Section
Features
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Protecting minds a priority in changing times
In a world where the only constant is change, mental health has simultaneously become the fastest-growing category of disability in the workplace.
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Tips for implementing mental-health policy
‘Invisible’ disabilities have equal human rights protections in the workplace.
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5 ways to be ready for a safety blitz
The current round of Ontario workplace inspections is expected to conclude on Dec. 27.
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One part gear, one part mindset
Cavalier attitudes and too-specific training continue to complicate fall protection.
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Farm Feud
Nearly four years ago, Alberta finally caught up to the rest of the country when it came to safety coverage for farm workers. But a new provincial government wants to scrap controversial legislation and replace it with what it deems as more flexible options.
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Beyond Zero
Employers need to measure and manage what they do to create safe behaviours that will produce safe work environments.
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Healthier minds and bodies
Since 2013, a Canadian standard has put mental health at work on par with physical health and safety.
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Make Logging Safer
On October 18, 2017, a logger was killed in a tragic incident near Mackenzie in northern British Columbia. The operator was using a feller buncher to cut timber on a slope when the machine tipped over backwards, cutting off his…
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No Child’s Play
They have had enough. More and more teachers are speaking up about a problem that has largely remained under the radar — violence against teachers from students. One morning, a mother popped into the classroom of an elementary school…
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Precious Cargo
Transporting valuables is a dangerous business. The mounting pressure to stay profitable and competitive aside, the armoured-truck industry’s move towards the controversial “alloff model” has not only raised eyebrows, but also revived the debate of how to keep both the…
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A Deadly Legacy
The federal government is moving towards a full ban on asbestos and asbestos-containing products by the end of 2017. The ban would align Canada with more than 50 other countries. According to OCRC director Paul Demers, corporate subsidies kept the…
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Machine over Man
Gone are the days when manual labour drove the bulk of the work in oil and gas exploration. In a post-peak-oil era, in which resources are harder to extract and oil prices continue to plunge, the race towards automation means higher profitability — and less human error.
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Weed at Work
The legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada came closer to reality on April 13, when the Justin Trudeau government introduced the Cannabis Act, or Bill C-45. While pot users across the country applaud the move, others have raised concerns about the effect that the proposed legislation would have on workplace safety.
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Peer-to-Peer
Digital technology has given rise to new business models like Uber and Airbnb. But unlike traditional taxi companies and hotel chains, which are subject to workplace-safety laws, these new kids on the block have largely evaded the regulatory framework. How can legislation play catch-up and bridge the safety gap?
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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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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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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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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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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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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…
