Accident Prevention e-News
July 2009
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Volume 4/Issue 7/July 2009
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In this Issue:
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Preparing for the next inspection blitz: what supervisors need to know
By Evan Thompson
 Supervisors are pivotal to an employer’s ability to operate both efficiently and in compliance with the law. During the Ministry of Labour’s 2009 inspection blitzes, inspectors will be looking closely to see if
- workers have received adequate instruction from supervisors on the task or procedure at hand
- supervisors understand the legislation that applies to the task they are supervising, as well as their responsibilities and workers' general rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act
Inspectors will likely want to know whether workers have the information they need about health and safety. Workers need answers to these and other questions:
- what dangers are related to my job?
- what hazards do I need to know about (e.g., noise, chemicals, sharps)?
- will I receive job safety training? How often? On what topics?
- what personal protective equipment should I be wearing? When should I wear it? How should I wear it?
- will I be trained in emergency procedures (e.g., fire, chemical spill)?
- where are fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment located?
- what do I need to know about my clients/assignment?
- what are my health and safety responsibilities?
- who are my safety representatives or JHSC members?
- what health and safety rules should I know about?
- who should I talk to if I have more questions?
- what do you expect from me in terms of workplace health and safety?
If you are a supervisor or member of middle management, ask yourself the same types of questions. But in this case, you have a dual role—seeking answers and providing them to your staff.
7 ways employers can help their supervisors
A strong health and safety culture starts with a shared understanding and communication among employees at all levels, with the supervisor at the centre guiding employees to achieve goals set out by management. Here are seven ways employers and senior management can support their supervisors.
1. Inform yourself of hazards in your workplace. Management’s understanding of the various hazards workers face is important to creating a strong health and safety culture. Owners who understand the hazards are better able to create successful programs that eliminate or control those hazards. “Senior managers who have a handle on those risks are better able to guide supervisors in doing their jobs,” says Andrew Harkness, IAPA’s senior strategy advisor, Healthy Workplaces.
2. Help supervisors focus on health and safety. Harkness suggests “many supervisors are feeling vulnerable because in tough economic cycles owners don’t want to invest in anything, including health and safety, and instead put the onus on supervisors to ensure things run smoothly.”
IAPA consultant Gord Leffley points to management support of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s Safety Groups program as a cost-effective way to implement health and safety action plans.
The Safety Groups program builds on the premise that safety makes good business sense. Preventing injuries and illness can help firms to reduce costs, boost productivity, improve product and service quality, and stimulate innovation. Furthermore, by working together in local groups dedicated to developing and enhancing their health and safety programs, firms can benefit from each other’s experience and expertise. Compensation premium rebates, based on the performance of the entire group, provide an added incentive for firms to work together.
“Safety Groups are a good way to ensure that supervisors have management’s full and consistent support in guiding colleagues to safe work habits. There needs to be a lot of mutual respect and trust for this to happen,” says Leffley.
3. Take the element of surprise out of your management style by sharing plans well in advance with supervisors, so that they can prepare and share information with workers. Management’s commitment to creating a cooperative rather than a confrontational environment is key to business success and the supervisors’ ability to making it happen. “This takes good business planning,” says Harkness. “A company whose management is reactive, not proactive, will inevitably put more pressure on all employees who need to react quickly to meet new goals.”
4. Clearly state what you expect from your supervisors regarding productivity, health and safety, and other key performance measures. In the most successful companies, responsibility for health and safety begins with the board of directors and involves people at all levels of the organization. Health and safety objectives are clearly defined in job descriptions, communicated to all workers, including supervisors, and encouraged through the performance appraisal system.
Harkness notes that “some employers tend to base their measurement of success on what doesn’t happen—a lack of incidents leading to sick leave, or worse. They see rates and premiums falling, and think supervisors and other workers are doing well. They may be, but these are just one set of indicators. In Ontario, workplace fatalities are increasing. A truly healthy workplace requires the support of a corporate culture at all levels.”
5. Support the desired behaviour, and discourage anything else. The role of supervisor has changed from “old-school overseer” to one of a coach, says Leffley. “The supervisor now needs to ensure that the resources exist for workers to work safely and perform at a high level without recrimination or threats.”
This means that tantrums are no longer an option. In these economic times, some supervisors may still believe that fear and intimidation will go a long way toward helping companies meet profit targets. “But meeting targets under these circumstances comes at a terrible price,” says IAPA consultant Paul Hartford.
