Volume One, Issue One, Summer - 2010
safeworknews
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
Public perception:
Successful social marketing
key to safety awareness
How a life-altering injury
made Nick Perry an
inspiring motivator
Inaugural issue
Health and wellness in the
workplace - are you working
and living your best?
Getting people back to work
Sobeys’ Calvin Green takes the teamwork approach,
page 8
CONGRATULATIONS
Booth Memorial High School of St. John’s, winners of the
2010 SAFE work NL’s Who Wants to Save a Life? game show!
safeworknews
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
3
14
8
Leadership
Back to safe work
Workplace wellness
Jackie Manuel, the NLCSA’s health
and safety visionary and mentor
Sobeys takes the proactive approach and
achieves success
Smart business practices for employee
productivity and success
5
10
16
Health and safety crusader
Steps for Life walk
NewsFlash
A young man’s harrowing story of workplace
tragedy, triumph and recovery
Walking together to support families of
workplace fatalities, life-altering injuries
and occupational disease
Kudos, industry health and safety highlights
and need-to-know information for workers
and employers
6
Social Marketing
13
How effective marketing can change
social behaviour and effectively reduce
workplace injuries
Play the ‘safety sleuth’ and enter
to win great prizes
Spot the hazard
safeworknews
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
safework news is published four times
a year by the Workplace Health, Safety
and Compensation Commission (WHSCC)
of Newfoundland and Labrador to educate
workers and employers about injury and
disease prevention, promote a positive
safety culture and provide links to WHSCC
resources for safer workplaces.
Editorial Submissions and Inquiries
[email protected]
s
Subscription Inquiries
[email protected]
Editorial Advisor
Chris Flanagan
Administration
Kate Connors
Editor
Kathy Dicks-Peyton
Marketing
Sherry Greene
Contributors
Steve Thistle
Kate Connors
Dee Anne Feltham-Scott
Paul Daly
Bill Fifield
Information Technology
Florence Maloney
Printer
Dicks and Company Limited
Graphic Design
Mark Wessels
Canada Post Publications Mail
Agreement #40063376, Customer
#1324969
Printed in Canada - Copyright 2010
www.whscc.nl.ca
No portion of this publication may be reprinted in
whole or in part without the written permission of the
WHSCC. The WHSCC reserves the right of final
approval on all material.
Left to right: Ian Lehr, Morgan Sears, Stephen Johnson, Stephanie Tucker and Andrew Bonnell, each received a $1,000 scholarship and $5,000 for their school.
Governance Corner:
Enhancing communications
and increasing responsiveness
a successful return-to-work program is not the Commission,
but employers and injured workers. Many employers are
learning that modified work programs help retain experienced
workers, and reduce hiring, training and overall claims costs.
More injured workers are seeing first hand that early and safe
return to work is the right thing to do. It may be hard work, but
a successful return to work has proven to provide improved
quality of life. I am pleased to see the Commission increase its
efforts to communicate these important messages.
Congratulations to the Commission on
developing another effective means of
getting the word out about workplace
safety. One of our mandates as governors
of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
is to ensure the Commission works to continuously improve
its communications processes and its responsiveness. This new
magazine achieves both those goals.
The safework news magazine will be mailed to any employer
or worker in the province who wishes to receive it. So if you are
not getting yours directly, please contact the editor through the
contact information on page 1. The magazine is also available
online at: whscc.nl.ca.
When it comes to safety, communications has been proven to
help reduce injuries. Over the past 10 years, the injury rate in
Newfoundland and Labrador has declined more than almost any
other jurisdiction in Canada, from 3.2 injuries per 100 workers
to just 1.9 injuries last year. As injuries decline, it becomes more
difficult to sustain the rate of injury reduction. But preventing the
next injury is just as important as preventing the last one –
which is why the Commission has introduced new tools such as
increased internet advertising, youth game shows, video contests,
education outreach, training accreditation and now, a new magazine.
We encourage comments and contributions to safework news.
If you’ve got something on your mind related to workplace
health, safety or compensation, put pen to paper or fingers to
keyboard and send a letter to the editor – or send us your story
ideas. We will respond, I guarantee it.
Ralph Tucker,
Chair, Board of Directors
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
Communications also has a critical role to play in successful
work-to-recover programs. The greatest beneficiaries of
Making a difference to friends,
families and co-workers
I am pleased to present this first issue of safework news and to bring
you stories of men and women in Newfoundland and Labrador who
inspire others to improve workplace safety and quality of life.
In this issue we also profile a member of our CEO Leadership Charter,
a project that highlights the need for business leaders to share best
practices and promote the benefits of safe and healthy workplaces.
Statistics offer one way to look at
the world of workplace safety.
But a successfully declining injury
rate means nothing to a young worker
who can’t walk to the stage to collect
her diploma. Positive return-to-work outcomes are meaningless
to a worker who is sitting at home alone while his friends and
co-workers plan exciting new projects over a cup of coffee.
Jackie Manuel (health and safety visionary and mentor) is CEO
of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association.
Under Jackie’s leadership the construction industry has undergone
a positive cultural shift in occupational health and safety. This shift
meant a safe return home for thousands of men and women who
would have been injured if accident rates had stayed high.
This new workplace safety magazine is about the men and
women who make a difference to their friends, their families and
their co-workers when it comes to safety. It’s about people like
Calvin Green (Back to Safe Work, p. 8), an assistant meat manager
at Sobeys with a wife and two young children to support. Calvin found
a way to overcome severe back pain and suffering to get back to
work – and improve his quality of life.
