Comments for Northern Exposure http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure Sat, 17 May 2008 09:12:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.5 Comment on Workplace Violence by ontario provincial ministry of labour http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/03/04/workplace-violence/#comment-1016 ontario provincial ministry of labour Fri, 16 May 2008 18:56:27 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/03/04/workplace-violence/#comment-1016 [...] topic among labor, employment, and health and safety regulators in Canada. Of course, workplace vhttp://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/03/04/workplace-violence/Pension Fund Cleans Up CanadaIT.comHigh leverages and evaluations drove deals and news during the [...] […] topic among labor, employment, and health and safety regulators in Canada. Of course, workplace vhttp://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/03/04/workplace-violence/Pension Fund Cleans Up CanadaIT.comHigh leverages and evaluations drove deals and news during the […]

]]> Comment on Health and Safety by Carl Bleich http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/05/06/health-and-safety/#comment-974 Carl Bleich Wed, 14 May 2008 17:54:12 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/05/06/health-and-safety/#comment-974 As an Occupational Health & Safety Inspector for MOL in Ontario I would like to add my comments. In fact Inspectors investigate "Events", police investigate "occurances". No More Accidents Call it what it is: Injury, Collision, Incident or Crash Picture a construction site with a tall wall. You can’t see the top. All of a sudden a cinder block hits the ground a few feet in front of you. In safety terminology what just happened? I hope your answer is a near miss or an INCIDENT. Second scenario: The cinder block falls down and smashes $3000 worth of windows waiting to be installed. Was this an accident? Was it an incident? In safety terms it was PROPERTY DAMAGE. Was there an accident? What was the accident? I suggest an investigation of this event will decide what to call it (after the investigation, not before you start). Next: The cinder block falls down and breaks your leg. “Hey everybody, we had an accident at work today, somebody broke their leg!” Maybe, maybe not. In safety terms there was a CRITICAL INJURY. Hey everybody, there was a workplace injury today; someone had their leg fractured. What happened? Was it preventable? Last case. The cinder block falls down and hits you on the head. Lights out. It’s FATAL. That’s what it is, a workplace fatality. Was there an accident? Well I suggest that an investigation might indicate this. If there was, what is the accident? Where did it happen? Was the broken leg or the broken head the accident? Certainly NOT. If there was an accident it took place up on top of the wall. Look where you slipped, not where you landed. So an investigation jointly finds that a coworker dropped the block deliberately. No accident here. It was murder, a criminal offence. But another case: where safeguards in place, due diligence, right tool for the job, equipment well maintained, training, proper procedures and supervision for example? I suggest if it was preventable then there was no accident, a preventable workplace fatality or injury. “ACCIDENT” Anything occurring unexpectedly, or without known cause. I think that if the cause is known and it was preventable then we should call it like it is, an injury or a fatality. Ask yourself, "What are some excuses you have heard after an injury?" Excuses. Like: "that's the way we always do it!" "it was only going to take a minute!" "it was JUST an ACCIDENT!" "it was a FREAK accident!' "safety first! We talked about safety on the way to the job site, but ...!" "we only do that job once or twice a year (so why should we worry about safety?!" There are three things that need to be done to prevent injuries. 1 Recognize the Hazard 2 Understand the Defense 3 Act in Time Call it like it is. Don’t let people hide behind, “It was just an accident.” People have to be made responsible for their actions or inaction. Thank you. As an Occupational Health & Safety Inspector for MOL in Ontario I would like to add my comments. In fact Inspectors investigate “Events”, police investigate “occurances”.

No More Accidents
Call it what it is: Injury, Collision, Incident or Crash

Picture a construction site with a tall wall. You can’t see the top.

All of a sudden a cinder block hits the ground a few feet in front of you. In safety terminology what just happened?

I hope your answer is a near miss or an INCIDENT.

Second scenario: The cinder block falls down and smashes $3000 worth of windows waiting to be installed. Was this an accident? Was it an incident? In safety terms it was PROPERTY DAMAGE. Was there an accident? What was the accident? I suggest an investigation of this event will decide what to call it (after the investigation, not before you start).

