Accident Prevention e-News
November 2007
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Volume 2/Issue 11/November 2007
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In this Issue:
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Silent killer becomes even deadlier
 An Illinois employer faces a possible US$112,000 fine for an incident in which four workers required hospitalization for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommended the fine in October, just as the high risk season for CO exposure begins.
The odourless, tasteless and colourless gas is known as a silent killer because many victims are overcome before they realize anything’s wrong. However, recent research suggests CO may be deadly even for those who recover consciousness after exposure.
Add shorter lifespan to CO exposure risks
A study reported last year in the American Medical Association journal found that people with hearts damaged by moderate to severe carbon monoxide poisoning were more likely to die sooner than others (JAMA, 295(4): 398-402). Other research had already shown that, even if we survive CO exposure, breathing it in could affect our
- memory
- brain function
- behaviour
- cognition.
Researchers attribute the damage to
- displacement of oxygen in the blood by CO, which kills cells and starves our major organs including, as researchers have lately learned, the heart.
- by-products of CO metabolism in the brain, which alter the charge and structure of myelin basic protein (MBP). The protein is a major component of myelin, a protective sheath surrounding neurons. Changes to myelin prompt an autoimmune response, in which the body attacks both altered and normal MBP.
Our risk of exposure to CO increases as air temperatures drop and more work takes place indoors, or with less natural ventilation. The following circumstances can contribute to a build-up of carbon monoxide in the workplace:
- faulty venting of process equipment
- improper maintenance
- weather conditions
- close proximity to the source
- ineffective or insufficient ventilation
- lack of make-up air
Add these industrial sources of CO, and risk escalates:
- fuel-powered vehicles
- fuel-powered portable or stationary equipment
- process equipment
- welding and cutting operations
- fuel-burning heaters
- heated enclosures
- faulty exhaust venting
- back drafting down flues
- contaminated compressed breathing air
- exhaust gases from explosives
Reducing risk
Prevent short- and long-term exposure to CO with control procedures and practices, such as
- modifying workplace design, processes and equipment
- choosing suitable equipment and machinery
- ensuring appropriate ventilation
- maintaining emission control equipment
- providing personal protective equipment
- training and educating supervisors and workers.
How IAPA can help
A Safety Group success story
 By Evan Thompson
Imagine sitting in your company cafeteria on a lunch break and a fire breaks out in your facility. What would be your first impulse?
During a routine lunch hour in December 2005, a worker at Toronto-based Egan TeamBoard Inc.’s Woodbridge offices smelled something burning in the wood shop. He discovered that the woodshop compressor had caught fire, and flames were gaining momentum.
What might have become a large blaze was quelled by the teamwork of Egan TeamBoard employees, who kept the fire under control until the Vaughan Fire Department arrived.
“That fire could have resulted in disaster, but the quick thinking of some employees who acted decisively may have saved lives and prevented property damage,” says Felix Fahey, Egan TeamBoard health and safety coordinator since 2000, and an employee since 1980.
Egan TeamBoard’s standard operating procedure does not call for employees to fight fires. However, five of the employees, including Fahey who assumed charge during the incident, had taken IAPA’s Certification Training Parts One and Two. Although certification training does not specifically address the situation the employees found themselves in, it helped give them the confidence and presence of mind needed to protect their fellow workers and company property. And Jim Egan, Egan TeamBoard chief executive officer, was so impressed with their actions that the company donated $2,000 to the Vaughan Food Bank in their names.
Egan TeamBoard is part of Egan Visual Inc., a company founded in 1967 that manufactures visual communication systems and furniture for business, conference and training environments. Egan TeamBoard employs 120 workers. Fahey and the company have participated in the Rexdale II chapter of IAPA’s Safety Group since 2004.
“The company introduced its own health and safety program to our production supervisors in 1999 and to its factory employees in 2000. In 2002, IAPA introduced us to the safety groups program and in 2003 we joined it,” says Fahey. “All my supervisors have now completed Certification Parts One and Two.”
