JHSC 3-day
Training
February
19-21- Beresford (F),
Fredericton (E), Moncton (F),
Saint John (E), Woodstock (E)
February
26-28 - Bathurst (E), Moncton (E)
March
11-13 –Dalhousie (F),
Edmundston (F),
Fredericton (E), Moncton
(E), Saint John (E), St. Stephen (E)
MSI Prevention (1/2
day)
February
12 - Moncton (E), Saint John (E), St. Stephen (E), Tracadie
(F),
Woodstock (E),
February
14 - Edmundston
(F),
Fredericton (E), Miramichi (E), Moncton (F)
Lockout (1 day)
March
4 – Caraquet (F),
Florenceville (E), Moncton (E), Saint John
(E)
March
5 – Campbellton (E), Fredericton (E)
March
6 – Edmundston (F),
Moncton (F),
Sussex (E)
E indicates workshops given
in English
F
indicates workshops given in French
Click
here
or call 1 800 222-9775 for more information.
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The
WHSCC would like to wish one and all a happy and safe
2008.
In fond memory of
John
Mahar
John
Mahar, a valuable and highly regarded member of WHSCC’s
board, died November 28 from head injuries sustained
from a fall at work.
Mr.
Mahar fell from a 6-foot stepladder at his Fredericton
business, Topmar Building Supplies on November 23. He
suffered a massive head injury and died in hospital six
days later. He was 54 years old.
“This
is an enormous loss to many New Brunswickers - not only
for the Commission, but for all the employers and
workers in the province who benefited from John’s
tireless work on their behalf,”
said Roberta Dugas, WHSCC’s chairperson. "Right now, we
are focused on working through the impact of this
tragedy as we keep the Mahar family in our hearts,
thoughts and prayers."
Mahar
joined the WHSCC board in 2002 as an employer
representative, but he truly represented the interests
of both employer and worker equally. Coming from a small
business background, Mr. Mahar always described himself
as a worker first and not simply an employer.
“He
was a great, hard-working guy, with a big heart,” says
Dugas. “He was passionate about his own businesses and
was a dedicated member of this
board.”
Board
members describe Mr. Mahar as a quiet man who was
analytical, thorough and genuinely concerned about the
welfare of New Brunswick’s workers and
employers.
“Sometimes
it took awhile for John to speak his piece, but when he
did it was well worth the wait,” says Lin Hupman, a
fellow WHSCC board member. “He always had something
profound to say concerning how our decisions would
affect employees and employers of this
province.”
Mr.
Mahar and his wife
of 34 years, Marie, lived in Lincoln, New Brunswick
where they raised two sons, Gerry and Wil, and one
daughter, Janet. Besides serving on WHSCC’s board, Mr.
Mahar was a director of Castle Building Centres Group,
the chairman of Barry Moore Ministries and a member of
the Gideons for over 30 years; his most recent position
was treasurer of the Fredericton South Gideon Camp. He
was also owner of the Lighthouse Family Resource Centre
in Fredericton along with Topmar Building Supplies. A
devout Christian, Mr. Mahar served in his local Baptist
church in a variety of roles over the years, most
notably as a gifted pianist and vocalist.
"Mr.
Mahar was one of the world's most likeable characters,"
Hupman says. "He treated everyone he knew with kindness
and respect. In fact, he treated everyone as a friend.
He will be deeply missed.”
BUYER
BEWARE! IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING WHMIS
TRAINING
Regulation
88-221, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System Regulation, under the Occupational Health
and Safety Act requires that workplaces have a
program in place to address safety issues when working
with controlled substances. This is commonly called a
WHMIS program. This regulation has been effect since
1988 and similar legislation is found throughout Canada.
The regulation requires that employees who work with
controlled substances be trained in handling those
substances and informed of the possible risks involved.
The regulation also requires that controlled substances
be properly labeled and that workplaces maintain the
Material Safety Data Sheets provided by the supplier of
the controlled substance.
WHMIS training must
meet the minimum requirements of the regulation; this
training may be provided by any qualified person or
agency. If you are contacted by an agency or person
offering to provide this training you should know that
you have options available and you should explore those
options to ensure that you find the best and most
cost-effective training for your workplace.
You
should also note that the WHSCC never calls workplaces
and informs them that training is needed. If a workplace
is required to provide training, a WHSCC officer, with
official identification, will visit the workplace and
address the issues in person.
If
you have any questions about WHMIS training or the WHMIS
program in general, please review the regulation at
http://www.gnb.ca/0062/regs/88-221.htm or contact the
WHSCC.
Attention all annually assessed
registered employers - Form 100 now
online!