Next: The cinder block falls down and breaks your leg. “Hey everybody, we had an accident at work today, somebody broke their leg!” Maybe, maybe not. In safety terms there was a CRITICAL INJURY.

Hey everybody, there was a workplace injury today; someone had their leg fractured. What happened? Was it preventable?

Last case. The cinder block falls down and hits you on the head. Lights out. It’s FATAL.

That’s what it is, a workplace fatality. Was there an accident? Well I suggest that an investigation might indicate this. If there was, what is the accident? Where did it happen? Was the broken leg or the broken head the accident? Certainly NOT. If there was an accident it took place up on top of the wall. Look where you slipped, not where you landed.

So an investigation jointly finds that a coworker dropped the block deliberately. No accident here. It was murder, a criminal offence.

But another case: where safeguards in place, due diligence, right tool for the job, equipment well maintained, training, proper procedures and supervision for example?

I suggest if it was preventable then there was no accident, a preventable workplace fatality or injury.

“ACCIDENT” Anything occurring unexpectedly, or without known cause.

I think that if the cause is known and it was preventable then we should call it like it is, an injury or a fatality.

Ask yourself, “What are some excuses you have heard after an injury?”

Excuses.
Like:
“that’s the way we always do it!”

“it was only going to take a minute!”

“it was JUST an ACCIDENT!”

“it was a FREAK accident!’

“safety first! We talked about safety on the way to the job site, but
…!”

“we only do that job once or twice a year (so why should we worry about
safety?!”

There are three things that need to be done to prevent injuries.
1 Recognize the Hazard
2 Understand the Defense
3 Act in Time

Call it like it is. Don’t let people hide behind, “It was just an accident.”

People have to be made responsible for their actions or inaction.

Thank you.

]]> Comment on Accommodations by Will Alan Borovoy go all the way? « The General Wolfe http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-781 Will Alan Borovoy go all the way? « The General Wolfe Tue, 06 May 2008 06:13:28 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-781 [...] work in a restaraunt and the restaraunt got fined 55,000 dollars. This is described on the blog Nothern Exposure (I don’t remember who to hat tip for finding that post, sorry), which writes about the [...] […] work in a restaraunt and the restaraunt got fined 55,000 dollars. This is described on the blog Nothern Exposure (I don’t remember who to hat tip for finding that post, sorry), which writes about the […]

]]> Comment on Accommodations by DirtCrashr http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-577 DirtCrashr Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:55:55 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-577 This is insane. The "tribunal" is staffed by the insane Left from a hospital for Hepatitis. Bug-nuts crazy and picking at scabs insane. Flyswatting and dumpy diaper insane. This is insane. The “tribunal” is staffed by the insane Left from a hospital for Hepatitis. Bug-nuts crazy and picking at scabs insane. Flyswatting and dumpy diaper insane.

]]> Comment on Response to last week’s article by Disabilities, Skin Conditions and Hand Washing http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/21/response-to-last-weeks-article/#comment-573 Disabilities, Skin Conditions and Hand Washing Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:59:57 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/21/response-to-last-weeks-article/#comment-573 [...] Northern Exposure’s readers couldn’t believe it and let their feelings be known. A follow-up post addressed the comments that had been received (which ranged from allegations that Canadian human [...] […] Northern Exposure’s readers couldn’t believe it and let their feelings be known. A follow-up post addressed the comments that had been received (which ranged from allegations that Canadian human […]

]]> Comment on Accommodations by Diabilities, Skin Conditions and Hand-Washing http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-571 Diabilities, Skin Conditions and Hand-Washing Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:08:48 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-571 [...] week, there was a post on Northern Exposure that caused quite a firestorm of comments.  Since the post addressed  a disability case filed under Canadian human rights legislation similar to our [...] […] week, there was a post on Northern Exposure that caused quite a firestorm of comments.  Since the post addressed  a disability case filed under Canadian human rights legislation similar to our […]

