Tool s for bu i ld i ng safer wor k places i n B.C.
WorkSafeMagazine.com
July / August 2011
This issue: ASBESTOS EXPOSED | PARTICLE PERILS | ORCHARD INNOVATIONS
2
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
14
Features
10
ON THE COVER
Out of the woods
As the forest industry moves toward slashing its
historically high death and injury rate, a new study asks
whether fallers can use training with 3-D images to spot
hazards.
By Helena Bryan
14
WORK SCIENCE
No small matter
The brave new world of nanotechnology poses an
unexpected threat for workers exposed to its raw
materials.
By Gail Johnson
20
Contents
C
ontents
on
July / August 2011 Volume 11, Number 4
Centre pullout:
SAFETY SOLUTIONS
Operating room
What’s wrong with this photo?
Orchard workers, engineers, safety specialists, and
industry associations have teamed up to elevate safety
standards for mobile work platforms.
By Jennifer Tsui
22
TOOL BOX
High time
With the range of safety programs and equipment
available to today’s steep slope roofers, there’s no need
to take dangerous shortcuts.
By Robin Brunet
24
10
NUTS AND BOLTS
At the ready
Recent events in Japan offer a potent reminder that time
taken to review emergency planning procedures with
employees is time well spent.
By Lynn Welburn
Departments
4
From the editor
5
In your own words
17
WorkSafeBC update
28
Penalties
Cover illustration by Graham Coulthard
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
3
FROM THE EDITOR
S
teve Venus is a third-generation
forestry worker. When he started as a faller 15 years ago,
risk-taking was part of the job. As he puts it, working in the
woods meant putting your life on the line.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DONNA FREEMAN
MANAGING EDITOR
DANA TYE RALLY
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
LAINE DALBY
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Things have changed. Thanks in part to the efforts of
WorkSafeBC, the BC Forest Safety Council, and others,
enforced safety standards and training are the new norm. Yet,
fallers still have the highest injury rate of any occupational
group in the province.
To combat this troubling trend, cutting-edge safety research
that’s been put to the test in war zones is now being considered
for B.C.’s forests.
It’s fascinating stuff, and the subject of our feature story on
page 10. “Visually degraded environments,” such as war zones
and heavily forested landscapes, make the ideal setting for
disaster. A soldier can have the best gear, but nothing can
protect him from what he can’t see coming. Similarly, even the
most safety-conscious faller is defenceless against massive
branches that can come crashing down if he doesn’t know
they’re there.
If these kinds of hazards seem obvious, consider that the forest
canopy itself is a visually degraded environment: dark and
shadowy, it can be shrouded in mist and fog.
Research to train workers to avoid those deadly branches —
along with other hard-to-spot hazards — is now underway,
through the combined efforts of WorkSafeBC, Western Forest
Products, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
The potential ramifications of this research are huge: besides
saving fallers’ lives, this unique system of hazard recognition
could be applied to many other industries. In fact, it’s already
being used to protect mine workers.
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO SAFETY ADVISOR
GRAHAM COULTHARD
KHALID HAWE
ANDREW LIM
WORKSAFE MAGAZINE is published by the WorkSafeBC (Workers’ Compensation Board of B.C.)
Communications department to educate workers and employers about injury and disease prevention,
promote positive safety culture, and provide links to WorkSafeBC resources for safer workplaces.
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Diana Stirling
OnTrack Media
There’s no guarantee these techniques will work in the woods.
But as Venus can attest, workplace innovation can be a risk
worth taking — especially if it’s one that keeps workers alive
and unharmed.
Donna Freeman
Editor-in-Chief
Scan the MS tag with your
smartphone to view:
4
WorkSafe Magazine.com
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
IN YOUR OWN WORDS
Nursery scenario
plants a seed
about the use
of proper PPE
F
or those lucky enough to work in the great outdoors
— surrounded by oxygen-emitting
plants — it might be easier to forget about the need
for stringent work practices. But outdoor or greenhouse
nursery workers face potential exposure to dangerous
chemicals, along with other, less obvious hazards. The
May/June photo contest, featuring a worker spraying pesticides
on a row of bedding plants, elicited responses from about 130
eagle-eyed workers and employers worldwide. WorkSafeBC senior
occupational hygienist Geoff Clark selected this month’s winner;
WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer Anna Billingsley cited
key hazards:
The worker is applying pesticides within the proximity of other
workers.
•
A half-mask has been left on the gator. (Does the pesticide
require respiratory PPE?)
•
If a half-mask is needed, the worker is not clean-shaven
•
The half-mask is improperly stored
•
The worker’s legs are tangled up with the hose line
•
The pesticide containers have been left out (in the mixing area)
•
The worker is stretching to reach the plants (an ergonomic issue)
•
Food containers are present. (Has the worker been consuming
food while working with pesticides?)
He is incorrectly using his personal protective equipment (PPE):
•
No gloves
•
No signage for “Pesticide in Use” has been posted
•
No rubber boots
•
No labels are present on the pesticide containers
•
No goggles
•
No protective barrier/tape is in place
•
The mask on his head is dirty
•
He shouldn’t be wearing a cloth cap or porous clothes
Now it’s your turn. See our centre-spread, pullout poster for a
closer look at spa safety.
Nursery worker needs to protect himself from
harmful vapours
Editor, WorkSafe Magazine (Re: May/June issue, “What’s wrong with this photo?”)
Aniko has
w on
a medic sa
fety kit
for her lett
er !
Personal protective equipment
•
No ventilator, spray suit, gloves, or eye protection
•
A hepa filter, as seen on the gator seat, is needed for particulate matter; the filter
is not in use
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
5
•
No gloves (have they been left on the bottle on the gator?)
•
No boots/anti-slip footwear or boot covers
Poor housekeeping, ergonomics, and
PPE pose big hazards
•
The worker is using a dust mask (dirty) on his hat —
inappropriate as protection against chemical vapours
Editor, WorkSafe Magazine (Re: May/June issue, “What’s wrong
with this photo?”
Signage
•
Improper eye protection
•
No signage: type of application, re-entry date, toxicity (or is it
water?)
•
The worker has poor posture and is twisting and leaning
outward
•
The spray notification flag has been left on the gator
•
No safety gloves
•
The coiled hose is a tripping hazard: there is also the
potential for a kink in the line; the hose is coiled in an
unsafe manner all the way back to the vehicle
•
Improper footwear
•
Improper clothing for spraying liquids, vapours
•
The box in the path is a tripping hazard
•
No respirator
•
An improper respirator for vapours, liquids, and solvents
Other hazards
•
The hose around the worker’s legs poses a tripping hazard
•
Others are working in the nearby area — they could possibly
be exposed to pesticides/chemical vapours
•
The area should be closed to other workers while they’re
applying hazardous pesticides
•
Or, spraying should be performed at the end of the day or on
a weekend, when no one is working
•
Over-stretching implies a risk of strain, or a possible fall
•
Gloves have been left behind
•
The garden rows should be wider to allow easier access
•
•
A chemical spill is present (containers by the gator have
fallen over)
The respirator has been left behind. Also, the respirator is
being exposed; it should be in an airtight container when it’s
not in use
•
There is an unmarked sprayer/contents on the gator
•
There is a key in the ignition; it should be locked out
•
There is a coffee cup on the gator (no eating while spraying
chemicals)
•
The chemical container is open and there’s no label; it’s also
a tripping hazard
•
No clear walkway is provided between the gator and the
rows (there is an empty tray on the ground); this poses a
tripping hazard
•
No label on the container: it’s in the path to the vehicle and
it’s a tripping hazard
•
The plant box in the path to the vehicle is a tripping hazard
•
The worker is wearing baggy clothing with hoody ties; this
poses a risk of being caught in the equipment
•
There appears to be a rag being used for a lid on a chemical
container; it has no label
•
The keys have been left in the ignition
•
Unknown chemical: no label, warnings, etc., or WHMIS
•
A hose is coming out of the top of the tank, not through the
side valve/regulator
•
Exposed worker, enclosed space
•
No wheel chalk to prevent accidental movement of the
vehicle
Aniko Varga
Virology technician, Sidney Laboratory
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Sidney, B.C.
Chris Young
Facilities manager and occupational health and safety
representative
School District #47
Powell River, B.C.
6
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
Ionela Garrett,
15, displays last
month’s “What’s
wrong with this
photo?” contest
with her dad, Don,
on the Rambo
Bridge in Hope, B.C.
Hope teen has a
‘thing for safety’
Like most 15-year-old girls, Ionela Garrett likes to flip
through glossy magazines. But the object of her fascination
is unusual: if safety or first aid is the subject matter, she can’t
wait to dive right in.
Photo by Barry Stewart
So, when the May/June issue of WorkSafe Magazine arrived
at her father’s office last month, the Hope teen was the first
to pull out the centre-spread poster for the “What’s wrong
with this photo?” contest on nursery safety and begin
drafting her submission.
Her father, Don Garrett, transcribed his daughter’s list on his
computer, and sent it in by email. He was surprised — and
pleased — to learn that Ionela’s submission had placed third
among about 130 contest entries.
