Bill 18: What you need to know
JHSC Bill 18 Workshops
Bill 18, an Act to Amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act, was passed on June 1. This new legislation affects any workplace with a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or health and safety representative. These changes relate to the training of JHSC members, the structure of JHSCs on project sites, and monthly workplace health and safety inspections.
To learn more about how this legislation may affect you, the WHSCC invites you to attend one of these free workshops. (Information is also available on our website here.)
Workshops are free, but space is limited, so register today by calling 1 800 222-9775, ext.738-4018 or, register online .
September 11 Dalhousie (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Best Western Manoir Adelaide
September 12 St. Stephen (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Winsome Inn
September 13 Saint John (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Delta Brunswick Hotel
September 18 Fredericton (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Ramada Fredericton
September 19 St. Stephen (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Winsome Inn
September 20 Sussex (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. All Season’s Inn
September 25 Edmundston (F) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Château Moncton
September 26 Woodstock (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Atlantic Inns Motel
September 27 Grand Falls (F) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Près-du-Lac Inn
October 3 Florenceville (E) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Florenceville Motor Inn
October 10 Moncton (F) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Holiday Inn Express
Moncton (E) 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Holiday Inn Express
October 23 Moncton (F) 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Holiday Inn Express
Moncton (E) 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Holiday Inn Express
Safety Talks
September 11-13 – Edmundston (F), Saint John (E), Fredericton (E), Moncton (E), Miramichi (E), Sussex (E), Florenceville (E), Tracadie (F), Moncton (F)
JHSC 3-day Training
September 18-20 – St-Léonard (F), Florenceville (E), Campbellton (E), Saint John (E), Moncton (E)
September 25-27 – Caraquet (F), St. Andrews (E), Fredericton (E), Moncton (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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Not registered for our 27th Annual Health and Safety Conference? What are you waiting for! The conference takes place October 14-16 at the Delta Brunswick Hotel in Saint John.
From start to finish, this is an event not to be missed. Registration materials are available on our website by clicking here.
REGISTER NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!
*** Workshop Spotlight: ***
The Lessons of SARS: How to Prudently Prepare for a Pandemic or other Community-Wide Crisis
In just a few months in 2003, the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus emerged from the jungles of China and quickly spread around the world, demonstrating how easily a disease can spark a global crisis.
Ontario was one of the worst hit jurisdictions, with 44 fatalities, including three health care workers. SARS struck down more than 330 others with serious lung disease. Of the 375 people who contracted SARS in Ontario, 72 per cent were infected in a heath care workplace. Of this group, 45 per cent were health workers, most of them nurses whose jobs brought them into the closest contact with sick patients.
Following the SARS tragedy, the Ontario government launched an independent inquiry, under the late Mr. Justice Archie Campbell, to determine what went wrong and to provide recommendations to prevent a recurrence.
Justice Campbell's final report exposed a profound system failure in Ontario's health care system and worker safety protections; the report also made excellent recommendations that reach beyond the health care sector and provide guidance to all workplaces on preparing for a flu pandemic.
This session will provide a summary of the Commission's findings and outline an effective strategy that workplaces can use to mitigate the impact of a pandemic or similar community-wide crisis.
WHSCC’s Youth Campaign wins third at AASCIF Communication Awards!
The WHSCC’s No Mercy campaign won third place in the External Communications Campaign category of the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF) Communications Awards, presented in Big Sky, Montana in August. The No Mercy campaign was one of 143 entries.
The AASCIF Communications Awards are presented annually to member funds and boards from across Canada and the United Sates that have addressed communications issues with professional skill, creativity, and resourcefulness. They are judged by a panel of independent media experts.
“We’re thrilled that our No Mercy campaign was recognized by AASCIF, the workers’ compensation industry’s premier professional association,” said Perley Brewer, WHSCC’s manager of client consulting and education services . “And while we’re very pleased with this honour, the real reward will be recognition of the campaign by our youth. If it resonates with them, grabs their attention and makes them think about working safely, then we will have done what we set out to do. That is really all the recognition we need,” Brewer said.
“While no injuries are acceptable, the loss of life or limb is all the more unacceptable when it comes to our young workers, who are just beginning to make their way in the world,” he said.
“The concept behind No Mercy is simple – the machinery and materials you work with will show no mercy if you skip steps and cut corners when it comes to safety,” said Mary Tucker, WHSCC’s communications manager. “And young people should take a no mercy approach to getting the training supervision and protective equipment they need to do their job safely,” she said.
The No Mercy campaign was launched in March, in conjunction with the Smart Risk HEROES “Be Smart. Be Safe” tour. The WHSCC, along with the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the New Brunswick Safety Council sponsored the tour, which was viewed by close to 10,000 students. Following the show, students were shown the No Mercy video, an introduction to the WHSCC’s new YouthSafe website. Other campaign components include branded give-aways, kits for teachers, and two No Mercy posters. The “cut” and “burn” posters show the aftermath of the workplace injuries depicted in the animated No Mercy videos.
