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.

Alberta declares public state of emergency

11/25/2020

Are you and your business compliant?

Mandatory restriction – Effective Nov. 27
Businesses that are closed for in-person service include:

Banquet halls, conference centres, trade shows, auditoria and concert venues, non-approved/licensed markets, community centres
Children’s play places or indoor playgrounds
All levels of sport (professional, semi-professional, junior, collegiate/universities and amateur). Exemptions may be considered.

EnforcementIf you violate a public health order, you may be subject to a $1,000 fine. Additionally, you can be prosecuted for up to $100,000 for a first offense.

We can help protect you and your business with simple measures to ensure you are comlying with government regulation and standards. OH&S officers are now doing random checks on compliance, so you need to be prepared to show you are doing your part to combat COVID-19 and adhering to the rules.

Stay informed - relaunch guidance

7/23/2020

Masks becoming mandatory...

Stay up-to-date on what you and your business can do to stay safe, and ensure compliance with the recommended best-practices from the Province of Alberta.

COVID-19 can be spread by infected individuals who have not yet, or who may never develop symptoms. Masks, including homemade cloth masks or non-medical face masks, are another way to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 in areas where physical distancing (2 metres distance between individuals) may be challenging or not possible.

For more information, follow the link:
COVID-19 information:guidance for wearing non-medical masks

Respiratory virus and the workplace

7/7/2020

Working alone

7/6/2020

Simply put, working alone is defined by CCOHS as, "when they are on their own; when they cannot be seen or heard by another person."

While working alone isn't always a problem, it can be when high risk activities are being completed. This includes:

At heights.
In confined spaces (such as tanks, grain bins or elevators, culverts, etc.).
With electricity or other forms of hazardous energy.
With hazardous products.
With hazardous equipment such as chainsaws or firearms.
With the public, where there is a potential for violence.

For more information visit:
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/workingalone.html

6 Important Tips to Stay Safe When Working Alone

Wear protective equipment- Hard hats, gloves, goggles, reinforced-toe boots and other equipment may be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time but they exist for a reason: Your protection. When you’re working alone, wear all the protective gear necessary to ensure your safety. If you don’t, you could injure yourself and remember, you’re alone so it could take some time before someone comes to your rescue.
Take note of your surroundings - When you arrive at your destination, especially if it’s somewhere you’ve never been, take stock of what’s around you. Whether you’re visiting a client’s home or heading to an unfamiliar environment, taking note of your surroundings will keep you safe. If there’s something out of the ordinary you’ll be able to stop it right away and remove yourself from danger. Furthermore, you should know where the exits are. Should something happen and you need to get out of harm’s way quickly, knowing where the exits are will save you time and in severe cases, your life.
Do not misuse equipment - If you’re not sure how to use a piece of equipment, don’t try. When you’re working alone and operating heavy machinery and other potentially dangerous equipment, you should know how it works, what it does and how to properly use it. If you don’t, you could risk injury.
Report all on-the-job injuries - Every injury from small cuts and scrapes to broken limbs need to be reported to your employer immediately. You may think a scrape isn’t a big deal but to your employer it means that something is getting in the way of your safety. Remember that you’re alone and this time it’s only a scrape, next time it could be a broken leg.
Keep first-aid materials handy - First aid kids and other life saving materials need to be within your reach when you’re working alone. You should be able to get to them in an emergency, especially since it could be some time before help arrives.
Check in - If your employer has not implemented a check-in system, you should bring this to their attention immediately. Most alarm and protection companies offer check-in systems for lone workers. These check-ins can be done through an app, on the phone, over radio – basically, however you need it to be done and at whatever intervals necessary. Check-ins help your employer know that you are safe when you arrive at a job site, during your workday and that you arrived at home safely after you’re done.

Ladder safety

5/13/2020

Legislation and construction regulations require that almost every business have a ladder policy in place. The policy should cover: inspection; repair, and disposal.

If you choose to use a ladder at work, you should do a risk assessment for ladder safety. There is a lot of information available on ladder safety, and it is a serious issue and cause of workplace accidents, and even deaths.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has a thorough muli-module review of all facets of ladder safety, which you can access through the link below (click on the CCOHS badge below).

Do | Don't...

Safe Extension Ladder Use—DO:

Maintain a 3-point contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) when climbing/descending a ladder.
Face the ladder when climbing or descending.
Keep the body inside the side rails.
Use extra care when getting on or off the ladder at the top or bottom.
Avoid tipping the ladder over sideways or causing the ladder base to slide out.
Carry tools in a tool belt or raise tools up using a hand line. Never carry tools in your hands while climbing up/down a ladder.
Extend the top of the ladder three feet above the landing.
Keep ladders free of any slippery materials.

Safe Extension Ladder Use—DON’T:

Place a ladder on boxes, barrels, or unstable bases.
Use a ladder on soft ground or unstable footing.
Exceed the ladder’s maximum load rating.
Tie two ladders together to make them longer.
Ignore nearby overhead power lines.
Move or shift a ladder with a person or equipment on the ladder.
Lean out beyond the ladder’s side rails.
Use an extension ladder horizontally like a platform.

In Canada alone, more then 40, 000 workers are injured each year due to falling accidents, often because ladders are in poor condition or not used properly.
Source: OHS Canada

Here is a very helpful overview of basic ladder safety. Every employee who uses ladders should be very familiar with ladder safety, and every employer has a duty to review and discuss workplace ladder safety with their employees.

effective workplace housekeeping

5/1/2020

Effective housekeeping is an excellent form of 'control' and/or it can single-handily eliminate workplace hazards.

Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation: it is not a one-time or hit-and-miss cleanup done occasionally. Periodic "panic" cleanups are costly and ineffective in reducing incidents.

Poor housekeeping practices frequently contribute to incidents. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious hazards may be taken for granted.

Housekeeping order is "maintained" not "achieved."

Cleaning and organization must be done regularly, not just at the end of the shift.
Source: CCOHS

What is the purpose of workplace housekeeping?Effective housekeeping results in:

reduced handling to ease the flow of materials
fewer tripping and slipping incidents in clutter-free and spill-free work areas
decreased fire hazards
lower worker exposures to hazardous products (e.g. dusts, vapours)
better control of tools and materials, including inventory and supplies
more efficient equipment cleanup and maintenance
better hygienic conditions leading to improved health
more effective use of space
reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance
less janitorial work
improved morale
improved productivity (tools and materials will be easy to find)

COVID-19 Housekeeping

The COVID-19 Virus has made housekeeping more important than ever. Every employer and safety manager should have a COVID-19 housekeeping checklist, with a risk and hazard assessment done, and proper controls put into place to ensure best practices are followed.

For more information please consult with your Edge Safety Representative.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

4/22/2020

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used as temporary (until more effective hazard control techniques can be used) or last line of protection for workers against hazards (source: CCOHS)

Always remember, the PPE you use will depend on the work environment, the work conditions, and the process being performed.

PPE does not reduce the workplace hazard nor does it guarantee permanent or total protection for the wearer. Simply having Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available is NOT enough. In order to ensure the required level of protection:

PPE should be selected considering the type of hazard and the degree of protection required.
PPE should be useable in the presence of other workplace hazards.
Users should be trained in proper use and fit of the PPE.
PPE should be properly stored and maintained.
If PPE is found to be defective, it should be discarded and replaced.

Did you know?
When engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use.

PPE Evaluation | 'Hierarchy of Control'

The priority should be to follow the “hierarchy of control” including:
elimination, substitution, or engineering control(s) of hazards at their source or along the path between the source and the worker.

Many methods are available, and those most appropriate to the specific situation should be used.

When the hazard cannot be removed or controlled adequately, personal protective equipment (PPE) may be used.

Remember! PPE is considered as the last level of protection when all other methods are not available or possible. For more information, see the OSH Answers document Hazard Control for information on a hazard control program.