“I don’t know if she’s ever been in a greenhouse,” says Don,
owner of D.R. Garrett Construction Ltd. “But she is very
observant. And safety has always been kind of a thing for
her.”
The Garretts adopted Ionela from a Romanian orphanage at age
three. Although she faces physical and mental challenges, her
father describes her as a happy, athletic, and outgoing special
needs student at Hope Secondary. “She’s a survivor,” he says.
Ionela was a keen participant in the RCMP DARE program, and
she regularly reads safety literature and watches WorkSafeBC
and first aid videos on Youtube. Ultimately, she would like to
pursue her interest in first aid.
Other workers
•
Equipment
•
The hose is kinked, knotted, and laying underneath the
spraying man’s feet, creating a tripping hazard and poor
posture
•
The wand might be too short, creating poor posture
•
One of two jugs of the product is tipped over by the gator
and has no lid
•
The jugs and plant container are on the roadway, too close
to the gator
Ionela’s submission to the May/June contest is as follows:
The man spraying
Due to the unknown product being sprayed, the other
workers possibly require PPE.
•
Not wearing gloves
•
Not wearing goggles
•
The solution in the tank on the gator is not marked
•
Not wearing a respirator or mask
•
•
Not wearing safety footwear
The torn filter cloth on the pathway in front of the other
worker (walking) is a tripping hazard
•
Not wearing hearing protection
•
•
If he’s spraying toxins, he’s not wearing personal protective
clothing (PPE)
The sharp steel protruding from the building column behind
the kneeling worker creates a hazardous situation, especially
if it’s at eye height
•
Poor housekeeping: the Tim Horton’s cup has been left on
the gator seat
•
The respirator is hanging off the edge of the gator seat
•
Dust masks are to be fastened to the worker’s head, not his hat
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
7
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projects, we provide quality services that you can depend on.
Nursery worker needs a proper
respirator and rubber boots
Editor, WorkSafe Magazine (Re: May/June issue, “What’s wrong
with this photo?”)
Fraud costs
everyone
•
Improper respirator (it’s not being worn anyway)
•
The proper respirator hanging here should be in a sealed
storage bag, away from contamination
•
Other people should not be present during spraying
•
Signage is required at all entry points: i.e., “Do not enter,
spraying in progress”
WorkSafeBC doesn’t take fraud lightly and neither should you.
Improper handling of hazardous material: spill containment
cleanup lid
call WorkSafeBC’s Field Investigations Department toll-free at
•
•
Respirator, eye, and face protection required
•
Disposable coveralls are required for pesticide spraying
•
Overreaching and poor posture can cause an MSI
•
CSA-approved footwear is required (rubber boots)
•
A coiled hose creates a tripping hazard
•
Proper gloves are required; all exposed skin needs to be
covered
•
Ergonomics — the wand should be extended to prevent
overreaching
•
Ergonomics — the walkways are too far apart and force
overreaching for all activities
•
Clear labeling is required on all containers (WHMIS)
•
Ensure this is not a combustion engine pump creating exhaust
gases inside
•
Ensure the E-brake is on
•
The vehicle is overloaded
Everyone has a stake in fighting
workers’ compensation fraud because
we all end up paying the costs.
If you suspect an individual or company of committing fraud,
1 877 523-3315 to make a confidential report, or email
fraudinfo@worksafebc.com.
For more information, including examples of workers’
compensation fraud, visit our website at
www.worksafebc.com/contact_us/fraud/default.asp.
Tell us what you think!
We’re continuing to collect your valuable feedback on our
reader survey at WorkSafeMagazine.com.
Respond now and you’ll be entered in a draw to win one
of six WorkSafeBC watches or first aid kits. You’ll also
provide information we need to tailor the magazine to
meet your needs with regard to workplace wellness and
injury prevention.
Thanks for your input. Read on!
Arden Bolton
Manager of Utilities, on behalf of the utility crew
Thompson Nicola Regional District
Kamloops, B.C.
View more responses to
“What’s wrong with this photo?”
on our website,
WorkSafeMagazine.com.
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
9
on the cover
Photo by Kevin Bennett
By Helena Bryan
Out of the woods
As the forest industry moves toward slashing its historically high
death and injury rate, a new study asks whether fallers can use
training with 3-D images to spot hazards.
10
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
10
A Vancouver Island faller labours deep in the woods. Fallers are the subject of
innovative new research and training initiatives to reduce the forestry death
and injury toll.
“When it comes to making sure workers — particularly fallers — get home to
their families at the end of the day, good isn’t good enough.”
—Tom Bailey, WorkSafeBC forestry manager for Industry and Labour Services
I
t’s an industry rife with risks. So
workplace safety researchers are
taking a few risks of their own,
applying leading-edge thinking in B.C.’s
forests in the hopes of preventing further
deaths and injuries in the woods.
in 2005, still have the highest overall
injury rate and the highest serious injury
rate of all occupational groups in B.C.
And new hurdles such as an aging
workforce and the continued
fragmentation of the industry (see
for fallers.
The research in question draws from the
established field of science known as
human factors, an area of study
developed to optimize human
performance in the workplace; in this
case, to lessen the likelihood of human
error in hazardous jobs such as falling.
Coming to a screen near you, page 13)
are only adding to the risks fallers face.
rely on certain visual cues to identify
potential sources of danger.
An analysis in 2009 of injuries and
fatalities among fallers showed that even
certified fallers were dying or getting hurt
on the job. “While none of the fallers in
the analysis had gone through the new
faller training program — they’d been
certified as competent due to experience,”
Bailey says. “What this said was that
there are times and circumstances where
people just don’t see the risks.”
As WorkSafeBC human factors specialist
Jenny Colman explains, this technique
will train fallers to optimize the human
visual system to detect hazards. These
hazards might include intertwined tree
limbs, blown-down trees, rootwads, and
many others. Each of these situations
contain a myriad of hazards that are
often hard to spot, and cannot even be
seen until the tree is in motion. “Falling
is a dynamic process involving multiple,
simultaneous hazards that fallers are
challenged to detect,” Colman says. “This
technique will train fallers to spot hidden
hazards, beyond those determined by
previous or more formal risk
assessments.” (For more information on
human factors, please see
www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/
AccidentInvestigations/HumanFactors.
asp. For information about an upcoming
human factors conference, see the back
of this month’s pullout poster.)
While the industry has successfully
renewed its commitment to combating
faller fatalities through its forestry
certification and training programs, a
group of psychologists and forestry safety
experts have teamed with forestry giant
Western Forest Products to improve the
way fallers assess day-to-day hazards —
and thereby vastly improve their chances
of survival.
“Think of the industry as a rocket,” says
Tom Bailey, WorkSafeBC forestry
manager for Industry and Labour
Services. “There was the booster stage,
when the industry recognized it had a
problem and assessed the risks. Then it
took flight with the new training
program, safety standard, and quality
control. Now, it’s in the third, more
targeted stage: to do all it can to improve
safety in the field.”
For now, the target is fallers, who, despite
an increased focus on faller safety begun
Competent fallers hurt
by what they can’t see
John Bulcock also saw that analysis. As
corporate manager of health and safety
for Vancouver-based Western Forest
Products (WFP), Bulcock and his team of
health and safety advisors provide
support to company and contractor
falling supervisors. These supervisors, in
turn, are responsible for the well-being of
40 full-time fallers and up to 200 on
contract during peak times. Through his
efforts, the company is partnering with
Kwantlen Polytechnic University to test
whether human factors training first
devised to help U.S. military personnel
identify enemy targets — and currently
used to protect miners — has applications
The training in question takes into
account the effect of “visually degraded
environments” found in places like war
zones or mines, or in this case, forests,
and teaches workers and supervisors to
Bulcock says he could see the potential
for this research after noticing the
number of fallers who had been seriously
injured or killed by being struck by
something from above.
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
11
“It’s not that they’re not looking up,”
Bulcock observes, “or that they don’t
have the technique to remove the
hazards safely when they see them. In
fact, fallers are highly trained to focus on
safety. And no faller would fall a tree if
they knew something was in the canopy
that could come down and strike them.
will recreate hazards in a variety of
degraded visual conditions. And then
she’ll test how well fallers who’ve been
given this training can then go on to
spot hazards in the field. If all goes well,
the group will design and deliver a
training module and then track its
success over several years.
“Then we realized how difficult it is to
see clearly in the forest canopy. Even on
a bright, sunny day, you look up and it’s
dark or full of shadows. Add fog or snow
and it gets even harder.” What’s more, he
points out, as workers age, their vision
begins to diminish.
Falling safety has come
a long way
Hazard recognition
study set to go ahead
An internet search led Bulcock toward a
whole body of research on the benefits
of hazard recognition training through
the use of 3-D images in the U.S. mining
industry. “The training is about teaching
people to look at things differently,” he
says. “And the research showed that
people who had the training didn’t get
hurt at the rate that people without it
did.”
