Accident Prevention e-News March 2010	Volume 5/Issue 3/Mar 2010
In this Issue: Preparing for Bill 168’s domestic violence requirements OHS criminal charges: protecting your firm One-stop access to a world of OHS expertise Springtime driving: a fresh set of hazards In the News

Preparing for Bill 168’s domestic violence requirements

What has domestic violence got to do with work? One critical sentence in Ontario’s new violence and harassment legislation, which takes effect June 15, 2010, addresses the obligation of organizations to protect workers at risk of domestic violence in the workplace.

While the new requirement contains broad performance standards rather than specifics, the intent is clear. Employers are required to take action that protects individuals at risk from a hazard many have not associated with the workplace. The requirement gives employers flexibility in identifying and implementing preventative measures appropriate to the situation and workplace culture.

Section 32.0.4 of Bill 168 states:

If an employer becomes aware, or ought reasonably to be aware, that domestic violence that would likely expose a worker to physical injury may occur in the workplace, the employer shall take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker.

Employers have always had a general obligation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to take every precaution reasonable to protect workers. The amendments ensure workplaces clearly recognize that domestic violence can be a risk in the workplace.

The prevalence of domestic violence

Domestic violence in the workplace is a serious and growing concern. These statistics say it all:

• research suggests that 70% of domestic violence victims are also abused at work at some point. This makes domestic violence a potential issue in almost every organization (Swanberg, J. & Logan, T.K., 2005; Domestic Violence and Employment: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. 10(1), pg 3.)
• domestic violence in the workplace has been identified as the fastest growing type of workplace violence in Canada (Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, 2008)
• between 2002 and 2007, Ontario recorded 230 domestic violence-related deaths. Women were the victims most of the time, and men were the perpetrators. Most male deaths were perpetrator suicides (Annual Report of the Ontario Coroner’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, 2008)
• The social costs of violence against women — including health care, criminal justice, social services and lost productivity — are estimated in the billions of dollars. What can’t be measured are the psychological impacts on victims, their families and friends (Statistics Canada 2006)

Understanding domestic violence in the workplace

We generally think of domestic violence happening at home, not at work. Failing to see how domestic violence can be a workplace hazard puts those who are vulnerable at even greater risk, and hurts a business’s bottom line in tangible ways.

According to government programs in Manitoba and Alberta, domestic violence is behaviour used by one person to gain power and control over another with whom he or she has had an intimate relationship. It could include

• physical violence
• sexual, emotional and psychological intimidation
• verbal abuse
• stalking
• using electronic devices to harass and control

It is also known as “personal relationship violence,” “intimate partner violence” and “family violence.”

What to look for

Violence often enters the workplace from the outside, a characteristic that is particularly true for domestic violence. This requires employers to anticipate what could happen, rather than observe what is happening. Another reality is that domestic violence that spills into the workplace doesn’t just affect the victim; it threatens co-workers, too.

It’s important to realize that victims may not ask for help. Often they fail to realize that what they are enduring is domestic violence; similarly, employers and co-workers may not recognize the signs. Fortunately, people in trouble — no matter what age, race, religion, sexual orientation, economic status or education — often put out the same clues. For example:

• attitudes of sadness, loneliness, fear
• difficulty concentrating on a task
• missing work more often than usual

Why employers need to be involved

High-performing organizations care about their employees’ safety at work. They know that fostering workers’ personal safety and well-being has far-reaching benefits that affect productivity and the bottom line. When domestic violence poisons the workplace, it affects more than people; it also leads to

• reduced productivity
• increased absenteeism
• increased replacement, recruitment and training costs when victims are injured or dismissed for poor performance
• higher company health expenses
• decreased employee morale
• strained relations among co-workers
• potential harm to employees, co-workers and/or customers when violent abusers enter the workplace
• increased liability costs if someone at the workplace is harmed

What employers can do

Once employers become aware that domestic violence could enter or occur in the workplace, “taking every reasonable precaution” to protect staff simply becomes part of the prevention initiative being rolled out for violence and harassment in general.