To see what caught the judges’ eyes, go to: www.nomercy.ca. From there you’ll be directed to the YouthSafe website, at www.youthsafe.ca.
Statistics Canada releases report on workplace injuries
Chances are that during the course of your career, you have either been injured on the job or know someone who has. Statistics Canada reports that in 2003, well over half a million Canadians were injured at work. While it’s not surprising that blue-collar workers are injured more often than their white-collar counterparts, the study showed that the factors influencing the likelihood of a workplace injury are not necessarily the same for men and women. For example, obese women were more likely to sustain a workplace injury than obese men, while men with low income or long working hours had a higher risk of injury than women in the same situation. Age also plays more of a role for men than for women, with the highest amount of injuries occurring for men between the ages of 25 and 34.
These and many other interesting and useful findings are contained in Statistics Canada’s report Work Injuries. Knowing which factors are more likely to lead to a workplace injury for your demographic can help you be safer on the job. While we are making improvements in health and safety, there is still much to be done. Click here for a full copy of the report – you may be surprised to read about some of your risk factors!
Ask Us
(The following were submitted as one question; we have broken them down into three for ease of reading.)
Q: When an employer has been notified that a job requires specialized PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), how long does the employer have to provide the PPE to workers?
A: The OHS Act requires the employer to provide PPE and train workers to use it. The employer should be able to provide PPE within a reasonable time frame and that would depend on the PPE availability. Any required training must be completed before the worker uses the PPE.
Q: If an employer has identified that PPE is necessary to do a job, is it within the worker's "right to refuse" under the OHS Act to not do the job until the PPE has been provided?
A: If the employer has determined that the job requires PPE, it is illegal to require the worker to do it without that PPE (and training, if necessary). The worker may exercise the right to refuse (following the process set up in the OHS Act). NOTE: A worker who has exercised the right to refuse must remain at work until their shift has ended.
Q: What happens if a worker performs a job without proper PPE, and is injured?
A: If the worker is injured while performing the job without the proper PPE, they are still covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Depending on the seriousness of the accident, a health and safety officer may investigate under the OHS Act. If the investigation reveals that a worker or employer was not in compliance with the act, that person may be subject to prosecution. If the investigation reveals that the worker did not use the PPE they were provided with and trained to use, the worker, and any person who did not enforce compliance, may be prosecuted.
John Smith*
Rothesay, NB
*Names have been changed for privacy purposes.
If you have a question for Ask us! please forward to stearsb@whscc.nb.ca .
Recent Accident Reports
Date of Accident: |
July 26, 2007
|
Injury Type: |
Amputation of ring finger on left hand |
Hospitalized: |
No |
Industry: |
Boilermaker / Welder |
Location: |
Southwest |
Notes: |
Worker was descending ladder on a scissor lift when he missed the last rung, catching his ring finger on the edge of the lift. |
More accident reports...
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Publications Safety Talk # 26: Lock out (revised)
Hazard Alert: Worker Fatally Injured While Repairing Equipment
Did you know? The Workers' Compensation Act has been been protecting New Brunswick workers for nearly 90 years. The Act came into effect in 1919, and covered nearly 292,000 workers in 2006.
Interesting Link If you work with asbestos, you are at a higher risk of developing serious illnesses like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and cancer (including lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and cancer of the gastrointestinal tract). The Canadian Cancer Society is pushing for a comprehensive asbestos strategy in Canada to protect workers from asbestos exposure. Their strategy includes a recommendation to eventually phase out the use and export of asbestos. Click here to learn more.
Events
September 16-19, 2007 Canadian Public Health Association 2007 Annual Conference
Public Health in Canada: From Politics to the People
Ottawa, ON
Tel: 613 725-3769
September 17-18, 2007 CCOHS Forum 2007
Emerging Health and Safety Issues from Changing Workplaces – A Canadian Discussion
Vancouver, B.C.
Tel: 1 800 668-4284
September 17-18, 2007 BC Healthcare: Workplace Health, Safety and Wellness Conference Kelowna, B.C.
Tel: 250 870-4780
September 18-19, 2007 Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) Fall 2007 Meeting San Antonio, Texas, USA Tel: 703 658-9246
September 18-22, 2007 International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIAB) Annual Convention Phoenix, Arizona, USA Tel: 608 663-6355
September 19-20, 2007 Canadian Industrial Emergency Conference and Expo London, ON Tel: 1 888 253-1718
September 24-25, 2007
2007 Canadian Environmental Auditing Association (CEAA) Conference Halifax, N.S.
Tel: 905 845-9595
October 14-16, 2007 27th Annual WHSCC H&S Conference Saint John, N.B. Tel: 1 800 222-9775
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