This magazine is for everyone. If you have a workplace safety
champion who deserves recognition, or a safety story to share,
or even if you wish to point out a hazard, please contact us.
Yours in safety,
It’s about employers too. Sobeys took a hands-on, pro-active
approach to helping Calvin get back to work. The management team
stayed with him every step of the way, offering unique solutions to
get him back into the workforce safely. Sobeys even offered him a job
closer to home, so he would not have to sit in the car for as long.
Leslie Galway, CEO
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
2
Leadership
Health and safety visionary and mentor
By Kathy Dicks-Peyton
As a health and safety visionary, Jackie Manuel, CEO of the Newfoundland
and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA) believes it is
critical for CEOs to lead by example.
Injury prevention affects the
lives of all workers in our
province. The CEO Leadership
Charter supports the continuous
improvement of healthy and
safe workplaces.
In 2008, Manuel became a signatory to Newfoundland and Labrador’s
CEO Leadership Charter, which represents an opportunity for business
leaders to help shape a safety culture throughout the province, where
accident prevention is seen as a crucial investment, and where everyone
is responsible to act safely under any circumstances. “I am proud and
honored to be counted among the province’s leaders in health and
safety, many of whom I know personally and have tremendous respect
and admiration for,” says Manuel.
As a leader in health and safety, Manuel readily taps into her years of
experience. A mechanical engineering graduate from Memorial University,
she admits, “when I graduated from university I didn’t know there was
such a thing as health and safety, and that’s really sad. I was fortunate
to find employment with Black & McDonald Limited, a company which
was and continues to be very progressive in terms of health and safety.”
Jackie Manuel, CEO, Newfoundland
and Labrador Construction Safety
Association.
Five years later, Manuel’s engineering career led her to the provincial
government’s Public Safety Division, which is responsible for such things
as inspections of boilers, pressure vessels, elevators, electrical systems
and amusement rides. From there, she moved to the Occupational Health
and Safety (OHS) Branch of the Department of Government Services.
continued on page 4
3
“The years I worked with the OHS
Branch represent the most significant
and intense learning curve that I have
ever experienced,” says Manuel.
“I was responsible for reviewing
each and every accident investigation
report, and over the six-year period,
I reviewed hundreds.”
that the accident rate for the
construction industry in our province
has been more than cut in half.
In the last five years alone, this
decrease equates to the prevention
of approximately 2,000 lost-time
incidents. Manuel also takes pride
in the fact that since 1996, more
than 50,000 people have participated
in NLCSA training programs.
Manuel points out that each report
emphasized how important it was
to have health and safety in the
workplace. They detailed failures of
equipment and systems, programs,
policies, procedures, employers
and workers that ultimately led to an
accident where a worker was injured
or killed.
Safety professionals
“At the NLCSA we are fortunate in
that over half of our staff are safety
professionals, so the day-to-day nuts
and bolts of safety in our workplace
is well in hand,” explains Manuel.
“However, I have implemented
initiatives to address issues like
working alone and work-life balance.”
Business leaders need to be prepared
to share their experiences, knowledge
and potentially work as mentors to
assist in improving health and safety
in all workplaces.
When Manuel first joined the NLCSA
she was faced with a situation where
a safety advisor stayed after hours
to review material with a training
program participant. When five
o’clock rolled around, and everyone
was getting ready to leave for the day, she realized that
one of her staff was being left alone with a stranger.
Later that evening, Manual contacted her staff member
to ensure that she had returned home safely. This was
the last time anyone was ever left alone with a client.
The NLCSA now has a ‘No one left on the doorstep’
policy which states that the last two employees to exit
the building do so together.
“At the NLCSA, we train, mentor,
guide, recommend, advise, encourage,
and at times nudge, poke, prod and
push to ensure our members are doing what they must
to protect their workers and their businesses,” Manuel
explains.
Defining best practices
Central to the operation of the NLCSA is the Certificate of
Recognition® (COR) program, which is designed to assist
companies in the development and maintenance of a
company-wide health and safety management system.
It is based on the requirements of the Occupational
Health and Safety Act and Regulations, and goes a step
further to define best practices for the construction industry.
Another initiative was to implement standard First-Aid
as the minimum requirement for construction sites,
even though OHS First-Aid Regulations specify that for
workplaces with less than 15 workers, only emergency
First-Aid is required. “We felt that standard First-Aid was
a much more appropriate requirement for construction,”
explains Manuel. With the support and approval of the
NLCSA Board of Directors, it is now a requirement, as part
of the COR® Program, that at least one person must be
trained in standard First-Aid for every construction site.
“I remember dealing with member companies that would
be less than co-operative in meeting the requirements of
the COR program. My initial thought was to toss them
out of the game if they weren’t going to play ball. But the
more I thought about it, the more I realized that washing
our hands of these companies was not going to help
them and it certainly wasn’t going to help their workers.”
Manual goes on to say that health and safety education
and awareness efforts must go beyond the work being
carried out by organizations like the NLCSA.
“Safety is everyone’s responsibility and
awareness should be taught long before
a person ever enters the workforce.”
Because Manuel and the NLCSA didn’t give up on ‘the
less than co-operative’ firms, the construction industry
has seen a positive cultural shift in the attention being
paid to occupational health and safety. The NLCSA reports
4
Workplace
Health & Safety
Crusader
Nick Perry
Take your responsibilities seriously
By Kathy Dicks-Peyton
my buddy to lower the forks, and when I turned around,
the load slid off the forklift. It was like getting hit with
a baseball bat.”
