Archive for October, 2010
8 great safety channels on YouTube
October 28, 2010
These YouTube channels offer general and industry-specific videos for safety meetings, training sessions, and new worker orientations, available in a variety of languages.
WorksafeBC
Workers’ Compensation Board of BC
safetycareonlinechannel
Burlington, Ontario company that produces OHS videos
NIOSH Safety Videos
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, based in Washington, DC
Work Safe For Life
From the Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Shine At Work
From the Workplace Safety Council of Singapore
National Safety Council
Based in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Ontario WSIB
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, based in Toronto, Ontario
Seattle Red Cross
Washington State headquarters
Safety winners recognized
October 26, 2010
2010 NAOSHWeek theme: Safety & Health - a Commitment for Life: How Safe Are You?
I’ve always loved to see people acknowledged for their efforts to make a difference. On October 21, I had a chance to hear about the great work done by OHS folks in BC when I attended the 2010 Safety Forum at Newlands Golf and Country Club in Langley.
It was touching to see the proud faces of recipients going up to the podium to accept their awards for NAOSH (North American Occupational Safety and Health) Week and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) Achievement Recognition.
I’ll be telling some of their stories in the coming weeks – and in the meantime, you can see the list of award winners at the WorkSafeBC website.
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who won!
Trick-or-treaters get lesson in PPE
October 21, 2010
October generally finds me and my offspring mulling over possible Halloween costumes. This year I came across an idea with a built-in “teachable moment” on workplace safety – construction worker. Not only is it a fun and visual costume for kids, it’s also a chance to gently introduce the importance of personal protective equipment. Read more
How do paramedics stay safe at work?
October 19, 2010
Paramedics at a skateboarding competition in East Vancouver, Sept. 2010.
I’ve admired paramedics ever since I was a kid in the 70s, watching the old TV show Emergency!
Since then, in real life, I’ve seen paramedics do amazing things, with such kindness and compassion. A while ago, I saw on Facebook that Nicholas Chernen, an old high school friend of mine, was in paramedic school at the Justice Institute of BC.
I wrote to congratulate him on his career choice, and also asked what he is learning about staying safe on the job. Here’s what he told me:
“The first thing we always think about is hazards. Is there anything in/on/around the emergency scene that could cause harm to ourselves or fellow first responders? (We’re no good to anyone if we get injured.) Read more
Cars are workplaces too
October 14, 2010
Photo credit: post_man on Flickr
If you drive your own car at work, you’re part of what’s called “the grey fleet” and your car is considered part of your workplace. Sales people, home care workers, and house cleaners are in the grey fleet – and once upon a time so was I.
This made me especially curious about the cover article in the Sept/Oct 2010 issue of WorkSafe Magazine, which says vehicle collisions are second only to asbestos exposure as a cause of worker deaths. Read more
Unsafe acts compilation on YouTube
October 12, 2010
Safety failures from around the world, in a video compilation from Maple Industrial Hygiene.
Win a free pass to Make It Safe
October 07, 2010
Photo credit: RhonniRhubar on Flickr
They make different things – bread, roofing tiles, metal pipes – but they share a lot in common.
Their processes are often similar, and, no matter what they make, they use many of the same safety solutions.
A group of manufacturing employers, safety professionals, and safety committee members will have a chance to compare notes on October 25 and 26 in Richmond, BC at the Make It Safe conference. Read more
What to do if your gas pedal sticks
October 05, 2010
Please take 2.5 minutes to watch this life-saving information from ConsumerReports.org.
