Top Safety Compliance Hazards – Special Report
Always be thinking about workplace safety. Almost all injuries are preventable but not thinking and not paying close attention are the leading cause of all workplace injuries. Watch out for […]
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Due Diligence 2022, The 17th Annual Scorecard
While the paramount objective is to prevent OHS violations and injuries, nobody expects you to be perfect. Stuff happens. Your liability for the “stuff” you fail to prevent will come […]
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2022 Due Diligence Semi-Annual Scorecard Special Report
For nearly 2 decades, OHS Insider has been the only source of data tracking due diligence in OHS cases across Canada. Why do we do it? Technically, “due diligence” is […]
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Construction Worker Safety Guide
Construction sites are dangerous places to be. There’s a safety hazard awaiting innocent and unsuspecting workers in every corner. For this reason, clear and elaborate safety protocols have been put […]
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How to Protect Workers from Arc Flash Hazards
Following NFPA 70E requirements is the key to controlling arc flash dangers. Workplace equipment used to generate, distribute or use electricity (we’ll use the term “electrical equipment”) poses 2 kinds of […]
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Lockout: Employer Fined $100,000 for Machine Injury
A machine undergoing servicing unexpectedly started up and seriously injured the worker who was sanitizing the equipment. The employer was fined $100,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure that […]
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Electrical Quiz
QUESTION Name the three factors that cause electrical accidents? ANSWER Most of electrical accidents are the result of one of three following factors: Unsafe equipment or installation, Unsafe environment, or Unsafe work practices. WHY […]
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Lack of Safety Training Leads to Electrocution Death, $126,000 Fine
A worker was fatally electrocuted when the machinery he was servicing made contact with an energized influence line. The victim’s employer was fined $126,000 for failing to ensure that a […]
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Arc Flash and Energized Equipment Requirements
Exposure to energized electrical equipment and conductors (“electrical equipment”) accounts for roughly 1 in 10 workplace injuries and 3 of 100 work fatalities. Those figures are substantially higher in the […]
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Electrical Safety Program Checklist
BENEFITS Employers have a duty to identify, assess and control the risk of worker exposure to electrical hazards in the workplace. Incorporating an electrical safety program into your overall OHS program […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Dos & Don’ts of Lightning Safety
What do you think would happen to a worker standing under this tree? Thunderstorms are common during the summer. And according to Environment Canada, lightning kills about 10 Canadians every year […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Ladders & Power Lines Are a Bad Combination
Should this ladder be anywhere near overhead power lines—much less leaning against them? Overhead power lines pose a serious safety hazard to individuals working near them, especially if the workers are […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Don’t Take Lightning Lightly
Do these workers seem sufficiently concerned about the electrical storm brewing near them? June 8-14, 2015 is Lightning Safety Week in Canada. It’s the appropriate time to address this issue because […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Don’t Be Shocked!
This use of extension and electrical cords doesn’t seem very safe, does it? Extension cords are commonly used in many workplaces. But if they’re not used properly, they can pose various […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Scaffolds & Power Lines Don’t Mix
Workers were moving this scaffold when it contacted the energized power lines. Can you guess what happened to them? When workers are using any equipment—whether it’s scaffolding, ladders or mobile equipment […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Don’t Wait for Lightning to Strike Twice
Are these workers effectively protecting themselves from getting hit by lightning? What should they be doing? Thunderstorms are common during the summer. And the lightning that comes with them poses a […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: What Happened to This Truck Is Shocking
Can you guess how this boom truck ended up in this condition? Overhead power lines pose a hazard to not only workers but also equipment that comes into contact with them. […]
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12 Dangers of Christmas
The holidays can be hazardous if you don't follow simple safety precautions at work and home. This infographic from ESFI uses a naughty elf to help you stay safe this […]
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General Electrical Safety and PPE Requirements
A common safety hazard in many workplaces is the risk of electrical shock or burns. As with all safety hazards, you should first attempt to eliminate or minimize workers exposure […]
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Electrical Safety Policy
BENEFIT Electricity represents a significant hazard that must be addressed as part of your OHS Program. HOW TO USE THIS TOOL This Model Policy deals with one aspect of electrical safety: electrical workers. […]
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Compliance Briefing: What You’re Required to Do to Protect Workers Who Work from Home
You fail to ensure that a worker’s work station is ergonomically sound and she suffers a musculoskeletal injury as a result; Another worker using an electrical tool […]
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Ask The Expert: Must We Protect Exposed Live Electrical Panels from Contact?
QUESTION Breaker panels have been installed on the end of 3 drying rooms of a cannabis facility under construction and they’re live. They currently don’t have doors on them (doors are […]
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Compliance Cheat Sheet: OHS Records Retention Requirements Across Canada
What’s At Stake OHS laws require you to “keep,” “retain” or “maintain” literally dozens of different types of health and safety records covering everything from air testing results to safety committee […]
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Beyond Compliance: The 10 Things You Must Do to Meet CSA Z460 Lockout Requirements
Safety devices like barrier guards that are designed to keep workers away from operating machinery don’t do much good when machines are shut down for maintenance and repairs. The danger […]
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OHS Scorecard: 5 Biggest Recent Administrative Monetary Penalties in BC
OHS Scorecard: 5 Biggest Recent Administrative Monetary Penalties in BC Fine Offender Trigger Incident Offence Almost $650,000(1) Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Separate incidents in which a nurse at a rehab hospital was physically attacked Failure to protect workers from […]
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Ontario Compliance Alert: MOL Reveals Its 2019 OHS Inspection Targets
QUESTION TO ONTARIO EMPLOYERS Is your workplace targeted for an OHS inspection this year? That crucial question is much easier to answer now that the Ministry of Labour (MOL) has released its […]
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JHSCs: The 8 Things Safety Directors Must Know to Comply with JHSC Training Requirements
What’s At Stake: Why JHSC Training Is So Important In addition to compromising the committee’s effectiveness, failure to ensure that JHSC members get the required training can result in significant OHS […]
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Year-End Compliance Briefing: Alberta 2018 OHS Year In Review
2018 OHS LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY HIGHLIGHTS Alberta was, by far, the most active jurisdiction for new lawmaking. The centerpiece was Bill 30, the massive reform bill designed to modernize the province’s […]
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