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Safety Mosaic Magazine Summer 2009
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The REGIONAL
Health & Safety News, Events & Information
October 2009
"No one got hurt so why did we get fined?"
It's commonplace for firms to be fined when employees are killed or get hurt in workplace incidents. But just last month a firm was fined $18,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act even though no workers were hurt.
In September 2008 a Ministry of Labour inspector found that two of its workers had been using a ladder that was missing three of its four non-slip feet, and one of its cross-members was broken. The firm pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the ladder had non-slip feet and was free from loose parts or other faults.
The October issue of The Regional helps you prepare for the Ministry of Labour's November blitz on slips, trips and falls; presents a simple solution to prevent your WSIB premiums from increasing or even getting some of it back; and lets you know how and where you might acquire specific health and safety training and information.
Slips, Trips and Falls. Know your duties as an employer
During the last slips, trips and falls blitz in September 2008 Ministry of Labour inspectors visited 935 workplaces and issued a whopping 2,638 orders of which 183 were stop work orders. A further analysis revealed that the ratio of stop work orders to all orders nearly tripled during the blitz; and the highest count of orders pertained to those issued to employers under the employer duties sections of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Sections 25 and 26.
This year the only difference will be the timing of the blitz - November instead of September. That's because winter-like conditions tend to make surfaces more prone to slip hazards. With regard to fall prevention contraventions, inspectors will adopt a zero tolerance approach. They will strongly consider prosectuion wherever they observe workers to be exposed to a fall related hazard.
What can you do to avoid being issued an order? Ensure prevention of slips, trips and falls remains an integral part of your workplace health and safety program. Use OSSA's Safety Check Sheet to get you started. Or call OSSA at 1-888-478-6772 for more information on the Slips, Trips and Falls Hazard Workbook.
Premiums - Frozen or going up in 2010?
You should have received a notification from the WSIB by now about whether your premiums for 2010 will be staying at their current level or going up. Firms in rate groups that keep their injury rates down and their claim durations short, will not face additional premium costs during these tough economic times; their rates will be frozen for 2010. Employers in rate groups that have not maintained or improved their overall health and safety performance can expect premium rate increases in 2010, and possibly surcharges and penalties as well.
Either way you need to continue to bring down your firm's injury rate because achieving an annual 7% reduction is the only way to keep your premiums frozen for 2011. But how do you achieve that? We're here to help. Attend OSSA's free hazard assessment and compliance workshops to know more about your responsibilities as an employer. Refer to the course schedule below and pick the date and venue of your choice. Then call to register. It's that simple..
Knock, knock! The Safety Group opportunity comes knocking again
In case you missed out on registering for OSSA's Safety Group last year the opportunity is here again. OSSA is recruiting for 2010. Our groups are small and industry specific, so you get to interact with and learn about best practices from firms in a similar line of business as you. Safety Group meetings are facilitated by knowledgeable OSSA Consultants and also let you listen to guest speakers from the Ministry of Labour and WSIB among others.
What's more, it's a great way to give your workplace health and safety program a boost and in the process maybe even earn a financial rebate as a percentage of your annual premiums. Click here for more information.
Be sure to check out OSSA's free Risk Assessment and Hazard & Compliance Workshops below! You can find more information here.
Course Title |
City |
Date |
| FREE! Hazard Assessment & Compliance Workshop | Ajax | October 15 |
| Certification Part 2 - Restaurant & Foodservice | Toronto / Mississauga | October 15 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | October 19-21 |
| FREE! Hazard Assessment & Compliance Workshop | Toronto / Mississauga | October 21 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | October 26-28 |
| FREE! Hazard Assessment & Compliance Workshop | Richmond Hill | November 2 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | November 2-4 |
| Certification Part 2 | Barrie | November 4 |
| FREE! Risk Assessment Workshop | Toronto / Mississauga | November 4 |
| Certification Part 2 - Retail & Wholesale | Toronto / Mississauga | November 5 |
| Certification Part 2 | Toronto | November 16 |
| Certification Part 2 - Off & RS | Toronto / Mississauga | November 19 |
| Certification Part 1 | Toronto / Mississauga | November 23-25 |
Golden Horseshoe Region
| FREE! Hazard Assessment & Compliance Workshop | Welland | October 15 |
| Certification Part 2 | Welland | November 19 |
South & Western Ontario
| Certification Part 2 | Kitchener | October 20 |
| Certification Part 2 | London | October 28 |
| Certification Part 2 | Windsor | October 28 |
| Certification Part 2 | Chatham | November 4 |
| Certification Part 1 | Windsor | November 17-19 |
| Certification Part 1 | London | November 24-26 |
Eastern Ontario
| Safe Lifting Training for Employees | Ottawa | October 16 |
| Safe Lifting Training for Supervisors | Ottawa | October 16 |
| Certification Part 1 | Kingston | October 20-22 |
| Safe Lifting Training for Supervisors / Employees | Kingston | October 27 |
| FREE! Risk Assessment Workshop | Ottawa | October 28 |
| Certification Part 1 | Ottawa | November 17-19 |
| FREE! Hazard Assessment Workshop | Ottawa | November 23 |
| FREE! Compliance Assessment Workshop | Ottawa | November 23 |
| Certification Part 2 | Kingston | November 24 |
Northern Ontario
Certification Part 2 |
Thunder Bay | October 19-20 |
| Certification Part 2 | Hearst | October 28-29 |
| Certification Part 2 | Sault Ste Marie | October 28-29 |
| Certification Part 1 | North Bay | November 3-5 |
| Certification Part 1 | Sudbury | November 10-12 |
| Certification Part 2 | North Bay | November 17 |
| Certification Part 2 | Sudbury | November 20 |
Click here for details on course venue and pricing.
To register for any of the above courses, please call OSSA at 1-888-478-6772.
This glossary provides a quick reference to common health and safety terms used throughout the Six Step Guide to Health and Safety.
A flammable solvent may produce a vapour trail that could ignite far from the source.
