Workplace health and safety

Most injuries happen within the first year of work. Between 1993 and 1997, 8,000 workers between the ages of 1524 were reported injured while on the job in Ontario. 41 workers were killed between 1993-1997. In 1997, 65 workers lost an eye, an arm, or a leg.

All workplace injuries that stop you from earning a full days wage, or that require medical attention, are supposed to be reported to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) by the employer within 3 days, by the the workers within 6 months.

TOP 5 CAUSES OF INJURY TO YOUNG WORKERS:

Slips and falls Over-exertion Struck by, or against, an object Bodily reaction (toxic effects from chemicals Burns

- Recognize hazards in workplace. Hazards are not always obvious. You need training, awareness, and experience to recognize them. If you dont know, ask. Dont learn it the hard way! - Assess the risk potential of hazards. This may involve measurement of conditions in the workplace. - Control the hazards using the principles of elimination, reduction or substitution.

The 4 types of workplace hazards are:

CHEMICAL HAZARDS PHYSICAL HAZARDS BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

- Every worker has the right to know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace. It is the duty of every employer to inform the workers about the substances which they may come into contact with and to provide and train workers about and necessary protective equipment required to perform their job. Workers have a duty to wear this equipment and to follow proper job procedures. - Hazardous chemicals can enter the body in several ways: they can be breathed in (inhalation), they can be swallowed (ingestion) and they can be absorbed through the skin (absorption). Once in the skin, they may enter the circulatory system and damage the body. They may also damage or irritate the skin itself, causing a condition known as dermatitis.

- Workers may need to wear appropriate protective gloves. Hands must be washed with soap and water before eating or drinking or smoking, even if gloves were worn while handling the chemical.

Examples of Hazardous situations relating to chemicals: - New workers working with paints might be exposed to paint thinners and solvents that they could breathe in or get on their hands. - Workers who work as cleaners will likely be exposed to cleaning solvent solutions like ammonia, which can be harmful if it is inhaled or gets on the skin, or if it is mixed with other chemicals.

Physical hazards include things like equipment, machinery, electricity, noise, heat and cold. Machinery can range from heavy machinery, like a press or a stamping machine, to smaller equipment such as meat slicers or paper cutters. Serious, immediate injuries such as the loss of an arm or finger can result from working with machinery. Excessive noise levels or prolonged noise can damage the nerves in the ear causing temporary or even permanent hearing loss. In workplaces where noise is a hazard, safety precautions must be in place. These include engineering controls such as muffling devices, noise barriers or work separation.

- Workers who are most at risk from biological hazards are those who work with animals or plants, or in health or child care. - Biological agents are living substances that can cause illness or disease. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi. Bacterial are found in the air, water and soil and in living or dead animals or plants. - Viruses, bacteria and fungi can be passed from one person to another, either directly through contact with body fluids, or indirectly through breathing. Workplaces where biological hazards are present are legally required to have written safe work procedures and training to ensure that all workers know how to protect themselves.

Ergonomics means adapting the workplace to the worker, instead of trying to adapt the worker to the workplace. If the work station, tools and equipment, physical environment including lighting, temperature and noise are not properly designed, undue stresses and strains can be placed on the musculoskeletal system. Injuries that cause disorders of the muscles, bones, blood vessels, tendons, nerves and other soft tissues in the body may develop in workers who: Maintain fixed positions. Perform repetitive movement of the limbs. Work with great speed along with repetitions.

 Part 2 of the Canada Labour Code covers health and safety laws for federal workplaces. The Ontarios Occupational Health and Safety Act covers the health and safety laws in most other workplaces. Occupational Health and Safety Act This Act tells you the minimum requirements for health and safety in most workplaces in Ontario. It tells you how to work safely with specific workplace hazards. The purpose of the Act is to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job. The Occupational Health and Safety Act does not cover farm workers, domestic workers, and federal workers.

- The Act outlines general legal requirements for workplace health and safety. Give specific rules about how to work safely in a particular type of workplace. 3 types of workplaces listed in the Regulations are: INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION HEALTH CARE & RESIDENTIAL - The Ontario Ministry of Labour enforces both the provincial and federal health and safety laws. They have the power to inspect any workplace, investigate any potential hazardous situation and work refusal, order compliance with the law, and start legal action.

 Any person in the workplace who does not follow the Act can be fined up to $25, 000 or be jailed for up to one year, or both. A company can be fined up to $500,000 for not following the Act.

 Shared responsibility for knowing what health and safety problems are present, and then doing something about them. People dont wait until they are ordered by a Ministry of Labour Inspector to look after health and safety problems they do it on their own. A principle way of doing this is through a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC).

- Virtually all workplaces with twenty or more regularly employed workers must have a Joint Health and Safety Committee made up of management and worker members. - The legislation that tells you what you should do if you get hurt or sick while youre on the job is The First Aid Regulation of the old Workers Compensation Act.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act gives worker 3 rights. They are: RIGHT TO KNOW your employer must inform you of any known hazards in your workplace, and provide training so you can work safely. RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE to participate in health and safety issues in your workplace. RIGHT TO REFUSE TO UNSAFE WORK the right to refuse work that you believe is dangerous to your health or safety, or the health or safety of another worker.

The 3 groups that have important legal duties are: 1) Employers Important Legal Duties develop a training program to carry out the health and safety policy. 2) Supervisors Important Legal Duties make sure workers follow the Act and Regulations. 3) Workers Important Legal Duties follow the Act and Regulations. NOTE: you cannot be punish if you follow the steps for refusing unsafe work set out in the Act.

WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. 3 Parts of the WHMIS Regulation A warning label tells you what class a hazardous product is in and how to work safely with it. A material safety data sheet gives you more detailed information about how to work safely with the hazardous chemical. A training program teaches you how to read and understand the labels and material safety data sheet.

- An employer cant use or store a hazardous material in a workplace unless it has a WHMIS label and a material safety data sheet, and unless all workers have been trained to work safely with the product. - Employers must keep material safety data sheets in the workplace, in a place where workers can find them and read them.