Some of your employees may be allergic to certain materials or foods, such as peanuts, gluten, latex, strong fragrances, dust, solvents, etc. Allergic reactions can vary from mild to life-threatening and may affect the skin, eyes and/or the respiratory system. Shortness of breath, excessive sneezing, watery eyes, skin irritation, swelling, rashes, and nausea are some...
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development ensures compliance with workplace health and safety standards. It does so by enforcing the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the primary provincial legislation on workplace health and safety. To protect workers from risks and hazards in the workplace, the Occupational Health and Safety Act sets...
Job stress is a hazard that quietly chips away at the health and productivity of your employees. Chronic stress may lead to absenteeism, poor performance, conflict, mental health concerns, and high employee turnover. Clearly, it is bad for your business. And it is a threat that is easy to miss. Some amount of stress is...
Risk assessments are the backbone of a workplace health and safety program. They help you identify potential workplace hazards and develop appropriate safety controls. They also help you meet your legal obligation as an employer to take all reasonable precautions to provide a safe workplace for your employees. A well-structured risk assessment can prevent injuries...
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can damage the skin and cause sunburn, premature skin ageing, and skin cancer. It can also lead to eye damage and diseases, such as cataracts and photokeratitis. It becomes critical then that you take all reasonable precautions to protect your outdoor workers from exposure to UV radiation...
Besides heat stress and sun exposure, summer insects are another safety hazard you must protect your outdoor workers from. Common summer pests include ticks, mosquitoes, and stinging insects such as bees, wasps, hornets, and ants. Ticks may be carriers of Lyme disease and other bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Mosquitoes, too, can carry infections such as...
The wait is over. As more people became fully vaccinated across Canada, the public had been waiting for new guidance on what those who’ve received their second dose can and cannot do. The Canadian government has now released its new health and safety guidelines for the fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated. After more than a year of heavy restrictions, it is natural to hope...
If your employees perform work tasks that are repetitive, or involve awkward postures or use of high force, they may be at risk of developing repetitive strain injuries. What are repetitive strain injuries? Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are injuries to soft tissues, such as tendons, muscles, nerves, joints, that develop over...
On May 25, 2021, British Columbia announced their four-step province wide reopening plan entitled ‘BC’s Restart’. BC’s reopening plan entered its first step on the same day it was announced. The province will progress through the steps based on increasing vaccination rates, and declining COVID-19 case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths. BC has also extended the...