If you were given the opportunity to look one day into the
future, what might you imagine? You might see yourself
getting important things done or talking to friends and
co-workers. You almost certainly would not see yourself
sustaining a life-altering workplace injury. Young worker
Nick Perry of Victoria, British Columbia, did not think it could
happen to him. More importantly, Nick could not have
imagined how painful and devastating a serious workplace
accident could be.
The force pushed Nick to the ground, folding his body in
half. “When I opened my eyes I was staring at my shoes.”
With no feeling from his belly to his toes, Nick used the only
strength he had left to call for help. Despite his agonizing
cries, his co-worker was in shock and could not move off the
forklift. Someone finally heard Nick’s screams and came out
from the shop.
When Nick tells his story, he holds nothing back.
The language is colorful, and his story is both tragic
and triumphant. The reality of what happened to Nick
is unforgettable – so unforgettable that everyone who
hears him speak looks at workplace safety differently.
Nick was in St. John’s recently to deliver his powerful
message to members of the Newfoundland and Labrador
Construction Safety Association and employees of the
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.
His injury resulted in a 12-hour surgery to reconstruct his
spine and graft one of his ribs into his back. At first he was
diagnosed with paraplegia. He couldn’t walk, dress himself
or even go to the bathroom, and the aftermath of his injury
led to anger and depression. “It got to the point where no
one wanted to come see me anymore.”
Nick spent several weeks in hospital before being
transferred to a rehabilitation centre. Three months
later he returned home in a wheelchair. Through the
intervention of what he calls an “an amazing physiotherapist”,
Nick has worked to overcome his physical challenges
and is now able to walk again – but his life is not back
to normal.
Nick’s story begins at a lumberyard on a sunny Saturday
morning. Normally he would be off on weekends, but there
was extra work to do and he was called in for overtime.
One of his tasks was to go to a back shed to move sheets
of fibreboard. “I was looking up at the pile and thinking
how unsafe it looked because at the time it was unstrapped,”
recalls Nick.
Nick struggles to control pain. He can’t do the things many
young people take for granted, like ride a bike, go for a walk
with a girlfriend or get up and dance. Nevertheless, in the
face of adversity, he has found solace and travels throughout
Canada on behalf of workers’ compensation boards telling
his story. He wants other young workers to know their rights
and responsibilities and be better prepared for the workplace.
Using a forklift, he moved the load from the shed to the
parking lot. It started to shift. Nick immediately shut off the
forklift and went looking for help. Unfortunately, everyone
was too busy performing other tasks or serving customers.
Frustrated, Nick got impatient. He believed that if he found
a solution to a problem, he would be seen as a good
employee. It was then that he enlisted the help of his friend,
a new employee at the yard.
“Take your responsibilities seriously and
look out for yourself and the safety of
others, because in a split second you
could easily get hurt.”
Nick’s co-worker jumped on the forklift, while Nick
investigated the nearly 3,000-pound load. “I then told
5
Social Marketing
Effective marketing can change
social behavior – and reduce injuries
Absolutely. While both Just Do It! and Diamonds Are
Forever have helped create billions in sales, there is no
easy measure of successful social marketing.
By Chris Flanagan
There is no profit to drive social marketing campaigns and
no sales to measure success. As a result, social marketing
does not rank as high on the best campaigns lists. In fact,
Advertising Age includes just one social marketing
campaign in its Top 50.
When marketing and advertising gurus get together to
debate the best campaigns, there’s one characteristic that
trumps all – staying power. A couple of decades in the
public consciousness beats a trendy catch-phrase every
time. Not surprisingly, one of the top-ranked advertisers
of the last century has kept the same tag line for more than
20 years: Nike’s Just Do It!, created by the Oregon-based
agency Wieden+Kennedy, is the second best marketing
slogan of all time, according to Advertising Age Magazine.
Ranked at Number 26, the U.S. Forest Service’s Smokey
the Bear – Only you can prevent forest fires – advertising
campaign was launched August 9, 1944, and has changed
very little in 65 years. Today Smokey is one of the most
recognized figures in the United States and according to
the U.S. Forest Service, has helped reduce the amount of
forested areas burned annually, from about 22 million
acres to 7 million.
So which slogan ranked Number 1? The top-ranked slogan
has been around for more than 70 years and has helped
change social behavior in a way that has earned billions for
its owners. The slogan: Diamonds are Forever, coined by
a DeBeers copywriter in 1938. It was part of a campaign
that helped turn diamonds from a luxury item into an
essential ritual for every marriage engagement.
The WHSCC’s goal is to reduce workplace accidents as
effectively as Smokey reduced forest fires, and change
social behavior as effectively as Diamonds are Forever.
The quest to build the best campaign was to first address
size. A successful project needs resources and exposure.
To increase both, WHSCC teamed up with Nova Scotia
and Prince Edward Island to create a campaign to address
a common theme and target a large audience.
The question is, can a relatively small organization like the
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
(WHSCC) create a social marketing campaign as powerful
and timeless as Diamonds are forever? The answer:
6
change the way they think about workplace safety.
Backing up these measures are actual injury rates: the
lost-time incidence rate in all three provinces has declined,
with Newfoundland and Labrador seeing a 20 per cent
decline in the first two years of the campaign.
The three workers’ compensation boards teamed up for
research, issued a joint Request for Proposals and hired the
Halifax-based creative marketing agency Extreme Group.