6. Ensure supervisors have the knowledge and skills to fulfill their responsibilities. For example, to accurately assess an employee’s suitability for a task, the supervisor must understand what skills are required, what precautions must be taken, and whether the employee has the necessary knowledge and skills to complete the task efficiently and safely.
“If a supervisor doesn’t fully understand the potential hazards at hand, an employee’s life is immediately in danger,” says Hartford.
“When I was growing up, I worked for our family business. I did some dangerous things involving, for example, installing windows at great heights. In those days, the focus was more on getting the job done, and less on what could go wrong.”
7. Look for solutions rather than blame. Pointing fingers after an incident is seldom well received by supervisors or workers. “When an injury occurs,” says Leffley, “there is a tendency to investigate and assign blame, then let it go. Learning from the causes and sharing that information with workers can go far in preventing similar incidents.” Leffley adds that fear of making mistakes can hamper job performance, and that sometimes even the most skilled worker can slip up.
Excerpted from an article that will be published in the August/September issue of Accident Prevention magazine. Watch for it in the mail or online in late August
How IAPA can help
IAPA offers training from a number of perspectives, and in various formats:
These documents are available as free downloads:
Also, learn more about how IAPA’s Safety Group can help your firm to improve its health and safety programs and performance.
Are you at risk of becoming road kill?
 More Canadians die on the road during the summer months than at any other time of year, warns the Canada Safety Council. Contributing factors: alcohol, fatigue and aggressive driving. Keep the following in mind whenever you head out on the road this summer—for work or for pleasure.
Ontario’s new blood alcohol limit
As of May 1, 2009, if you’re found driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from 0.05 to 0.08 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood (known as the "warn range"), your license can be suspended on the spot for up to 3 days for a first occurrence, 7 days for a second occurrence, and 30 days for a third or subsequent occurrence.
These roadside license suspensions cannot be appealed. Furthermore, they will be
- recorded on your driver’s record
- taken into consideration for up to five years when determining consequences for subsequent infractions
If convicted of having a BAC of 0.08 or higher, first offenders face a 90-day suspension of their license, among other penalties. Repeat offenders face greater consequences.
And then, of course, there’s your insurer to deal with.
Just how big a deal is drinking and driving? According to the Ministry of Transportation, it’s a leading road safety issue. During the past decade, more than 2,000 people have died and 50,000 people have sustained injuries in collisions involving a drinking driver. More specifically:
- 17,000 Ontario drivers are convicted every year of such Criminal Code offences as impaired driving, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.08 mg, criminal negligence causing bodily harm or death, manslaughter, dangerous driving, and failure to remain at the scene of a collision. The ministry believes that 75% of these convictions involve drinking and driving
- drunk driving accounts for almost 25% of all Ontario road fatalities
- the financial cost to society is estimated to be at least $3 billion annually
Combatting fatigue
A summer tendency to travel long distances while on holiday can tempt us to drive even when tired. Fatigue is a form of impairment, says the Canada Safety Council, so don't give in to a temptation to push on. The council also advises the following:
- if you start early, stop early
- drive only when rested. If you feel tired, let someone else drive, have a good sleep beforehand, or delay departure until the morning
- allow for rest breaks. They’re good for drivers, passengers, and the vehicle
- keep your mind alert. Listen to talk shows or up-tempo music. Try to have company on long trips. Change position frequently, keeping your head up and shoulders back. Chew gum. Actively watch road signs and traffic
- watch what you eat and drink. Coffee, sugar or other stimulants may wake you up physically, but do not ensure mental alertness. Drink water, juice or soft drinks low in sugar and caffeine. Choose high-protein snacks over heavy or fatty foods such as fries. Avoid alcohol and medications, including cold remedies. If you require medication, ask your doctor how to minimize any effects on driving
- drive defensively. Be prepared to prevent collisions in spite of the actions of others, including drivers around you who may be drowsy
Aggressive driving
Respondents to a Canada Safety Council survey identified these common acts of aggressive driving:
- tailgating (93%)
- passing on the shoulder of the road (88%)
- making rude gestures (86%)
- pulling into a parking space someone else is waiting for (80%)
- changing lanes without signalling (75%)
Other examples of aggressive driving include:
- failure to yield the right of way to other road users
- preventing other drivers from passing
- not allowing other drivers to merge or change lanes in heavy traffic conditions
- driving at speeds far exceeding the norm, which can lead to tailgating, and frequent and abrupt lane changes
- running stop signs
- running red lights
- failing to yield to oncoming traffic
Human error contributes to 85% of collisions, and aggressive driving plays a major role in many of these incidents. Watch yourself for signs of aggressive driving. You’re not in a race.
