Features
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When the Dust Settles
From 1978 to 1979, Jim Hobbs was one of many miners in northern Ontario who inhaled finely ground aluminum dust known as McIntyre Powder, which was believed to protect them from silicosis.
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Managing Change
Significant changes in a workplace affect the mental and physical health of employees, says a recent study by Toronto-based consulting firm Morneau Shepell. The nationwide survey asked employers and workers about their reactions to major changes like job redesign, downsizing,…
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Trouble in the Big House
Penitentiaries have always been dangerous workplaces. But violence in Canada’s correctional centres has been on the rise over the past several years, especially in facilities with low staff-to-inmate ratios and high gang activity. Something has to be done to keep workers safe, but how can this be accomplished without infringing on inmates’ rights?
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Getting Back on One’s Feet
Healthcare providers who treat injured workers with multiple injuries and complex illnesses find the workers’ compensation system and return-to-work (RTW) process “opaque and confusing.” Divergent views on the timing and appropriateness of RTW in these complex cases among healthcare providers…
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Dark Days
Every year when winter bleaches the landscape and ushers in plummeting temperatures for months on end, many Canadians dread the prospect of shovelling snow from driveways and taking their reluctant dogs out for walks. But for more than one million Canadians, who comprise two to three per cent of the population, the monochrome of winter brings with it the onset of deep, dark moods.
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Recognizing Mental Trauma
Two unions held a demonstration in Halifax on November 10 to express their support for a provincial bill that would allow presumptive coverage for first responders, correctional officers, nurses, social workers and several other types of professionals who have been…
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Black Tide
On the evening of July 20, operators in the Husky Energy control room detected certain “pressure anomalies” in sections of one of its oil pipelines spanning the North Saskatchewan River. Although such monitoring “blips” are common during start-up operations, inspection…
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A Tale of Two Sexes
Men and women are not created equal — women have a higher risk of some musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) than men. That was the message that Dr. Julie Côté, associate professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education…
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Drawing the Line
The message is unequivocal: sexual harassment in Ontario workplaces will not be tolerated, as the province introduces a bill that extends protections to employees by broadening the definition of workplace harassment and imposing additional obligations on employers to prevent and investigate such incidents.
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Righting a Wrong
The Ontario Court of Appeal recently awarded $266,000 in damages to a woman who had accused her former employer of mocking and abusing her after she lost her hearing. The court decision, authored by Judge Gloria Epstein and released on…
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Sound Advice
By Jean Lian Come July 1, a new noise regulation under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to beef up worker protection against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) will come into effect. The new regulation replaces and extends the noise-protection…
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On the Road
By Danny Kucharsky Distraction, fatigue and human errors have been cited as the causes of numerous collisions in the transportation sector. For trucking companies and businesses that operate fleets of vehicles, what role can semi-autonomous technology play in enhancing the…
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Out of the Shadows
The passing of legislation presuming that post-traumatic stress disorder among Ontario’s first responders is work-related points to a growing recognition across Canada that occupational injuries are not just physical.
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When a Cuppa’s Not Enough
Workplace fatigue came under the spotlight of late after two recent developments in the transportation sector were found to be fatigue-related. An investigation report published on March 14 by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada concluded that fatigue had likely…
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In a Split Second
A workplace accident cannot be undone, and the resulting injury can have lifelong ramifications on those who live to tell the tale.
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The Wait Is Over
The passing of Bill 6, or the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, in Alberta’s legislature on December 10 has put an end to the province’s status as the only jurisdiction in Canada that exempted the agricultural sector…
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Hand in Hand
The debate on the role of unions in influencing workplace safety is as old as unions are. Organized labour, by serving as employee advocates, may have a positive influence on job safety after all, according to a recent study.
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Put to the Test
A recent case that the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) heard in Prince George has brought to light employers’ dilemmas and oh&s repercussions associated with accommodation issues involving the growing use of medical marijuana across Canada. While employers are…
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Shifting Winds
In an energy-hungry world, power derived from a renewable resource is a good thing. But a recent study by researchers from Quebec has highlighted a gap in both safety practices and awareness of the occupational risks associated with working at wind turbines, which is growing in Canada. How can we harness wind power without throwing caution to the wind?