Extreme put together a campaign that emphasized incidents
that led to major accidents and started with the slogan: Think
Small. Statistics from all three boards indicated that relatively
minor incidents – not catastrophic events – were the cause
of the vast majority of workplace accidents.
So, just as Nike did not mess with its success, the Atlantic
partnership went into the 2010 season with a plan to keep
the Take care of it before it’s an injury concept and expand
it into other areas.
Think Small evolved into a campaign featuring a nail,
a bucket, and a ladder. The campaign centered around
a series of three television commercials that highlighted
insignificant situations that could lead to serious injury if left
unchecked. The campaign made the simple but essential
point that workplace accidents, like forest fires, were caused
by humans and could be prevented.
Nail
The result is two new television commercials that will run in
rotation in the spring and fall 2010 alongside the nail, bucket
and ladder ads. The first new commercial is called Blade and
Guard. Like the three commercials before, it brings to life an
inanimate object to tell a story: ‘Once there were two friends,
a blade and a guard…’ it begins. Theme and concept
Bucket
Ladder
remain the same and the ad ends with the familiar tagline:
Replace it before it’s an injury. The second television
commercial features a high-pressure pipe, temporarily fixed
with duct tape. Left alone, the tape can’t handle the pressure
and lets go at the worst possible moment. Fix it before it’s
an injury sends a strong message that temporary fixes of
any type are generally unsafe.
The nail, bucket, ladder campaign was successful
and effective in using minor variations of the tag line:
Take Care of it before it’s an Injury. Nail, bucket, ladder,
won nearly a dozen national and international prizes,
including two awards at the 2008 Cannes international
advertising festival. This festival is considered the most
prestigious in the world. Its top prize: Agency of the Year,
is the most coveted prize in advertising.
The Atlantic Canada workplace safety campaign is about
inspiring people to take action in their workplace.
The concept revolves around workplace safety hazards
that are, quite simply, being ignored. Each are in their own
way appealing for somebody to do something about the
situation presented. By imparting these inanimate objects
with these very human traits, the partners have been able
to present a very straightforward, direct message in a very
emotional way.
Another measure of success is imitation. In this regard, nail,
bucket, ladder is a runaway winner. Several organizations
have seen the campaign online and written the Atlantic
partners requesting permission to use it for their own injury
prevention initiatives. Requests have come from NASA,
the Toronto Transit Commission, New Brunswick Workers’
Compensation Board and Alberta Occupational Health
and Safety – making it the first workplace injury prevention
campaign to be used by half the provinces in Canada.
By proving successful over two years and two iterations the
Take care of it before it’s an injury campaign could be well
on its way to a Top 100 ranking in marketing circles.
Regardless of how the campaign is ranked, it
continues to help reduce workplace injuries,
which is the only measure that really matters.
The best measure of success however, is results in the
field. According to independent surveys, three-quarters
of employers and two-thirds of injured workers recall seeing
the television spots, despite limited media placement. Over
60 per cent stated the spots were effective and helped
7
Back to safe work
Sobeys proactive approach
By Kathy Dicks-Peyton
Sobeys employee Calvin Green
is back to safe work.
If employers want to save money and create healthier, safer workplaces
- they need to know about PRIME, the Workplace Health, Safety and
Compensation Commission’s (WHSCC) employer incentive program
which recognizes good occupational health and safety (OHS) and
return-to-work practices with a five per cent refund on average annual
assessments.
Sobeys, one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest employers, has
been participating in the PRIME program since its inception in 2005 and
has made great strides in supporting and encouraging its employees on
the path to health and safety. Most recently, Sobeys was recognized for
its PRIME compliance in a WHSCC newspaper ad campaign. Health
and safety education awareness is something this company puts before
all else.
A worker’s success story
There are many days when Calvin Green of Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s
thinks about what it was like to have a hockey stick in his hands or to
stand at home plate waiting for a fast pitch softball that would become
a home-run hit.
Ball hockey and softball were his favorite recreational activities, but in
1996 a workplace injury changed that. A young father of one son and his
wife pregnant with their second child, Calvin was working hard to support
his family. One night while working the night shift at Sobeys on Topsail
Road in St. John’s, he lifted a carton of bleach off a conveyor belt…
“I was really aggressive when it came to lifting,” Calvin recalls. “I simply
lifted the box, felt a little pull in my back, and didn’t think much of it really.”
8
participates in a home exercise and back strengthening
program specifically designed for him. As for ball hockey
and softball, the only action he now sees is coaching.
“I miss playing, I can’t even touch my toes – but I have
my health and I have a job,” he says with a smile.
Calvin did, however, let a co-worker know that he felt
the pull, and continued working. When daylight came
and his shift was over, Calvin said “see ya later” to his
co-workers, headed out the door, got in his car and
drove home. “I had basically forgotten about lifting the
bleach and the pull I felt in my back.” When he awoke
later that evening and tried to get out of bed, Calvin
couldn’t move. “I was in so much pain, and for three
days, I couldn’t even put on my socks.”
As an employer, Sobeys works hard to minimize the risk
of injury to its employees. From its entry level orientation
program, monthly safety sessions, staff meetings,
mandated monthly safety meetings, annual safety
audits, and posted information on safe work practices
and safety alerts, the health and welfare of Sobeys’
employees is paramount.
The injury took Calvin away from his job for weeks.
“It was really hard and I didn’t want to be on workers’
compensation, I wanted to be working,” he recalls.
