For years the construction industry measured health and safety using lagging indicators. Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) members realized for companies to achieve the next level of health and safety performance, they must focus on leading indicators. However, before workplaces can jump into leading indicators, they must first understand the different responsibilities of each [...]
Vehicles, forklifts, excavators, trucks, and graders are designed to make workers' jobs easier and to help them get work done more quickly. However, these useful pieces of equipment can cause serious injuries and death every year. It's important to identify struck-by-incident risk factors and understand the hierarchy of hazard controls to help reduce on-the-job injuries [...]
The process of hiring and orienting a new employee can be a daunting and sometimes tedious task. Employee retention can prove to be just as difficult. Fortunately, research shows a safe and healthy workplace provides a happy and productive workforce that prevents employee turnover. Identifying the risks in the workplace and creating an effective health [...]
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injuries and death in the workplace. The injuries from vehicle crashes extend a worker's recovery time by thirty percent compared to other workplace injuries. With these facts in mind, businesses should be more aware of the dangers of driving. However, a study by the Road Safety at [...]
Driving a motor vehicle demands a lot of mental energy and vigilance to prevent car accidents. No matter the cause, workers dealing with sleepiness are more likely to get into a vehicle collision. Therefore, it is crucial to understand Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), how it affects drivers, and consider the safety recommendations for Canadian commercial [...]
The people in Human Resources (HR) aren’t the only ones responsible for preventing workplace harassment and bullying; however, it often falls into their lap. Linda Crockett, Specialist in Workplace Bullying Prevention and Intervention with the Canadian Institute of Workplace Bullying Resources, believes everyone within an organization should shoulder this responsibility. Ensuring workers are mentally well [...]
Developing and implementing health and safety training is a major undertaking for most companies. But putting effort into a quality training program matters because the right training ensures workers avoid predictable, adverse situations and preventable injuries. The requirement to have health and safety training, the amount of time needed to establish practical training, and making [...]
Companies aiming to achieve the Certificate of Recognition (COR) will find the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) model improves their workplace health and safety exponentially. Because the PDCA model is so beneficial for businesses, many companies are now integrating it into their business plans. What is the Plan, Do, Check, Act Model? The Plan, Do, [...]
In Ben Franklin’s words, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Whether a business saves money in the field or behind a desk, wisely cutting costs positively impacts the bottom line. When safety professionals contribute to these cost-saving measures, they are contributing to the company’s financial success. The Thinking Shift Safety professionals are often focused [...]
Most, if not all, people want quick and easy solutions. For safety professionals, this solution is called a Silver Safety Bullet or SSB. The problem with SSBs is that they rarely work. Leaders need to know what silver safety bullets are and be wary of using them. Knowing more about SSBs will prevent an organization’s [...]