It was enough to convince Bulcock. And
with funding from WorkSafeBC and help
from Colman, a field study involving
WFP fallers has been given the green
light. Under the supervision of Kevin
Hamilton, chair of Kwantlen’s
Department of Psychology, researcher
Niloufar Saffari will conduct the
research this spring and summer, with
preliminary findings expected soon.
As part of her research, Saffari will visit
WFP cutting sites to do a task analysis
and identify the visual hazards and
degraded conditions typical of that
environment. She’ll develop a series of
3-D images for use in the training; these
12
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
Meanwhile, longtime foresters are buoyed
by a glimpse into the future. Falling is
still a hazardous profession, but a strong
push for safer training and certification —
along with the promising new degraded
imagery research — is forging a new path
in the industry.
Third-generation logger Steve Venus
recalls the arguments that ensued when
he told his Dad at age 18 he wanted to
follow in his footsteps. “It was the only
contentious time between us,” Venus
says. “It took awhile for him to accept
what I wanted to do.
“Logging has been good to my family for
more than 70 years. But back then, a
culture of risk-taking permeated the
industry,” Venus says. “And the prevailing
attitude was that if you worked in the
woods, you were going to get hurt.”
Fifteen years later, Venus is now a
qualified supervisor trainer and the
owner of a successful Vancouver Island
falling contracting company. He says he
wouldn’t hesitate to recommend falling as
a long-term job. “My friend’s son wants to
be a faller just like I did,” he says. “Today,
I can tell him it’s a good occupation —
that with the proper training and the
right attitude, he can expect to have a
long, fulfilling — and safe — career.”
New safety standards
revolutionize the
industry
Today, Venus represents a new breed of
company in an industry that has undergone
a major overhaul since 2005. That was
when 43 forestry workers lost their lives in
one of the deadliest years ever. Reaction to
the terrible toll created a groundswell of
support for change — change that might put
an end to the grim statistics that have
plagued the industry for decades.
Fast forward six years and enter a whole
new world. In the past two years, forest
industry fatalities — largely associated with
logging truck accidents, transportation of
workers in boats, crummies, and aircraft, as
well as roll-overs of skidders and other
heavy logging vehicles — have dropped
from an average of 22 per year to an
average of 5.5. Furthermore, the BC Forest
Safety Council provides an infrastructure
for comprehensive safety programs.
Thousands of fallers — the group heaviest
hit by serious injuries — have been newly
certified to the highest safety standards
and are now under the supervision of
specially qualified faller-supervisors.
“Falling is therefore no longer the
dominant job category where fatalities
occur in B.C.’s forests,” Bailey says.
Then there’s the 80 percent of forestry
companies in the province now certified
through the SAFE Companies certification
program, meaning their safety programs
and policies have to meet certain standards,
while translating into safe practices in the
field.
Most importantly, that culture of
risk-taking Venus refers to has been
replaced at every level — in the boardrooms,
the mills, and out in the woods — by a
safety-first approach.
As a result, Bailey says, a more favourable economic forecast for
2011 and beyond means forestry workers can expect to be busier,
and safer, than a decade ago. “But this is no time for complacency,”
he insists, quoting bestselling author Jim Collins, who coined the
phrase, “the enemy of great is good.”
“Yes, the industry is getting to be good,” Bailey says. “But when it
comes to making sure workers — particularly fallers — get home to
their families at the end of the day, good isn’t good enough. We need
to do everything we can to get to great.”
Venus says communication is key to building a better safety culture.
“If the licencees and logging contractors don’t talk with the falling
supervisors, we’re all putting people at risk,” he says. Supervising
requires teamwork between the falling supervisor, the fallers, the
loggers, and the road crews. You can’t assume people know what’s
going on; you have to take the time to talk about it.”
Coming to a screen near you
There’s nothing as powerful as a good
story to get a point across. That’s the
theory behind a new faller safety video
released this spring. It depicts a day in the life of a faller in
today’s fragmented industry.
third-generation logger on Vancouver Island. “When I first
started falling, we never had to work around heavy
equipment. Now, we’re constantly working around
roadbuilding, rigging, or logging crews. If I don’t talk to the
licensee or the logging contractors, I put my guys at risk.”
“In the old days, the engineers, fallers, and logging truck
drivers all belonged to one big company and they talked to
each other,” says Tom Bailey, WorkSafeBC forestry manager
for Industry and Labour Services. “Today, 88 percent of
registered forestry companies have four or fewer employers.
And each segment operates independently of the others —
raising questions about who holds the responsibility for
safety.”
Dave Lachance, WorkSafeBC forestry industry specialist,
says the point of the video is to show the importance of
personal responsibility. “People need to get beyond the idea
that ‘this is my job and that’s all I need to do,’” Lachance
says. “The video shows how planning and supervision can
prevent a serious injury or save a life.”
At the same time, different phases of the logging process
tend to overlap, so clear communication between each group
becomes even more important, says Steve Venus, a
The video is now available on WorkSafeBC.com and on
YouTube, as well as in the WorkSafeBC Store in hard copy.
It is also being translated into seven languages: simplified
Chinese, traditional Chinese, Spanish, French, Punjabi,
Vietnamese, and Korean.
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
13
WORK SCIENCE
No small matter
The brave new world of nanotechnology
poses an unexpected threat for workers
exposed to its raw materials.
N
anotechnology is the science of the invisibly small.
Applying a combination of chemistry, physics, and
biology, scientists can manipulate individual atoms and
assemble them into specific structures, devices, or systems. The
work occurs on a scale between one and 100 nanometers. We’re
talking tiny: A nanometer is a billionth of a metre; the width of a
single human hair is roughly 100,000 nanometers.
Naturally produced and man-made nanoparticles have always
existed. Nowadays, nanotechnology offers many fascinating
applications, one of which is the use of engineered nanoparticles,
designed for specific purposes. Engineered nanoparticles are
already used as additives in some food and medicines. They’ve
been used to make tennis balls, sunscreen, and clothes. The
science of nanotechnology could lead to faster computers and
new treatments for disease.
It’s a pursuit that’s as thrilling as it is lucrative. But there’s a flip
side to all this super science: nanotechnology presents potent
14
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
By Gail Johnson
challenges for worker health and safety.
WorkSafeBC senior occupational hygienist Geoff Clark says that
by handling these minute particles on a daily basis, workers risk
hazardous exposure — and potentially adverse health effects.
“Regardless of how they enter the body — nanoparticles — which
can be various forms of metals, carbon compounds, or other
chemicals, can pass into the bloodstream and affect organs
throughout the body,” Clark says.
Workers often unaware of the risks
But not all nanotechnologists work with nanoparticles, and it’s
important to know the difference. Clint Landrock works in a
sterile environment and wears a clean-room suit. The chief
technology officer at Surrey’s NanoTech Security Corporation
handles such sophisticated tools as a scanning electron
microscope and focused ion beam. He has several patents to his
name, and recently took part in the development of an
Simon Fraser University researchers
Byron Gates and James Zhou examine
nanoscale-sized fibres via scanning electron
microscopy.
anti-counterfeit measure for banknotes using nano-structured
optics.
Landrock views the field of nanotechnology in terms of its
potential, rather than its limitations: “To be at the forefront of
this industry is very cool,” he says. “Nanotechnology is going to
become increasingly accessible to people.”
And although he wears a protective suit, Landrock is more
conscious of his own body contaminating the materials. “Many
lay people think nanotechnology is scary because of possible
exposure to nanoparticles,” he says. “Creating nano-sized
structures in a macro-sized device is different from making
nanoparticles, and therefore doesn’t carry the same health risks.
Those working with nanotechnology should understand the
difference.”
Yet, as Clark points out, those who work with nanoparticles
should consider more serious precautions: workers can actually
breathe in nanoparticles or ingest them accidentally — say, by not
washing their hands before eating. While the skin-penetration
properties of nanoparticles are still under discussion, some
studies suggest certain types of nanoparticles can enter the body
through sweat glands and hair follicles. One animal study has
even shown them travelling along the olfactory nerve from the
nose straight to the brain.
Clark says some nanoparticles might cause even worse health
effects than those associated with their “parent” materials. “Take
silver versus nanosilver, for example. Exposure to silver can cause
a variety of toxic effects, and WorkSafeBC has an occupational
exposure limit for silver and silver compounds. But some types of
nanosilver may be even more toxic. And the existing exposure
limit might not be applicable.”
Nanoparticles pose possible safety hazards too, Clark explains. As
particles decrease in size, so does their surface area, and certain
types of nanoparticles can become more combustible. “If these
materials are allowed to accumulate in an uncontrolled fashion in
the workplace, they can cause a fire or explosion.”
Simon Fraser University (SFU) chemistry professor Byron Gates
says best practices on the job are crucial to protecting workers.
“Regardless of how they enter the
body — nanoparticles — which can
be various forms of metals, carbon
compounds, or other chemicals,
can pass into the bloodstream and
affect organs throughout the body.”