1. Precautions you can implement immediately:

• make a clear statement to staff that any violence, domestic violence included, will not be tolerated in the workplace or on the property
• clarify for staff the steps you will take in the event of an incident, complaint or threat of domestic violence, including consequences for abusers who may work in the organization
• post a list of community resources in washrooms, staff rooms and on the company Intranet
• offer Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, if available
• assure the victim of domestic violence that you will do what you can to help; ask the person for help in identifying ways to make the workplace safer
• allow work schedule flexibility; e.g., changes in start and finish time, transfers to different work locations
• ensure victims understand that your responsibility extends to the safety of all other staff, but that confidentiality will, as much as possible, be maintained

2. Longer-term strategies:

• embed domestic violence in your violence and harassment policy, and make sure your supporting program includes tried and true emergency and reporting protocols
• develop a personal safety plan specifically to protect the victim at work, such as accommodating alternative work arrangements, schedule flexibility, changes in start/finish time, transfers to another work location, and arrangements to ensure safety in arriving and leaving work
• provide regular supervisor and worker training and education about domestic violence and available resources

How we can help

The single most important first step employers can take is becoming aware that domestic violence is a workplace hazard. The second: to build a culture that encourages staff to share their fears without infringing on privacy rights.

The following information and resources relate to Bill 168 in general, and also provide useful guidance in addressing domestic violence.

1. An overview of Bill 168, including requirements and resources
2. A checklist (122 KB PDF) to help you identify violence and harassment risk areas in your workplace and what program elements you have versus need.
3. Education and training opportunities:
   • Implications of Bill 168 - Ontario’s New Workplace Violence & Harassment Legislation: two-hour management briefings presented by local lawyers well versed in OHS legislation 
   • Preventing Violence & Harassment at Work - How to Integrate Bill 168 Requirements into your OHS Program: half-day interactive workshop 
   • Bill 168: Workplace Violence, a session at Superior 2010 Health and Safety Conference and Trade Show, April 20-21, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
   • Bill 168 sessions at Partners in Prevention Ontario (formerly Health & Safety Canada IAPA Conference and Trade Show), May 4-5, 2010, Mississauga, ON 
4. E-courses on workplace violence in general:
   • e-Course: Violence in the Workplace: Establish a Prevention Program (1.5 hours)
   • e-Course: Violence in the Workplace: Recognize the Risk and Take Action (1 hour)

Watch for additional resources from Ontario’s prevention partners, including the Ministry of Labour, in upcoming issues.

OHS criminal charges: protecting your firm
By Cheryl A. Edwards, Shane D. Todd and Jeremy Warning

In what should serve as a stark reminder for both employers and individuals, police in Sault Ste. Marie, ON recently charged a corporate employer and two individuals with criminal negligence causing death after a fatal workplace incident.

The incident

On April 16, 2009, the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s Public Works Department was performing sewer work in a three metre deep excavation at the city landfill. The city had contracted with 1531147 Ontario Limited, operating as Millennium Crane Rentals, to provide an 80-ton mobile crane and crane operator to assist in placing concrete structures into the excavation.

It appears that the crane fell into the excavation while it was being repositioned. Two city employees were working in the excavation at the time. One employee was pinned across the stomach and pelvis by the crane. He later succumbed to his injuries. The second employee was not hurt.

The aftermath

The Ontario Ministry of Labour and Sault Ste. Marie Police Service investigated the incident. The ministry has now laid five charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act against Millennium Crane, including charges for failing to ensure

• the crane operator was properly licensed
• the crane was maintained in a condition that did not endanger a worker
• the crane was not defective and/or hazardous

A charge was also laid against the crane operator for allegedly operating the crane in a manner that endangered himself and other workers.

The maximum fine that could be imposed for each charge against Millennium Crane is $500,000, plus the required provincial surcharge. The maximum penalty that could be imposed on the crane operator is a $25,000 fine, plus surcharge, and/or up to 12 months imprisonment.

In addition, following a 10-month investigation, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has laid criminal charges. Millennium Crane, the crane owner and the crane operator have each been charged with criminal negligence causing death. This is the first time that an Ontario corporation has been charged with this offence since amendments were made to the criminal negligence provisions of the Criminal Code in 2004. If convicted, each of the individuals charged face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. There is no limit to the fine that could be imposed on Millennium Crane. The first court date for the criminal charges is March 22, 2010.

Canadian corporate criminal liability: a reminder

Prior to 2004, no criminal negligence charges against a corporation had resulted in a conviction in Canada because the law required the Crown to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a “directing mind” of the corporation had behaved in a criminally negligent manner. In addition to the failed prosecution of Curragh Resources following the Westray Mine disaster, criminal charges against corporations have been stayed or withdrawn against Syncrude Canada Ltd. following a double fatality of contract workers in a confined space, and Ontario Power Generation following the drowning of two sun-bathers caught unaware by a controlled release of water from a dam.

