On this episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast, Michele Beckstead-Jackson from Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development discusses the importance of asbestos awareness and training in Ontario workplaces to ensure workers are well-equipped to recognize the dangers of asbestos and know how to safely control the hazard.

Michele states that, although asbestos was mostly halted in construction projects by 1990, some products containing asbestos, such as cement pipes, stormwater drains, and other construction materials, continued to be imported and used significantly in new construction until 2014.

There are three different types of asbestos operations in Ontario: Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. Each operation has its own criteria to determine what type of removal would be necessary to apply. Michele emphasizes the importance of general awareness asbestos training for workers in various industries who may come in contact with asbestos, including electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, gas fitters, painters, demolition workers, heating and ventilation workers, and computer installers performing work in type 1, type 2, and type 3 operations.

It is essential to train workers to understand how to recognize asbestos-containing materials (ACM). The training should cover topics such as hazard assessments, personal hygiene, and the importance of always having a record of training on hand for ministry inspections. Employers must understand the training requirements specific to the type of operations their workers work in and ensure their workers continue to be properly trained.

Free Resources

Asbestos on Construction Projects: Reporting and Notification Responsibilities (Ep. 82)

Health and Safety Advisory: Asbestos in Elevator Components

Health & Safety Advisory: Heat Stress and Type 3 Asbestos Operations

Health and Safety Advisory: Gaskets, Boilers and Asbestos

The leading causes of occupational illness in Ontario

Asbestos Work in Construction Hazard Awareness

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On this episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast, IHSA’s Jennifer McKenzie discusses the 'See Something, Say Something' initiative and the importance of speaking up about unsafe conditions at work. Safety is everyone's responsibility, and speaking up protects not only oneself and their co-workers but also their loved ones from preventable heartbreak.

The 'See Something, Say Something' initiative originated from the Bruin, Gerrard, and Maguire Coroner's Inquest, which highlighted a significant gap in workplace culture and communication. Jennifer discusses the interactions she had with the families of workers whose unfortunate workplace fatalities were part of the inquest. Their advocacy became a driving force behind the 'See Something, Say Something' campaign, motivating Jennifer to take their vision and use it to promote a culture of safety where workers feel empowered to speak up and help prevent future tragedies.

The SSSS campaign aligns with IHSA's ‘Keep Your Promise’ campaign, which encourages workers to keep their promise to their families to return home safe. The SSSS campaign also encourages workers to keep their promise to report hazards and concerns to ensure everyone at the workplace returns home safe.

Jennifer emphasizes the need for employers and workers to accept a shared responsibility for safety. Employers should create a workplace culture where workers feel confident and supported in reporting hazards without fear of reprisal. Workers should remain alert and speak up when they notice unsafe conditions, as their actions could prevent near misses or save lives.

A desired outcome for the 'See Something Say Something' campaign would be a cultural shift where speaking up about workplace safety becomes second nature for every worker, supervisor, and employer.

Free Resources

Employers Guideline

Workers Guideline

Keep Your Promise campaign page

A culture of care: Why speaking up matters

Preventing complacency on the job

See Something, Say Something videos

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Distracted driving has become a leading cause of collisions and fatalities in Ontario. Statistics show that, on average, one Ontario citizen is injured in a collision caused by distracted driving every half hour. On this episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast, IHSA’s Michelle Roberts discusses distracted driving as a workplace hazard and the significant impact it can have on one’s safety.

Distracted driving is a form of impaired driving in which a driver's judgment is compromised because they are not fully focused on the road. In Ontario, distracted driving includes the use of any handheld device, like smartphones, GPS, or other digital screens, while driving a vehicle. Michelle emphasizes that distractions while driving can affect performance and reduce a driver's awareness, making them slower to notice and less able to respond to critical events on the road. Using hands-free systems can reduce manual distractions, but cognitive distractions still remain a risk.

Michelle states that employers have a responsibility to protect their workers while they drive for work. It is essential to implement strict safety measures such as establishing a formal distracted driving policy, encouraging rest stops, and providing training and awareness sessions to reinforce safe driving behaviours. Drivers should also take proactive steps to reduce distractions, such as pre-programing devices like GPS, song playlists, and radio before they start driving, stowing away devices, and avoiding eating or drinking while driving.

IHSA provides resources to help employers and workers manage distracted driving, including awareness materials, sample policies, training programs, and eLearning courses focused on road safety.

Free Resources

IHSA’s Road Safety Solutions

Tool Kit & Resources

Road Safety Plan Template

Preventing Work-Related Motor Vehicle Incidents (eLearning)

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On this episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast, Jasmine Kalsi, IHSA's occupational hygienist, discusses the importance of respiratory protection programs for Ontario workplaces. A respiratory protection program is a formal program that outlines the requirements of respiratory protection for specific tasks in the workplace, and includes expectations on respirators, filters, responsibilities of different workplace parties, as well as training expectations. In Ontario, employers are required to have a respiratory protection program when respirators are issued in the workplace.

Jasmine explains that, under Ontario Regulation 833, respirators must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a federal agency in the United States. If a respirator is not NIOSH-approved, it must be demonstrated that it has been approved by another testing agency and has a qualified person attest to it, as long as it provides at least equal protection to that of a NIOSH-approved respirator.

Choosing the right respirator is crucial for protecting workers from specific airborne hazards, which is why a risk assessment is essential to determine what workers can be exposed to. Jasmine mentions the two main categories of respirators: air purifying respirators and supplied air respirators. Air purifying respirators remove contaminants by filtering out particulates, while supplied air respirators supply clean air from a compressed air tank or airline.