—WorkSafeBC senior occupational
hygienist Geoff Clark
Gates is the lead researcher for two current studies that look at
ways to minimize exposure to nanoparticles, funded in part by
WorkSafeBC’s Research Secretariat.
Effects of nanoparticle exposure under
scrutiny
The first study, which received a $30,000 WorkSafeBC Research
at Work development grant, focuses on the safe handling and
monitoring of nanoscale materials in the workplace. It will
examine strategies that aim to establish best practices for
handling nanoparticles and simple methods for assessing their
stability. The second phase, awarded a $50,000 WorkSafeBC
Innovation at Work grant, looks at how to reduce nanoparticle
contamination in the workplace, and will include protocols for
cleaning up nanoparticle spills.
Research Secretariat director Ed McCloskey says WorkSafeBC
and its industry partners consider nanoparticle safety research a
top priority. “Because of their unique properties, nanoparticles
are becoming widely used in industrial and commercial
applications. Research is being conducted worldwide to
understand their potential health effects, and to ensure workers
are not exposed to harmful amounts.”
At the same time, Gates says nanotechnology need not be a
dangerous science. “There are many ways employers and workers
can prevent exposure to nanoparticles, providing workers use
appropriate personal protection when they work with nanoscale
particles, along with cautious handling practices.”
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
15
Worker training is just the start, Gates says.
Worker exposure can be minimized if each step of the
manufacturing operation is enclosed. Anti-exposure measures
are already established in places like NanoTech, UBC’s (the
University of B.C.) Microsystems and Nanotechnology Group,
and Gates’ own lab at SFU.
Other safety strategies include separate changing areas for
employees, just like those provided at other industrial sites, such
as lead-product-manufacturing facilities. Proper ventilation can
reduce exposure and recapture nanomaterials.
Exposure reduction saves money
Employers have a financial incentive for decreasing worker
exposure as well: those ultrafine particles might travel home
with workers — and they’re too expensive to leave the workplace.
“Health and safety measures not only protect workers, but can
reduce product loss,” Clark says. “Some facilities have workers
bag and package carbon nanotubes by hand, using a scoop. Lots
of dust is produced, material is lost, and workers are
unnecessarily exposed. An automated packaging process would
prevent exposure and probably pay for itself through the
recovery of lost product.”
While safety measures are being developed, the challenge with
nanoparticles lies in their widespread use. “The extent of this
industry is unknown, as new materials and products are being
developed almost daily,” Gates says.
Meanwhile, WorkSafeBC occupational hygiene officer Mark Teo,
who has completed his doctorate in analytical chemistry at UBC
and previously worked in the field of nanotechnology, is
currently a member of the Canadian Standards Association
nanotechnology occupational health and safety technical
committee. The goal of this committee is to come to a consensus
on a Canadian standard and guideline to protect workers
handling engineered nanomaterials.
Clark says the enthusiasm toward nanoparticles must be
tempered with caution.
“Nanotechnology promises to be an exciting and ongoing
industry,” he says. “We just have to make sure — as we move
forward — that we’re building worker health and safety into the
process.”
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16
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
www.bccsa.ca
WorkSafeBC UPDATE
Get your
safety
game on
“As young people transition from
spending their days in school to taking
on summer jobs, safety can be the last
thing on their minds. And that can be
a fatal oversight.”
—Trudi Rondou, WorkSafeBC young and new
worker manager for Industry and Labour Services
By Alexandra Skinner-Reynolds
W
hat do arcade games and workplace safety
have in common? At first glance, not much.
Until now, that is. WorkSafeBC’s 2011 Raise
your Hand (RYH) campaign — designed to draw
attention to safety for young workers — has launched a
retro-style video game to encourage young workers to
stay safe on the job.
The game launched in April on RaiseYourHand.com, andd is
reminiscent of 1980s arcade games, complete with synthesized
music, pixilated graphics, and the computerized voice of
Paralympian Josh Dueck. (The highlight of last year’s RYH
campaign featured Dueck beating the Guinness World Record for
the most high-fives in 24 hours.)
The game is designed as one way to engage young workers and
their employers into keeping workplace safety uppermost in their
minds over the summer, when so many young workers join the
workforce — some for the first time. The RYH campaign features
WorkSafeBC’s own street team, which goes out to workplaces,
schools, and events this time of year to spread the workplace
safety message and educate young people about the role of
WorkSafeBC.
“As young people transition from spending their days in school to
taking on summer jobs, safety can be the last thing on their
minds. And that can be a fatal oversight,” says Trudi Rondou,
WorkSafeBC young and new worker manager for Industry and
Labour Services. “Because whether they’re bussing tables in a
downtown restaurant, or planting trees in the backwoods,
workers under 25 are at high risk of getting injured on the job”
Every day in B.C., 28 workers under the age of 25 are injured.
That’s why, every summer, just as more young workers are
entering the workforce, WorkSafeBC launches the Raise your
Hand campaign to reach out to these workers.
“Our main goal is to build awareness among young workers,
rather than lecture them,” Rondou says. “Just like the rest of us,
young people will engage in a topic if they are interested and
won’t bother if they aren’t. This game draws attention to safety in
a way that’s interactive and fun.”
Each level of the game reinforces one of three basic rights for
young workers: The right to know how to do a job safely, the
right to speak up about unsafe work practices, and the right to
refuse unsafe work.
The game kicks off with a card-matching challenge, where gamers
must quickly match pairs of safety equipment. In the second level,
young people are encouraged to speak up by blasting workplace
hazards, like vats of hot oil, sharp knives, and electrical wires —
before the hazards zap them. The third level, modelled after the
popular carnival game “whack-a-mole,” asks gamers to refuse
unsafe work by whacking dangerous work practices (like
standing on top of a ladder or not using a blade guard), and
avoiding whacking safe ones (like staff meetings and answering
phones).
To check out the game, go to www.RaiseYourHand.com
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
17
New asbestos
website spreads
cautionary tales
By Rob McMahon
A
hidden killer remains on the loose. And WorkSafeBC
has another tool in its arsenal that aims to stop it in its tracks.
A new website — entirely devoted to preventing the spread of
asbestos-related diseases due to exposure — launched at the end
of June this year.
Modelled on a similar website created by the United Kingdom’s
Health and Safety Executive, the site (HiddenKiller.ca) is part of
WorkSafeBC’s ongoing campaign against a mineral that’s hard
to detect, yet contained in a wide array of household
construction materials. Asbestos is currently B.C.’s number-one
occupational disease killer.
We believe we can eradicate
asbestos disease by limiting
people’s exposure to it. But first,
people need to know what it is,
and what it can do to them.
The site provides resources to help employers, workers, and
others — particularly those in the construction industry — safely
identify, handle, and deal with asbestos or exposure to asbestos.
It features a quiz, video, real-life stories, and downloadable
pamphlets highlighting safe work practices. Visitors will
ultimately learn how to submit information on asbestos
—Al Johnson, director of construction for
the Lower Mainland
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18
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
Find out more about how to prevent
asbestos exposure at HiddenKiller.ca.
exposure, via WorkSafeBC’s upcoming occupational
disease exposure registry.
homes built before 1990 contain asbestos, which can be released
during demolition and renovation projects.
Despite widespread public education about the
dangers of asbestos, exposures continue to occur,
particularly in the residential construction industry,
where some owners and employers might choose to
cut corners in the demolition and renovation of older
homes — key sources of asbestos.
To catch these violations, WorkSafeBC has embarked on a
zero-tolerance campaign toward improper asbestos management.
In 2011, seven new officers joined on-the-ground compliance
teams dedicated to finding and shutting down dangerous
worksites.
“We believe we can eradicate asbestos disease by preventing
people’s exposure to it,” says Al Johnson, director of construction
for the Lower Mainland. “But first, people need to know what
asbestos is, and what it can do to them.”
Formerly celebrated as a “miracle mineral,” asbestos was used in
the 1950s in everything from linoleum tiles to hair dryers.
Asbestos was deemed cheap, tough, and flame-resistant. However,
once its fibres were released and inhaled, they led to devastating
side effects. Now we know that exposures to asbestos can
eventually result in chronic diseases, such as asbestosis, or a
deadly lung cancer like mesothelioma.
The late Paul Douglas — who blogged about his experiences with
mesothelioma — contracted the asbestos-related disease during
his 20-year career as a construction boilermaker in B.C. Initially
given only three to six months to live, Paul advocated
passionately against the dangers of asbestos for the past decade,
before passing away in 2010, days from his 56th birthday.
“Unfortunately, there are contractors who don’t tell their
employees and clients about the risks of asbestos,” Johnson says.
“But our compliance teams are taking a strong enforcement
approach, both in the Lower Mainland and around B.C. They’ll
catch offenders after hours, on weekends — people think they’re
off the hook, and are surprised when we show up. Our teams will
shut down job sites, hand out fines; even initiate legal action. If
people don’t follow the procedures, there will be penalties.”