The principles underlying corporate criminal liability changed in 2004 when the federal government enacted Bill C-45, An Act To Amend The Criminal Code (Criminal Liability of Organizations). Bill C-45permitted organizations, which includes corporations, to be more readily charged and convicted of criminal negligence causing either death or bodily harm. It also created a new duty requiring everyone, including corporations, who directs how a person works or performs a task, to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person or any other person, arising from that work or task.

Prosecution prerequisites

There must be a failure to discharge the legal duty to prevent bodily harm to a person, and the failure must occur in a way that shows “wanton or reckless disregard” for the safety of others. Since a corporation can act only through its representatives, the crown prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that one or more representatives of the corporation behaved in a criminally negligent manner where the potential result was serious injury or death. The crown prosecutor must also prove that “senior officers” — management with operational or executive authority responsible for the aspect of the activities relevant to the offence — departed markedly from the standard of care reasonably expected in the circumstances.

In short, it must be proven that extraordinarily reckless behaviour has resulted in serious injury or death, and the most senior management in the company have failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent this, either through systems or specific action.

Although workplace safety is (and technically has been) enforceable under both the Criminal Code and provincial OHS legislation, criminal enforcement has remained relatively rare. To date, there have been only two post Bill C-45 criminal prosecutions arising from workplace incidents in Canada.

In 2006,Transpavé Inc.¹ was charged with criminal negligence causing death after an employee was fatally crushed by the “grab” of a machine used to package cement blocks on pallets when he entered a moving area of the machine to clear jammed material. Members of senior management had been informed that the light curtain system used to guard the machine was deactivated, but had not acted to correct the situation. Transpavé Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $100,000.

Prior to that, police in Ontario laid criminal negligence charges against the owner of a small construction company² after a trench collapsed, fatally injuring a worker. Those charges were dropped after the owner pleaded guilty to three charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and was fined $50,000.

Strategic considerations for employers

The recent criminal charges against Millennium Crane demonstrate that, although the risk of criminal prosecution is small, the police will pursue criminal liability in certain circumstances. Employers can take steps now to minimize the risks of a criminal prosecution and to mitigate the consequence of any criminal charges that are laid.

1. Management and supervisory knowledge of OHS laws and requirements. Ensure that supervisors, managers, officers and directors receive a reasonable amount of training focusing on Occupational Health and Safety Act and Criminal Code obligations, key regulatory requirements, and key aspects of due diligence. This will permit them to carry out their duty of reasonable care under both pieces of legislation. To ensure that this knowledge remains current, consider ongoing retraining, and implementing mechanisms to communicate critical developments in OHS law and to advise of any compliance issues within the organization and failures or near-failures of the safety system.

2. Systems for senior management involvement and direction. Ensure that “senior officers” receive information on corporate compliance and act when informed of non-compliance. Provide summary reports detailing such matters as

• equipment safety
• updates on corporate training systems
• supervisory monitoring systems
• worker complaints about health and safety, and action taken
• work refusals
• joint health and safety committee recommendations
• government orders or prosecution

Issue orders for remedial or corrective action on any failure of the health and safety system in writing by the manager or senior officer. Document and preserve any follow-up on health and safety concerns brought to the attention of senior officers in notes, directives, or meeting minutes of board of directors meetings.

3. Due diligence steps

Undertake a review to ensure that the organization can establish due diligence to an extent that meets the extremely high standards established by courts. The existence of due diligence or ongoing reasonable care should prevent a finding by investigators or the courts of “wanton or reckless” disregard sufficient to constitute criminal negligence. The courts have established a long list of factors relevant to the determination of due diligence, including whether

• supervisory personnel knew all relevant OHS legal requirements
• workplace hazard assessments were performed by competent personnel or external experts
• work area inspections were performed to identify hazards
• written health and safety policies or procedure existed
• employees had thorough training on policies and demonstrations as appropriate to ensure safe work practices and procedures
• continuous training and reminders about safe work procedures were given
• employees were advised of new hazards, and communication of hazards and expected work processes occurred, especially where multiple crews or employers are present
• safe work practices and policies and procedures involved in the incident were enforced with discipline

4. Incident response strategies. Develop an incident response plan. While these plans do not eliminate the consequences of an incident, they can mitigate them by ensuring that legal obligations are met when responding to an incident attracting a police or regulatory response. A sophisticated response plan can also help employers balance their obligations to cooperate with regulatory officials with the substantive legal rights that may arise when the police or the ministry investigate an alleged offence. At a minimum, include in the response plan information and training for front line personnel to ensure that statutory OHS notification, reporting requirements and obligations to preserve the scene are met.

