So, you’re getting a job….

• Approximately 15,000 young workers aged 15 to 19 are injured on the job in Canada each year.

• That’s too high a price to pay!

• The level of risk that is acceptable on the job is lower than what you might decide to accept in personal activities.

Occupational Health & Safety

• The number of people who have died or become ill as a result of illnesses related to their work is greater than in sudden accidents.

• We have programs such as WHMIS and rules for handling hazardous materials and requirements for personal protective equipment (ear plugs)

If you drive a car …

• You follow rules of the road and laws and police to enforce the laws.

• NS has a law called “Occupational Health & Safety Act” – specific regulations for safety in the workplace.

• Supervisors have legal responsibilities for safety.

• Inspectors visit workplaces.

Your rights & responsibilities…

• You have the right to know what you are dealing with / the right to know about hazards, the right to training…

• You have the right to refuse unsafe work• You have the right to be protected from discrimination• You have a legal duty to report any hazards or unsafe

practices. • You have a duty to comply with regulations:

- use personal protective equipment- use equipment safely- follow rules of safety- do not remove any safety devices (guards, warning signs...)

What is Workers’ Comp?

• Workplace injury insurance

• Educate / raise awareness

• Investigate

You have the duty to report accidents immediately

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment

• Every controlled substance has a WHMIS label that identifies the material.

• A “material safety data sheet’ is available at your job so you know what protective measures to take and what to do in an emergency.

• Your employer has a legal duty to train you in WHMIS if you work around hazardous materials.

Hazardous Products

• Compressed gasses in cylinders

• Flammable & combustible materials

• Poisonous and infectious materials

• Corrosive materials such as acids

• Dangerously reactive materials

• Oxidizing materials that can promote fire

Summer Jobs

• Summer jobs often mean odd jobs.

• Hazardous are usually so obvious to experienced workers that they may not think to mention them.

Confined Spaces

• Any space not designed for human occupancy where there may be life threatening hazards– Sewers, tunnels,

pipelines– Mines, caves,

excavations– Vats, drums, silos– Tanks, tank cars

• Dangers:– Ignition of flammable

gas– – – – –

Confined Spaces

• Gas meters must be used

• No one can do a job alone, someone must be at the entrance

• If there is trouble – don’t go in – go for help.

Entrainment

Lockout / Tag Out

• No one works on equipment until the machine is shut off and moving parts stopped. You actually put a lock on power switches so that no one can turn on the power until you finish.

Ladders & Elevations

• If you work more than 3 meters above the ground you have to have fall protection equipment.

Heavy Equipment

• Watch out!!!Watch out!!!

Trenching and Shoring• There are laws for trenches over 4

feet deep.

They must be:

– supported by walls inside

– sides sloped back

– you work in a trench box

• If you perform a certain set of motions over and over again enough times, the affected part of your body could suffer.– Carpal tunnel

syndrome

• One quarter of all compensation claims arise from falls.

• Report ice, oil spills….

• Don’t block walkways or leave equipment on the floor.

• Lace up boots/shoes.

Lifting and Carrying

• One in four injuries involve lifting and carrying.

• Your job is not an athletic competition!

• Do not twist while lifting.

Protect Yourself!!

• http://www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/Multimedia/Videos.asp?ReportID=35133

• http://www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/Multimedia/Videos.asp?ReportID=35142