The final results for Roadcheck 2010, the annual North American roadside safety inspection blitz, were roughly the same as those of Roadcheck 2009, showing that 80% of commercial vehicles inspected successfully passed.

The annual event, which was conducted by enforcement agencies in Canada, the US and Mexico from June 8-10, is coordinated each year by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) in partnership with CCMTA member-jurisdictions.

While the average vehicle out-of-service rate of 20.0% is slightly higher than the 17.8% recorded last year, event organizers say this year’s figure continues an overall downward trend in the national OOS rate over the past several years. The average Canadian vehicle out-of-service rate in 2010 was just slightly higher than the North American average at 20.3%.

Inspections were conducted at 158 sites across Canada, covering all jurisdictions. Those vehicles without a valid inspection decal  were subjected to the most rigorous CVSA on-road inspection procedures. Overall, over three days, 7,311 vehicles and drivers underwent full inspections for mechanical and driver fitness, with 5,848 vehicles and 7,112 drivers passing. In all, 1,434 trucks, 29 passenger-carrying vehicles and 199 drivers were put out of service for various safety defects and violations, ranging from simple infractions such as a rear signal light not working to dangerous infractions, such as steering or brake problems. Other defects cited included wheels, tires, frame and load security. Often, drivers were able to make the necessary adjustments on site, and be re-inspected, passed and sent on their way.  In addition, 2.7% of drivers were placed out of service for logbook, driver qualification or paperwork problems, which actually represented a slight improvement over past figures.

Inspectors issued 6,911 new decals to individual trucks, trailers and passenger-carrying vehicles across Canada. The decals signify CVSA’s highest degree of safety and mechanical fitness.

Since brake-related defects continue to account for close to half of all out-of-service violations, CVSA Region V officials are encouraging governments, industry associations and individual carriers and drivers to take an active part in the upcoming 2010 Brake Safety Week Sept. 12-18.

It’s been a pretty hot summer so far, and we’re not even halfway through, so perhaps this is would be a good time to remind you to take special precautions on scorching hot summer days, in order to keep your workers safe and productive.  The higher the temperature goes, the less comfortable workers feel, which makes them more prone to accidents and also causes them to slow down a bit. But just as importantly, excessive heat can be extremely dangerous, and building a culture of safety requires that you keep your workers as safe as possible.

If possible, try to reduce the demand on each worker by reducing  the level of physical exertion such as excessive lifting, climbing, or digging. If possible, try to use relief workers or assign extra workers.  Try to reschedule the most strenuous activities jobs for the cooler part of the day and reserve the hottest part of the day for routine maintenance and repair work.

For those workers who must work outside during the hot part of the day, they should wear light, very loose-fitting clothing, with long sleeves and long pants, in order to avoid serious UV damage from the sun.  For areas of the body that are still exposed, such as faces, hands and necks, be sure to have adequate supplies of good quality sunscreen on hand as well.

Make sure all outside workers are provided with plenty of water. And that should be water, as sugary drinks and drinks with caffeine actually cause faster dehydration. They should also be given plenty of breaks during which they can drink the water. It is far more beneficial to drink small amounts of water at frequent intervals than to drink a lot of water all at once. If the work is particularly strenuous and is performed in direct sunlight, try to provide a shady area or tent, where workers can sit down, drink some water and recharge.

If your workers are toiling away in an area with a combination of high temperature and high humidity,  be aware of the increased risk to such workers of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. In addition to workers who don’t take adequate breaks or drink enough water, pay close attention to workers who take certain medications, older workers or workers who are not in peak physical condition, as they are especially susceptible to complications from heat-related stress.

Some of the warning signs for heat-related illness include headaches, lightheadedness, confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin.  When a worker starts to complain that he or she isn’t feeling well, you would do well to take the complain seriously and sit that worker down in the shade with a cup of water and let them recover.

