Written by Linda Johnson A recent study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business aimed at evaluating the impact of the country’s workers’ compensation boards on small businesses ranked the Ontario and Quebec boards at the bottom. To produce the comparative study, the small-business lobby group examined seven major criteria: cost of premiums, claims management, experience … Continue reading
By Gary McKenna – The Tri-City News A roofing company working in Coquitlam was hit with an $87,000 fine for not using adequate fall protection on its construction site last year. Natt Roofing Ltd. may appeal the WorkSafeBC ruling, which was issued in late 2011 after a supervisor with the company and a worker were seen at risk … Continue reading
Fraud-related offences are now thought to be as profitable as drug-related offences, estimated at between $10 and $30 billion annually in Canada by the RCMP’s Commercial Crime Branch. The majority of these crimes aren’t committed by kids at their computers, 80% or more of the work is conducted by criminal organizations. Fraud should concern all … Continue reading
Peter Kiewit tops list of B.C. employers penalized for safety violations. British Columbia employers who seriously violated health and safety rules on the job site — including incidents that resulted in the deaths of 17 workers — were fined a total of $4.9 million last year by WorkSafeBC. In all, the provincial work-safety agency handed … Continue reading
For the second time in as many months, officers with the City of Calgary have found numerous safety codes violations at a federally licenced medical marijuana grow operation. On February 15, safety codes officers with the city executed a search warrant to enter and inspect a Health Canada licenced grow-op where they found electrical and … Continue reading
Written by Lisa Bolton & Carissa Tanzola A recent decision from the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeal Tribunal (WSIAT) lowers the threshold for entitlement to benefits for traumatic mental stress. An important departure from existing decisions, the decision has significant implications for employers in Ontario. Under s. 13 of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance … Continue reading
Written by Linda Johnson Noise hazard can have serious long-term consequences to a workers’ health, but with the right programs and tools the problem doesn’t have to fall on deaf ears. One flooring manufacturer based in the United States tells its story. A recent addition to one U.S. company’s hearing protection program showed how testing … Continue reading
Each year, the last day of February is reserved for International Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day, a day dedicated to RSI education and prevention. February 29, 2012 will mark the 13th Annual RSI Awareness Day. “Repetitive strain injuries are a serious occupational health concern across the world and are recognized as leading causes of significant human … Continue reading
The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced Thursday that the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) has been charged under the Occupational Health and Safety Act in connection with a fatal accident in Labrador City. In the March, 2010 incident, two workers fell about 23 feet from a work platform that was being used to access … Continue reading
By Bill Esler VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – The Altair Sawmill will receive $16 million in capital investment, expanding lumber production 15 percent, as Western Forest Products Inc. (TSX:WEF) kicks off its capital expenditure plans. The mill employs 140. The Saltair Sawmill, built in 1972, converts coastal mid-size logs into high value specialized lumber products in hemlock, … Continue reading
Is it coming to Canadian construction sites soon? Human Recognition Systems (HRS) is delighted to announce a strategic agreement with Lend Lease for the sole supply to all Lend Lease construction sites of centrally managed biometric access control and workforce reporting using the HRS solution MSite. Lend Lease, an international leader in property and infrastructure, … Continue reading
Studies of last year’s giant Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan suggest that shaking from a Cascadia megaquake could be stronger than expected along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, researchers reported Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. VANCOUVER, B.C. — Scientists are still unraveling … Continue reading
BURNABY, BC, Feb. 17, 2012 /CNW/ – WorkSafeBC has launched a new online safe driving website in partnership with the BCAA Road Safety Foundation. RoadSafetyAtWork.ca is aimed at employers whose workers are required to drive in the course of their work. The website features a host of tips and materials to help employers and workers stay safe while on … Continue reading