“I remember being determined to get better and I did
whatever I could to get back to work.” With the help of
his family doctor, physiotherapy and chiropractic care,
he went back to his pre-injury job at Sobeys. “It’s a
great place to work and I was so happy to be back.”
When an employee becomes injured, Sobeys relies
on a team approach with the company’s occupational
physician and an occupational therapist, its administrative
managers and WHSCC case manager. “Our first goal
is to ensure the safety of our employees, and we have
a very good success rate for transitioning employees
back into the workplace early and safely,” says Kim
Lynch, Disability Manager for Sobeys Newfoundland
and Labrador. Sobeys also takes pride in the fact that
it takes care of its employees. When someone is injured,
and unable to come to work, the company stays in touch
with them. “We motivate and encourage our employees
and let them know that we will do whatever we can to
help them,” adds Lynch.
Determined to work again at Sobeys
For the next six years Calvin continued working – but
in July 2002, while lifting a pallet, he sustained another
back injury, and was diagnosed with disc herniation and
nerve root impingement. Sounds painful – and it was.
Once again Calvin had to miss work. However, he and
his employer worked together to lessen the burden
carried by an injured employee. Calvin was treated by
a chiropractor and other medical professionals while
undergoing several medical investigations. Determined to
get back to work, Calvin participated in Sobeys’ early
and safe return-to-work plan once he received back to
work clearance. “I started off working two hours a day
and then gradually returned to my regular duties in
April 2003,” he explains.
Taking care of employees
Calvin’s story is an excellent example of how Sobeys
takes care of its employees. As part of his early and
safe return-to-work plan, it was suggested by one of his
medical professionals that Calvin’s driving endurance
was very low. Without hesitation, Sobeys transferred
him to a store that was 20 minutes closer to his home,
to help alleviate some of his discomfort while driving.
Over the next several months Calvin experienced recurring
back pain, and in January 2004 underwent surgery.
Following a rehabilitation plan which included physiotherapy,
chiropractic care, occupational therapy, and ease-back
(light duties to get him back to his pre-injury job), Calvin
went back to work in June 2004 and took his pain with
him. “I learned to control it to a point,” he says.
Care and concern for Sobeys employees is also evident
during the bi-weekly meetings attended by Lynch, the
occupational therapist, and a WHSCC case manager.
During these meetings, injured employees are contacted
to discuss any additional needs or services they may
Today, Calvin enjoys his job as an Assistant Meat
Manager with Sobeys. When he’s not working, he
continued on page 12
9
Steps for Life walk
On May 2, 2010, more than 4,000 people in 28 communities across Canada walked together to support
families of workplace fatalities, life-altering injuries and occupational diseases. Preliminary numbers
indicate that more than $225,000 was raised. In Newfoundland and Labrador, walks took place in
St. John’s and Corner Brook, raising more than $17,000. The Steps for Life Walk is an event organized
by Threads of Life, a national registered charity dedicated to supporting families along their journey
of healing. To learn more about this organization visit: threadsoflife.ca
10
11
Back to safe work
continued from page 9
feel are required. This contact provides a venue for the
injured employee to raise any issues or concerns with
the team. “Many small fixes are fulfilled during this
process which otherwise may have gotten tied up in red
tape,” explains Lynch. “Positive feedback we receive
from these injured employees confirms that they appreciate
this special touch.”
At one of its recent monthly safety sessions a new policy
was designed - any item weighing over 40 pounds is
now a mandatory two-person lift. “Hopefully, turning this
preventative measure into policy will decrease our
musculoskeletal injuries (MSI – soft tissue injuries) and
keep our employees safer in the workplace” adds Lynch.
Another health and safety initiative for Sobeys was to
have an occupational therapy clinic (Central Rehab)
design a prevention manual which teaches employees
how to prevent MSIs, and the company also has a JSA
(job site analysis) on file for every position. This is a
great tool in assisting the Sobeys’ occupational company
physician, along with the Sobeys management team,
in transitioning injured employees safely back into the
workplace. Regular meetings and telephone calls with
Sobeys’ WHSCC safety advisor help raise awareness of
injury prevention, as Lynch often has the advisor speak
at store safety meetings and other events.
According to Lynch, there are many times when Sobeys
has injured employees back to work participating in early
and safe return-to-work programs prior to their injury
claims being adjudicated by the WHSCC. “The bottom
line is that we need to protect our employees and we are
working as a team to accomplish this goal.”
As an employer, Sobeys works hard to build a workplace
safety culture that engages its employees to work safely
– protecting themselves and their co-workers. “A great
achievement for Sobeys would be if all of our employees
developed a workplace attitude of Work Smart – Work
Safe,” says Lynch.
It is evident that as a company, Sobeys believes the key
to having successful safety and early safe return-to-work
programs is education and communication. It’s really
quite simple,” Lynch says with a smile –
work smart – work safe. Just add safety
to your work, your home and your play!”
12
“A great achievement for Sobeys
would be if all of our employees
developed a workplace attitude
of Work Smart – Work Safe.”
- Kim Lynch, Disability Manager,
Sobeys Newfoundland and Labrador
SPOT THE HAZARD
----------
This Spot the Hazard photo has been deliberately staged to display several
dangerous work habits and safety hazards. Tell us how many you can spot and
email your response to: [email protected].
In our next issue we will publish as many responses as we can, along with the
correct answers.
All emails submitted will be entered for a draw, and one lucky hazard spotter will
win a SAFE Work Newfoundland and Labrador deluxe First-Aid kit.
Remember that if you spot the hazard and assess the risk, you will always find
a safer way every day!