As part of its ongoing asbestos campaign, WorkSafeBC will
expand its outreach speakers program to include insurance
adjustors, engineers, architects, real estate agents, developers,
and others, in the effort to help them identify potential sources of
asbestos on worksites. From May to August — the peak season for
demolition activity — WorkSafeBC will offer an information desk
to guide homeowners about asbestos removal and disposal
requirements, survey records, and clearance letters. Finally,
concerned individuals can report suspicious construction-related
activities through an anonymous tip line, available at
1 888 621-7233 or toll-free at 1 866 922-4357.
“Asbestos-related diseases don’t arise right
away. There’s a long latency period, so it’s
very different than when someone is cut or
burned,” says WorkSafeBC senior
occupational hygienist Geoff Clark. “People
don’t face the consequences for 20, 30, or
40 years.”
Health Canada strictly regulates the sale of
pure asbestos and high-risk consumer
products that contain the mineral under the
Hazardous Products Act. However, it
remains a problem. That’s because most
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
19
Orchard workers, engineers, safety specialists, and
industry associations team up to elevate safety
standards for mobile work platforms.
I
magine trying to put your barbecue
together without installation
instructions, or operating a forklift
without a manual or training. It’s not only
unsafe, but downright dangerous. But if
you depend on that equipment for your
livelihood, you’re going to make it work —
manual or no manual.
That’s essentially what fruit growers in the
central interior of B.C. have been doing for
years. This group has long been using
rather dated, mobile elevating work
platforms (MEWPs) to harvest fruit and
prune their trees. Several hundred of
20
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
these platforms are in use throughout the
Kelowna area — all in various states of
functioning. If the equipment breaks
down, growers often fix it themselves.
“These farmers or growers are often
skilled, yet creative, manual workers. They
will take any piece of equipment and make
changes or repairs on it,” says Don Dahr,
WorkSafeBC manager of agriculture for
Industry and Labour Services. “Most
MEWP manufacturers are unknown, and
information on their equipment is
nonexistent. It’s unlikely, and perhaps,
unrealistic, for them to consult with an
By Jennifer Tsui
engineer. Their main focus is on getting
these platforms to operate.”
Understandably, the do-it-yourself
modifications on these machines pose
serious safety concerns for the operator.
The safest solution, of course, would be to
contact the manufacturer to have it fixed
properly. But that’s the problem with the
mobile platforms, Dahr says: “These
machines were built 40 or 50 years ago.
So no one knows who the manufacturers
are, let alone where the manuals are to
operate them — or even if any manuals
were there in the first place.”
Photo by WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer Patricia Fair
Operating room
Orchard supervisor David Thiessen demonstrates the use of a mobile
elevating work platform at Alfred Witzke Orchard in Oyama, B.C.
Farmers and engineers
provide a team solution
The farmers depend on these platforms to
do their jobs and earn their living. But to
continue using them without knowing the
correct operating instructions or how to
work with them safely was a recipe for
disaster.
That’s why the BC Fruit Growers’
Association and the Farm and Ranch
Safety and Health Association (FARSHA)
teamed up with WorkSafeBC’s Kelowna
regional office and Industry and Labour
Services to develop a safe solution for
farmers.
Since the lack of any engineering or
operation manual was the main problem,
the answer seemed simple: why not just
create them? Then, the Prairie
Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI)
and the University of B.C.–Okanagan
entered the picture. PAMI, an applied
research and development engineering
organization, developed a generic manual
— similar to what the manufacturer would
Serving Western Canada
have created — containing all the
information operators need to know on
how to run and maintain the machine
safely.
A group of local UBC–Okanagan
engineering students and their professor
also pitched into the project, creating a
computer modelling system to determine
the maximum slope these platforms could
move on without tipping, whether or not
the equipment could be used to traverse a
slope, and how high the arm could go
before flipping the entire unit over.
To complement the manual, FARSHA
developed a training program they will be
delivering to employers once the manual is
finalized, says Bruce Johnson, FARSHA
executive director. The first program
module will focus on educating owners
about the manual and engineering
standard. The second will go over the
responsibilities of the worker, the
supervisor, and the employer relating to
the use of these platforms.
“This is a win-win
any way you look at
it: B.C. fruit growers
will be in compliance
and the operators of
this machine will have
the training and
resources to use the
equipment safely.”
—Don Dahr, WorkSafeBC
manager of agriculture for
Industry and Labour
Services
Continued on page 32
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WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
21
TOOL BOX
High time
Photo by Heath Moffat Photography
By Robin Brunet
With the range of
safety programs and
equipment available
to today’s steep
slope roofers, there’s
no need to take
dangerous shortcuts.
F
ormer steep slope roofer Jay
Beddows had only been a corporate
safety officer at Parker Johnston
Industries Ltd. for one year when he got to
witness first-hand the consequences of
ignoring safety protocols.
His co-worker was roped off, but decided
to release the slack on his fall protection
device in order to move from one part of
the roof to another.
“He was cutting a piece of wood, and he
slipped and fell over the edge,” Beddows
recalls. “He dropped 13 feet and landed
feet-first on concrete. He was never the
same again.”
In 2010, steep slope roofers accounted for
35 percent of all WorkSafeBC penalties.
As well, this subsector of the construction
industry represented more than
22
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
40 percent of all WorkSafeBC construction
claims and more than 80 percent of all
claim costs. With each claim averaging
almost $64,000, workplace injuries have
cost this particular trade $14.4 million
over the past five years — not to mention
an immeasurable loss of life.
Nonetheless, steep slope roofers have an
abundance of safety training programs to
choose from in B.C., so there’s really no
excuse for the terrible toll on workers’
health and safety, says Shirley Caldwell,
education and training manager for the
Roofing Contractors Association of British
Columbia (RCABC). “We overhauled our
programs in 2009 and now provide
everything workers and contractors need
to know about avoiding hazards and
injury,” she says.
Nate Nelson, crew foreman for Parker Johnston Industries, conducts a tear-off of old
asphalt shingles on a sloped roof in Saanich, B.C.
“Many roofing companies are small operations
whose contractors demand fast work and feel they
don’t have time for operating fall arrest lines.”
Unfortunately, a lack of education and
training — particularly in the residential
steep slope roofing sector — has prompted
many contractors to take safety shortcuts.
Mike McKenna, executive director of the
B.C. Construction Safety Alliance
(BCCSA), says pressures to meet demand
lead to hasty errors in judgement. “Many
roofing companies are small operations
whose contractors demand fast work and
feel they don’t have time for operating fall
arrest lines.”
Beddows also cites the following six
activities workers must avoid while
working on a sloped roof:
How to stay safe on high
•
Beddows draws on his years of experience
as a roofer and safety officer to offer the
following advice to workers:
•
•
•
•
•
—Mike McKenna, executive director of the
B.C. Construction Safety Alliance
Do not perform work before a proper
fall hazard assessment has been
conducted, regardless of the height.
•
Attend any safety orientations to
become familiar with the rules and
hazards of the jobsite.
Do not perform work before a proper
electrical hazard assessment has been
conducted.
•
Wear appropriate personal protective
equipment as required for each
hazard, and stop work if such
equipment is not available.
Do not perform work without fall
protection when working above 3 m
(10 ft.) or when faced with an
exceptional hazard.
•
Inform your employer if you’re not
trained or qualified to perform specific
work procedures.
Do not perform work without footwear
that provides adequate traction on
sloped surfaces.
•
Do not perform work with fall
protection equipment that is damaged,
worn, or unable to provide a proper fit.
•
Do not perform work using fall
protection equipment that you have
not been trained to use.
Stop work and inform your employer if
you cannot perform the work in
accordance with established safety
rules and guidelines.
Exercise your right to refuse unsafe
work.
Get in gear!
The main components (and associated
components) of steep slope roofing safety
equipment are as follows:
•
CSA or ANSI standard fall restraint
devices
•
CSA or ANSI standard fall arrest
systems
•
Anchors that can support anywhere
from 3.5 kN (800 lbs.) to 22 kN
(5,000 lbs.), in accordance with the
Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation
•
Lanyards, lifelines, and other
connecting equipment
The OHS Regulation states that workers
using fall restraint must wear a full body
harness or a safety belt. When using fall
arrest, a worker must wear a full body
harness or other harness deemed
acceptable by WorkSafeBC. The
Regulation also requires safety gear to be
Continued on page 27
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
23
NUTS AND BOLTS
At the ready
By Lynn Welburn
Recent events in Japan offer a potent reminder that time taken
to review emergency planning procedures with employees —
including new staff or those with disabilities — is time well spent.
L
ike so many others, Mike Chislett
watched in horror at the
devastation that unfolded March 11,
following an unprecedented earthquake
and tsunami in Japan.
As the resort concierge at Parksville,
B.C.’s Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort
and Conference Centre, Chislett was
prompted to take a hard look at the
resort’s own emergency preparedness
plans. And when he realized more current
information might be available, he
contacted WorkSafeBC right away to look
for more resources.
His quick thinking earned kudos from his
employer. “We’re pleased with Mike’s
initiative,” says Paul Drummond,
Tigh-Na-Mara’s general manager. “He’s
enthusiastic and energetic. We take pride
in caring about our employees and our
guests, and Mike exemplifies that.”