General Office safety

4/15/2020

Purpose

The purpose of this safety meeting is to highlights everyday hazards in an office setting, and to ensure we are all aware of how to control and manage existing hazards in our everyday work space.

How many safety issues can you spot?

Did you know?

As an employee, you have a key role to play in preventing work-related injuries and diseases. First, you have to be careful and take the necessary precautions to ensure your own health and safety and that of any colleagues who may be affected by your work or activities.
Source: Government of Canada

Identify | Eliminate | Control -- General Office Safety Activities

The best way to control for hazards are to identify them, and then eliminate them!
Other simple controls can include administrative controls, that includes the safety check list below.

Office Safety Check List:

Ensure you are conversant with emergency evacuation.
Ensure that all electrical cords are in good condition and are not overloaded.
Ensure that computer monitors are adjusted to correct height and kept clean.
Ensure fans/space heaters are used to manufacturer specifications. Ensure floors and aisles are kept clear and not cluttered.
Ensure that only one drawer of filling is open at one time and that drawers are closed when not in use.
Ensure proper type of fire extinguisher is available.
When transporting materials of a heavy nature ensure that handcarts and trolleys are used properly.
Operate microwave according to manufacturer’s specifications.
Ensure coffee makers are used according to manufacturer specifications.
Ensure photocopier is maintained according to manufacturer’s specifications.
Ensure chairs are in good repair.
Ensure rugs are kept clean and in good repair – free of tripping hazard.
Ensure paper cutter blade is placed in closed lock position.
Ensure all loose clothing is tied back when using paper shredder.

Remember!
Safety is everyone's responsibility; you have the right to participate, and help your employer identify and correct work related health and safety concerns.

working from home

4/8/2020

In this safety meeting, we take a look into office set up, injuries, and how ergonomics helps us to address possible workplace strains and sprains, and potentially eliminates loss of productivity, and improves work related health and safety.

As more employees work from home, office ergonomics are a very important safety consideration. Adults now average up to 11 hours per day in front of a screen, so having a comfortable and efficient environment set up to prevent musculoskeletal injuries (MDIs/MSDs), that can include sprains and strains.

The estimated economic burden associated with MSDs in Canada is astounding. The Canadian Orthopedic Care Strategy Group deems occupational and non-occupational MSDs combined to be “the most costly medical condition in Canada”, estimating direct and indirect costs to be in the $22 billion range."
Source: www.whsc.on.ca

The most effective controls for setting up your home office will be engineering controls. Remember, engineering controls involve making physical modifications to control the hazard or reduce exposure.

They can include:
1. If you use a laptop, use an external keyboard or monitor.
2. Sit with your elbows and knees at 90 degree angles.
3. Look straight ahead, not at an angle, to your monitor.
4. Switch it up; at work you probably take more breaks than you think! Take breaks and get up and move around to relieve tension and strain.

Recommendations from the Mayo Clinic also include:

Chair
Choose a chair that supports your spinal curves. Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest and your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Keyboard and mouse
Place your mouse within easy reach and on the same surface as your keyboard. While typing or using your mouse, keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows. Use keyboard shortcuts to reduce extended mouse use.

Footrest
If your chair is too high for you to rest your feet flat on the floor — or the height of your desk requires you to raise the height of your chair — use a footrest. If a footrest is not available, try using a small stool or a stack of sturdy books instead.

Desk
Under the desk, make sure there's clearance for your knees, thighs and feet. If the desk is too low and can't be adjusted, place sturdy boards or blocks under the desk legs. If the desk is too high and can't be adjusted, raise your chair.

Monitor
Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm's length away. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. The monitor should be directly behind your keyboard. Place your monitor so that the brightest light source is to the side.

Did you know that MSDs are the NUMBER ONE type of lost-time work injury reported:

cause pain and suffering for thousands of workers every year
cost workplaces hundreds of millions of dollars due to worker absence and lost productivity

More information