The
WHSCC is pleased to announce an improved service for its
annually assessed employers. Employers can now report
their payroll information online, through Service New
Brunswick’s secure website.
To access
the service go to www.whscc.nb.ca, choose your language
preference, and click on Online Services under Topics on
the left side of the page. Then click on Employer
Payroll Report – F100. You can also access the forms by
going directly to http://www.snb.ca/f100
and choosing your language preference. You will need
your employer number and access code to complete the
online form.
Printed
Form 100s were mailed to all registered employers in
early January. Employers must complete the online or
paper forms and submit them to the WHSCC no later than
February 28, to avoid a late filing penalty. In
addition, any employer who has not completed and
submitted the form by April 25 will be arbitrarily
assessed.
If
you need help completing the Form 100, or
for more information on your payroll reports, please
contact the Assessment Services Department at 1 800
222-9775, or at 506 632-2820.
In the Courts
Groupe
Savoie Inc.,
pleaded guilty to failing to comply with subsection 6(2)
of the First Aid Regulation - (Regulation
2004-130). The company was charged with failing to
provide suitable transportation for an injured worker,
considering the distance to be travelled and the
potential for serious injury or illness; for not
providing adequate protection against the
weather; for failing to equip the emergency
transportation vehicle with a means of two-way voice
communication with emergency medical services; and that
the vehicle was of insufficient size and suitability to
accommodate a stretcher and accompanying
persons.
Groupe
Savoie Inc., were fined $2,000, plus a $400 victim
surcharge.
Ask Us
Q:
Regarding WHMIS training, does the WHSCC see this as
having an expiry date? Is a WHMIS certificate good
across Canada? For example, if I take the course in
New Brunswick is it accepted in Alberta? If
your working conditions change, does WHMIS training need
to be taken again? Our office setting is a static
environment and the conditions wouldn't change
noticeably. Does this imply that WHMIS re-training is
not required?
John
Smith*
Saint
John, NB
*Name
has been changed for privacy purposes. This question is
a summary of several questions the WHSCC has received
about WHMIS training.
A: There is much
confusion surrounding WHMIS training. It is important to
note that only your employer, or a representative on
your employer’s behalf, can provide you with WHMIS
training, as it is specific to each individual
workplace, and to each individual job within that
workplace. The WHSCC and private safety education
consultants provide education sessions on WHMIS, but it
is important to note that these workshops do not
constitute WHMIS training. To be considered trained in
WHMIS, you must be made aware of all the hazardous
materials that you may come into contact with through
your work, and what to do in case of contact with these
materials. WHMIS symbols don’t change, but if you move
from one province to another, it is most likely that
your job will change, and therefore, the controlled
substances that you work with or are exposed to will
also change. In addition,
just as an employer requires the owner’s manual to
properly train an employee on a piece of equipment or a
tool, the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is necessary
to properly train an employee who will be using a
controlled product. The MSDS will provide information on
safe handling and storage, reactivity, required personal
protective equipment, first aid,
etc.
As
far as an expiry date, under Section 6(4) of the WHMIS
regulations, an employer is required “to review at least
annually, or more frequently if required by a change in
work conditions or available hazard information, and in
consultation with the join health and safety committee,
if any, or health and safety representative, if any, the
instruction and training provided to employees
concerning controlled products.”
Ultimately,
it is the employer’s responsibility to supervise,
monitor and ensure employees can work safety with or
around controlled products, as often as new tasks or
controlled products are introduced in a
workplace.
To
view the WHMIS regulation under New Brunswick’s OHS
Act, click
here.
If you have a
question for Ask us! please forward to stearsb@whscc.nb.ca
.
Recent Accident Reports
Date of Accident:
|
December
17, 2007 |
Injury Type:
|
First
degree burns to head, forearms and
hands |
Hospitalized:
|
No
|
Industry: |
Education
/ Boiler operator |
Location: |
Northwest |
Notes: |
A
back draft caused burns to the worker as he was
performing daily cleaning of ash from the
boiler.
|
More
accident reports...
|
|
Did you know?
In
2007, more than 1,300 workers and employers attended a variety
of WHSCC workshops throughout the province, with an additional
224 attending the 3-day JHSC Core Training
workshops.
Interesting
Link The New Brunswick Department of
Transportation’s winter safety campaign provides valuable
information and tips on driving safely in winter. The campaign
includes television, newspaper and radio ads, a brochure and
poster. To access any of the campaign components, click here.
Stakeholder Profile Meet Sharon
Tucker, one of the WHSCC’s newest board members.
Events Feb.17-23 National
Inclusive Education Week
Feb.
29 International
RSI Awareness Day
To
have your health and safety event posted in this newsletter,
please e-mail stearsb@whscc.nb.ca
.
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|