Drummond says the resort has been
24
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
improving its emergency readiness plan
ever since.
Employees welcome
emergency planning
process
One improvement the resort made to its
earthquake preparedness plan was to
move its evacuation areas away from
parking lots surrounded by large trees
toward more open areas — safer locales if
the earth began to tremble.
As a resort, Drummond says,
Tigh-Na-Mara must not only consider its
nearly 300 employees but also, in high
season, up to 800 guests staying in rooms
spread across the resort’s nine hectares.
As such, the resort already had many good
practices in place, such as radio
communication between night employees
to ensure that — whatever the hazard —
people are able to stay in contact.
“It was mostly details we took into
account,” says Therese Lowe, co-chair of
Tigh-Na-Mara’s health and safety
committee. “We reviewed our basic policy
for fire evacuation and earthquakes, made
sure our employees understood it, checked
government links to make sure we were
up to date, and linked up with the City of
Parksville’s emergency evacuation
procedures.”
When they decided to upgrade the
procedures, the resort found its employees
receptive.
“It was so close to the Japan disaster that
there was no negativity,” Lowe says.
“Everyone was glad to get more
information, and to have localized
information. We even gave our employees
preparedness tips they could use at home.”
Although the changes were relatively
minor, just going through the process
heightened awareness among existing
staff — and reinforced the need to review
Cecilia Hemsworth, front office manager for
Tigh-Na-Mara resort in Parksville, B.C., and
resort concierge Mike Chislett assess potential
emergency concerns near the resort’s oceanfront.
Photo by Lance Sullivan photography
these emergency procedures
regularly, particularly among
newer employees. To ensure
these procedures work, for
instance, the resort considers
the orientation of its newly
hired staff a priority. On the
first day of employment, new
staff must review fire-exit
locations, emergency
procedures, locations of first
aid stations, and emergency
phone numbers.
A few weeks later, this same
group of new employees has a
resort-wide orientation session
to refresh these lessons, along
with monthly department
meetings to tackle safety
topics.
In some ways, Drummond says, the resort
is better prepared than many businesses
because it already has food and water on
site, generators, guest rooms with
emergency lights for power outages, and
teams of employees trained in what to do
and whom to contact for any problem —
from a windstorm power-cut to a
full-blown disaster.
Include all employees in
the plan
As Tigh-Na-Mara learned through its own
planning exercises, it’s important for small
business to consider all employees in
preparing for an emergency. In addition to
the fact that new employees are often
overlooked, increasing evidence shows
some employers fail to consider staff with
disabilities — especially disabilities that
aren’t readily apparent.
Karen Martin, emergency preparedness
project coordinator for the BC Coalition of
People with Disabilities (BCCPD),
conducted a study on emergency
preparedness for people with disabilities
through the support of WorkSafeBC’s
Research Secretariat.
“We found that general workplace
emergency plans do not address the needs
of people with disabilities and put people
at risk,” she says, noting that many
disabilities are not always as evident as,
say, wheelchairs. “Some degree of visual
impairment can make it hard for people to
read posted emergency procedures, or for
employees who are deaf or hard of hearing
and don’t hear alarms in time.
“In B.C., there is a growing number of
people with disabilities in the workplace,”
Martin says, noting that 55 percent of all
employable people with disabilities in B.C.
are employed here — some 130,000 people.
And with the population aging and people
working longer, more employees have
hidden disabilities — some degree of vision,
hearing, or mobility impairment.
“We need to start thinking in terms of a
workplace that is safe for everybody,”
Martin says. “After Japan, we’re being
asked to do a lot of presentations. People
An emergency can
happen at any time
and people need to be
ready to protect
themselves, as well as
their facility and their
inventory.
—Terri Holizki, WorkSafeBC
small business manager for
Industry and Labour Services
are concerned, as they should be.”
The BCCPD trains businesses, government
departments and community
organizations to create emergency plans
that include people with disabilities and
seniors. Free booklets, checklists, and
more are available at www.bccpd.bc.ca/
projects/emergency.htm. Businesses or
organizations interested in applying to
take Strategic Inclusive Training for
Emergencies (SITE) can contact
www.bccpd.bc.ca/site.htm to set up
training for their group.
Readiness is a legal
requirement
Regardless of whether emergency
planning is at the top of everyone’s list, all
employers need to be thinking about it,
says Terri Holizki, WorkSafeBC small
business manager for Industry and Labour
UBSafe
A c o m p l e t e p r o v i d e r f o r y ou r
w o r kp l a c e s a f e g u a rd i n g n e e d s !
Penalties, Claim costs and Downtime can be disruptive and costly
forr your businesss contaactt us forr a free consultation
UBSafe | safety@ubsafe.ca | ww w. ubs a f e .c a | 604.205.9080
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
25
Services. “Employers are required to have an emergency plan in
place.”
And while earthquakes might be on everyone’s minds at the
moment, Holizki points out that emergency planning also deals
with less dramatic events. “The kinds of scenarios employers
need to plan for are the same for small or large businesses: fire,
chemical spills, and power outages.” Under the Occupational
Health and Safety Regulation, Part 4, employers must do as
follows:
•
Conduct a risk assessment
•
Develop and implement written procedures and assign a
worker to coordinate their implementation
•
Designate and mark emergency exit routes
•
At least once a year, hold emergency drills
ones, they also face barriers to emergency planning, Holizki
says. They might think that an emergency just won’t happen to
them, or be hindered by a lack of resources.
“When smaller businesses have conducted drills, we’ve found
some didn’t want to leave their businesses behind. This is their
livelihood that’s kept them and their families going for years, and
they find it hard to just leave,” she says. “But an emergency can
happen at any time and people need to be ready to protect
themselves, as well as their facility and their inventory.”
Holizki’s small business team members worked together to make
preparedness easier for small businesses. The result is Act Now,
an online printable guide (www.worksafebc.com/publications/
health_and_safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/emergency_response_
guide.pdf) that includes a sample, step-by-step emergency
response plan.
Although smaller businesses might face the same risks as larger
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26
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
High time
Continued from page 23
regularly inspected and properly maintained, and to be removed
from service if it’s damaged, or after it has been used to arrest a
worker’s fall.
A number of safety and construction equipment suppliers — such
as Acklands-Grainger, Jelco, and Hazmasters — provide the latest
in fall protection gear. Derek Malone, outside sales manager for
Hazmasters, says the latest equipment enables workers to
operate with a minimum of hindrance. “Plus, the gear is
ergonomically designed and comfortable to wear, which was not
always the case in the past.”
As for design innovations, Malone says that descent and ascent
systems are becoming more prevalent on jobsites where steep
slope metal roofing prevents the installation of toe boards or
footholds. “And rather than causing the descent to speed up, the
latest descenders stop a worker’s descent if he suddenly panics
and squeezes the control handle extra-hard,” Malone says. “This
feature still enables workers to control their speed of descent
and location to park. And if the worker slips or lets go for any
reason, the descender automatically stops.”
A new look at safety
WorkSafeBC is working with members of the construction
industry to host a future Metro-Vancouver-area roofing
symposium for workers and contractors. “The purpose is to raise
awareness about proper safety procedures, equipment, and
supervision,” says WorkSafeBC construction industry specialist
Kathy Tull.
Johnston, he’s redoubled his efforts to make his workplace
accident-free after witnessing the trauma of a serious injury.
“Today, our penalties for non-compliance start with being
suspended a week without pay and end with unconditional
termination. Plus, we have a safety fund that is paid out to crews
that remain accident-free for a certain length of time,” Beddows
says. “These initiatives may seem drastic, but they’ve nipped
non-compliance in the bud.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to mitigate risk. And that’s
how you create a culture of safety in what is an extremely
hazardous environment.”
In the meantime, it’s up to roofing employers to set higher safety
standards for their employees, Beddows says. At Parker
Employers’ Advisers
Helping Employers Manage Workers’ Compensation
The Employers’ Advisers Office provides independent advice, assistance and representation on all
matters related to compliance with the Workers Compensation Act and WorkSafeBC’s regulations
and policies. To further assist employers, we provide educational seminars.
Please visit ourwebsite for more information about upcoming seminar
dates: www.labour.gov.bc.ca/eao All services BSFprovided without cost to
employers. Contact us UollGree: 1800925-2233
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
27
Penalties
Administrative penalties are monetary
fines imposed on employers for health
and safety violations of the Workers
Compensation Act and/or the
Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation. The penalties listed in this
section show the date the penalty was
imposed and the location where the
violation occurred (not necessarily the
business location). The registered
business name is given, as well as any
“doing business as” (DBA) name.
The penalty amount is based on the
nature of the violation, the employer’s
compliance history, and the employer’s
assessable payroll. Once a penalty is
imposed, the employer has 90 days to
appeal to the Review Division of
WorkSafeBC. The Review Division may
maintain, reduce, or withdraw the
penalty; they may increase the penalty
as well. Employers may then file an
appeal within 30 days of the Review
Division’s decision to the Workers’
Compensation Appeal Tribunal, an
independent appeal body.
