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

In yet another accident demonstrating the danger of working near overhead power lines, workers at a construction site in Dieppe, New Brunswick had a close call when their dump truck struck some lines. Thankfully, this time no one was hurt.

The accident occurred as two dump trucks were being used as part of a road construction project. The operator of one dump truck situated his truck underneath the power line, and when a hydro line lifted the box of his vehicle, it contacted and snapped the line, and the snapped line  landed on a smaller dump truck, which caught fire.

WorkSafeNB is conducting an investigation into the incident to determine if there were any infractions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The workers were employees of Cherryfield Contracting Ltd, which was contracted by the City of Dieppe for the construction work.

Despite the fact that there were no injuries, every precaution was taken to put out the fire, so that all workers remained safe. In fact, firefighters refused to put out the fire for about an hour because the power line was still live.

This incident happened less than two weeks after an employee of Ken Miller Excavating in Brockville, Ontario was electrocuted when his boom truck struck the power line at a construction site, as he delivered concrete sections for storm sewers.

Most would agree that one of the most annoying sounds in the world is the ear-piercing sound of the alarm most heavy equipment deploy when backing up. Obviously, a back-up alarm is necessary; it’s become a standard for reducing accidents. But the day of the high-pitched, piercing sound that causes neighbors to complain and induces some operators to find a way to disable it may be coming to an end.

Enter the WhiteSound back-up alarm, by bbs-tek.

Instead of the high-pitched, non-directional scream used in most back-up alarms, the WhiteSound back-up alarm uses a far more pleasant “broadband sound,” or “white sound,” the source of which is instantly locatable and identifiable.  The sound is localized in the danger zone and dissipates rapidly, which reduces complaints of noise pollution and reduces the likelihood that irritated drivers will disconnect the alarm. Because of the directional nature of the sound, those hearing it will immediately turn n the direction of the sound, and less-irritating noise will cause less panic and confusion.

White sound is sound that is composed of all frequencies in the audio spectrum, and its characteristics instantly identifies it with the vehicle emitting the alarm. White sound does not have to rely on a high decibel level  to be heard because, being multi-frequency, competing single frequencies cannot mask it. As a result, a WhiteSound alarm is at least equally as effective at lower decibels than outmoded single-frequency ear-piercing alarms.

Following is a video of the alarm in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMRCSwbkTb4&feature=player_embedded

To find out more about these White Sound alarms, go here…

Be prepared for some changes in road safety enforcement on Newfoundland and Labrador roads, as the government is making some changes.

As the law currently stands, if the police stop a driver, he or she will be charged with impaired driving if a breathalyzer test reveals a blood alcohol level greater than 0.08. But if the government gets its way and new changes are adopted, such drivers found to have a blood alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08 will lose their driving privileges for seven days instead of the current 24 hour suspension. In addition, the  penalty for repeat offenders will also increase up to a maximum of six months.

The aim of the government is to protect public safety. They note that other provinces have made similar changes, to positive effect. And they’re not just targeting those who might have had an extra beer before heading out on the road. The new law would also outlaw the practice of texting while driving, as well.

And it’s not just impaired driving that has officials concerned. In Labrador, highway construction crews have been complaining that drivers are blowing through the eight construction zones on the almost 250-km drive between Wabush and Churchill Falls much too fast. In addition, there have been numerous complaints of vehicles passing in no-passing zones, and not obeying the flag persons.

Because of this, police stepped up enforcement in the area and they are aggressively ticketing motorists along the dangerous stretch of road. The province recently doubled fines for speeding in a construction zone, too, so such tickets can set you back as much as $1,500.

Put simply, if you’re not being careful out there, it’s going to cost you.

You knew it was coming.

June 15th has come and gone, and Bill 168, which amends the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace and other matters, is now law.

The purpose of the Bill 168 amendments is to protect workers from inappropriate behaviour at work, including everything from offensive remarks to outright violence, and to reduce incidences of workplace harassment. The new law requires employers to develop policies and programs covering these issues, to train employees to ensure that policies are followed, and to create mechanisms for employees to report incidents and a process for investigating and dealing with such incidents or complaints.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act defines workplace violence as the exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker. Because the definition includes the phrase “could cause,” verbal or written threats of violence can fall under the new law. In addition, seemingly potentially violent action might require an employer to investigate and handle the situation. This might include one employee shaking his fist at another, throwing an object in another worker’s direction or kicking something that another worker is standing on.