13
Well
Employee wellness should be seen
as an asset in any organization.
Workplace wellness is
smart business practice
By Kate Connors
. Fitness subsidies for memberships at local gyms
. Encourage employee fitness through
lunchtime walks
. Provide motivational speakers
. Encourage corporate sports teams
. Promote incentive and recognition programs
. Promote awareness of Employee Assistance
Programs
. Provide information on child care programs
. Use employees who are in-house experts
in areas such as yoga, fitness, running
. Encourage the importance of healthy eating
. Encourage higher water consumption by
supplying water coolers
. Encourage regular stretching at workstations
to help reduce strain
The average person spends anywhere from eight to 10 hours
per day at their workplace. Excluding the eight hours of sleep
which health care professionals recommend we get each
night, about half of the day is therefore spent at work.
That’s significant and that’s why it is important for workplaces
to be healthy and safe environments. For many people, work
is no longer just a job; it’s an integral part of their lifestyle.
Young workers in particular, are seeking employers who
recognize that work and lifestyle must blend well together.
Every employer/employee relationship focuses on performance
– individually and collectively. Today’s smart business leaders
want to encourage individual performance because that is
what helps lead to corporate success. Employers have caught
on to the connection between wellness and job performance.
Many offer incentives beyond monetary packages and career
opportunities. For example, they may provide exercise
equipment on site, as well as gym memberships and child
care. These sorts of incentives do not exist in all workplaces,
and not all employers can provide such amenities.
14
ness
Unfortunately, there are still many workplaces where
employers and employees create their own unhealthy
environment, sometimes unconsciously, by failing to
recognize the connection between wellness and
performance. From a physical health
perspective, many workplaces do not
offer healthy choices in their cafeterias.
Many employees take the elevator
out of habit, rather than the stairs.
From a mental health perspective,
high levels of anxiety are created
by sustained and tolerated unhealthy
employer/employee relations.
Unhealthy relationships can be a
major cause of stress among individuals
and may lead to low morale, decreased
productivity, high absenteeism and
low employee retention. Having an
effective wellness program may help
employers and employees build
healthy lifestyles. This can translate
into healthier employees, more positive attitudes, less sick
days, less human error, safer work habits and ultimately
impact an organization’s bottom line.
Many employers have discovered that it is important to
promote and maintain healthy workplaces in order to be
a productive and successful organization. This accounts
for the emergence of workplace wellness committees
as something different than
occupational health and safety
committees, but equally as
significant for the overall health
and well being of an organization.
It is important that employers
and employees be aware of
their joint efforts in creating and
maintaining an effective workplace
wellness program.
Having support from everyone
in an organization creates
a powerful, positive and energized
workplace. An effective workplace
wellness program helps reduce
stress and provides positive,
healthy choices for all employees.
Having a workplace health and wellness
program is not only important, it is
smart business.
15
NewsFlash
Mine rescue technical advisory committee formed
The WHSCC has established a Mine Rescue Technical
Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from
the WHSCC, the Occupational Health and Safety Branch
of the Department of Government Services, as well as
representatives who are actively engaged in a technical
or operating function in the Newfoundland and Labrador
and Canadian mining industries.
The Committee serves to identify, evaluate and prioritize
health and safety issues related to mine rescue training
and promote the continuous improvement of emergency
preparedness in Newfoundland and Labrador mines by
providing advice and recommendations.
and Sid Hynes, Oceanex, on being named among the
2010 Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic
Business Magazine. Among the group of Top-50 CEOs,
Frank Coleman was named CEO of the Year.
Nominees for Top CEO honours are judged on their
proven managerial ability, reaction to challenging situations,
leadership philosophies, organizational growth over
a three-year period, and commitment to industry and
community development.
JSM Electrical wins safety award
Thumbs up to CEO Leadership
Charter signatory Jim Murray and
JSM Electrical Limited of St. John’s,
on receiving an Award of Excellence
from the Newfoundland and Labrador
Construction Safety Association
(NLCSA). JSM Electrical provides
electrical work to the industrial and
Jim Murray
commercial construction sector,
and participates in all phases of the construction process.
The company has a strong commitment to occupational
health and safety, not only from management, but from
its employees.
Currently there are five underground properties in
the province requiring mine rescue trained personnel:
Teck Duck Pond Operations (Millertown), Rambler
Metals and Mining (Baie-Verte), Beaverbrook Antimony
Mine (Glenwood), Iron Ore Company of Canada
(Labrador West), and Nalcor Energy (Churchill Falls).
Each property has at least one certified mine rescue
trainer. All future underground operations established
within Newfoundland and Labrador must meet the
requirements of the Mine Rescue Training Standard.
For more information call: Steve Tilley at: 709-778-1237.
Directors personally liable for unpaid assessments
Six Leadership Charter
signatories named among
Top CEOs in Atlantic Canada
Did you know that when an incorporated business fails to
pay its assessments to the WHSCC, the company’s directors
are personally liable for the unpaid amount? In the event
the WHSCC pursues a director for outstanding assessments,
legal action may be executed and potentially impact the
director’s personal credit rating. Therefore, if an individual
ceases to be a director of a business, they must ensure
that the appropriate documents are filed with the Registry
of Companies at the Department of Government Services.
It is also important that home addresses for directors
are kept current with the Registry of Companies and
the WHSCC.
