Working at a Desk: Safety Concerns
Working a desk job is one of the safest career paths for employees, yet the sector is not risk-free. What’s more, because such jobs are often viewed as harmless, [...]
The maritime shipping industry serves a vital role in modern economies, where it provides a cost-effective means to transport goods between countries. However, employees working in this sector are exposed to significant risks. Aside from dealing with vessel disasters, isolation from loved ones, and working in a restricted space, maritime shipping employees can become exposed to hazardous substances, suffer ergonomic injuries, experience extreme weather, and more.
Read nowWorking a desk job is one of the safest career paths for employees, yet the sector is not risk-free. What’s more, because such jobs are often viewed as harmless, [...]
Truck drivers provide a vital service for any industrialized society where goods must travel from producers to distributors, retail shops, and consumers. However, these employees often work alone and are [...]
International air freight may be a high cost-to-weight form of shipment, but it is also the fastest way to transport goods from one country to another. Since speed is essential [...]
Despite the fact that a single x-ray does not emit enough harmful radiation to constitute a health risk, personnel working around or with machines capable of emitting ionizing radiation expose [...]
Despite a very hazardous environment, pharmaceutical manufacturing safety has only become a pressing matter in the past few decades. More recently, statistics have shown that almost all accidents occurring in [...]
Teachers who supervise workshop, biology, and chemistry classes in a laboratory are not only responsible for their own safety, but also for that of their students. Especially when working with [...]
Nuclear power workers are exposed to a host of safety concerns that range from musculoskeletal issues related to improper working postures to radiation exposure and biohazard contamination. While some of [...]
In Canada, the automotive industry employs more than one hundred thousand people, thus making a significant contribution to the nation’s economy. However, workers who specialize in car manufacturing and [...]
Factory workers make up a significant proportion of all manufacturing employees, but in spite of the influx of technology in this industry, they continue to be exposed to a series [...]
On average, military work involves greater risk than other occupations. Novel technologies must often be used by employees in a multitude of environments where they haven’t been previously tested. [...]
Oil extraction and recovery is an intrinsic part of the oil and gas industry, but the process exposes workers to considerable risks on a daily basis. From exposure to toxic [...]
The retail sector is currently one of the largest employers in Canada, with more than 2.2 million people working as sales assistants, shelf stackers, checkout operators, delivery personnel, and apprentices in [...]
Wholesale trade ensures that manufactured goods are distributed to retailers and exporters, who can then make these products available for the wider public. Although the sector has become increasingly technologized [...]
Lifting and carrying heavy materials in industries such as construction and manufacturing is done almost entirely with the help of cranes, yet these vehicles can become as dangerous as they [...]
Hundreds of thousands of employees working in the sewage treatment sector ensure that Canadian cities, households, and streets are sanitized. Yet in the process, they are exposed to a series [...]
Working in sewer inspection and maintenance brings people in contact with a wide range of hazardous chemicals, biological products, and other life-endangering materials. The confined spaces of these work environments [...]
Nearly two thirds of construction workers will use scaffolding in their work at one point or another. Every year, there are thousands of scaffolding accidents reported to the authorities. Unfortunately, [...]
Tank cleaning and maintenance is identified as an extremely dangerous activity. People working in such confined spaces are exposed to a number of life-threatening hazards that, if not managed properly, [...]
The risk of personal injury during pipeline work or maintenance is much higher than on other job sites due to the presence of high-pressure equipment, heavy suspended loads, and even [...]
Jackhammers are routinely used in construction and mining, when workers are required to remove layers of rock, concrete, or asphalt. However, these pneumatic drills are as dangerous as they are [...]
Vacuum trucks are essential for the existence of the Oil & Gas industry, but operators of such vehicles face considerable risks on a daily basis. From exposure to toxic gases to [...]
Aircraft maintenance employees perform crucial tasks for the Canadian transportation industry, from inspections to overhaul, repair, replacements, and compliance with airworthiness directives. The lives of passengers depend on the ability [...]
In-home caregivers fulfil an essential role for elderly people who struggle with daily living activities. As they assume responsibility for one or several seniors, such employees must also take good [...]
The wellbeing of nurses is important not just for the employees themselves, but also for the patients in their care. A well-rested and healthy nurse is able to provide apt [...]
While the food service industry might look glamorous on television, the jobs of everyone involved expose employees to a fair amount of occupational risk. Chefs have to constantly manage hot [...]
Out of all teaching careers, coaching and physical education is one of the most hazardous ones, both for the worker, as well as their pupils. An alarming number of injuries [...]
People working in clerical jobs are exposed to a series of occupational hazards on a daily basis. However, most of these risks can be partially alleviated or entirely avoided through [...]
Therapists who work in large rehabilitation centers are exposed to a variety of occupational hazards. These often range from contagious diseases that might be transmitted on a human-to-human pathway to [...]
When it comes to matters of special education, workers have to balance out their own health and safety with the rights and needs of students with special education needs (SEN). [...]
Despite working in a controlled setting, laboratory pathology employees have to manage the risk of contamination on a daily basis. From interacting with patient samples to handling highly contagious pathogens, [...]
Camping can be done as a hobby or as part of a job, but without the proper training, both amateur and professional campers can become seriously injured and may even [...]
Industrial machinery is a staple of modern production chains, yet even with the advent of automatization, workers in manufacturing continue to report injuries on a daily basis. Working around industrial [...]
Wildlife conservationists work towards the protection and preservation of certain environments and/or species, yet their intervention is rarely welcomed by the unknowing wildlife. From interactions with dangerous animals to [...]
Zookeeping can be a dangerous profession, but the vast majority of accidents in this line of work are preventable if all employees are properly trained. Although interacting with wild animals [...]
In spite of the recent emphasis on safety training and measures, logging continues to be one of the most dangerous professions in Canada and around the world. From climbing trees [...]
