Kimber and Tucker Safety Coordinators

NEWSLETTER
Summer, 2017

Date: July 1, 2017

Attention: Current Safety Clients

Again this season, Kimber and Tucker have a few announcements relating to your Safety program. Please take a few minutes to review the following, initiated as part of our continued commitment to effectively coordinate your current Safety requirements.

WorkSafeNB  “Protect Your Ears” *

WorkSafeNB is asking New Brunswickers to protect their hearing at work.

Noise is present in many New Brunswick workplaces, but being exposed to too much can cause permanent and irreversible damage. Studies have found that workers exposed to noise levels of 100 decibels or greater are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for a workplace injury.

In addition to affecting a worker’s quality of life, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) impacts the economy. In 2016, WorkSafeNB paid $15.4 million in compensation to workers diagnosed with NIHL. Since 2007, WorkSafeNB has provided hearing aids and related services to more than 8000 workers, and that number is expected to grow even faster as the province ages.

As New Brunswick’s leader in workplace injury prevention, WorkSafeNB has kicked off a campaign encouraging New Brunswickers to protect their ears. Like wearing a hard hat or work boots, workers must wear hearing protection such as earmuffs or earplugs.

New Brunswick’s Occupational and Safety Act requires employers to provide some form of control in noisy workplaces and to measure noise levels and employee exposures when level are expected to exceed 85 dBA.

Changes to the Nova Scotia Health and Safety Act **

On June 12, 2017, amendments to the Nova Scotia health and Safety (OHS) Act came into effect. The following is a summary of the four amendments:

• Serious Injury Definition Updated.

A serious injury in now defined as one that endangers life or causes permanent injury. Fatalities must be reported immediately. Serious injury (unconsciousness, fractures, loss or amputation, third degree burn, loss of sight, asphyxiation, poisoning, hospital admission) as soon as possible, within 24 hours. Serious incident (accidental explosion, failure or collapse of a structure, major release of a hazardous substance, fall from a work area where fall protection is required by the regulations) as soon as possible, within 24 hours.

• Court Injunction Allowed.

The OHS Director can apply to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court for an injunction to keep the worst repeat offenders from working in an industry. An injunction could be ordered to stop such an employer from working in a field or sector for a set period of time, with conditions set by the court. They can get back into the field if they show a commitment to work safely.

• Order Future Worksite Information.

Employers can be ordered to report all future work locations and activities. The director will do this if an employer has repeatedly been non-compliant with occurrences of serious injury or fatality. The workplace information order is effective for a minimum of three months, and includes direction on the frequency of reporting and the information that must be provided.

• Multiple Stop Work Orders Allowed.

If the OHS director has reasonable grounds to believe that the potential for serious injury or death exists on several of an employer’s work sites, officers can seek permission to issue a stop work order that covers all those sites. These orders will be issued to employers who repeatedly refuse to comply with OHS requirements. The department will attempt to inspect the other sites before issuing this type of stop work order. If staff are not able to visit the other sites, a stop work order may still be issued to prevent risk of injury.

WCBPEI- Serious Injury Reporting ***

Employers on PEI are reminded that all serious injuries must be reported to the Occupational Health and Safety Division of WCBPEI. A serious workplace injury is defined as an accident at work that:

• Is or may be fatal.
• Results in a loss of a limb.
• Produces unconsciousness.
• Results in a substantial loss of blood.
• Involves a fracture.
• Involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand, or foot.
• Consists of burns to a large portion of the body.
• Causes the loss of sight in an eye.

In the case of a serious injury, it is an offence to disturb the scene of the accident before the OHS Officer arrives, except to prevent further injury or damage. Report serious workplace injuries to the WCB director of OHS within 24 hours. This can be done by calling the 24-hour emergency number (902-628-7513), or giving written notice to the WCB director of OHS. If the workplace has a JOSH Committee, it must also be notified.
New Coordinator New Brunswick- Calvin Kirkpatrick

We are pleased to announce Calvin Kirkpatrick has joined our team of coordinators. Calvin will be advancing and supporting safety programs for our clients in New Brunswick.

Rate Increase

The published Statistics Canada cost of living increases per province are 1.3% (Nova Scotia), 2.3% (New Brunswick), and 1.3% (PEI). These increases will be reflected in your July 2017 invoices.

Construction Safety Nova Scotia 2016 Awards

Construction Safety Nova Scotia recently announced their 2016 Award winners. The following are Kimber and Tucker clients we wish to acknowledge for their success:

• Safest Company 2016 (assessable payroll greater than 1 million) - Gardner Electric Ltd.
• Safest Company 2016 (assessable payroll 751k-999k) - JC Mechanical Contractors Ltd.
• Most Improved in Safety Award – Tartan Interiors Ltd.

Training Courses (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI)

We continue to conduct On-demand and Compliance Training. Your coordinator can personally review these Training elements, and respond to any questions you may have.

Reminders:

• Our website can be located at www.kimbertuckersafetycoordinators.com.
• We continue to accept Visa/MasterCard payment. Please contact this office if you wish to add your company to the growing list of firms who are taking advantage of this service.

References

• *          Excerpts taken from an article located on WorkSafeNB website.
• **        Excerpts taken from an article located on Province of Nova Scotia website.
• ***      Excerpts taken from an article in WCBPEI Information Guide.

References

• *          Excerpts taken from an article submitted by Jocelyne Clark, HSE Integrated.
• **        Excerpts taken from an article from WorkSafeNB website.
• ***      Excerpts taken from an article from NSCSA website.
• ****    Excerpts taken from an article from WCB PEI website.

Regards
Jim and Nevin