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/358709
24 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com jurisdictions often look to each other to implement new programs. If this goes well in Ontario, a similar regulation could potentially cascade throughout the country, says Warning. The Ontario Ministry of Labour is also working on developing training standards for highly hazardous work. The initial focus will be on training workers who work at heights as well as mandatory entry-level training for construction workers. Future discussions need to be had around what are the qualifications of a good trainer, says Mills. Trainers need to make sure the information is up to date, relevant and delivered in an appropriate method. "Training as a profession in health and safety may also need to think about how it should grow so you, yourself, are feeling competent and confident as to the expectations of the content you are actually delivering." Aging workforce In 2014, health and safety professionals will be increasingly charged with managing the needs and outcomes of an aging workforce. Employers are beginning to wonder what this means for their injury rates or the number of days people are off work if they are injured, says Saunders. There is also research emerg- ing about workplace injuries being linked to chronic conditions, which conditions. This can include women, immigrants, youth and workers in temporary employment situations. "It's an issue that has been getting more attention partly because of the way the labour market is changing and there are more people in precarious kinds of work and that may mean they are more reluctant to speak up about health and safety issues because they have less job security," says Saunders. Supervisors need to be equipped to encourage input from these workers, says Mills. "They are going to be the ones suc- cessfully engaging in conversation and if they are not equipped and not feel- ing supported themselves, they could inadvertently shut it down instead of creating a healthier dialogue," she says. New workers and recent immigrants face higher injury rates than other groups, and more work needs to be done to promote better awareness of health and safety issues among these groups, says Saunders. Drugs AnD Alcohol A hot topic that gained a lot of press in 2013 was random drug and alcohol testing. The takeaway from the Supreme Court especially affects older workers. "As people get older, we will have more chronic conditions prevalent among the workforce and the work- place will need to figure out how they can accommodate people with chronic or episodic conditions so they can be as productive as possible," says Saunders. Employers may need to think about some new, creative ways of accommo- dating the aging workforce. They may be able to shorten the duration of a task so the worker can take breaks or offer a shorter shift, says Mills. "We can consider things like lighter weights for the task, so you may need to talk to your supplier about the size of the box, size of distribution and how it's carried as being other elements to accommodate for the age-related factor," she says. VulnerAble workers OHS professionals need to turn their attention to vulner- able workers, according to the panellists. "Vulnerable work- ers" generally refers to those workers that face a greater exposure to condi- tions hazardous to health or safety and who lack the power to alter those of Canada ruling in the Irving Pulp and Paper decision is that an employer must have a record that establishes some enhanced reasons to require random alcohol testing. Irving only had eight incidents relating to alcohol in the 15 years prior to the case, and that was ruled insufficient for conduct- ing the testing. Going forward, business leaders may be asking OHS professionals to provide additional data that would assist them in justifying a random drug or alcohol-testing program. "They may turn to the safety pro- fessional to capture data about near misses or incidents which alcohol or drugs may have been a factor, any physical observations that may have been made of workers who are under the apparent influence of drugs or alcohol, or any evidence of con- sumption of either substance in the workplace during the course of work," says Warning. Another case in Sarnia, Ont., deter- mined pre-employment drug and alcohol testing was unreasonable because the employer did not have a record that justified a need for it. There is also a Suncor case percolat- ing its way through the Alberta system that may provide further clarification on this complex issue, says Warning. business leaders may be asking ohs professionals to provide additional data that would help the company in justifying a random drug or alcohol-testing program. Avoid new on-site fines under AlbertA's oH&s ticketing system New editioN HANDI-GUIDE to AlbErtA's oH&s Act, rEGUlAtIoN AND coDE – 2014 EDItIoN HATSCAN Stiff fines for workers and employers caught violating workplace safety codes is the new reality under historic changes to Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act legislation. Protect your company and employees with HANDI-GUIDE to Alberta's oH&s Act, regulation and code – 2014 Edition. New iN this editioN • As of october 1, 2013, oHs officials can issue administrative penalties for oHs violations, up to a maximum of $10,000 per contravention per day • As of January 1, 2014, oHs officials can issue tickets to workers or employers for more than 60 different contraventions. ticket amounts range from $100 to $500 • In addition to the administrative penalties amendments, other amendments to the OH&S Act made by Bill 6 (S.A. 2012, c. 7) (in force December 10, 2012) • Addition of Administrative Penalty (Occupational Health and Safety Act) Regulation, AR 165/2013 (in force October 1, 2013) • Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation made by AR 182/13 (in force October 1, 2013) orDEr # 986066-65203 $35.95 Softcover coil bound approx. 430 pages November 2013 978-0-7798-60661 Multiple copy discounts available. Shipping and handling are extra. Price subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 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