24 Canadian occupational safety www.cos-mag.com
Inc.
YOW Canada also offers Fall Protection,
Confined Spaces Awareness, and
Transportation of Dangerous Goods online
training. Visit our website today for a full
listing of courses and products available.
www.yowcanada.com
1.866.688.2845
Safety Compliance Made Easy!
Dynamic: includes
audio, animations and
illustrations
Reliable: available
24 / 7 from any PC
with internet access
Easily managed with full
tracking capabilities
through a course
administration site
Convenient, effective,
and easy to use
online safety
training
WHMIS
WVH
Both
are
offered
in
English
&
French
Workplace
Violence
and
Harassment
Certificate included
YOW (5110).indd 1 13-03-18 10:09 AM
he says, explaining these symptoms are
common to people with PTSD.
e diagnosis, however, took a while.
Recall that Hebert's incident happened
in 1989. PTSD was an uncommon
diagnosis back then. Instead, his doc-
tors suggested the ringing in his ears was
the result of a loud work environment.
ey prescribed pills to help him sleep,
but the side eff ects included depression,
which made a bad situation even worse.
"I didn't fi nd out I was going through
post-traumatic stress disorder until
15 years a er the accident," he says,
explaining that he only learned about
PTSD when an acquaintance suggested
he should read about it. A er research-
ing it, Hebert realized he likely had it.
"I called the compensation board and
they got me counselling. You need to
learn how to deal with it but, once you
do, you can," Hebert says.
ese days, Hebert fi nds he must
write things down to supplement his
poor memory. Staying active helps. He
plays golf and goes to the gym regularly.
Hebert's recovery is ongoing. He
spends part of the year living in Ari-
zona. Following a bout of osteoporosis,
he worries about falling and breaking a
bone or two, and the snow and ice of an
average Canadian winter is a hazard he
would rather avoid.
He remains active in his home coun-
try, too. Hebert is now a motivational
speaker, discussing the dangers of elec-
trical work and the long-term eff ects of
injuries from electrical incidents.
At his speaking events he talks about
the importance of not cutting corners,
identifying risks and eliminating them,
and having an emergency rescue plan.
Although it took years for him to dis-
cover the tools to manage the long-term
psychological eff ects of that 14,000-volt
shock, Hebert has used what he has
learned to help make his life better and
educate others about electrical safety.
He recommends that people injured
in electrical incidents engage mental
health-care professionals as soon as
possible.
"Get psychological help, fi rst thing.
You might not want to admit you have
problems, but it alters your life forever,
and that's really hard to accept," he says.
Stefan Dubowski is a freelance writer
based in Ottawa. Contact him at
dubowski@stiff sentences.com.
electrical incidents can cause long-term physical, mental
and emotional diffi culties. here are a few resources that
offer help for people who have been injured.
Canadian Burn survivors Community — firefi ghters,
burn-unit staff and advisors offering support
and education to people affected by burns:
www.canadianburnsurvivors.ca
Caregiver Connect.ca — operated by the Victoria
order of nurses Canada, this website provides news and
advice for people providing care for family members
and friends: www.von.ca/en/caregiver-connect/home
Paul Hebert — hebert was injured seriously in an
electrical incident in 1989. he is available to talk about his
experiences, with an eye towards helping individuals and
organizations to truly understand the dangers of electrical
work: paulhebrt@gmail.com / tel. (780) 719-7775
finding
HelP
paul and lorraine hebert
