PPE is a control of last resort. Engineering & administrative controls are essential to making a workplace safer

ERGONOMIC HAZARDS THINGS IN THE WORKPLACE THAT DO NOT FIT WITH A WORKER’S NEEDS: EXAMPLES: DESKS, CHAIRS, TABLES NOT SUITED TO WORKER’S BODY SHAPE & SIZE EQUIPMENT & TOOLS NOT ADAPTABLE TO A WORKER’S SHAPE & SIZE WORKPLACES NOT SUITED TO THE TASK (E.G. ANSWERING PHONES IN A VERY NOISY AREA Should we replace the worker OR the workstation -- To get the right fit? WHY? To maximize profits? OR To Improve well-being of Workers? Ergonomics = Good Fit between worker & workplace

A good fit between worker and workplace improves worker health and safety. Ergonomics is concerned with: how work is done e.g. sitting, standing what work is done e.g. lifting, typing using proper tools and equipment for the job work area shape, size and space lighting (dark, light, glare) temperature (hot or cold) reducing stress Tasks done many times during the work day can cause a “repetitive strain injury”. Breaks from work can help stop repetitive strain (ergonomic) injuries.

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY (RSI)

Tragic week in Alberta In ONE WEEK (2012): One Monday, a 56 year old man was on a scaffold that rolled into a 1.2 metre hole on a work site near Wainwright - worker was ejected & hit his head during the fall & was taken to hospital by air ambulance. He died on Thursday morning. On Wednesday, a man fuelling a forklift at Mo Tires in Lethbridge was pinned between the vehicle & a shed. He was pronounced dead in hospital. On Thursday, a worked died after falling inside a chimney stack at the Battle River power plant (near Forestburg). Also that day, a 19 year old man died after a ramp fell on him at the Blackgold oilfield site near Conklin, AB. On Friday, a 29 year old worker was killed near Grand Prairie after being crushed between a piece of heavy machinery & a tank.

Injury/Incident Reporting & Investigating MUST BE REPORTED to Government of Alberta: Result of death Worker admitted to hospital for more than 2 days Explosion/fire/flood with potential to cause serious injury Collapse or upset of a crane/derrick/hoist Collapse or failure of any component of a building or structure necessary for structural integrity WHO is responsible for reporting/investigating? PRIME CONTRACTOR OR EMPLOYER MUST REPORT MANAGEMENT OR SUPERVISORS SHOULD INVESTIGATE

Management / Supervisor Responsibilities Decide whether emergency personnel should be called to incident site Decide whether workers should return to work or evacuate a site after an incident WHEN Should Injury/Incident be reported? IMMEDIATELY, OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE