7 Things You’d Better Know

What you don’t know can hurt you:

· Inexperienced workers are often harmed when they don’t fully understand
how to operate their machines
· Lack of protection, such as guards for fingers and arms, can lead to
serious injuries
· Contact with hazardous materials and exposure to chemicals can have
harmful effects
· Common injuries include sprains, abrasions, blisters, bruises, burns, loss
of body parts and fractures
· Common causes of injuries include falls, overexertion, being struck by an
object, and being caught in or compressed by equipment
· Statistic: In 1999, 14 young workers were killed, 12 of them at small
employers with less than 20 employees
· Statistic: In 1999, 254 young workers suffered the loss of a body part when
it was torn off (avulsion) or cut off (amputation)
· Statistic: In 1999, a total of 15,366 young workers were injured

What you do know can save your life:

· Anything that may injure you or make you sick is considered a hazard
· There are four types of hazards: chemical, physical, biological and
ergonomic
· Chemical examples include:
o liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids and solvents
o vapours and fumes like welding fumes and solvent vapours
o gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide and helium
o flammable materials like gasoline, solvents and explosive chemicals
· Physical examples include:
o electricity
o unguarded moving machinery parts like saw blades and conveyor
belts
o constant loud noise
o high exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet rays, heat or cold
o ladders and scaffolds
o liquids/spills on the floor
· Biological examples include:
o blood and body fluids
o fungi
o bacteria and viruses
 o plants
o insect bites
o animal and bird droppings
· Ergonomic hazards include:
o poor lighting
o poor workstations and chairs
o constant lifting
o poor posture
o repeating the same movements over and over
o having to use too much force

The Law Protects:

· The Government of Canada and Ontario have laws that protect the safety
and health of their workers
· The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), enforced by Ontario’s
Ministry of Labour (MOL), implements general safety and health related
requirements in our workplaces
· MOL investigators inspect the workplaces and address changes that may
be required in their environment, workers or machines, in order to maintain
a safe workplace
· MOL inspectors can charge companies for disobeying the law, which can
lead to fines and/or jail sentences
· There are many regulations that specifically apply according to the
occupation, type of workplace and workplace hazards
· You should be aware of the Regulations administrated in your job/work
place
· Another law, named Canada Labour Code Part 2, protects the safety and
health of employees who work in certain locations. Both laws are similar in
rules
· Every worker has three rights; the right to know, the right to participate and
the right to refuse unsafe work
· As an employee you have the right to be informed on the potential hazards
that could injure you, to ensure that you know how to work safely
· As an employee you have the right to partake in maintaining a high level of
cleanliness and safety within the workplace. In some companies you can
join a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), or become the Health
and Safety Representative
· As an employee you have the right to deny doing work that you deem
dangerous or unsafe, depending on the situation

The Law expects:

 · The OHSA implements necessary responsibilities to the employer,
supervisor, workers and others. Together, these rules form the Internal
Responsibility System

· Employers must:
o Teach proper health and safety training to their workers
o Provide proper equipment and teach the safety measures to the
workers
o Be aware of any hazards in the workplace
o Take precautions in any circumstance to protect their workers
o Write, then display, a copy of the Health and Safety policy and
program, the names of the JHSC members or Health and Safety
Representatives, the OHSA, the WSIB In Case of Injury poster and
the Ministry of Labour orders, in an area visible to all workers
· Supervisors must:
o Ensure that all employees follow the laws and safety rules of the
company, using the proper equipment and following safety
procedures
o Inform workers of potential hazards in the workplace
o Take precaution in every situation for the employees protection and
safety
· Workers must:
o Obey the OHSA and the company’s health and safety Regulations
o Follow the safety procedures and wear appropriate protection attire
when using equipment
o Advise the supervisor of any dangers or violations to the OHSA or
company’s safety regulations
o Always be cognizant of their work and the safety rules

You Can Expect:

· Two types of training: General Workplace Safety Information and Specific

Safety Training
· General Workplace Safety Information informs you of company safety
regulations, emergency procedures, and first aid locations and procedures
· Specific safety training instructs you on your occupational, safety and
lockout procedures. When working with chemicals, you are taught the
WHMIS training
· PPE – Personal Protective Equipment are provided by your supervisors
and often consist of hard hats and safety boots, when working at
construction sites, safety goggles and dust masks, when using machines,
 protective gloves, when handling hazardous chemicals, and hearing
protection, when working in exceptionally noisy workplaces
· Some companies require that you use hygiene facilities and be able to
locate first aid kits and eye wash stations, to prevent hazards toxins and
chemicals from leaving the workplace, or from being ingested or absorbed

You Must Report:

· It is mandatory that you always report any injuries or illnesses to your

supervisor
· You should always report your injuries or sickness, to ensure that you get
the proper treatment quickly and prevent it from happening to someone
else in the workplace
· Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) was created to help
injured employees heal quickly and provide compensation during their
recovery
· All accidents, except minor cases, must be reported to the Workplace
Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Instructions are as follows:
o Get first aid treatment right away
o Tell your boss about any injury as soon as possible, no matter how
small
o Tell your boss about any illness or condition (like skin rash, for
instance) that you believe happened because of work
o If you lose wages or require health care treatment because of the
injury or illness, you and your boss must file a claim (it's called a
Form 7) with the WSIB. If you are less than 16 years old, a parent or
guardian will have to sign part of the form
o You can choose your own doctor, but you cannot change doctors
without the WSIB's approval
o Your doctor will send a report on your injury or illness (it's called a
Form 8) to the WSIB
o The WSIB will contact you once your claim has been filed. You have
to follow any instructions from the WSIB, fill out any forms promptly,
and cooperate in your health care treatment and safe return to work
o If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal

Don’t gamble with your health and safety:

· Here are a few questions you should ask your supervisor, when entering a
new job or position:
 o 1. What company health and safety rules should I know about to do
my job safely?
o 2. What are the hazards I should know about? How does the
company control these hazards? What should I do to control them?
o 3. What safety training will I get? Do I need WHMIS training? When
will I get it?
o 4. Is there part of the job that needs special training (like operating
a forklift)?
o 5. What safety gear will I need to use or wear? What training will I
get on how to use and take care of it?
o 6. Where are the fire extinguishers and emergency equipment?
What training will I get in emergency procedures? When?
o 7. Where are the emergency exits? Where is the first aid station?
Who is the trained first aid person in my work area?
o 8. Is there a Joint Health and Safety Committee or Representative?
Who and where is that person?
o 9. Are there regular health and safety meetings?
· If you ever have a question or concern, you should seek your supervisor or
employer for answers
· You can also ask members of the JHSC or the Health and Safety
representatives and professionals, for answers to questions or advice,
regarding your health or safety
· You can also consult your teacher, if you’re a student working in part of a
co-op placement
· The Ministry of Labour and Health and Safety Association can also be
contacted for further inquiry

Bibliography:

"7 Things You'd Better Know." Young Worker Awareness Program. Workplace Safety &
Insurance Board , 2003. Web. 14 Sept. 2010. <http://ywap.ca/english/seven.htm>.

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