Your Health and Safety... Our Concern

Having a workplace accident or injury does not only affect the employees who were injured, it also greatly affects the companies/employers as well.  Every hour that is lost means an hour of lost production (which could equate to $$$ gone), plus tons of money involved for medical expenses, insurance claims, etc.  Business Insider  reported that occupational injuries and illnesses add up to an estimated $48.6 billion in compensation costs.  And that's just the tip of the economic iceberg. The total economic costs of occupational deaths and injuries in 2014 is $142.2 billion, with a total of 120 million days lost (in 2014) due to occupational deaths and injuries. Please take some time to check the video below that shows hazard identification and what we can do about it: Clip from youtube:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0ai7Fkh4tA National Safety Council identified the 7 most common workplace hazards ( http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/a...

Ergonomics  can be defined simply as the study of work. More specifically, ergonomics is the science of designing the job to fit the worker, rather than physically forcing the worker’s body to fit the job.    http://www.the-comfortable-seat.com/ergonomics/ Repetitive strain injuries happen when workers do the same motion and work in the same position for long periods. These static body positions can cause muscle tension and reduce the blood flow to muscles. These injuries often occur when workstations or work environments are not properly suited to the worker. http://www.mydr.com.au/skin-hair/carpal-tunnel-syndrome Often, outdated or unsuitable furniture contributes to workplace injuries. There are many cases of workers getting injuries from machines that are not properly operating.  There are reported cases of people having lumbar problems because of improper postures and because of non-adjustable office chairs.  Even the increased usage...

Do you know that as an employee in Ontario, you are required to take the Ministry of Labour Health and Safety Awareness Training?   https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pdf/poster_prevention.pdf The  Ministry of Labour  requires all organizations to ensure that their employees and supervisors/managers receive Health and Safety Awareness training.  Below is a brief explanation of the training and a link to the online course. The training focuses on: ·          The duties and rights of workers under the Occupational Health & Safety Act ·          The duties of employers and supervisors under the Act ·          The role of the Joint Health and Safety Committee ·          The role of the Ministry of Labour and WSIB with respect to occupational health and safety ·   ...

Do you know that as per Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), in 2015 we have 852 workplace fatalities; this includes 4 young workers aged 15 to 19, and 11 workers aged 20 to 24. Imagine the grief and sorrow of the families who were affected by these workplace fatalities.  It would be really devastating and heartbreaking for them.  Just think of the people who might have cut a finger or limb (or two), employees who sustained permanent irreversible injuries, people who will never be able to support their family because they can no longer work...that would be too much to think about. At work, we render and expose ourselves to unsafe, risky or even dangerous conditions. And yes, every occupation has its own share of possible dangers, and our capacity to recognize these hazards goes a long way in reducing its catastrophic potentials Safety is all about avoiding unsafe acts in our everyday life, be it our residence, work...

We usually work from 8 am to 5 pm.  That is squandering about half of our waking hours at our job. While certain occupations like production, construction or labor-intensive works have very obvious risks, we cannot assume that working in an office environment is a safer option or at least a healthier one. Many occupations bring about a lot of anxiety, stress, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy habits which can take their toll on us both physically and mentally.  I guess that's part of the price that is included in our bi-weekly paycheques! A lot of offices nowadays provide spaces where their employees can relax, unwind and just take the stress out of work.  Have you seen Google’s offices? They have the most AMAZING office setup where people can enjoy and work (or enjoy the work!). Pictures grabbed from  https://officesnapshots.com/company/google Or this office in Japan that has an indoor garden and grows organic food in th...