Canadian Occupational Safety

April/May 2016 7 Oil and gas workers most likely to suffer hearing loss: WorkSafeBC W orkers in British Columbia's upstream oil and gas, drilling and pipeline construction industries are more likely to suffer hearing loss than other industries, according to 2014 hearing test results. More than one-third of workers in the oil and gas industry showed signs of noise-related hearing loss. More than one-half of those workers are 35 and under, show- ing that hearing loss in these industries is not simply a byproduct of aging. However, nearly two-fi fths (17 per cent) of workers age 35 and under in the oil or gas fi eld service sub-sector do not wear hearing protection, found WorkSafeBC. That fi gure climbs to 27 per cent for the under-21 group. "This is a concern. The hearing test results in oil and gas for noise-related hearing loss are more than double com- pared to other industries with hazardous noise levels," said Budd Phillips, regional prevention manager, Fort St. John, WorkSafeBC. "Employers in the oil and gas industry need to ensure the health and safety of their workers and prevent noise-related hearing loss injuries." WorkSafeBC reported that the hearing protection used in the oil and gas industry is in some cases insuffi cient and needs to be re-evaluated by employers. Despite the number of workers showing signs of hearing loss, almost all of them wore hearing protection. WorkSafeBC says there are a few possibilities to explain this: • Workers might be removing their hearing protection devices (HPDs) or wearing them incorrectly. • Workers might need to be wearing more protection (for example, dual HPDs such as ear plugs and earmuffs). • It's possible that no matter what type of hearing protection is worn, noise levels are so high that no combination of HPDs would suffi ce. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, employers are required to provide hearing loss pre- vention programs, monitor noise levels and conduct annual hearing tests for workers exposed to hazardous noise. WorkSafeBC's data indicate only 15 per cent of workers in oil and gas and pipe- line construction were tested in 2014. "This is a call to action for employers in hazardous noise industries to ensure their workers have access to hearing loss prevention programs and annual testing, as well as vigilant monitoring to determine where and when the highest levels of noise exposure are occurring and take appropriate engineering control measures to reduce exposures," said Phillips. Employers can also rotate their work- ers to different positions so they spend less time in noisy environments and ensure they know how to properly fi t and wear their hearing protection. Ontario introducing legislation to support fi rst responders with PTSD T he government of Ontario has announced it is introducing leg- islation that would create a presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in fi rst responders is work-related. This would lead to faster access to resources and treatment, said the government. "Given all that we ask of our fi rst responders, it is only fair that we support them when they need us most," said Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn. "This legislation will give fi rst responders and those who work in corrections the peace of mind they deserve, and our prevention, resiliency and research initiatives will round out a comprehensive PTSD approach we can all be proud of and that will protect the brave men and women who we entrust with keeping us safe and secure." Evidence shows that fi rst responders are at least twice as likely compared to the general population to suffer PTSD, due to the risk of routine exposure to traumatic stressors. If passed, the Supporting Ontario's First Responders Act (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) would expedite the claims process to be eligible for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefi ts once an individual is diagnosed with PTSD; remove the need to prove a causal link between PTSD and a workplace event; and require employers to implement PTSD prevention plans within the workplace. The proposed presumption would apply to police offi cers, fi refi ghters, paramedics, workers in cor- rectional institutions and secure youth justice facilities, dispatchers of police, fi refi ghter and ambulance services and First Nations emergency response teams. The legislation would apply to more than 73,000 fi rst responders in Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police Association applauded the announcement. "Uniform offi cers and civilian police personnel are our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers and protectors of our communities. Above all else, they are human-beings. They often suffer from injuries not easily seen and need help," said Rob Jamieson, president of the OPP Association. "We are pleased that the government is moving forward with legislation to address one of the most important issues facing law enforcement personnel today." This legislation is the next step in the government's strategy to prevent and mitigate the risk of PTSD and provide fi rst responders with faster access to treatment and the information they need to stay healthy. The province's prevention strategy has four major elements: • The creation of a radio and digital campaign aimed at increasing awareness about PTSD amongst fi rst responders, their families and communities and eliminating the stigma that too often prevents those in need from seeking help. • An annual leadership summit to be hosted by the Minister of Labour to highlight best practices, recognize leaders and monitor progress in dealing with PTSD. • A free online tool kit with resources on PTSD tailored to meet the needs of employers and each of the fi rst responder sectors. • Grants for research that support the prevention of PTSD. ® Dentec_ADwithLogo 3.125 x 4.875.indd 1 1/22/16 12:05 PM ® DENTEC • Skeetsafe Ad 3.125"x4.875".indd 1 1/22/16 12:06 PM

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