Establish a single point of contact for police and regulatory inspectors. Responsibilities of this contact person would include:

• responding to requests for documents, materials, and access to the scene and witnesses
• regularly communicating with legal counsel
• attending witness interviews where possible
• ensuring that all enquiries are fulfilled by the provision of information, policies, training documents, other material demonstrating the reasonable steps taken
• seeking external advice and assistance on key legal aspects of the investigation, including when the employer is obligated to provide requested documents or information, on what grounds it may refuse (e.g., solicitor-client privilege, litigation privilege, etc.), and when a court order or warrant is required

The plan should also provide for creating, collecting and preserving evidence independent of the police or ministry investigation as part of a separate corporate investigation, including an independent review of the undisturbed accident scene to develop alternate theories of causation.

The criminal charges against Millennium Crane serve as a reminder that employers and individuals continue to face the risk of a criminal investigation, and the prospect of reckless behaviour being treated as a “crime” after a workplace incident. Educating supervisors and senior officers about their health and safety duties, conducting a preemptive due diligence review and preparing an accident response plan can help employers to mitigate this risk.

Cheryl A. Edwards, a former OHS prosecutor, is a partner in Heenan Blaikie LLP’s Labour and Employment Group and lead in the firm’s national OHS & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group; cedwards@heenan.ca; 416.360.2897.

Shane D. Todd is an associate in Heenan Blaikie LLP’s Labour and Employment Group and a member of the firm’s national OHS & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group; stodd@heenan.ca; 416.643.6958.

Jeremy Warning is a senior associate in Heenan Blaikie LLP’s Labour and Employment Group and a member of the firm’s national Occupational Health & Safety & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. Jeremy is a former OHS prosecutor and a co-author of the Annotated Occupational Health and Safety Act, a leading text used by lawyers, human resource and health and safety professionals; jwarning@heenan.ca; 416.643.6946.

How we can help

Are you in compliance with current legal requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act?

• download a confidential legislative compliance questionnaire to determine your key responsibilities, how well you’re doing, and where you need to focus your efforts
• complete an online legislative compliance questionnaire for small business, part of a 4-step roadmap for meeting your obligations and protecting workers
• check out online legislation resources, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
• explore a full range of training and consulting services on specific hazards, exposures, and related compliance requirements
• attend Obligations and Liabilities of OH&S Professionals, a 2-day professional development course taking place prior to Partners in Prevention 2010 (formerly Health & Safety Canada IAPA Conference and Trade Show)
• attend these Partners in Prevention 2010 (formerly Health & Safety Canada IAPA Conference and Trade Show) sessions:
• What Would a Judge Say? Measuring your OHS Program Against Legal Compliance Standards
• Ministry of Labour Priorities
• Ontario’s New Workplace Violence and Harassment Legislation
• Contractor Safety Management
• WHMIS After GHS – Potential Changes

One-stop access to a world of OHS expertise

Partners in Prevention 2010: Ontario Health & Safety Conference and Trade Show (formerly Health & Safety Canada IAPA Conference and Trade Show) offers one-stop shopping for best practices, compliance advice and business solutions via conference sessions, courses, keynote speakers, and a trade show with hundreds of exhibitors.

Taking place May 4-5 in Mississauga, ON, Partners in Prevention 2010 builds on a tradition of excellence established by the Health & Safety Canada Conference & Trade Show. Partners in Prevention 2010, brought to you by Ontario’s Prevention System Partners, is Canada’s largest annual assembly of OHS experts, exhibitors and delegates.

Conference taps OHS system resources, expertise

A conference program of 60+ interactive sessions, developed with input from each of the system’s newly amalgamated health and safety associations, will engage delegates, expand their understanding of health and safety challenges, and offer solutions.

