Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/358700
October 2013 9 TURNEY APPOINTED TO IHSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mark Turney, vice-president of opera- tions at Veridian Connections, has been appointed to the board of directors of Ontario's Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA). He is the former director of the Electrical & Utilities Safety Associa- tion (E&USA), a predecessor safety association to IHSA. "Establishing a culture of safety, where everyone shares equally in the job of creat- ing and promoting a workplace free of injury, is the foundation for a successful business," said Turney. He will be representing three rate groups on the IHSA board: Electric Power Generation, Oil, Power and Water Distribution and Natural Gas Distribution. "We are very pleased to have Mark on our board," said IHSA president and CEO Al Beattie. "His experience and dedication will ensure that the lessons learned in these sectors will be transferred to other high-risk rate groups." SOBEYS INDUCTED INTO N.L. CEO SAFETY CHARTER Sobeys president and CEO Marc Poulin has joined Newfoundland and Labrador's Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission's (WHSCC) CEO Safety Charter. In 2007, the commission intro- duced the CEO Safety Charter program to support the continuous improvement of healthy and safe workplaces throughout the province. As ambas- sadors for safer workplaces, CEO Safety Charter signatories demonstrate their commitment to the prevention of accidents and promotion of health and safety in the workplace. "It is with great pleasure that the commission welcomes Sobeys and its CEO, Mr. Poulin, into the CEO Safety Charter," said Leslie Galway, WHSCC CEO. "This organization has made a conscious decision to be prevention champions, choosing a safety culture for their workplaces and themselves. Mr. Poulin, the management team and employees have demonstrated their dedication to occu- pational health and safety. Safety leadership is recognized by Sobeys daily, and celebrated annually. This multi-level engagement has resulted in safety becom- ing fully integrated in their operations." Enhancing safety performance is a principle goal for the Sobeys management team and their employees. Since 2005, Sobeys has reduced its injury rate by more than 40 per cent. "Sobeys places a strong emphasis on the safety of our employees," said Poulin. "And it's more than preparing policies and record sheets, and setting rules. We have a strong culture of safety in our stores and proactively manage our OH&S programs every day, sharing best practices and instilling responsibil- ity for safety in every employee. I'm pleased to publicly demonstrate Sobeys' commitment to employee safety by signing this charter." PEOPLE&PLACES ROUGHRIDER PROMOTES EYE SAFETY Tyron Brackenridge, Saskatchewan Roughrider linebacker, is partnering with CNIB and WorkSafe Saskatch- ewan for an eye safety campaign. The "Save Your Sight" campaign is promoting eye safety at work, home and play. "Through Tyron and this partnership, we plan to share the eye safety message with our players and fans. We hope to benefi t the entire province," said Jim Hopson, president of the Saskatchewan Roughriders football club. Co-branded UV protection safety glasses are being sold as part of the campaign and proceeds go to sup- port the CNIB in Saskatchewan. In June, the football club signed the Saskatchewan Health and Safety Leadership Charter. "Helping to champion CNIB's eye safety program and promote the Mission: Zero mes- sage is a step in the right direction," said Hopson. "Avoiding injury on and off the fi eld is important to the football club." the number of workers fatally injured after being struck by objects or equip- ment increased by seven per cent (to 509 fatal work injuries in 2012 from 476 in 2011). INDUSTRY In the private sector, there were 3,945 fatal work injuries in 2012, down six per cent to a new series low. Both goods-producing industries and service- providing industries showed declines. Among goods-producing sectors, the number of fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased fi ve per cent in 2012. Total hours worked were higher by one per cent in 2012. Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased fi ve per cent to 775 in 2012 from 738 in 2011. The increase in fatal occupational inju- ries in 2012 follows fi ve consecutive years of declining fatal injury counts in the construction sector. Fatal con- struction injuries are down 37 per cent since 2006. Fatal work injuries in the private mining sector rose in 2012, led by an increase in fatal injuries to workers in oil and gas extraction industries, which rose 23 per cent to 138 in 2012, reach- ing a new high for the series. Fatal work injuries in coal mining increased slightly, and fatal work inju- ries in support activities for mining increased nine per cent. Agriculture, forestry, fi shing and hunting fatalities decreased 16 per cent to 475 in 2012 from 566 in 2011. This follows a nine per cent drop in agriculture fatalities in 2011. Fatal injuries in the crop produc- tion, animal production, forestry and logging, and fi shing sectors were all lower in 2012. Despite the declines in fatal work injuries in this sector over the last two years, agriculture recorded the highest fatal injury rate of any industry sector at 21.2 fatal injuries per 100,000 FTE workers in 2012. Among service-providing industries in the private sector, there were 677 fatal work injuries in transportation and warehousing in 2012, a decrease of 10 per cent over the revised 2011 count. The number of fatal injuries in truck transportation, the largest sub sector within transportation and warehous- ing in terms of employment, decreased six per cent in 2012. Transportation counts presented are expected to rise when updated 2012 data are released in Spring 2014, said the U.S. Bureau of Labor. Among other transportation sub sectors, fatal work injuries in air trans- portation were slightly higher, but fatalities in water and rail transporta- tion were lower in 2012. Fatal work injuries in the fi nancial activities sector declined 17 per cent in 2012 to 81. The professional and business services sector also reported lower numbers of fatal injuries in 2012, down 10 per cent from 2011. 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