Canadian Occupational Safety

14 Canadian Occupational Safety | www.cos-mag.com a rock or a log. Open up your jacket. Yell, scream and throw rocks or sticks," says Titchener. All workers working in bear coun- try should know how to use, and be carrying, a can of bear spray. The can- ister releases a cloud of pepper spray to a distance up to 10 metres. On contact, the spray causes the bear's eyes and skin to sting and will make breathing difficult. It is an effective way to stop an attack but also leaves the bear unharmed. Bear spray is equally effective against cougars, wolves, moose and deer. The can of bear spray should always be readily accessible, Titchener adds. "Bear spray is great to have but no good to you if it is in a backpack. It has to be physically on your body, where you can just grab it. They make belts that go over your body or, if you wear coveralls, there are 'scat' belts that go overtop your clothes." Another deterrent workers can use in bear country is the bear banger, a hand-held device that looks like a large pen. The user aims the device upwards, pulls a lever and an explo- sive charge goes off in the air, making a loud gunshot-style noise and causing the animal to run away. Managers in remote mining camps in Labrador will often have bear moni- tors — a designated employee who is posted outside to watch around the clock for bears and alert others when one is spotted, Baldwin says. Bears can also be deterred from a wilderness work site by the use of por- table electrical fencing. This creates a perimeter around the work camp. When the animal touches the charged wires, it gets an electric shock, which is unpleasant but not harmful. In very rare cases, a lethal deter- rent may be needed to protect a site from wildlife. OTHER CARNIVORES An approach by a cougar, coyote or wolf will never be defensive. In an encoun- ter with one of these animals, workers should respond in the same way as in a non-defensive bear situation. React with aggression. Never run — predators instinctively see something that runs as prey and will start to chase after it. Cougars are found mostly in Western Canada but also in the Prairies, southern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. "You need to fight back with every- thing you have. Fortunately, most cougar attacks end up in favour of the person," Ritcey says. "Make sure you have bear spray. It's very effective against cougars." Fortunately, cougar attacks are rare, as are coyote attacks. Coyotes, which live in areas across Canada, generally attack only when they have previously been fed by people, he says. Because of coyotes' small size, injuries are usually not serious, and a person has a good chance of fighting one off. The wolf 's range extends across Canada, with the exception of parts of the Maritimes. Very few attacks by wolves cause death. In fact, during the 20th centur y, there were no documented cases of healthy wolves killing or seriously injuring a person in North America. "Very seldom do wolves attack. They're very wary of humans, and they tend to shy away," Ritcey says. MOOSE AND CARIBOU While moose can become aggressive when they feel cornered or threatened, they are generally shy and afraid of humans. If they see or hear a person, they will try to go in the other direction. However, moose — along with deer, elk, caribou and black bears — do present a major hazard on highways for workers in many parts of Canada, Baldwin says. "An adult moose weighs 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. In a small vehicle, there are many recorded incidents of fatalities and other accidents in (New- foundland) that are related to moose and caribou — mainly moose — that put folks out of work." This problem is more prevalent in different times of the year, adds Bald- win. In the spring, adult females have their calves and drive away their year- lings — those born in the previous year. "These younger animals tend to wander, and they're not as educated as the adults. They become prone to moose-vehicle collisions. Then, in the fall, in the rutting season, there's a lot of movement among animals. We see them on the highways during dawn and dusk. Those are the critical times." Moose and other animals can be very unpredictable. A moose standing at the side of the road may suddenly bolt in front of a passing vehicle. Animals often travel together and the crossing of one may prompt others to follow. Moreover, once an animal has crossed the road, it may turn around and go back. One of the most important precau- tions workers should take to avoid collisions with moose is to slow down when driving at night. Slower speeds require less time to come to a full stop and will reduce the force of an impact. Most wildlife collisions occur on clear nights and on long straight road sec- tions when drivers are less cautious and tend to speed. DOGS Many outdoor workers are at risk of being bitten by a dog, but among those at greatest risk are postal carri- ers and delivery workers. According to Canada Post, there are about 500 dog attacks against carriers every year. Dog attacks, even by small ones, can result in serious physical injuries that can be painful and leave the person unable to perform basic tasks for a while. Moreover, an attack can pro- duce lingering psychological effects. A person may be reluctant to return to work or even go outside for fear of dogs. It may be emotionally difficult to come to terms with the severe scarring that some encounters produce. All workers who may encounter dogs during their work need to receive training on how to deal with them. They should remember to always be vigilant and never wear headphones. They should know dogs often attack out of stress or instinct to protect themselves, their offspring or owners. An illness such as rabies can also cause a dog to attack. Workers should be trained on how to assess each situation and to judge whether a dog is likely to attack. If so, the worker should get to a safe place. Some signals of a possible attack include pulled back ears, stiff tail, flicking tongue and intense stare. If confronted with an attacking dog, workers should face the dog and back away. Never run. Any carrying bag or case they may have on them should be used as a barrier. If workers regularly face the risk of a dog attack, safety managers may want to equip employees with products they can use to protect themselves. One such product, marketed by Bulli Ray Occupational Dog Bite Safety, based in Ocala, Fla., is a dog-bite stick. The worker holds out the stick, essen- tially a ball at the end of a long rod, for the dog to bite. This keeps the dog at a distance and buys time for the worker to get to a safe place or for the owner to secure the dog. With the "pop-action umbrella," the worker opens and closes the reinforced umbrella several times to startle a dog and cause it to back away. "Sprayshield," which contains citronella oil rather than pepper spray, is sprayed at or near the nose of the attacking dog and is intended to dis- tract the dog and not cause it harm. Linda Johnson is a freelance journalist based in Toronto who has been writing for COS for seven years. Available Risk-Free for 30 Days Online: store.thomsonreuters.ca Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 Has your workplace met all requirements under the new Bill 177? New Edition Pocket Ontario OH&S Act & Regulations 2018 – Consolidated Edition © 2018 Thomson Reuters Canada Limited 00250KY-A91769-CM Your peers rely on this bestselling pocket resource for invaluable guidance on workplace safety law. From preparing job hazard analyses and creating safety training programs to performing violence risk assessments, this edition will help your organization meet all your OHSA obligations and the new requirements under Bill 177. To see what's new, visit store.thomsonreuters.ca/pocket-ohs/. Order # L7798-8573- 65203 $24.95 Softcover approx. 1100 pages April 2018 978-0-7798-8573-2 Also available in French. Call for details. Also available Large format edition with tabs Order # L7798-8575- 65203 $24.95 Softcover approx. 780 pages April 2018 978-0-7798-8575-6 The eBook* version is available through your web browser, or can be downloaded to your computer, iPad, or Android tablet. Learn more at store.thomsonreuters.ca/products/thomson- reuters-proview/ *eBook not available to trade bookstores, third-party distributors, academic institutions, and students. Also available Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes

• Cover