Among the highlights:

• Ministry of Labour priorities for 2010-2011, including enforcement blitzes and sector strategies
• compliance insights into Bill 168’s workplace violence and harassment provisions. Taking effect June 15, 2010, Bill 168 contains specific requirements for all workplace parties
• case study — managing young worker safety. Learn how OPG partnered with its unions and external safety advocates to develop a new approach
• a half-day Ministry of Labour mock trial. Observe first hand how a firm defends itself against charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The cast includes a judge, crown prosecutor, defence lawyers and witnesses.
• a musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) panel, exploring challenges of and solutions to employers’ #1 lost-time injury claim. Panel members will represent the Ministry of Labour, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Centre for Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, and prevention partner ergonomists

Also in the conference line-up: sessions and workshops focusing on major hazards, healthy workplaces, small business, leadership, and more. As well, a complementary series of half-day, 1-day and 2-day professional development courses will enable delegates to enrich their skill sets, update themselves on industry advances, and expand their professional horizons. These courses take place before and after the conference and trade show (May 2, 3, 6 and 7).

Trade show: exhibits and more

The trade show is actually 4 events in 1:

• Partners in Prevention 2010 (formerly Health & Safety Canada IAPA Conference and Trade Show), Ontario’s largest health & safety conference and trade show
• MASC 2010 (Machine Automation Safety Congress), featuring hands-on demonstrations from leading suppliers of machine automation safety and safeguarding
• CANECT 2010 (Canadian Environmental Conference & Trade Show), the foremost Canadian event for environmental managers, plant personnel, policy makers, lawyers and consultants responsible for environmental affairs
• Your Workplace Conference, a forum and marketplace to exchange ideas and strategies for attaining healthier workplaces, which contribute to well-being, enhanced performance and increased productivity

In addition to exhibits, the trade show features

• a Healthy Living Stage, with interactive demonstrations of practical wellness applications, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and stress testing, nutrition and fitness, gait scanning, and more. On the stage, you’ll also find these free sessions:
  • Developing a Corporate Wellness Program: From Theory to Practice
  • Stress Resilience
  • Healthy Aging Through Healthy Living
  • Ergonomic Products – What Works and When?
• a Prevention System Bookstore, with health and safety references and tools, business publications, training resources, multimedia and more. Throughout the event, speaker authors will be on hand to sign copies of their books

Next steps

1. Learn more about Partners in Prevention 2010
   
2. Explore the full range of conference offerings by downloading the preliminary show guide
3. Visit the Virtual Trade Show to browse product categories, identify and locate exhibitors to visit, and create your own personal trade show itinerary.
4. Register online today, and take advantage of the Partners in Prevention early bird rate. Expires April 9!

Springtime driving: a fresh set of hazards

The worst of winter weather may be behind us, but don’t let warmer days and snow-free forecasts lull you into a false sense of security.

Spring brings its own driving challenges:

• melting snow, icy roads on morning commutes, fog, heavy rains, potholes, and gravel and sand-covered roads
• more roadside distractions, such as joggers and cyclists, children, and wildlife. Ontario averages more than 10,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions a year or one every 38 minutes, mostly along undivided two-way roads
• more traffic, as people take advantage of longer days to schedule more outings, such as business appointments, personal errands or pleasure trips

While drivers can take a number of springtime precautions (see “What drivers can do,” below), safe driving is not just their responsibility. Consider the costs: Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation estimates that the direct and indirect social costs of motor vehicle crashes exceed $9 billion annually. Turning to the workplace, in 2008, motor vehicles on public roads were involved in 1 in 4 workplace fatalities resulting from immediate causes. These figures indicate a responsibility and an opportunity for employers to eliminate workplace-related vehicle incidents.

What employers can do

Promoting safe driving offers benefits for all employers, whether their employees drive on the job full time, occasionally, or as commuters to and from work.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) recommends that employers approach road risks as they would any other hazard — as part of an integrated health and safety management system. The following suggestions are drawn from several sources, including CCOHS and the former Transportation Health and Safety Association of Ontario, now part of the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association.

1. Establish a clear driver safety policy that sets safety direction and general objectives, communicate it to all employees and contractors, and enforce it. For example, says CCOHS:

• enforce mandatory seat belt use
• do not require workers to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours
• ensure work schedules allow employees to obey speed limits and follow hours-of-service regulations
• neither require nor permit workers to conduct business on a cell phone — hands-free or otherwise — while driving

2. Understand the nature of the driving conducted for work by determining who drives, how often, in what capacity (delivery, sales, maintenance, etc.), in what type of vehicle, and so on.