For more road safety tips, check out the July 2008 issue of Accident Prevention e-News.
A global perspective
Roughly 1.3 million people die each year on the world's roads, and between 20 and 50 million sustain non-fatal injuries, reports the World Health Organization (WHO) in the world’s first global assessment of road safety.
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists comprise almost half of those killed on the roads, highlighting the need for special attention to these road users in road safety programs.
The WHO report, Global status report on road safety, found the greatest risk of injury in low- to medium-income countries. However, says Dr. Etienne Krug, director of the WHO’s Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability, “even the top performers globally are often stagnating and still have considerable room for improvement in achieving a truly safe road transport system.”
Road traffic fatalities are predicted to rise to the fifth leading cause of death by 2030, resulting in about 2.4 million fatalities annually.
Pandemic update: beyond the headlines
 Ottawa boosts pandemic prep… US swine flu cases may have hit 1 million… Swine flu shows first sign of resistance to Tamiflu… UK braces for 100,000 swine flu cases a day…
These headlines and others about the H1N1/09 influenza virus are alarming, with good cause. The number of people infected continues to grow, even in the northern hemisphere where the annual flu season is over. Plus, there are concerns about a possibly more severe secondary wave this fall, which happened with the Spanish flu in 1918.
In June, the WHO raised its influenza pandemic alert level to 6, the highest. As of July 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 94,512 confirmed cases, including 429 deaths, in over 130 countries. As of July 10, Canada has reported 9,717 confirmed cases, including 894 hospitalizations and 39 deaths.
Does this mean we’re facing a crisis? Not necessarily. Or at least not yet. In a news conference held shortly after the WHO announcement, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. David Butler-Jones emphasized that the level 6 status is based on the spread of the virus, not the severity. “The WHO has in fact noted that the H1N1/09 virus is causing generally mild illness globally and most cases recover at home without medical treatment,” said Bulter-Jones.
The WHO cautions that the situation may change. “The virus writes the rules,” said WHO director general Margaret Chan during the WHO announcement, “and this one, like all influenza viruses, can change the rules, without rhyme or reason, at any time.”
Canada’s infection rate is higher than the US rate. Are we at greater risk? We have more confirmed cases per capita. However, Canada has been testing more aggressively than many countries, which could be skewing per capita infection rates.
How many of us are expected to contract the virus? Typically, new viruses infect between 30% and 50% of the world’s population within two years. The bigger question is how many will become seriously ill. Not all infected people become ill, and not all those who do become seriously ill.
Who’s at greatest risk? For H1N1/09, people who are very young, very old, very obese, pregnant, or have other health issues are at greatest risk. People over 50 appear to be at less risk than usual. For most influenzas, other health issues include autoimmune deficiencies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
What are the symptoms? Same as most influenzas: fever, fatigue, reduced appetite, cough, sore throat. Some people have also experienced vomiting and diarrhea.
What about my workplace? Find out if your employer has an emergency preparedness plan that addresses how it will operate during an event such as a flu pandemic. If it does, read the plan to familiarize yourself with any potential changes in operations and how they would affect your responsibilities. If it doesn’t, volunteer to help your employer develop a plan.
Explore the option of working from home. This may help lessen the spread of the flu in the workplace, as well as help solve childcare and transportation problems.
If you have people who report to you, gather information you think they will need to know, such as leave policies, options for working from home, what to do if employees become ill at work, and who to contact if they become ill at home or have to stay home to care for others. Share this information.
My workplace already has an emergency preparedness plan. Can we just apply it to the pandemic? “Yes,” says IAPA consultant Valerie Whalley, “with a couple of qualifications. For many natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina or, closer to home, last year’s Sunshine Propane explosion, the effects are localized. A pandemic is global, so supply and service disruptions can be widespread. Consider the possible implications, and plan for them. Also, pandemics affect people rather than processes or property. Even for those who don’t become ill, there’s a lot of fear, hysteria, grief, and anger that people and workplaces have to work through. This can affect personal well-being and organizational productivity.”
Is my employer at risk? A 2008 World Bank study estimated that a severe worldwide influenza pandemic could cost about $3.1 trillion and shrink the worldwide gross domestic product (GDP) by 4.8%.
According to York University’s Schulich School of Business, the biggest business cost associated with an influenza pandemic is employee absenteeism and its effect on productivity. Some 15% to 30% of employees would stay home during a moderate to severe pandemic because of illness, family-care responsibilities, and fear of being infected in the workplace, says the school.