Other potential risks to the health of workers toiling outdoors in summer aren’t necessarily heat-related. It might be a good idea to have workers regularly check for ticks, which sometimes carry Lyme Disease. Be sure to watch out for mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile Virus, and plants, such as poison oak and poison ivy, that can cause skin rashes and make it difficult to work.

If you do business in Alberta and you have a poor safety record, you’d do well to take steps to improve it, and do so quickly. It seems your days of hiding from it may be numbered.

After a bloody Tuesday last week in which two Edmonton-area workers died at work sites and another was seriously injured in an elevator accident, Alberta Employment Minister Thomas Lukaszuk was livid, and took to the airwaves to vow that this fall would see the public release of the identities of those provincial employers with the worst safety records.

In a radio interview in which he was asked about those recent deaths, Lukaszuk revealed that Albertans will learn the names of the province’s worst safety performers within 3-4 months. The Conservative government had first promised to release such list eight years ago, but at that time the idea was shelved.

Lukaszuk said his staff is working on the list with the help of the Workers Compensation Board (WCB). When the list is complete, anyone will be able to look up the name of a company and see the number of man-work hours they have, see how many accidents they had, and determine how they compare to industry and provincial averages.

If Alberta actually follows through with its promise and releases such a list of poor safety performers, it will become just the second province to do so. Nova Scotia began publishing the names of companies with substandard safety record after their Supreme Court ruled in favour of their release in December 2008.

This type of list could have a negative effect in two ways. The obvious impact will be with prospective employees. How many of the best workers will want to come work for you if you have a lousy safety record? And how many of your customers will take their business to another company that takes the safety of its workers more seriously?

This might be a good time to look at your safety record and look at ways to improve. The impact to your bottom line could be enormous.

After a fire broke out on the roof of a large paper mill in New Brunswick, one worker was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, but released by about midnight.

The fire, which broke out on the roof of Irving Paper Limited in Saint John at about 5 pm on June 15,  started in the thermal mechanical pulping area of the building, and eventually affected 12 workers, including several who were part of the emergency response team. The hospitalised worker, who had complained of a sore throat was also part of that response team.

Saint John Fire Department officials say that when the fire was first discovered, the affected worker  had used a dry chemical fire extinguisher to try to put out the blaze, but it was windy, so he inhaled some sodium bicarbonate powder. Though basically harmless, the chemical is known to cause coughing and can lead to an irritated throat.

Though the company and WorkSafeNB have opened investigations into the incident, fire officials suggested that the cause of the fire could have been an overheated or malfunctioning electric motor.

Vancouver officials are investigating a building demolition in which two walls and a lamp collapsed onto the street, barely missing a flagperson and several cars.

Unfortunately, the incident, which occurred at 5:30 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon during a demolition being conducted by Global Excavation and Demolition, was caught on video, and several of the videos have gone viral on YouTube, raising questions about the company’s safety procedures.  The company, however, claims the situation was “under control” and suggested that in any demolition, “sometimes things happen that are out of your control.” Karmjeet Singh Panesar, one of the owners of Global Excavation and Demolition,  was apparently operating the crane at the time.

One video (see below), taken from a high angle, shows one wall of 1102 Hornby St. collapsing onto Helmcken Street.  Seemingly undeterred, the operator continued to work, and proceeded to follow that up by knocking down an adjacent wall, part of which fell onto Hornby Street and took out a lamp post.

This is not their first incident. The company has received six compliance orders in the last three years, including one for an excavation. They currently have one other demolition permit for Vancouver, but that has been put on hold while city officials and WorkSafeBC review the company’s safety practices.  The YouTube videos will be used as evidence in the investigation.

The company has promised to pay for replacement of the $4,000 lamp post.

Here is the video of the first collapse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKIZk4qAqKU

And here is the video of the second:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvWRKojULbo

As just about any company who’s experienced them can tell you, workplace accidents can be devastating to your company.  Besides the obvious hit to the bottom line when they bring your  operation to a standstill and force your company to pay a fine, the results can be even more tragic, such as when they involve serious injury or even loss of life. The number one priority of any business should be to avoid accidents, and one of the best ways to do so is to conduct periodic safety audits.