Building on safety
The Safety Group program builds on the premise that safety makes good business sense. Preventing injuries and illness can help workplaces to reduce costs, boost productivity, improve product and service quality, and stimulate innovation. And, by working together in groups dedicated to developing and enhancing their health and safety programs, firms can benefit from each other’s experience and expertise. Rebates from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), awarded to safety group participants based on the performance of the entire group, provide an added incentive for companies to work together and help each other out.
Participating companies make a minimum one-year commitment to the program. At the beginning of the year, each company selects four “elements” of a health and safety program that it will build into its existing program, and the IAPA safety group collectively determines a fifth element.
As of 2007, there are 47 distinct safety groups. Each group has a sponsor, typically an employer or health and safety association such as IAPA. The sponsor liaises with the WSIB, and provides support and resources to the safety group participants. The participants attend five local meetings per year, facilitated by the sponsor. At the end of the year, each firm is evaluated on how well it has integrated the selected elements. However, firms receive rebates based on the success of the entire group.
Safety training on a fast track
Involvement in the Safety Group program has helped Egan TeamBoard expand its safety training to include the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), fire plan and fire drill training, and first aid and CPR training.
Fahey also reports that an injury analysis program has yielded a significant reduction in cuts to fingers and hands. As well, a safety glasses program, effective claims management, and helping injured employees return to work promptly have all added value. The company, says Fahey, is quick to identify opportunities to protect employees, improve health and safety performance, and earn rebates on compensation premiums.
“Good workplace health and safety practices involve every employee. Aside from making sense from a safety and business point of view, good practices build pride and teamwork, which benefits everyone,” says Fahey. “We’ve made good progress at Egan TeamBoard and are clearly focused on a comprehensive workplace health and safety strategy.”
Evan Thompson is a freelance journalist and copywriter serving a variety of industries. Tel: 416.487.8086; evan@evanwords.com; www.evanwords.com.
Registration for 2008 ends December 31
Join IAPA’s 2008 Safety Group and your firm will be entitled to:
- exclusive training sessions, offered only to Safety Group chapter members
- 10% savings on IAPA courses, Health & Safety Canada Conference and Trade show, workshops, regional conferences, and onsite consulting, including technical services such as ergonomics assessments and industrial hygiene testing…
- training sessions, offered to safety group chapter members that are not offered to any other firms.
- membership privileges—support and advice from IAPA's consultants and technical specialists, including site visits, identification of potential improvements, discussions with management and your JHSC regarding recommendations, and access to our safety group community website with scheduled chat time on selected elements.
- access to IAPA resources, including safety and claims management information and Information Centre resources and services.
- opportunity to network in person at group meetings or by email with participants across Ontario to share best practices, procedures, experiences and the ability to mentor other firms. IAPA also maintains a web page exclusively devoted to safety group members.
* Exceptions include Certification Training (Parts I and II), CSA/IAPA training and events, and Confined Space Entry (2 day).
Seven minutes of safety
 Every day, Nova Scotia Power Inc. employees start their shift with “Seven Minutes of Safety.” Supervisors, lead hands and crews review incident reports, safety messages, new safety initiatives, and achievements. This is just one of the core practices that earned the utility IAPA’s Canadian Innovation Award for the Promotion of a Healthy & Safer Workplace 2007.
Blair Burgoyne, a powerline technician, accepted the award on October 23 at the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters' seventh annual Canadian Innovation Awards Gala in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Why Blair? According to Harris McNamara, NSPI’s health & safety manager, “we believe it’s critical for our employees to be involved and share in the ownership of the safety program. In this instance, Blair is a leading lineman who has gotten involved in several safety related projects which have helped to change how we do business. Employees have helped us to achieve our successes, so who better to share in the recognition? We are just a logo without committed employees such as Blair.”
McNamara used the utility’s electronic reporting system as an example of how NSPI’s view on building a safety culture has changed. In the 1990s, employees were reluctant to report incidents. Reasons ranged from resistance to change to problems with relationships. Management commitment to a set of “Guiding Principles” helped the Safety Department to educate management and union employees on how a reporting system should work. Over time, incident reporting has increased to the point where the utility handles approximately 1500 reports per year.