“If we experience a severe wave,” says Whalley, “businesses could end up closing for 3 or 4 weeks. Research shows that 43% of businesses experiencing a major crisis don’t reopen, and a further 29% close within two years.” Factor in a soft economy, and these percentages could rise.
What steps are other businesses taking? "Large Canadian corporations understand that pandemic preparedness plans are critical to the health of their bottom line and have invested considerable resources to strengthen existing plans," says Professor Amin Mawani, an associate professor at the Schulich School of Business. Mawani has written a just-released report based on a corporate risk managers' roundtable on pandemic preparedness roundtable, organized by the school in May.
“Some of corporate Canada's current practices for pandemic preparedness include ongoing communications with employees, hand hygiene, travel restrictions, and access to sanitizers and related supplies for equipment handling," says the report.
The Schulich report suggests that businesses may need to implement other measures to reduce the risk of infection, such as social distancing, personal protective equipment, antiviral stockpiles, and self-quarantine. Many corporations have already considered remote work potential, staggered work hours, and limited entry and exit to facilities. They also have instituted policies for managing sick employees, and managing communications and the corporate website for emergency plans.
How do I protect myself? Get a seasonal flu shot in the fall to protect yourself against whatever strains of influenza are expected to be circulating during the coming year's flu season. If a shot against the H1N1/09 virus becomes available, get that too. Take the same personal precautions as you would against any flu:
- wash your hands often and thoroughly in warm, soapy water or use a hand sanitizer with a minimum concentration of 62% ethyl alcohol
- cough and sneeze in your arm, not your hand
- keep common surfaces and items clean and disinfected
- stay home if you’re sick, unless directed to seek medical care
Don’t wait to take precautions. Speaking at a July 2 gathering of world health officials,
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan warned that influenza pandemics “tend to hit a given area in the epidemiological equivalent of a tidal wave.” At that point, the time for planning is over.
Don’t expose yourself deliberately now in the hopes of developing an immunity. No one can predict who will become seriously ill.
Don’t take anti-virals as a precautionary measure unless you have been instructed to do so by your physician. If the virus mutates, it could develop an immunity.
If you think you have the flu, don’t go to the nearest emergency department. You could spread it to caregivers and a particularly vulnerable population. Instead, phone Telehealth Ontario, 1-866-797-0000. It’s a free, 24-hour service provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that allows Ontario residents to speak to a registered nurse about their medical questions.
Suggestions appearing in this article were drawn from a number of sources, including the WHO, Public Health Agency of Canada, The Globe and Mail, and others.
How can I learn more?
- Check out the pandemic planning section on IAPA’s website.
- Sign up for these two courses:
- Pandemic Planning: Is Your Business Ready, a half-day course that will help you develop strategies and take steps to minimize the impact on your business and your employees. It will also be available as a one-day on-site session, in which an IAPA consultant can help you start developing and implementing measures immediately.
- Emergency Response Planning, a 1.5-hour e-course. Although the course does not address pandemic planning directly, it offers guidance on developing and implementing a response plan for workplace emergencies.
- Keep reading Accident Prevention e-News for updates and additional information.
In the News
IAPA welcomes new CEO
As of July 2, 2009, Elizabeth Mills, president and CEO of the Ontario Service Safety Alliance (OSSA), has assumed the role of president and CEO of IAPA. Mills replaces Maureen Shaw, who retired on June 30. Elizabeth Mills is now also president of the Farm Safety Association (FSA).
Mills' new responsibilities represent a step forward in the planned amalgamation of the three organizations. On June 15, Mills was appointed as the inaugural CEO of Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario (SWPSO), the organization being formed to amalgamate OSSA, IAPA and FSA.
Quotables
“We cannot afford injuries. Injuries cost our province $12 billion a year.”
— Peter Fonseca, Ontario’s Minister of Labour
In an interview with Accident Prevention magazine, Labour Minister Fonseca spoke at length about progress made since the introduction of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 30 years ago. Injury prevention is a “win for the province,” said Fonseca, offering substantial financial savings and averting needless pain and suffering.
Look for coverage of this interview, as well as an interview with Assistant Deputy Minister Sophie Dennis, in Accident Prevention’s August/September issue.
“The Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business”
— Hilda L. Solis, US Secretary of Labor
Speaking to 4,000 OHS professionals at the opening on the American Society of Safety Engineers’ annual conference in San Antonio, TX, Solis advised that “I want OSHA to get back to being active and robust… “We will be working with all stakeholders because as you know, workplace safety is everyone’s business.”
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