A safety audit should examine the entire work area and should cover all activities required in that workplace in order to optimize safety, to make sure everything is up to government standards and complies to the company’s safety policy.. Everything should be checked and all workers should be involved, and encouraged to put their best effort into making sure that nothing is missed.

There are obviously many ways to approach safety audits. But there are a number of elements that should be included in any workplace safety audit.

First, you need a plan. Gather all relevant company safety information, and define the scope of the audit. Then assemble an audit team to review all company policies and procedures, legislation, standards, guidelines and practice codes relevant to your workplace. Be sure the audit team is equipped with all special tools, equipment and safety gear to conduct the audit effectively and safely, and put in place escort arrangements and make sure the team familiarizes themselves with the site before the audit. The team should also know all the key role players, clarify the audit objectives and nail down the approach to be followed during the audit.

The audit team should then review all incidents and accidents that occurred during the audit period. This is an essential aspect of understanding the uncontrolled risks in the workplace they plan to audit. They will also have to review documents, interview staff and conduct physical inspections to determine whether or not all safety management system elements are correctly implemented.

A truly successful safety audit should involve every employee. While it’s true that outsiders can provide some perspective that everyday workers might miss, the workers themselves are often the best judges of what is and isn’t safe, and they will know what needs to be changed. Often, workers are reluctant to participate in such audits if they feel they are being second-guessed or their opinion isn’t being properly respected, so be sure to encourage their participation in the process, stressing the importance of the audit and putting them at ease about their participation.

The value of a safety audit is that it evaluates workplace safety in real time. And once a report is issued, take it seriously, and correct areas of weakness as soon as possible. Many times, the audit report will recommend more comprehensive training and this should be scheduled quickly.

No company can sit on its record when it comes to safety, and periodic audits should be part of your overall safety strategy. Without a regular check of your system, weaknesses will develop and the likelihood of an accident will increase greatly.

Two Ontario companies, Ken Miller Excavating and Anchor Concrete Products Ltd, were issued a series of orders following an accident in which the boom of one of their trucks came into contact with overhead power lines and a worker was electrocuted and killed.  The worker was assisting boom trucks delivering concrete sections for storm sewers, but the exact circumstances surrounding the accident are currently under investigation by the Ministry of Labour.

Almost as soon as the worker was taken to Kingston General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Ken Miller Excavating was issued a series of orders requiring the company to provide documents related to: its health and safety policy and program; procedures regarding work done in close proximity to electrical conductors; its emergency plan; and of course, its safety training and workplace safety procedures. A stop work order was also issued on a 10-tonne off-loader, which was to undergo inspection to determine whether it can handle its rated capacity. The Ministry of Labor also issued three orders to Kingston-based Anchor Concrete Products Ltd, requiring documents related to its training and health and safety policy and program. Both companies were also ordered to provide a written report of the circumstances of the occurrence to the ministry and any applicable union.

According to an alert issued last May by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), fatal accidents involving equipment contacting overhead power lines is not uncommon in Ontario, and in fact have accounted for half of all electrocutions in the province over the last eight years.  The ESA recommends that workers follow a few safety precautions when working near overhead power lines:

• Always conduct a hazard assessment and know where a power line is before you start work.
• If it’s at all possible, once you locate a power line, try to work away from it. If this is not possible, stay as far away as possible, and remember; the higher the voltage, the farther away you need to be.
• If possible, call the local electric company and have them cut the power while work is ongoing.
• Mark the areas around the power lines with cones and/or signs to warn other workers of the danger.
• If a vehicle or other piece of equipment contacts a power line, stay in the vehicle and radio for help.

The provincial government of Saskatchewan’s is concerned that businesses in the province are able to contain the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, also know as the “swine flu”, so that any economic effects of the pandemic are kept to a minimum. Provincial health and safety officials believe that employers have a key role in preparing for and preventing the spread of influenza in workplaces.