Hats off to CEO Leadership
Charter signatories: Frank Coleman
of Coleman’s Food Centres;
Cathy Bennett, owner/operator
of Bennett Restaurants (Your
St. John’s McDonalds); Nora
Frank Coleman
Duke, Fortis Properties;
Earl Ludlow, Newfoundland Power; Steve Winter,
Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation;
16
A Mine Rescue Technical Advisory Committee has been established
to identify, evaluate and prioritize health and safety issues related
to mine rescue training in Newfoundland and Labrador.
G.J. Cahill and Colemans named among Canada’s 50
Best Managed Companies
Traffic Control Person (TCP) Certification Training Standard
established for TCP training providers and trainers.
Congratulations to CEO Leadership Charter signatories
Fred Cahill and the Cahill Group of Companies and
Frank Coleman and Coleman Food Centres, on being
recognized among Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies
for 2009. According to The National Post, the best
managed designation symbolizes Canadian corporate
success: companies focused on their core vision, creating
stakeholder value and excelling in the global economy.
The program has continued to raise the profile of Canadianowned businesses that have out-performed their competitors,
created thousands of jobs, achieved sustainable growth
and excelled both at home and abroad.
TCP training providers must apply and be approved by
the WHSCC to deliver certification training.
No change to First-Aid kits or First-Aid regulations
The WHSCC has been receiving a number of inquiries
from employers and stakeholders asking for information
on recent changes to the Newfoundland Labrador
Occupational Health and Safety First-Aid regulations
and the marketing of new mandatory First-Aid kits.
Employers and stakeholders are advised that there have
been no changes to the First-Aid regulations or to the
schedules that outline the contents to be included in
a First-Aid kit.
Any questions or concerns regarding compliance with
the Occupational Health and Safety First-Aid regulations
or the required contents of a First-Aid kit, contact the
Department of Government Services, Occupational
Health and Safety Branch at: 709-729-2706.
New traffic control regulation
to take effect
Traffic controllers in Newfoundland
and Labrador will not be permitted
to work as of January 1, 2011, if
they have not completed a traffic
control program approved by
the WHSCC, which meets the
TCP certificates issued by training providers from January 1,
2008 - June 1, 2010, may be accepted pending approval
by the WHSCC of the training providers. If the training
conducted during this period is not approved, participants
will be required to complete the training with an approved
TCP certification training provider.
TCP Certification Training has an expiry date of three
years, upon which the course must be completed again
for renewal. For further information contact the WHSCC
at: www.whscc.nl.ca (709) 778-1552, TOLL FREE
1-800-563-9000.
Workplace fatality claims up
The number of workplace fatality claims accepted during
2009 was 42, up from 23 in 2008, and the highest in 20
years. The increase was the result of the Cougar Helicopter
tragedy and increases in other sectors, particularly the
fishing industry. The WHSCC has reallocated prevention
resources to high-risk sectors and is working with industry
sectors to further emphasize workplace safety.
“One workplace fatality is one too many,” said WHSCC
CEO Leslie Galway. “As we mourn the loss of so many,
we must remember to take all steps and precautions in our
workplace procedures, particularly in high risk areas, to
ensure a year like 2009 never happens again. We must
never be complacent. The key to future safety can be
found through understanding how every incident occurred
and how to prevent against these incidents.”
Lost-time claims drop below 4,000
The number of workplace injuries resulting in lost-time
compensation claims in the province dropped below 4,000
for the first time in 50 years, according the WHSCC’s
2009 Annual Report published in June 2010. continued on page 18
17
NewsFlash continued
There were 3,999 lost-time injury claims in 2009, down
from 4,255 a year earlier.
Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy responds
to the need for safer workplaces
The last time the number of reported lost-time injury
claims was below the 4,000 mark, was in 1958, when
there were 3,410 claims. The number of claims has
been above 4,000 ever since, peaking at 10,642 in
1989. The decline over the past decade is across all
industry sectors.
Through the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy,
the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has
committed $80,000 over the next three years to increase
young worker awareness about on-the-job safety through
the Passport to Safety program.
Passport to Safety is a national health and safety
awareness program developed by Safe Communities
Canada that aims to revolutionize thinking among youth
about on-the-job safety. After completing the program,
youth will earn a certificate they can attach to their
resumes. Passport to Safety is intended to become
a foundation on which youth can build all the other
essentials required to be safer and healthier workers.
The lost-time incidence rate, which measures the number
of claims per 100 workers employed in the province,
remained at 1.9 in 2009, and has declined steadily from
a high of 3.2 in 2000.
In other indicators, the number of medical aid-only claims
in 2009 was 2,335, down 25.6 per cent from the 3,139 claims
reported a year earlier. The incidence rate among young
workers declined to 1.8 per 100 workers, down from
2.0 a year earlier.
The Passport to Safety program will be available to
high-school aged youth in Newfoundland and Labrador
throughout the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years.
Young people can access the program by visiting:
www.passporttosafety.com/nl where they can sign
up for an account.
Fishing industry
safety video
launched
First-Aid Technical Advisory Committee established
The WHSCC has established a First-Aid Technical
Advisory Committee with representation from the WHSCC,
the Occupational Health and Safety Branch of the
Department of Government Services, and industry
representatives from St. John Ambulance and the
Canadian Red Cross. The committee serves to identify
safety issues related to First-Aid training, provide
recommendations for potential resolution on issues
as well as advice and recommendations on the standards
for First-Aid training.
A safety video
entitled Getting
Back Home, has
been launched
to help eliminate
fatalities and
injuries in the
fishing industry.