How did NSP overcome employees’ initial reluctance? “We’ve gone through several stages,” says McNamara. For example:
- safety program minimum requirements were introduced in the mid 1990s.
- a move toward computer systems made reporting easier
- management recognized the importance of involving people in decision-making, and
- building stronger relationships with unionized employees became a priority.
As well, several employee initiatives led to the creation of NSPI’s Guiding Principles and the Safety Excellence Committee, a group of employees from all aspects of the business who help NSPI decide on our investment in safety.
McNamara describes the Guiding Principles as “the same principles most of us had instilled in us as we grew up. Involvement, Communication, and Recognition lead to Relationships built on trust and respect. The safety program offers many opportunities for employees to get involved in meetings, training and inspections. Safety newsletters, observations, risk assessments and the incident database are all examples of ways we try to improve communication. The Safety Excellence Committee has helped to develop recognition media such as our Safety Milestone Recognition program and the Safety Excellence Awards process. Our focus on the first three guiding principles is helping us to strengthen relationships with employees and unionized employees.
Progress has been steady. Ten years ago, Nova Scotia Power’s safety record put it in the bottom quartile of utilities with the Canadian Electricity Association. Today, it’s consistently in the top quartile.
A primary factor in the improvement is senior management commitment. “The company believes in the viability of safety programs as part of a strategy to ensure our commitment to a healthy and safe workplace,” says McNamara.
Employees take pride in their safety performance. “In the company’s 2006 Employee Satisfaction Survey,” says McNamara, “safety related questions averaged an 89% favourable rating, the highest of any survey section.”
NSPI also shares its safety expertise with others. For instance, the utility
- established a strategic partnership with the Nova Scotia Construction Association to move health and safety forward in the construction industry
- delivers electrical awareness presentations to public groups (e.g., fire departments, police, home and school associations)
- works closely with many contractors and suppliers to improve their safety performance, and
- delivers electrical awareness education to every grade six class in Nova Scotia.
As well, McNamara co-chairs the Nova Scotia Advisory Council, which provides health and safety recommendations to the Minister of Environment and Labour.
Nova Scotia Power believes there is no “magic pill” or one program that will internalize safety. The journey is the learning.
IAPA awards
IAPA sponsorship of the CME’s Canadian Innovation Award for the Promotion of a Healthy & Safer Workplace is just one way in which IAPA recognizes corporate commitment to best practices in health and safety. Our own progressive achievement award program encourages member firms to apply a systematic, dedicated approach to health and safety management, and recognizes key milestones along the way.
Checked your tires lately?
 Tires are often the most neglected part of a vehicle yet they are your only contact with the pavement. They should be checked at least once a month.
Without good tires that are properly inflated, your vehicle won’t accelerate, brake or steer correctly. Other safety devices such as antilock braking systems, traction control systems and stability control systems may not function correctly with improperly inflated tires.
Check out the following tips, adapted from information provided by Transport Canada, to ensure your tires are safe.
- Inspect your tires regularly (once a month) for damage and signs of excessive or uneven wear. Check for embedded stones, glass or other foreign objects that could work into the tread and cause a leak. Replace tires with deep cuts, slits, cracks, blisters or bulges. Also replace tires with treads worn down to the same level as the tread wear indicator (1.5 mm or 2/32 of an inch in depth).
- Inspect the thread depth for proper traction. As a tire wears, traction is reduced. A tire must be replaced when the tread has worn even with the tread wear indicator. The tread wear indicator is a small raised bar that runs across the grooves of the tire tread, marking the minimum allowable tread depth. Typically, there are six tread wear indicators spaced evenly around the tire. For optimum traction in wet or snow conditions, replace your tires before they reach the minimum tread depth.
- Buy the most appropriate tires for your vehicle and your driving needs. Ensure new tires are the same size, and have the same load capacity and speed rating as the original tires, which will have this information printed on them. The size also appears on the tire information label, which is usually located on the driver’s door or inside the driver’s door frame.
