The REGIONAL
Health & Safety News, Events & Information
December 2009
It's holiday season, but not for health and safety
The holiday season is here and we're hoping your commitment to health and safety is as strong as ever even as you find yourself in a flurry of activity. Workplace injury and illness won't take a holiday. Nor will the enforcement agencies. Ministry of Labour inspectors will continue to visit and issue compliance orders for violations. The last thing you'd want is to divert scarce time and resources to comply with Ministry orders. Not now!
The December issue of The Regional sheds light on how the Ministry selects firms for a visit and what an inspector might expect of you during a visit; provides tips on winter groundskeeping safety; shares with you some recently released tips on crowd management, and tells you where to find your holiday gift. Needless to say, you'll also find what kind of health and safety training and free resources are available from OSSA in December and January. Enjoy the reading and Happy Holidays.
Ministry of Labour News
Going behind the scenes of a Labour inspector's visit
As a business owner or someone with workplace health and safety responsibilities, do you dread a visit by a Ministry of Labour inspector? Do you often wonder, "Why did they pick my firm?", "What hazards does the Ministry look for with my kind of business?", "What does an inspector look for?"
The Regional caught up with Neil Martin, Health and Safety Inspector, Ministry of Labour, in an attempt to get you some answers. Neil agreed to an interview and here's what he had to say:
The Regional (TR): How does the Ministry of Labour select firms to be visited?
Neil Martin (NM): The Ministry uses many criteria for proactive visits.....Read more
Don't leave employee safety out in the cold
Many jobs within the service sector demand that employees work outside for extended periods of time. Without proper training and protection, workers who must brave the outdoors often face serious health and safety risks during winter.
While cold weather is a significant hazard during winter it is not the only hazard workers are faced with. Winter brings with it snow, ice, and howling winds thereby increasing the number of hazards. As an employer or someone with health and safety responsibilities you need to be able to recognize these hazards and put in place controls that minimize the risk.
Know more about hazards related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), slips and falls, winter equipment, cold weather and chemicals. Click here.
Whatever happens to shoppers this time of year?
The word 'door crasher' took on an ominous new meaning as a leading retail store found out last year on Black Friday. One of its workers was trampled to death by an unruly mob of shoppers trying to get their hands on a deal at 5 o'clock in the morning.
A needless fatality like that need not be repeated. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the US Department of Labour has issued Crowd Management Safety Tips for Retailers. You might to want give these a good read and even pass them on to other colleagues in a health and safety role. Click here for the OSHA guidelines. And have a safe season.
OSSA News
The next year could have 16 months instead of 12
We've received such an overwhelming response to our offer for free access to one of the 12 health and safety topics covered in our newest online product, Safety in a Box, that we've decided to offer three topics absolutely free if you subscribe before December 18, 2009. That way you get 15 topics for the price of 12. Oh, make that 16 topics, now that we've added 'Prevent The Flu' as a bonus topic.
We've also taken $150 off SafeWork, OSSA's Health and Safety program for small and mid-sized businesses, normally available for $349 for a single user licence. Hurry, these are limited time offers.
And don't look for your gifts under the tree, just go here for more on Safety in a Box and here for SafeWork.
Be sure to check out OSSA's free Risk Assessment and Hazard & Compliance Workshops below! You can find more information here.
Course Title |
City |
Date |
| Certification Part 2 - Retail & Wholesale | Toronto / Mississauga | December 10 |
| Certification Part 2 - Vehicle Sales & Service | Toronto / Mississauga | January 5 |
| Certification Part 2 - Tourism & Hospitality | Toronto / Mississauga | January 12 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | January 13-15 |
| Certification Part 2 - Retail & Wholesale | Toronto / Mississauga | January 19 |
| Certification Part 1 | Barrie | January 19-21 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | January 25-27 |
| FREE! Risk Assessment Workshop | Ajax | January 28 |
Golden Horseshoe Region
| Certification Part 1 | St. Catherines | January 26-28 |
Eastern Ontario
| Certification Part 2 | Ottawa | December 9 |
Northern Ontario
| Certification Part 2 | Thunder Bay | January 19-20 |
Click here for details on course venue, pricing and courses taking place after January.
To register for any of the above courses, please call OSSA at 1-888-478-6772.
This glossary provides a quick reference to common health and safety terms used throughout the Six Step Guide to Health and Safety.
You should involve the Joint Health & Safety Committee in your purchasing process for safety equipment and supplies.