It was produced
Getting Back Home
in partnership
with the
Getting Back Home is a safety video
Department
developed for the fishing industry to
of Fisheries
help eliminate injuries and fatalities.
and Aquaculture,
WHSCC, the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation
(CCFI), and the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification
Board. The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial
University produced the video in conjunction with
Memorial University’s Distance Education and Learning
Technologies. It will be distributed to all fish harvesters
in the province.
The WHSCC has the mandate to establish standards
authorizing training providers to deliver First-Aid training
to employers in Newfoundland and Labrador, and has
adopted standards outlined in the Canada Labour
Code. First-Aid training providers who can demonstrate
to the WHSCC that they meet these standards, are
eligible to offer training to employers in Newfoundland
and Labrador.
Please visit the WHSCC website for a complete list
of approved First-Aid training providers at:
www.whscc.nl.ca/prevention, or contact the Prevention
Services Department at (709) 778-1552.
18
WHSCC Prevention Workshop Series
Ergonomics Prevention
June 28 – St. Anthony
June 30 – Corner Brook
Industrial Hygiene - Noise
Getting to Know WHSCC –
An insight to our services
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
July 28 – St. John’s
July 29 – St. John’s
6 – St. Anthony
8 – Corner Brook
14 – Labrador City
15 – Goose Bay
20 – Gander
21 – Clarenville
22 – Marystown
27 – Bay Roberts
September
September
September
September
September
September
September
September
September
September
8 – Labrador City
9 – Goose Bay
14 – Gander
15 – Clarenville
16 – Marystown
21 – Corner Brook
23 – St. Anthony
28 – Bay Roberts
29 – St. John’s
30 – St. John’s
For information on how to register, venues and times call: 709-778-2926
Online services for employers
Registered connect users can now
file their Form 7 - Employer Report of
Injury online. Not sure how to do this?
Follow our step-by-step tutorial at:
www.whscc.nl.ca
Need a clearance letter?
Simply go to whscc.nl.ca and follow
the link to connect. After you register,
your business you will be able to
request clearance letters or set up
a sub-contractor status list, and
be notified nightly of clearance status
changes.
Tired of completing pages of occupational
health and safety minutes?
Wondering about your current balance
or last year’s assessment rate?
These minutes can now be submitted
and managed online.
No need to call or write - account
information is also online. If your
business is already registered for
connect, simply speak to your on-site
connect administrator about using
the service, which includes account
balances, recent payments, rate
history and cost reports.
For more information on connect
services, call: 709-778-2902
Get ready, get set...connect whscc.nl.ca
19
Health and safety education: Be in the know!
Regardless of whether you run a small, medium or large business, all employers have a legal
responsibility to protect the health and safety of their employees. Via training programs, emails,
intranets or the posting of information throughout your workplace, employees should be kept
informed of new regulations, safety procedures, the use of safety equipment, security requirements
and related information.
At safework news we want to provide you with a quarterly package of information that will
assist in carrying out your health and safety mandates. From safety shares to human interest
stories, to news, accomplishments, and a listing of upcoming training sessions, conferences
and events – we hope the content of this new publication will stimulate discussions on the needs and objectives for
further development of occupational health and safety initiatives in our province’s workplaces.
The underlying philosophy of occupational health and safety legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador is an internal
responsibility system. Its foundation is that everyone in the workplace – both employees and employers – is responsible
for their own health and safety and that of their co-workers.
When it comes to health and safety, every worker regardless of age, has the following three basic rights in the workplace:
1. The right to know about hazards in the workplace and what precautions must be taken to prevent injuries
from these hazards.
2. The right to participate in safety and health activities in the workplace without fear of any form of discriminatory
action such as discipline.
3. The right to refuse work that one reasonably believes can be dangerous to oneself or others.
When it comes to safety at work, it’s everyone’s responsibility. No one should have to risk injury or death, and by
combining efforts employers and employees can learn from each other and find a safer way every day.
Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Editor
We would like to
hear from you...
Kathy Dicks-Peyton is the Manager of Communications and Event
Planning with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.
Give us your insight on safework news content, or topics
for discussion relating to employer assessments, workers’
compensation, and workplace health and safety.
Send your comment to:
safework news
c/o Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
146-148 Forest Road
P.O. Box 9000
St. John’s NL A1A 3B8
or send us an email: [email protected]
20
Safework by Design
Rod Stickman: workplace safety’s newest celebrity spokesperson
A new collection of workplace safety videos from the Workplace Health, Safety and
Compensation Commission (WHSCC) take a hands-on approach to some key issues in
occupational health and safety, told in the voice of a quirky character found in safety
signage around the world.
The animated character Rod Stickman is a two-dimensional spokesperson for workplace safety,
offering tips for workers and employers on sprains and strains, returning to work, improving
communication on workplace safety, avoiding slips and falls, and working from heights.
The videos are part of the WHSCC’s marketing partnership with the Nova Scotia and Prince
Edward Island Workers’ Compensation Boards. Developed in consultation with actual
occupational health and safety committees and workplace safety professionals, the videos
address a serious issue in an entertaining way.
The videos are intended to inspire discussion and action at the workplace level to prevent
injuries, to help people get back to work when they are hurt, and to ultimately reduce the
human and financial toll workplace injury takes.
Watch for more later this summer as the campaign rolls out.
In the meantime, visit the Rod section of the Safe Work website at:
www.whscc.nl.ca
To learn more, and to put Rod to work in your workplace.
In the workplace we have
THREE basic rights.
Do you know what they are?
1. The Right to Know
2. The Right to Participate
3. The Right to Refuse
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