Workplace harassment is also covered by the new law, and is defined as any behaviour that is known or that a reasonable person would consider to be unwelcome. Harassment may involve unwelcome words or actions commonly known to be offensive, embarrassing, humiliating or demeaning to a worker or group of workers. If behaviour is in any way considered Intimidating, isolating or discriminatory, it would qualify as harassing behaviour under the law. Such harassment often involves repeated actions or patterns of behaviour, and they can include mean jokes told at a worker’s expense, or the display of images that are inappropriate for the workplace.

Unfortunately, according to a survey conducted by The Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) of its members, nearly one-third of them were not ready to comply with the new law. HRPA surveyed 605 of its members between June 2 – 11, and found that 32% responded that their business would not meet its obligations before the June 15th deadline. The survey also revealed that 53% of respondents said the greatest challenge they faced would be to implement the legislation’s mandatory employee training and workplace violence reporting and investigation procedure requirements.  This despite the fact that, in a previous HRPA survey taken last summer, 75% of respondents supported the legislation.

If you are one of those companies that falls within that 32%, the Ministry of Labour wants to make it clear that they intend to enforce the new law, and suggest specific steps employers must take to comply, in order to protect workers from violence and harassment:

• Develop workplace violence and harassment policies, and develop and maintain programs to implement those new policies;
• Provide appropriate training to workers, so that they know these policies and programs and what they mean.
• Develop measures and procedures for calling for and receiving immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs or is likely to occur;
• Develop processes for reporting incidents ; and
• Conduct risk assessments and take steps to control those risks identified during the assessment.

If you need some assistance in understanding the new law, take a look at the following:

Workplace Violence and Harassment: Understanding the Law

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/wpvh/index.php

Preventing Workplace Violence And Workplace Harassment

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/sawo/pubs/fs_workplaceviolence.php

WorkSafeBC has named a new chair to its board of directors, as George Morfitt has replaced Roslyn Kunin, who has been the organization’s chair for the last two years.

Morfitt is no newcomer to WorkSafeBC. He has been a WorkSafeBC director for nearly four years, and in recent months served as the board’s vice-chair.  An adjunct professor for the University of Victoria, Morfitt also serves as an advisor to the School of Public Administration. Before that, he spent time as auditor general of British Columbia, where he led the implementation of measures to bring greater transparency in governance and accountability, including new auditing guidelines for government ministries, Crown corporations and public agencies, including WorkSafeBC. He also recently served as a councilor for the Health Council of Canada.

The outgoing chair, Kunin, whose term ended in May, was WorkSafeBC’s longest serving board member, with seven years on the board, including the last two as chair.  Her tenure saw a decline in B.C’s injury rate, which reached the lowest level on record, as well as a significant reduction in employer premium rates.

WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a board of directors that serves about 2.3 million workers and more than 200,000 employers.

The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal of British Columbia (WCAT) has granted an unnamed commercial construction company a stay of a decision that imposed an administrative penalty of nearly $40,000 on the company.

WCAT vice-chair Heather McDonald allowed the stay of a WorkSafeBC administrative penalty of $38,569.34 – which was upheld by a WorkSafeBC review officer – after ruling that paying the fine would likely cause serious financial harm to the company.

In the decision to stay the fine, McDonald wrote, “A stay is an extraordinary remedy. … The employer’s financial situation is very poor and the prospect of paying a significant penalty of over $30,000.00 will likely place the employer into bankruptcy. In all, I find that the circumstances of this case illustrate exceptional circumstances that justify granting the extraordinary remedy of a stay to the employer.”

The ruling granting the stay comes after a March 30, 2010 decision against the employer, which was the prime contractor on a multi-employer construction site in October, 2008, when a WorkSafeBC safety officer visited the work site and issued a series of orders relating to the company’s failure to: remedy workplace conditions that are hazardous to the health and safety of workers; establish a safety system; and, as prime contractor, ensure that the occupational health and safety activities of everyone at the workplace were coordinated. In addition, other orders were issued, involving specific violations, such as the presence of a number of damaged electrical cords; walkways obstructed by debris; and fall hazards.

The decision notes that, when determining whether or not to issue a stay, WCAT typically considers, among other factors: whether the appeal, on its face, appears to have merit; whether the applicant would likely suffer serious harm if the stay were not granted (for example, loss of a business); and, whether granting a stay would likely endanger worker safety. In its view, the employer provided convincing evidence that it is in an extremely difficult financial position currently, noting that the company’s year end June 30, 2009 net loss exceeded $350,000.00, and that paying the penalty at the current time would likely force the company to cease operations.  “This prospect of likely bankruptcy proceedings and closure of the business brings into the picture the factor of irreparable harm, not just serious harm,” the decision reads.