IHSA has various resources for respirators, including posters on respirator basics and safety talks on fit, inspection, and maintenance.

Free Resources

IHSA.ca - Occupational Health

Respiratory Basics Poster

Facial Hairstyles and Filtering Facepiece Respirators

Regulation 833: Control of exposure to biological or chemical agents

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On this episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast, Jasmine Kalsi, IHSA’s occupational hygienist, discusses the importance of air quality testing and exposure assessments in Ontario's construction, transportation, and electrical utility sectors. These industries often expose workers to various airborne dusts and contaminants, which can have both short-term and long-term health effects.

Ontario Regulation 833 regulates the control of exposure to biological or chemical agents, including steps for assessing and determining airborne concentrations. Jasmine highlights that air quality testing is crucial in identifying workplace exposure levels, as this information helps compare with regulatory limits, determine if workers are overexposed, and determine if controls are needed. Air quality testing can be done proactively by employers or requested from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) based on observations.

Jasmine explains that employers can determine what needs to be assessed by reviewing the company’s safety data sheets, previous claims data, past exposure assessments, as well as utilizing relevant resources such as IHSA's occupational health risk toolkit. Another recommended resource is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) online tool, The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, which provides key data on various hazardous agents, including exposure limits, testing methods, and more.

It is critical for employers to understand the importance of air quality testing and implement appropriate controls to protect their workers and reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous chemical and biological agents in their workplaces.

Free Resources

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

Regulation 833: Control of exposure to biological or chemical agents

Current occupational exposure limits for Ontario workplaces under Regulation 833

IHSA.ca - Diagnostic Toolkit: Occupational Health Risks

IHSA.ca - Occupational Health

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This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast features Bothwell-Accurate, a construction firm established in 1927, and discusses its successful transition to the COR® 2020 standard and recent recognition by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) under the Ontario Safe Employers Program.

Bothwell-Accurate's Corporate Health and Safety Manager, Carlo Colozza, shares the story of the company’s recent transition to COR® 2020 standard. Carlo’s strong background in COR® and previous experience with WSIB’s Health & Safety Excellence program (HSEp) helped prepare Bothwell-Accurate on certain topics and eased the transition to COR® 2020.

Carlo emphasizes the importance of having a certified occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS), as it creates trust in the workplace and ensures workers return home healthy and safe. Since transitioning to COR® 2020, Bothwell-Accurate's reputation has improved due to better organization and better solutions to issues, increasing their confidence and ability to bid on projects and maintain a good reputation in the construction sector.

Carlo states that the audit process may appear daunting at first, especially when hearing the word ‘audit’, but it does not have to be. The audit process simply evaluates a company’s current OHSMS system to see where gaps exist and how to improve. Carlo also shares some tips to help in the transition process, such as joining the HSEp, thoroughly understanding the audit guidelines, and, most importantly, reaching out to an IHSA consultant to assist with the transition.

Free Resources

COR® – Getting Started

IHSA COR® Podcast

WSIB's Health and Safety Excellence Program

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This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses the importance of documentation in an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) and features IHSA’s Adam Carruthers, who shares his experience in writing policies, procedures, and processes.

Adam discusses the critical need to have documentation in an OHSMS, particularly for small businesses. Smaller companies often face a higher risk of injuries due to insufficient knowledge, training, and experience in health and safety. It is this concern that led to the legislation that requires an employer with more than 5 employees to prepare a health and safety policy.

Documentation provides structure, supports compliance through consistent application, enhances communication, and facilitates continual improvement, ultimately contributing to a safer, healthier, and more effective workplace. Preparing documentation does not have to be complicated; Adam emphasizes that it’s essential to keep its development process simple and easy to understand. A health and safety policy should include the purpose, scope, definitions, responsibilities, procedure or practice, training requirements, associated documents, and any applicable legislation.

For small businesses that are expanding and unsure about where to start with documentation and policies, Adam recommends starting with a certification standard for health and safety systems, such as the Certificate of Recognition (COR®), as more municipalities, constructors, clients, and organizations require such systems. This not only prepares the business for future contracts, but also lays the foundation for safe work behaviours and attitudes.

Free Resources

Policy and Program Templates

COR® – Getting Started

Hazard Assessment, Analysis, and Control (COR® Podcast – Episode 6)

Construction Health & Safety Manual

NCSO® and NHSA™ Certifications

WSIB's Health and Safety Excellence Program

Road Safety Solutions

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This episode of the IHSA Safety Podcast discusses the impact of workplace injuries and features Amber Hiuser, occupational health and safety coordinator, who shares her experience with workplace injury and the impact it has had on both her personal and professional life.

Amber’s interest in workplace health and safety began the moment her life changed when, as an 18-year old new on a job, she accidentally entangled her fingers with a blade while operating a CNC machine lathe. A few years later, she had another injury to her face at a job that didn't have any safety policies or proper reporting procedures in place. Amber shares her journey through the pain of multiple surgeries and dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Amber discusses her role as a speaker for Threads of Life, advocating for safer workspaces and the necessity of working for a company that has a COR-certified occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS). Having an effective OHSMS helps workers feel confident that there are protective measures in place that go beyond just following regulations.

Amber also mentions the impact of senior management on the performance of an OHSMS. A company with a strong safety culture, as well as support and involvement from senior management, can have a significant impact on workers, instilling confidence and contributing to a safer work environment.

Free Resources

Workplace Inspections

Safety Talks

Tools and Resources

Topics and Hazards

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