- Check for wheel alignment and balancing. Have your wheel alignment checked once a year or if you notice uneven or rapid wear on the inside or outside edges of the tire. If the wheels are misaligned, they may drag instead of rolling freely. Wheels should also be balanced. If they are out of balance, you may feel a pounding or shaking through the steering wheel or your seat. This pounding could shorten the life of suspension components, lead to uneven tire wear (bald spots) and increase fuel consumption.
- Rotate your tires regularly. Front and back tires usually wear differently, especially on front wheel drive vehicles. They’ll last longer if you rotate them. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation, found in the owner’s manual. Or talk to your tire professional to find out how—and how often—the tires on your vehicle should be rotated. Common practice is to rotate tires every 10,000 km. When mounting the wheels on your vehicle, make sure the wheel nuts are tightened to the manufacturer’s specifications. You can find this information in your owner’s manual.
- Buy winter tires. At temperatures below 7°C, standard tires begin to lose elasticity, resulting in reduced traction. Winter tires retain their elasticity to grip at much lower temperatures.
Look for the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol when shopping for winter tires. Tires marked with this symbol meet specific snow traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions.
Tires marked “M + S” (Mud and Snow), or “all season” tires without the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol, may provide safe performance in most weather conditions but are not designed for snow- and ice-covered roads.
At temperatures below 7°C, standard tires begin to lose elasticity, resulting in reduced traction. Winter tires retain their elasticity to grip at much lower temperatures.
Wide, high-performance tires, other than those specifically designed as winter tires, are not suitable for use on snow-covered roads.
As a tire wears, traction is reduced. Do not use tires that are worn close to the tread wear indicators on snow-covered roads.
- Check your tire pressure. Measure tire pressure at least once a month, and always before going on a long trip. Use a good-quality tire pressure gauge. Measure the pressure when the tires are cold. Don’t forget the spare.
The maximum tire pressure marked on the tire sidewall refers to the pressure required to carry the maximum load of the tire, and is generally not the same as the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure for your vehicle. To find the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle’s tires, refer to the information label. This is usually located on the edge of the driver’s door, or the door post or other conspicuous location. If you can’t find the information label, check your owner’s manual.
When inflating your tires, make sure the air pump hose valve and tire valves are free of dirt and other obstructions. Make sure the tire valves have caps.
In
the News
2006 Safety Group sets rebate record
Firms participating in IAPA’s 2006 Safety Group broke records by reducing their collective lost time injury (LTI) frequency rate by almost 33% and their LTI severity rate by 28%. In the process, they earned their highest compensation rebate ever.
Reducing these rates earned the 548 participating firms impressive compensation premium rebates. The total 2006 rebate of $3,076,623 represents a 45 percent increase over the 2005 rebate of $2,124,845.
Member firms achieved a 7.48 percent rebate score out of a possible eight percent, which breaks down as follows:
- 3.48% out of 4% for achievements
- a perfect 2% out of 2% for LTI frequency improvements
- a perfect 2% out of 2% for LTI severity improvements
Statistics from 2000, the first year of the WSIB Safety Groups program, show that $5 million went back in rebates to participants in all safety groups. The value of the improved safety performance, i.e., money saved because of fewer injuries, was pegged at nearly $6 million in direct costs. If you add the indirect costs of workplace injuries, such as retraining, replacement workers, and lost productivity, the savings swell to nearly $24 million.
Registration for 2008 ends December 31
Join IAPA’s 2008 Safety Group and your firm will be entitled to
- exclusive training sessions, offered only to Safety Group chapter members
- 10% savings on IAPA courses, Health & Safety Canada Conference and Trade show, workshops, regional conferences, and onsite consulting, including technical services such as ergonomics assessments and industrial hygiene testing…
- training sessions, offered to safety group chapter members that are not offered to any other firms.
- membership privileges—support and advice from IAPA's consultants and technical specialists, including site visits, identification of potential improvements, discussions with management and your JHSC regarding recommendations, and access to our safety group community website with scheduled chat time on selected elements.