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.

If your overall goal is to provide your company with the strongest possible bottom line through efficient use of resources and predictable costs, then you have to understand that there is a direct relationship between a strong, effective safety training program and your company’s growth, competitiveness, and financial success.

Don’t think of a safety training program as a cost to your company; it’s an investment. And it’s an investment that returns huge dividends in many ways.

A good, solid safety training program will:

• Help with compliance with government and industry standards, and reduce the chance that your company will be cited for health and safety violations. A knowledgeable work force is less likely to break the rules.
• Reduce accidents, and protect workers from illness and injury, thus saving your company the costs of lost time and reduced productivity, not to mention reduced insurance premiums. In addition, solid safety training helps to manage risks such as sexual harassment and workplace violence.
• Increases overall worker motivation and morale, leading to job satisfaction. Workers who believe their company cares for their health and safety are more productive. They are also likely to stick around longer, leading to reduced turnover, which leaves you with a pool of highly skilled and knowledgeable employees, including many who can move up and fill critical positions within the organization.
• Make sure your company is better able to adapt to new systems, technological change and innovation, and provide your company with the human resources to expand into new markets and grab hold of new economic opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of a positive culture in which confident, knowledgeable, creative employees are able to provide customers with superior products and services to customers.

A good safety training program pays for itself many times over, by creating a safe, happy and healthy workforce that is enormously productive. But to maximize the payback for your training dollars, keep a few things in mind:

• Training must be ongoing, and must be constantly reassessed to make sure you’re keeping up with your company’s current needs.
• Make sure the training is comprehensive and interesting, and offers workers a chance to practice new skills in a safe setting. Also, be sure to provide workers with opportunities to use any newly learned skills on the job. After training, send them back to work with learning aids such as checklists, step-by-step instructions, and safety reminders that help them safely and effectively transfer newly learned skills to their job.
• Encourage workers to discuss their training needs and to even request additional training they might think necessary.

It’s easy to look at the cost of safety training to the company, but a good manager understands that a strong safety training program makes them a lot more money than it costs. Safety training is one of the best investments you can make in your employees and your company.

A new study suggests that by delaying the start time for an overnight shift just slightly, companies could actually  help late-night workers get more sleep off duty, which would make them feel less tired on the job, thus making them more productive.

The study, conducted by the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University Spokane, looked at the effect of start time on workers’ predicted total sleep time off-hours, as well as on fatigue during a shift. The study predicted the minimum fatigue at work took place during a shift starting at 9 a.m. The maximum on-the-job fatigue occurred with shifts starting at 11 p.m. Not midnight or 1 a.m., or even 10 p.m., but 11 p.m. And the reason the worker starting work at 11 p.m. is at a potential disadvantage is because they’re simply not able to get enough sleep before their shift.

One theory surrounding the study suggests that everyone has a circadian rhythm, in which our internal body clock is set to coincide with light exposure. That’s what makes it easier to either stay awake or fall asleep during different periods of the day. For most people, it’s easy to fall asleep between about midnight and 6 a.m., which is when the body is really ready to sleep. On the other hand, the time period between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. is often called a “wake-maintenance zone” and during that period, it’s generally more difficult to fall asleep.

Therefore, if a shift starts at 11 p.m., it is unlikely that a worker would be able to get good quality sleep before the shift. But if a shift starts at midnight, it would be easier to get more high quality sleep beforehand.

The research was based on a two-process model of sleep regulation, including both the circadian rhythm and sleep-wake homeostasis, which is the principle in which it’s assumed that the longer a person is awake, the more they want sleep, and the easier it is to fall asleep. Researchers set up 24 schedules where a person would be working nine-hour shifts, six days a week, and wouldn’t be able to sleep for the hour prior to or following their shift.

The results of the study showed that schedules with shifts starting between about 8 p.m. and midnight, workers received about four-and-a-half hours of sleep and were very fatigued on the job.  Those working shifts that started during daylight hours, between about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. received about eight hours of sleep and were far less fatigued.  But one surprise in the study was that for shifts starting at midnight or later, workers were actually better rested and less fatigued because they were able to sleep longer beforehand.