]]> Comment on Accommodations by Food Safety In Canada Put In Danger By Daffy Decision at Food Safety Trends http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-566 Food Safety In Canada Put In Danger By Daffy Decision at Food Safety Trends Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:49:57 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-566 [...] There’s a long story here and it is told by the blog Northern Exposure, which covers employment law for U.S. companies with employees in Canada.    It’s a great read.  Check it out here. [...] […] There’s a long story here and it is told by the blog Northern Exposure, which covers employment law for U.S. companies with employees in Canada.    It’s a great read.  Check it out here. […]

]]> Comment on Accommodations by Gekkobear http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-558 Gekkobear Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:43:46 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-558 Did they clarify that McDonalds didn't state in its brief that employees need to wear clothes and shoes? Or that employees would have to appear at the place of employment and do something useful in order to get paid? Or one of a thousand things that everyone ****ing knows, so you'd think it'd be stupid for McDonalds to have explicitly mentioned it? Well, apparently, with Canadian bureaucracy, it is now required to clearly and explicitly spell out everything that anyone might not know; and everything that everyone knows, and everything that anyone might think they know, but could use some clarification on... That's going to be a really long filing next time. If I were working for McDonalds, I'd get started in it now. And rent a truck to carry it to the Courthouse. Did they clarify that McDonalds didn’t state in its brief that employees need to wear clothes and shoes? Or that employees would have to appear at the place of employment and do something useful in order to get paid?

Or one of a thousand things that everyone ****ing knows, so you’d think it’d be stupid for McDonalds to have explicitly mentioned it?

Well, apparently, with Canadian bureaucracy, it is now required to clearly and explicitly spell out everything that anyone might not know; and everything that everyone knows, and everything that anyone might think they know, but could use some clarification on…

That’s going to be a really long filing next time. If I were working for McDonalds, I’d get started in it now. And rent a truck to carry it to the Courthouse.

]]> Comment on Accommodations by Isabel76 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-552 Isabel76 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:39:41 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-552 The commissions have overstepped the boundaries- for sure. Really this should have been brought before the Labour Rights Board or small claims court. These Human Rights Commissions are very controversial in our own country right now as it is obvious that special interest groups are using them to to promote their agendas, and the Commissions have become less and less objective as time has worn on. To do away with the Commissions would be possible by putting a massive amount of pressure on our Provincial Ministers of Justice. The commissions and tribunals do present annual reports to these PMs. Unfortunately it has become a partisan issue, and we all know what happens when that's the case- endless bickering and no action. The commissions have overstepped the boundaries- for sure. Really this should have been brought before the Labour Rights Board or small claims court. These Human Rights Commissions are very controversial in our own country right now as it is obvious that special interest groups are using them to to promote their agendas, and the Commissions have become less and less objective as time has worn on.

To do away with the Commissions would be possible by putting a massive amount of pressure on our Provincial Ministers of Justice. The commissions and tribunals do present annual reports to these PMs. Unfortunately it has become a partisan issue, and we all know what happens when that’s the case- endless bickering and no action.

]]> Comment on Accommodations by templar knight http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-548 templar knight Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:05:10 +0000 http://hrheroblogs.com/northernexposure/2008/04/15/accommodations/#comment-548 To my Canadian friends, may I ask this question? Why not just do away with these Human Rights Commissions? Are these commisssions a creature of the Parliament? I confess I don't know all that much about the creation of these commissions. But, the Courts seem to have ceded some of their decision-making powers to these commissions. Perhaps that is what was intended, but maybe these commissions have overstepped the boundaries. To my Canadian friends, may I ask this question?

Why not just do away with these Human Rights Commissions? Are these commisssions a creature of the Parliament? I confess I don’t know all that much about the creation of these commissions. But, the Courts seem to have ceded some of their decision-making powers to these commissions. Perhaps that is what was intended, but maybe these commissions have overstepped the boundaries.

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