Baking may not seem like a very dangerous profession, yet workers are nevertheless exposed to a series of risks that can lead to short-term injury and/or long-term illnesses. From [...]
From exposure to dangerous chemicals and radiant energy to burns, ergonomic hazards, a very noisy work environment, heat stress, and respirable airborne particulates, glass production workers face a wide range [...]
Although painting is relatively safe compared to other construction jobs, it nevertheless presents a unique set of risks that must be managed correctly to avoid injury. Fortunately, the majority of [...]
Statistically speaking, roads are some of the most dangerous construction sites in Canada. Particularly due to the fact that, during road construction and maintenance, employees must work in close proximity [...]
Even as most aspects of our lives become digitalized, we continue to rely on paper for packaging, labeling, advertising, and other similar purposes. The paper production sector thus remains a [...]
Plumbing is an essential aspect of every construction project and a necessity for the maintenance of both residential and commercial buildings. Yet the work itself can be dangerous and, in [...]
An essential aspect of every construction project, carpentering presents a unique set of occupational hazards that can only be avoided if workers are properly trained. From hazardous substances to the [...]
The construction, repair, and demolition of ships often consists of physically exhausting and perilous work that exposes employees to a wide range of risks, from asbestos and other hazardous materials, [...]
Without proper guarding, trusses, or anchors, construction employees are exposed to an increased danger of falling when working on roofs or around floor openings. Although roof tasks are commonly seen [...]
As we continue to build a more sustainable society, insulation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of each construction project. A way to maintain the desired indoor temperature during hot [...]
Fire coating and heat-resistant products are primarily used in industrial and manufacturing buildings, power plants, agricultural storage units, and warehouses, where they are first applied in a liquid form. Once [...]
Every year, a significant number of warehouse injuries and more than several deaths are reported to governing bodies. The vast majority of these accidents occur as a result of the [...]
To ensure the continuous safety of visitors and hired personnel, rollercoasters must be inspected on a regular basis. Depending on the size of the theme park, maintenance technicians and ride [...]
Concrete is used extensively in bridges, roads, dams, pipes, drains, and buildings. Employees in both construction and the manufacturing of concrete are exposed to this composite material on a daily [...]
A wet or dirty floor can spell disaster in an industrial setting, which is why the work of cleaning personnel is so important in this sector.
Peat may be extracted for one of two reasons: to allow workers and machines to reach deeper resources, or to be processed and sold as fuel. Although the environmental impact [...]
Drilling is one of the most fundamental and most dangerous steps in the extraction of oil and gas. The process is also common in the construction, agriculture, and landscaping industries, [...]
Although seemingly easy to operate, marine boilers pose a series of occupational hazards for those who come in contact with them. Mistakes in the maintenance or operation of boiler systems [...]
Power plants have become significantly safer over the past decades, yet workers are still faced with hazardous situations on a daily basis. From electrical burns to dangerous chemicals, boiler accidents [...]
Clearing and grading, topsoil stripping, and land levelling activities all involve the modification of land plots to prepare them for property development, reclaim disturbed areas, or ensure more efficient irrigation. [...]
Clean water is essential for a community’s livelihood and productivity, but employees who work in water treatment plants to ensure a steady supply of this vital liquid are exposed [...]
Between casting iron, grinding, filing, milling, welding, soldering, brazing, plating, and other similar activities, metalworkers are exposed to a set of unique risks and require special training in order to [...]
Underground mining is one of the most rigorously regulated sectors in Canada, and rightfully so. Even though the number of work-related accidents and fatalities has decreased over the years, serious [...]
Although quarrying is a process that is specific to the Mining Industry, the materials produced by quarries are required for the proper functioning of a wide range of sectors, including [...]
It is not uncommon for electricians to think that electrical-related accidents cannot happen to them, yet we know that most electrical accidents take place during maintenance work. Poor training, lack [...]
Although firefighters are trained to deal with different types of emergencies – from car accidents to natural disasters, civil disturbances, medical emergencies, and more – their most important role remains the effective [...]
In spite of recent technological innovations, agriculture continues to depend on the effort of farmworkers in order to function. Aside from the fact that such jobs can be physically exhausting, [...]
Cleaning windows may seem like a simple task, but the job is actually as hazardous as it is necessary. The majority of accidents in this trade take place due to [...]
Although modern agriculture has given way to a variety of new tools and techniques, plowing continues to be one of the most important agricultural processes in modern history. Statistics indicate [...]
Although the end-result of a landscaping project is undoubtedly beautiful, the work itself is arduous and dangerous. From insect bites to pesticides, chemicals, working at height, and the use of [...]
When used correctly, banners and signs can increase revenue for businesses by drawing the attention of potential customers and inviting them to step inside a shop. In addition, large banners [...]
In construction, structural features such as girders, beams, columns, and decking must be installed in order to properly distribute the weight of a building. Some of these features – such as [...]
Ductwork Installation and Maintenance is a routine task for most HVAC employees, who often face the same hazards as construction workers, but receive significantly less training than the latter. Over [...]
Workplace violence and harassment are common, whether verbal, physical or sexual. Some workers opt to keep quiet about it, in fear that they might lose their jobs or discrimination from [...]
WHMIS 2015 is the latest and most updated version of the regulations on workplace health and safety for handling hazardous materials (previously called “controlled substances” under WHMIS 1988). You may have heard [...]
You know from your employer that you need WHMIS training. But what exactly is it? In this article, we’re going to break down what WHMIS stands for and what [...]
With the new regulations taking effect, you may be wondering who should receive WHMIS training and whether you are compliant for WHMIS 2015.
If you need WHMIS training you might be wondering whether it is better to join an in-person class or to get your WHMIS online. Here are some of the main [...]