The amounts shown here indicate the
penalties imposed prior to appeal, and
CONSTRUCTION
Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co.
$250,000
Powell River, March 31, 2011
This firm’s worker was fatally struck by a
rock estimated to be more than 1.5 m (5 ft.)
in diameter. The rock rolled downhill toward
the young worker as he was hand-drilling a
boulder to prepare it for blasting. The firm
allowed work to proceed without first clearing
loose material uphill that had the potential to
dislodge and inflict injury. Unstable material at
the worksite had been repeatedly identified in
risk assessments. The firm failed to provide its
workers with adequate instruction and training
for the land-clearing work. It also failed to
ensure effective supervision at the worksite, in
spite of the presence of several supervisors.
South-West Roof Restoration Inc.
$12,171.30
Langley, March 30, 2011
Three of this firm’s workers were working
without fall protection on a sloped roof about
3 m (10 ft.) above grade. The firm failed to
enforce the use of fall protection as required.
It also failed to provide its workers with
the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
These were repeated violations.
Affiliated Roofers Ltd.
$35,042.45
Port Coquitlam, March 24, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were exposed to the
risk of falling about 5 m (17 ft.) while working
on the roof of a house without using any
form of fall protection. This was a repeated
violation of the fall protection requirements,
as well as the requirement to provide workers
with the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
may not reflect the final penalty
amount.
For more information on when
penalties are considered and how the
penalty amount is calculated, visit our
website at WorkSafeBC.com, then
search for “Administrative penalties.”
28
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
Gagandeep Construction Ltd.
$2,500
Burnaby, March 22, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were working on
a roof about 5.5 (18 ft.) above grade without
using any fall protection. This was a repeated
violation of the fall protection requirements.
Garry Dohms
$9,518.85
Abbotsford, March 18, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were installing
roofing material on a sloped roof about 5.5 m
(18 ft.) above grade without using any form of
fall protection. This was a repeated violation
of the fall protection requirements.
Twin Cedar Roofing Ltd.
$11,949.25
Chilliwack, March 17, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were working
without fall protection on a sloped roof more
than 3 m (10 ft.) above grade. The firm failed
to ensure that the workers used fall protection
as required. This was a repeated violation of
the fall protection requirements.
Capitol Roofing Co. Ltd.
$15,283.45
Vancouver, March 16, 2011
Three of this firm’s workers were working
without fall protection near the edge of a roof
about 9 m (30 ft.) above grade. They were
wearing fall protection harnesses, but weren’t
attached to lifelines. This was a repeated
violation of the fall protection requirements,
as well as the requirement to provide workers
with the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
Brytar Contracting Inc.
$42,690.14
Vancouver, March 15, 2011
One of this firm’s workers was working
without fall protection near the edge of a roof
about 12 m (40 ft.) above grade. Another of
its workers climbed onto a scaffold’s platform
about 9 m (30 ft.) above grade. The work
platform did not have guardrails, and although
the worker wore a harness, he wasn’t tied
off to a lifeline. The firm failed to ensure
that these workers used fall protection. This
was a repeated high-risk violation of the fall
protection requirements.
Juanjose Medina-Acosta
$3,853.48
Vancouver, March 11, 2011
This firm’s worker was exposed to the risk of
falling about 6 m (20 ft.) while working on the
4:12 sloped roof of a house without using any
form of fall protection. This was a repeated
violation of the fall protection requirements,
as well as the requirement to provide workers
with the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
Dulai Roofing Ltd.
$19,208.69
New Westminster, March 10, 2011
This firm failed, on multiple occasions, to
ensure that its own workers and other workers
carrying out the firm’s work were protected
from falling. On one occasion, workers were
exposed to a fall hazard of about 6 m
(20 ft.) above grade, and on two other
occasions, workers were exposed to a fall
hazard of about 9 m (30 ft.) above grade.
about 4.5 to 6 m (15 to 20 ft.) above grade.
This was a repeated high-risk violation of the
fall protection requirements.
Josip Zanic Construction & Painting Ltd.
$2,500
North Vancouver, March 8, 2011
This firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC
order requiring it to submit a written
compliance report detailing the steps it was
taking to address fall protection violations at
its worksite. The firm failed to ensure that a
worker working on a sloped roof up to 10 m
(32 ft.) above grade used fall protection. It also
failed to provide a written fall protection plan
as required.
Super Strong Roofing Ltd.
$6,500
Richmond, March 2, 2011
This firm’s worker suffered serious injuries
after falling about 6 m (20 ft.) from the edge
of an unguarded roof. The firm failed to
ensure that the worker used fall protection as
required. It also failed to provide the worker
with adequate supervision. These were
repeated violations.
Standard Insulation & Siding Ltd.
$9,007.80
Maple Ridge, March 7, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers weren’t securely
tied off while working from a scaffold about
6 m (20 ft.) above grade. They were among
several workers at the firm’s construction site
who weren’t aware of the requirements for
proper anchorage to ensure an effective fall
arrest system. The firm failed to provide its
workers with the information, instruction,
training, and supervision required to ensure
their safety.
Silex Restorations Ltd.
$2,754.78
Vancouver, March 4, 2011
This firm failed to provide guardrails on the
scaffolding at its construction site. It also
failed to provide cages for all scaffold ladders
more than 3 m (10 ft.) high. In addition, the
cage installed around one of the ladders did
not meet the dimension requirements. These
were repeated violations.
Riccardo John Divilio
$2,071.04
Maple Ridge, March 3, 2011
This firm failed to provide its workers with
the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their health
and safety. For example, the firm failed to
ensure that workers used fall protection as
required while working more than 3 m (10 ft.)
above grade. Workers were also permitted to
work in and around hazards at the construction
site, including unguarded openings, as well as
stairs with inadequate or missing handrails.
Great Van Roofing and Drainage Ltd.
$2,500
Coquitlam, March 3, 2011
This firm’s owner and two of its workers were
working without any form of fall protection
while stripping and re-sheathing a sloped roof
Bear Roof Care Ltd.
$5,169.28
Kelowna, February 25, 2011
This firm’s worker suffered serious injuries
after falling about 3.5 m (12 ft.) from a sloped
roof. The firm failed to ensure that its worker
used fall protection as required, to train the
worker in fall protection systems, and to
provide young or new worker orientation and
training.
Bhandal Holdings Ltd.
$3,125
Vancouver, February 24, 2011
This firm’s workers removed flooring
containing asbestos and heating tape from
a house that was being demolished without
following the proper procedures. The firm
failed to implement a site-specific exposure
control plan to ensure that the hazardous
materials were safely contained and removed.
This was a repeated violation.
0793750 B.C. Ltd.
$2,500
Nanaimo, February 23, 2011
This firm failed to pass on information that
was needed at a demolition worksite to identify
and control hazards. The firm also allowed
demolition work to begin before making the
inspection results available at the worksite;
these inspection results showed the locations
of hazardous materials.
Best Canadian Roofing Ltd.
$2,500
Vancouver, February 23, 2011
This firm’s worker was working without any
fall protection on a sloped roof about
4 m (13 ft.) above grade. This was a violation
of the fall protection requirements, as well
as the requirement to provide workers with
the instruction, information, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
Harold David Gaucher
$2,500
Burnaby, February 23, 2011
This firm’s worker sustained serious injuries
after falling 3 m (10 ft.) from a roof, then
striking another roof before falling another
6 m (20 ft.) onto a concrete basement floor.
The firm failed to ensure that its worker used
fall protection as required.
Brian Wade Betker
$2,500
Vancouver, February 22, 2011
Three of this firm’s workers were working
without any form of fall protection on a sloped
roof more than 3 m (10 ft.) above grade. This
was a repeated violation of the fall protection
requirements, as well as the requirement
to provide workers with the information,
instruction, training, and supervision
necessary to ensure their safety.
David (Jordy) Johnson
$2,500
Delta, February 22, 2011
This firm’s supervisor and another worker
were working without fall protection on a roof
that at its peak was about 9 m (30 ft.) above
grade. This was a repeated violation of the fall
protection requirements.
NJ Roofing Ltd.
$7,500
Surrey, February 21, 2011
This firm’s worker was not using any form of
fall protection while working on a roof about
5 m (18 ft.) above grade. This was a repeated
violation of the fall protection requirements,
as well as the requirement to provide workers
with the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
Tejinder S. Kaler
$2,500
Burnaby, February 18, 2011
This firm failed to submit a written
compliance report detailing the steps it was
taking to address fall protection violations at
its worksite.
West Coast Drain Tile & Services Inc.
$2,500
Vancouver, February 16, 2011
This firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC
order requiring it to submit a written
compliance report detailing the steps it was
taking to address safety issues observed
at its worksite. The firm’s worker was in
an excavation whose sides had not been
adequately sloped or shored to make the
excavation safe for entry.
WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
29
Juan Alberto Perez Gonzalez
$5,000
Anmore, February 15, 2011
This firm’s principal and a worker were
exposed to the risk of falling about 11.5 m
(38 ft.) while working on a wet, steep roof
without using any form of fall protection.
The firm failed to ensure the use of a fall
protection system and to implement a written
fall protection plan as required. It also failed
to provide workers with the supervision and
instruction necessary to ensure their safety.
These were all repeated violations.
21st Century Roofers Ltd.
$13,870
Ladner, February 10, 2011
Four of this firm’s workers, including a
supervisor, were exposed to falls of about 6 m
(20 ft.) while working without fall protection
on a sloped roof. The firm failed to ensure that
its workers used fall protection as required.
This was a repeated violation.
J. Canadian Roofing Ltd.
$2,500
Delta, February 9, 2011
This firm’s worker was working near the edge
of a sloped roof about 6 m (19 ft.) above grade
without using any form of fall protection. This
was a repeated violation of the fall protection
requirements.
Bhagwant Dhaliwal
$2,500
Richmond, February 9, 2011
This firm’s owner and two of its workers were
working on a sloped roof up to about 7 m
(24 ft.) above grade without using fall
protection. This was a repeated high-risk
violation of the fall protection requirements,
as well as the requirement to provide workers
with the instruction, information, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their health
and safety.
A to Z Roofing Ltd.
$2,500
Richmond, February 8, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were exposed to
falls of about 6 to 7.5 m (20 to 25 ft.) while
installing roofing felt on a sloped roof. The
firm failed to ensure that the workers used fall
protection as required. This was a repeated
violation.
Trevor McDonald
$3,250
Maple Ridge, February 7, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers, one of whom
was a supervisor, were exposed to the risk of
falling about 6 m (20 ft.) while working on the
30
July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
roof of a house without using any form of fall
protection. This was a repeated violation of the
fall protection requirements.
Gurpal Enterprises Limited
$6,289.65
Vancouver, February 2, 2011
Three of this firm’s workers were exposed to
the risk of falling as much as 6.5 m (22 ft.)
while working on the roof of a house without
using any form of fall protection. The firm
failed to ensure that its workers used fall
protection as required. This was a repeated
violation.
Black & McDonald Ltd.
$70,962.46
Powell River, January 28, 2011
Several of this firm’s workers were assigned
to erect a transmission tower within a new
substation compound. The substation had been
fenced off, and the work crew needed to lift
the steel beams for the tower over the fence
with a mobile crane. As one of the largest
beams was being lifted over the fence, one of
the two synthetic web lifting slings broke. One
end of the 3,562-kilogram (7,853-pound) beam
fell onto a young worker, inflicting crushing
injuries. The firm failed to provide its workers
with the information, instruction, training, and
supervision necessary to ensure their health
and safety.
PRIMARY RESOURCES
Khaira Enterprises Ltd.
$9,122.75
Golden, March 25, 2011
This firm failed to comply with numerous
requirements of the Occupational Health and
Safety Regulation in its forestry operations.
For example, it allowed workers to walk on
logs and logging debris without caulked or
other effective footwear. It allowed workers
to operate all-terrain vehicles without the
proper training and without wearing the
required headgear. It also failed to conduct a
risk assessment for its remote work locations,
where workers may need to be rescued or
evacuated. These are only some of the firm’s
safety violations.
Ensign Drilling Partnership
$75,000
Fort Nelson, February 25, 2011
Five of this firm’s workers were not wearing
their seatbelts as required while riding in a
crew transportation vehicle. The firm failed
to provide its workers with the instruction and
supervision necessary to ensure their safety.
M. & J. Dhaliwal Green Acres Vegetable
Farm Ltd.
$11,351.47
Kamloops, February 11, 2011
WorkSafeBC issued a stop work order after a
barn collapsed at this firm’s workplace. The
firm violated this order on three separate
occasions by carrying on work to rebuild the
barn.
MANUFACTURING
Elite Furniture Ltd.
$2,500
Burnaby, March 14, 2011
This firm’s worker was using a panel saw
without its saw guard in place. The worker
then tried to install the guard on the panel
saw without first locking out to prevent the
inadvertent movement of the saw blade. The
firm failed to adequately inform, instruct,
train, and supervise its worker to safely shut
down equipment for maintenance. This was a
repeated violation.
Ardew Wood Products Ltd.
$50,537.30
Merritt, March 11, 2011
A worker collapsed unconscious after climbing
down a ladder to access the shut-off valve at
the bottom of a manhole. This firm allowed
the worker to enter the confined space,
whose oxygen-deficient atmosphere posed an
immediate danger. The firm failed to identify
the confined space at the worksite and to
implement an appropriate confined-space
entry program. It also failed to adequately
train and supervise the worker to ensure his
health and safety.
Neucel Specialty Cellulose Ltd.
$75,000
Port Alice, March 11, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were dismantling
a portion of a wall when it unexpectedly
collapsed. Both workers suffered minor
injuries as a result of the falling debris.
Additionally, workers at the site may have been
exposed to airborne asbestos fibres from the
asbestos-containing wallboard panels that fell
to the ground. The firm failed to adequately
inform, instruct, train, and supervise its
workers to ensure their health and safety
during the demolition work.
Globe Foundry Ltd.
$27,366.24
Burnaby, February 21, 2011
This firm failed to comply within a reasonable
time with WorkSafeBC orders issued as a
result of numerous safety violations. The basic
penalty amount was doubled because the firm
has already received a penalty for the same
violations.
Oakpine Manufacturing Ltd.
$2,842.15
Surrey, February 18, 2011
This firm failed to comply with WorkSafeBC
orders issued as a result of several safety
violations. For example, the firm failed to
prevent wood dust, which poses a fire hazard,
from accumulating to dangerous levels
throughout its worksite. It failed to inspect
and monitor regularly the exhaust ventilation
system to ensure its effectiveness. The firm
also failed to provide appropriate emergency
washing facilities for those work areas where
workers may be exposed to harmful or
corrosive materials. These are only some of
the firm’s repeated safety violations.
Logoplaste Canada Inc.
$2,500
Burnaby, February 14, 2011
Two of this firm’s workers were at risk of
serious injury while repairing a machine that
was still energized. The firm failed to ensure
that the machine was locked out as required
before allowing workers to repair it.
SERVICE SECTOR
specifications. These were repeated violations
of the requirement to ensure that any
modifications of tools or equipment follow all
the relevant safety requirements. The firm also
failed to adequately instruct, educate, train,
and supervise workers in the safe use of tools.
Falcon Equipment Ltd.
$60,788.17
Fort Nelson, March 11, 2011
The articulated boom crane mounted on a
truck supplied by this firm displayed a decal
indicating that the crane had been tested
for stability. However, the serial number on
the decal did not match the crane’s serial
number. This was a repeated violation of the
requirement to provide stability certification
for cranes.
TRANSPORTATION &
WAREHOUSING
D.E.R. Resorts Ltd.
$8,540.20
Campbell River, March 8, 2011
This firm’s worker sustained serious head
injuries after falling from the open box at the
back of a pickup truck in which she had been
riding, unrestrained. The firm failed to provide
safe procedures or supervision and training for
transporting workers and materials.
New Mountain Stones Ltd.
$13,837.59
New Westminster, February 28, 2011
This firm allowed tools to be modified
and used contrary to the manufacturer’s
Alpine Disposal & Recycling
(Interior Division) Ltd.
$19,524.28
Waneta, February 16, 2011
This firm’s worker suffered a serious crushing
injury when the ram in the chute of a baler/
compactor caught his foot. The fixed guard
meant to prevent contact with the baler’s
hazardous moving parts had been removed.
The firm failed to apply lockout procedures
as required by the Occupational Health and
Safety Regulation. It also failed to provide
its workers with the information, instruction,
training, and supervision necessary to ensure
their safety.
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WorkSafe Magazine July / August 2011
31
Operating room
Continued from page 21
“The third and biggest module involves
training users on how to actually operate
the equipment,” Johnson says. This
module will educate operators on
different parts of the machinery, safe
work practices, and what to do in an
emergency.
New software holds
promise for other
industries
“This is a win-win any way you look at it:
B.C. fruit growers will be in compliance
and the operators of this machine will
have the training and resources to use
the equipment safely,” Dahr says.
Shawn Mitton, WorkSafeBC regional
prevention manager in Kelowna, is
particularly pleased with the way this
initiative required industry to participate
in the creation of a safety standard for its
workers. “It was truly a team effort
between industry and WorkSafeBC to
resolve a safety compliance issue,” he
says.
The benefits of these partnerships have
overflowed into unexpected areas as well.
For example, discussions are in the works
to apply UBC’s computer modelling
Marketplace
Directory
software in other industries, such as
steep-slope logging.
The whole exercise has also prompted the
industry to think more about safety,
Johnson says. “Not only will this initiative
train operators and bring them up to
speed on safety, it’ll get them thinking
about safety matters and focusing on how
to operate the machinery safely.”
Adds Dahr: “Ultimately, it will save
someone’s life.”
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July / August 2011 WorkSafe Magazine
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