3. Conduct a risk assessment. Identify the primary driving hazards, as well as their probability and severity. Examples include:

• poorly maintained vehicles
• lack of experience
• non-use of seat belts
• driver fatigue
• driver distractions
• working alone
• animal strikes

4. Evaluate your existing safe driving practices against industry best practices.

5. Set performance standards for eliminating or controlling risks identified in a risk assessment.

6. Ensure you have hazard control programs and procedures in place so that workers have the resources they need to meet the performance standards. For instance, provide

• frequent drivers with comprehensive driver training, such as in-class defensive driving, in-cab assessments, refresher training, skid pad, and advanced driver training skill
• infrequent drivers with at least defensive driving training, in-vehicle assessment and on-going refresher training

7. Measure safety program and driver performance, and introduce continuous improvement practices to address any weaknesses or shortcomings.

What drivers can do

Given the dramatic variability of springtime weather,

• use extra caution on the road. Reduce your speed to match visibility, traffic and road conditions
• ensure your vehicle is properly maintained
• turn on the headlights and rear lights whether it's day or night. Rapid changes in temperature can quickly form misty, foggy conditions that can limit visibility
• in foggy conditions, use low beams or fog lights only, as high beams will reflect off the moisture in the air and throw light back into your eyes
• keep windows clear and have extra windshield washer fluid
• if you can’t see well enough to drive, pull as far off the road as you safely can. Use the vehicle's hazard lights to warn other drivers of your presence
• slow down when approaching puddles and potholes as it can be difficult to judge how deep they are
• keep tires properly inflated. This decreases the risk of tires riding on a film of water instead of being in firm contact with the road surface (hydroplaning). If the vehicle starts to hydroplane, reduce speed and don't brake or turn

Springtime maintenance

During the typically rainy months of spring, advises Car Care Canada, neglected vehicle maintenance such as worn out tires and windshield wiper blades may put drivers and passengers at serious risk. Car Care Canada is a non-profit advocacy group that offers research, consumer education and information about the Canadian automotive aftermarket industry.

According to the advocacy group, thin tire treads can lead to hydroplaning when water builds up on the roadway. The simplest way to check tire tread depth is with a penny. Insert the penny into the grooves of the tread. If you are able to see all of the Queen’s head, the tire needs replacement.

Rainy weather also affects driver visibility. Because 90% of driving decisions depend on good vision, a clean windshield is imperative. Streaking and smearing impair vision and are caused by worn windshield blades.

Car Care Canada offers these windshield wiper maintenance tips:

• inspect wipers every six months for wear and damage, and change at least once a year
• do not wait to replace worn and damaged wipers until the bad weather hits or visibility is so deteriorated that safety is compromised. Eyestrain from poor visibility can lead to driver fatigue and anxiety
• give your wiper blade rubber elements a quick cleaning when filling up with gas. After cleaning the windshield with the service center's washer solvent and squeegee, wipe down the rubber with a paper towel. This removes any loose dirt and most road grime that can lead to streaking, smearing or hazing
• use an ice scraper instead of wipers to de-ice your vehicle

At any time of the year, says CCOHS,

• don't drink and drive. Alcohol impairs your driving ability and increases the risk of an accident
• don’t drive if you are tired, ill or taking medicine that could make you drowsy
• follow the rules of the road
• talk to your employer about training to help you perform even better on the road
• plan your journey to reduce stress and the temptation to speed
• don’t treat your vehicle like a mobile office or entertainment centre. Reserve your time in the vehicle for safe driving and nothing else
• always wear a seat belt

In the News

MOL launches new online MSD tool

A new “Pains & Strains in the Workplace” tool on the Ministry of Labour website helps employers and workers find out more about musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

MSDs occur in the body’s soft tissue — muscles, tendons and nerves — as a result of continued exposure to repetitive work, awkward postures and other facts. In 2008, they accounted for 43% of Ontario’s compensation and injury claims costs. Between 2003 and 2008, MSDs are estimated to have cost the economy more than $2 billion.

The ministry’s new tool helps workers prevent specific musculoskeletal pains that could be work related. The tool also provides employers with information, effective approaches, and tools for reducing the risk of MSDs.

This new tool complements existing resources created by Ontario Prevention System Partners.

How we can help

Visit our Workplace Stress and Repetitive Strain Injuries resource page. You’ll find information on related e-courses, consulting services, and a number of free downloads, including the comprehensive Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention Series, a guideline, resource manual and toolbox that can help workplaces understand and recognize MSD hazards, assess risk, and control hazards.