To help, Advanced Education, Employment and Labour’s Occupational Health and Safety Branch has begun distributing a new guide, entitled Pandemic Planning: Best Practice Guideline for Occupational Health and Safety, to businesses all over the province.

If you don’t receive one in the mail, a hard copy can be requested from Occupational Health and Safety, or a copy can also be downloaded online. It was adapted from a similar guide produced in Alberta, and included input from their ministries responsible for OH&S and public health. The Saskatchewan guide also included consultations from the Ministry of Health, Regional Health Authorities, and the Occupational Health and Safety Council.

There has been another incident involving falling debris from a Calgary high-rise construction site.

On August 29, vehicles and pedestrians were forced to take cover, as sheets of glass broke loose from the frame of the Palliser South tower being built at 201 10th Avenue SE, and fell 18 stories to the ground below. This follows an incident several weeks ago, when 3-year-old Michelle Krsek was struck and killed by sheet metal which blew off another construction site just blocks away from the Palliser South construction site.

That incident prompted a review of 20 Calgary high-rise buildings, which identified nine safety violations, including four for inadequately securing materials.

The city has ordered engineers to review the situation in order to establish what caused the situation last Saturday. In the meantime, a stop work order has been issued for the project while every pane of glass in the building is being checked.

In addition, Calgary city officials assure the public that every high-rise under construction in Calgary will be getting an inspection within the next few weeks. They couldn’t confirm whether or not the Palliser South tower was one of the 20 checked after the previous incident.

The investigation into the latest incident should wrap up shortly.

According to a new report from the Massachusetts Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI), entitled “Asthma-Related Chemicals in Massachusetts,” more than 300 substances are known or suspected to cause or exacerbate asthma, and that “[m]uch of the evidence (for identifying these substances) comes from workers exposed in the workplace.”

Asthma is an increasingly common chronic lung disease that kills more than 500 Canadians annually. The most common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, coughing and wheezing.

Based on the report’s findings, workers in a range of occupations may be exposed to ammonia, chlorine, formaldehyde, diesel exhaust or any of the other 300-plus chemicals identified in this report as causing asthma symptoms. Lab workers, woodworkers, construction workers, plumbers, farmers, painters, and those in industries that produce metals, plastics, electronics, rubber and textiles are just a few examples of workers who are at risk. Asthma-causing substances are also commonly found in most cleaning products, including those found in most workplaces and homes.

The Canadian Lung Association reports that three million Canadians are suffering from asthma, and 25% of them have symptoms that are triggered or made worse by exposure in the work environment. That means hundreds of thousands of workers are affected. In addition, they report that up to 15% of new asthma cases are caused by workplace exposures.

There needs to be greater effort on the part of workplaces to either eliminate these substances or minimize worker exposure to them. The TURI report identifies more than 300 different chemicals, and that information should be used to develop strategies for replacing substances with those less harmful, and to isolate those that can’t be replaced, in order to reduce exposure.

In Ontario, occupational health and safety law requires that employers take steps to protect workers from harmful substances, and it gives workers the right to know about hazardous substances through the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). The province’s new Toxics Reduction Act (TRA) may also prove useful in safeguarding workers and the public from harmful substances including those linked with asthma.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) is currently working to develop regulations that effectively implement of the Toxics Reduction Act, and those regulations should be completed this fall. In the meantime, it would be a good idea for supervisors to read . Slated for completion in the fall of 2009, the content and enforcement of these regulations will help determine how effective the legislation will be.

For our part, the Workers Health & Safety Centre has developed information resources and training programs to help workers, joint committee members and others better understand how to identify and eliminate exposure to harmful chemicals including asthma-causing substances.

Supervisors should read the Massachusetts report, as well as the Toxics Reduction Act, and the WHSC asthma fact sheet, in order to prepare for the new regulations coming down the pike. TURI also a database of potential cleaning solution alternatives that could be helpful.

Asthma is an increasingly common disease, and workplaces will have to prepare to stem the tide very soon. It’d be best to prepare now for the changes that are coming.