Protecting workers from getting physically injured isn’t enough these days. Employers are now expected to protect their worker’s mental health, too. And this duty can seem quite daunting. The Mental Health Association of Canada recently published some tips for psychological health and safety by Dr. …

This Sunday is the Super Bowl in the US, an event watched across the world. Some people tune in because they love football; others watch for the creative ads. This year, the NFL is running an ad of its own during the game—and the ad’s …

Most workplaces in Canada have a joint health and safety committee (JHSC). The JHSC is a key component of an OHS program and can really improve workplace safety. But too often, the JHSC isn’t run effectively, doesn’t understand its role or exists simply because the …

At the beginning of a new year, people often make personal resolutions, such as losing weight, saving more money or finding love, and work-related resolutions, such as getting a better job or a promotion. But companies can also resolve to change their ways. For example, …

Given that April 15 is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, many people have likely asked themselves, “Could it happen again?” Unfortunately, that question was answered in the affirmative on Jan. 13, 2012, when the Costa Concordia, a huge Italian cruise ship …

TOP 5 PENALTIES AGAINST COMPANIES 1. $450,000 (QC) Approximately 9,600 litres of sulphuric acid spilled on a factory’s roof through a vent and about 1,280 litres flowed into the stormwater system. In addition, while piping caustic soda to a tank truck, about 3,780 …

The fact that the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) funding deficit, which now stands at $12.36 billion, has reached “alarming” proportions is not news. But when the WSIB actually uses the word “alarming” in its own annual report, it’s a sign of just …

Various kinds of inappropriate conduct by workers can establish “just cause” for their termination, such as poor job performance, harassment, violence, theft of company property, etc. But can an employer fire a worker for swearing on the job? Here are two cases in which arbitrators …

Winter has officially arrived and with it extreme cold, high winds and snow. So workers who work outside are likely to be exposed to cold stress, which can cause illnesses and injuries such as frostbite and hypothermia.If workers aren’t adequately prepared to work in the …

Getting workers to report safety incidents is hard enough; getting them to report near misses can seem impossible. The fact is many near misses go unreported, especially when it’s the result of a worker’s violation of your safety rules or procedures, such as when a …