 A holiday message from Workplace Safety North
President and CEO Candys Ballanger-Michaud wishes you and yours a safe and happy holiday season
The holiday season is upon us and it is the perfect time to reflect on the important things in life; for me, that's friends and family.
This time of year is especially sad for families who have lost a son or daughter, husband or wife, friend or neighbour, to a workplace tragedy. Their holidays will never be the same. And that's why we here at Workplace Safety North are so dedicated to...
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MOL announces mandatory safety training deadline for Ontario employers
Proof of training required by July 1, 2014
Effective July 1, 2014, Ontario employers will have to ensure that all workers and supervisors have completed a basic occupational health and safety awareness training program. The first of its...
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 New 2014 health and safety regional training schedule now available online
Register today for in-class and online training for forestry, mining, and paper, printing and converting sectors
The 2014 Workplace Safety North regional training schedule is now posted online and includes standard health and safety training such as Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC)...
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New faces and retirement announcements at WSN
Retiring consultant-trainers discuss changes in workplace health and safety over the last 30 years
As with any organization, change is constant, and that includes the addition of new employees while others plan their well-deserved retirements. Video and web producer Neil Brown will be retiring as of December 31, 2013. Two forestry consultant-trainers have...
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Ladders and lights: Holiday safety tips
Seven easy steps on how to use a ladder safely
'Tis the season to clear out those gutters put up the holiday lights or repair a few shingles after a seasonal windstorm, so here's a quick reminder about ladder safety. There are seven steps on how to use a ladder safely: 1. Use a ladder that meets the CSA standard and is of a grade suitable for the task (and your weight)...
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Why join a safety group by December 31?
Network and learn from others, improve your health and safety program, and share in potential WSIB rebate
Applications to join the 2014 Safety Group program are currently being accepted by Ontario health and safety association staff up until December 31, 2013. If you're not already a member, you can learn more about the benefits and opportunities of membership...
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Every year, loggers are injured by falling dead trees or limbs, and these chicots remain the single leading cause of woodland fatalities. The program follows the stories of several survivors...
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 Two Ontario logging fatalities in two years
Chicots - or dead trees - continue to be a serious hazard to loggers
A chicot is a tree that has either become dry or rotten. There are various reasons for this: either from normal aging or special conditions such as species extinction, climate, insect infestation, disease or human activity. Also commonly known as "widow-makers," chicots present a tremendous hazard in the woods...
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 Hazard Alert: Beware the chicot danger zone Please post in workplace and encourage discussion
On December 13, 2011, an experienced 68-year-old skidder operator finished clearing a trail, and as he exited the skidder, a birch chicot fell and fatally struck him. Exactly one year and one week later, on December 20, 2012, a skidder operator was pulling logs from a woodlot and the load hit a standing tree. The tree...
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MOL announces mining inspection blitz results on Internal Responsibility System
Ministry of Labour
Safety is a significant issue for both underground and surface mines. In July and August 2013, ministry inspectors conducted a blitz of underground and surface mines. They focused on the mines' internal responsibility system (IRS). The IRS is a system...
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Mine Rescue Winter 2013 edition now available
Link Line newsletter features global mine rescue conference and Ontario Paramedic Association presentation
Ontario Mine Rescue was front and centre at IMRB 2013, the
sixth biennial conference of the International Mines Rescue Body hosted by the Canadian mining industry and Canadian mine rescue organizations held in Niagara Falls in early October...
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Dec. 4 celebrated as international Miners Day
Mining tradition dates back centuries to patron saint of miners
Around the world, many miners celebrate December 4 as Miners Day, commemorating their patron saint, St. Barbara, and requesting her continued protection for their daily work. In Canada last year, the Legacy Project Barbara Celebration 2012...
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 Hazard Alert: Work safely around guardrails - never reach through or over top
A machine tender was found pinned in the ingoing nip point of a press. He died from massive crush injuries. Why did it happen?
There was no witness to this incident. At the time of the incident the paper machine was about to start up following a paper...
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Study says laundered shop towels a safety hazard
28 different metals detected in laundered towels collected from 16 Canadian and 38 U.S. companies in various industries
OHS Insider
Workers in many industries in Canada, including manufacturing, automotive and printing, use shop towels to wipe parts, spills and even their hands and faces as they work. These towels are...
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