Health and Safety and WHMIS Breaking News

Breaking News in Health and Safety

Stay healthy and safe by knowing about hazards at work and home. Check the breaking news in health and safety here regularly. See below for the latest information on WHMIS, construction safety, hazard communication standard (HazCom), heat stroke prevention, cold work, confined space entry, wildfire smoke and general health and safety.

  • Toxic wildfire smoke moving over houses
    What Everyone Needs to Know About Toxic Wildfire Smoke
    You see on the News or your weather app that the air quality is terrible, or you notice a haze on your drive to work. What is the concern? So, let’s dive into this topic and learn why it’s crucial to know the hazards of wildfire smoke and what protective measures you should take. The … Read more
  • The 9 Most Toxic Products You Use Every Day!
    A new study identified toxic products used daily at home, on your body and in the workplace. Find out what these products are and how you can protect yourself.
  • How To Get a Job and Make More Money in 8 Easy Steps
    Finding a job can be difficult sometimes, but if you follow the 8-step process listed below, you will be well on your way to a great career and making more money. 1. Write down what kind of job(s) you are looking for and in what industry For example, are you seeking a job in construction, … Read more
  • Is it too hot to work? Heat stroke and heat exhaustion. What you need to know.
    When Is It Too Hot To Work?
    Heat can be deadly! All the Canadian Provinces have the requirement that the employer take reasonable precautions for the safety of the worker. And workers across Canada have the right to refuse unsafe work.  If you feel faint, lightheaded, uncoordinated or ill at any time let your boss know and rest in a cool airconditioned area if possible.
  • Construction worker with severe back muscle pain
    My Back Is Killing Me! 3 Things You Need to Know to Relieve Back Muscle Strain?
    A back muscle strain is excruciating! Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce the pain and get back to normal quicker.
  • What is a confined space, what is the definition of a confined space, what defines confined space,what is considered a confined space, what is confined space osha
    Unlocking the Mystery: What Really Defines a Confined Space?
    What is a Confined Space? What is a confined space? Well, that depends on where you work. There is yet to be an internationally accepted definition of what is considered a confined space. The definition of confined space and related regulations in Canada are governed by federal and provincial legislation, including the Canada Labour Code … Read more
  • What You Need to Know About the New WHMIS Regulations in 2023
    There are new WHMIS regulations in 2023. To see how they affect your WHMIS program and WHMIS training, a bit of background is helpful. How WHMIS Works The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is Canada’s national hazard communication standard for workplace hazardous products. The critical elements of the WHMIS system are: 1) Hazard classification … Read more
  • When Is It Too Cold to Work? How to Prevent Hypothermia
    Record-breaking cold now alternates with record-breaking heat. Cold work stresses us. Please don’t get sick from the cold by knowing when it is too cold to work.
  • Worker Horrifically Killed After A Pipe Ruptured, Why?
    One worker was killed when trapped in an underground chamber by a deluge of water from a broken watermain. Others barely made it out of this confined space. Why did this tragedy happen? It is difficult to determine why this tragic incident occurred from the vague news report. Workers were working close to or on … Read more
  • Are Your Shoes Giving You Cancer?
    Cancer-causing chemicals were found in the shoe material of some Clark Shoes. It makes you wonder how many other products we use daily contain toxic chemicals.
  • Record Fine for GFL Due to Asbestos Exposure
    GFL was fined $710,488!! Asbestos is still the largest killer of workers in Canada and the United States.  The long and thin asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs and cause a lethal form of cancer called mesothelioma many years later. According to WorkSafeBC the firm failed to ensure the worker within the designated work … Read more
  • Why Were Two Workers Killed in a Trench? We Know What to Do.
    Recently two construction workers were killed and two are in hospital because of a horrific trench collapse in Ajax.  These are preventable deaths and injuries. The requirements for trenching are well established in every North American Jurisdiction. Slope the sides, shore the walls or use a trench box.  See the video from Global news here. … Read more
  • DON’T BREATHE IT IN To Protect Yourself from Airborne COVID-19
    Watch this great short video by the John Snow Project. It shows graphically how respiratory particles containing virus can spread and how important it is to use a respirator. Replenishing contaminated indoor air with fresh air is also really important because COVID -19 is now even more transmissible than before. Don’t breath in the virus … Read more
  • Compensation Because of COVID Exposure at Work?
    If you were exposed to COVID-19 at work, became sick and you missed work you may be eligible for compensation from a worker’s compensation organization such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in Ontario or WorkSafeBC in British Columbia. COVID-19 falls within the definition of an occupational disease. Therefore, if you contract COVID-19 … Read more
  • Ammonia Common But Deadly If Equipment Not Maintained
    One person was killed and several injured at an ice making facility in 2022. Three arena workers died in Fernie, B.C., in 2018 due to the failure of aging equipment and poor operational and management decisions. Ammonia is used in may large refrigeration systems such as ice rinks and ice plants. Recent events outline how … Read more
  • Prevent Heat Related Illness and Heat Stroke
    How Do I Prevent Heat Stroke? When the weather first turns hot is the worst time for heat stroke. Your body will not be used to the heat, and you may not remember how important it is to keep cool.  Avoid working in hot areas and full sun in the hottest part of the day. … Read more
  • Free Safety Topics and Free WHMIS Training
    Did you know that you can access Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards free of charge if they are referenced in health and safety legislation? You can access all these CSA standards for free, but you cannot print them (unless you use the snipping tool). All you have to do is register. These standards are not … Read more