2-Minute News from the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association – April 2019
- IHSA Safety Talk: Workplace violence and harassment
- Product spotlight: Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (RF028) and Daily VIR and Record (RF029)
- Falls Awareness Week May 6-10
- MOL wants your input on its occupational health and safety strategy
- Day of Mourning – April 28
IHSA Safety Talk: Workplace violence and harassment
Workplace violence and harassment can be:
- Verbal
- Physical
- Visual (e.g., gestures)
- Environmental (e.g., posting derogatory or sexually oriented posters)
It can include bullying and gossip as well as domestic violence that spills over into the workplace. Workplace violence or harassment negatively affects workers and the work environment.
Read IHSA’s new safety talk on workplace violence and harassment.
Product spotlight: Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (RF028) and Daily VIR and Record (RF029)
IHSA has revised two report books to help companies keep track of commercial vehicles that fall under Schedule 1.
The Daily Vehicle Inspection Report and Record of Duty Status (RF029) can be used for the daily inspection of trucks, tractors, and trailers as set out by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections Regulation (199/07) under the Highway Traffic Act.
It can also be used by drivers to record their hours of service as required by section 17 of the Hours of Service regulation (555/06).
The Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (RF028) on its own can also be used to inspect elevated work platforms, cranes, and hoisting devices as required by the Construction Projects Regulation (213/91) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
To order these or other health and safety products, visit the IHSA website.
Falls Awareness Week May 6-10
Falls are a major cause of injury and death in Ontario workplaces and a majority of these incidents involve falls from heights. That’s why IHSA is hoping its member firms will participate in this year’s Keep Your Promise – Do Your Part campaign. While this is an ongoing longer-term campaign, a Falls Awareness Week will also take place from May 6-10, 2019.
The purpose of this campaign is to remind workplace parties, employers, and workers of the importance of their roles in preventing workplace injuries and fatalities stemming from working at heights. Falls Awareness Week is a voluntary opportunity for employers and workers to start a discussion by having a safety talk around fall hazards on the worksite.
Organizations, unions, and associations can participate in this year’s campaign by instructing supervisors to stop work on their jobsite and simply take 15-30 minutes, anytime during their workday during the falls awareness week, to hold a safety talk about falls prevention and working safely at heights.
IHSA has developed informative materials to help hold a successful discussion on the topic of working safely at heights. The free, downloadable resources—such as safety talks, magazines, and brochures—will be available at IHSA’s Fall Prevention and Working at Heights topic page or you can email IHSA to receive a package of printed materials.
MOL wants your input on its occupational health and safety strategy
The Ministry of Labour is developing a new occupational health and safety strategy. This will be the second five-year strategy the Ministry has created as part of its long-term framework for workplace health and safety in Ontario.
An online survey will be available until May 15. You can also register for an in-person regional session near you.
Day of Mourning – April 28
April 28 is the Day of Mourning. Each year on this day, we honour the thousands of Ontario workers who lost their lives, became ill, or were injured at work.
While we continue to make great strides to improve worker safety, there are those who do not return home to their families due to preventable workplace fatalities.
On April 28 or during that week, think about the Day of Mourning. Ask if anyone knows a worker who was hurt or became sick. Hold a minute of silence for those who died. We should honour them but also learn from them. Ask your workers to think of ways to prevent injuries and illness at your workplace.
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