- access to IAPA resources, including safety and claims management information and Information Centre resources and services.
- opportunity to network in person at group meetings or by email with participants across Ontario to share best practices, procedures, experiences and the ability to mentor other firms. IAPA also maintains a web page exclusively devoted to safety group members.
* Exceptions include Certification Training (Parts I and II), CSA/IAPA training and events, and Confined Space Entry (2 day).
McGuinty names new Minister of Labour
On October 30 Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed Brad Duguid Minister of Labour. Duguid’s political career began in 1994, when he was elected as a municipal councillor in the former City of Scarborough. A newcomer to the provincial Cabinet, Duguid was first elected to the Provincial Legislature in 2003, and served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. He was active in the creation of the Greenbelt, the reform of the Tenant Protection Act, and the devolution of the OMERS pension plan. He was also instrumental in the City of Toronto Act, improvements to the Municipal Act, and the restructuring of the Ontario Municipal Board and Planning Acts.
Critical Dates
Call for Research Posters: IAPA’s Health & Safety Canada 2008
IAPA is pleased to provide a new opportunity for workplaces to display and share their current “Industry Innovation” at the Health and Safety Canada 2008 Conference and Trade Show, taking place April 21-23, 2008 in Toronto.
An “Industry Innovation” poster stream will focus on new and innovative workplace practices that have been implemented and evaluated within an organization to enhance the health and safety of employees.
Subject areas that will be considered for the poster display include:
- healthy workplaces
- health and safety core practices
- OHS leadership and management
- occupational hygiene
- occupational disease
- process safety
- ergonomics, and
- young/new worker issues.
Submission date for applications: January 15, 2008.
Call for papers: World Health Congress
The XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work takes place in Seoul, Korea June 29-July 2, 2008. IAPA invites abstracts for a symposium it will facilitate on healthy workplaces: "Creating a Holistic Approach to Safer and Healthier Workplaces." Deadline for submission of abstracts: November 30, 2007.
The world congress is the largest international forum on safety and health. The event’s theme for 2008 is “Safety and health at work: a societal responsibility.”
It is increasingly evident that employers, labour, government and OHS professionals can no longer limit their intervention strategies to the physical and/or biomechanical perspective. The new workplace demands that we integrate personal health factors, mental and spiritual health, and the psychosocial environment into our business strategies and processes. This symposium will provide the opportunity to share best practices and implementation models from around the world on the values and benefits of implementing a comprehensive and holistic approach to occupational health and safety.
IAPA annual conference international travel bursary: December 15 deadline
IAPA offers individuals in transitional economies whose field of work or study is in workplace safety, health, or environment an opportunity to attend Health & Safety Canada 2008.
A limited number of bursaries are available with the maximum usable amount of CDN$2,000 towards the cost of travel, meals, and accommodations. The bursary delegate will be given complimentary registration to IAPA’s Health & Safety Canada 2008 Conference & Trade Show.
The event takes place in Toronto, Ontario from April 21 to 23, 2008. Deadline for applications: December 15, 2007.
To be considered for the bursary, applicants must
- be an individual and not an organization, residing in a developing country
- have his or her field of work or study in workplace safety, health and/or environment
- have an understanding of the English language as interpreters are not provided
- provide reasons as to why the costs cannot be covered by the individual, and
- include the estimated costs for travel, meals, and accommodation.
- Learn more about this opportunity.
IAPA student scholarship: January 15 deadline
IAPA invites students residing in Ontario to apply for a J.V. Findlay Scholarship.
IAPA will award three scholarships in spring 2008 as a means of encouraging students to pursue full-time studies at an Ontario university or college of applied arts and technology in occupational health and safety, the workplace environment, or a related program, which will lead to improvements in health and safety for Ontario workers.
The three scholarships, for $1,000 each, will be awarded to:
- one student graduating from high school
- one student enrolled full time in a college or undergraduate program
- one student enrolled full time in a post-graduate program (e.g., Masters or Doctorate)
The scholarship is administered by IAPA in the name of Jim Findlay, a former executive vice president and general manager.
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