Are workplace inspections necessary if everyone works at home?
January 18, 2021
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How has your workplace changed since the COVID-19 pandemic started over 18 months ago? With a pandemic plan in place, we’re hopeful that your organization did just survive, but that it’s also thriving. But we’re also betting your business has undergone some major changes as part of your pandemic strategy as well.
For many organizations, a large part of the change was the shift from in-person work to full-remote or hybrid work. This has helped keep workers safe by reducing their exposure to others, providing more space with fewer bodies for more efficient social distancing, and helping parents manage online learning while working. But what about workplace inspections? If everyone works at home, are workplace inspections still necessary? And if so, how do employers complete them, document them, and action any necessary improvements? |
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How Employers can Lessen the Negative Impacts of Shift Work
January 5, 2022
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Shift work is a reality in many Canadian workplaces, despite its known negative impact on work-life balance, health and wellbeing, and safety. So, why then do Canadian employers continue in the practice of having workers on the clock around the clock?
It’s pretty simple: there are 24 hours in a day, and many successful employers are successful because they maximize the productivity and output of their organizations across all 24 of those hours. The typical schedule sees the day split into three shifts: midnight shift, starting at 11pm and ending at 7am, a day shift that works from 7am-3pm, and then an afternoon shift that starts at 3pm and works until 11pm. Some workplaces follow a two-shift 12-hour split instead, such as hospitals. Most (but not all) workers rotate through the shifts biweekly or monthly. |
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Our Partners in Health and SafetyJanuary 3, 2022
MidSouthWest is proud to support local businesses that share our goal of improving workplace health and safety through our Partners of MSW program. This month, we'd like to introduce you to Ontario Security Hub, and Ontario Ministry approved security guard training entity.
There are many different options when it comes to creating a safety sign. Vision Signs & Promos can help you with design, formatting and printing a safety sign that suits the needs of your particular purpose. Visit our Partners of MSW page to learn more about Ontario Security Hub! |
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Smoking cessation programs have positive impacts for both employers and workers
December 13, 2021
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Did you know that your employees that smoke could be costing you $3,077 dollars per year in lost productivity due to excessive smoke breaks? Not to mention the increase in your benefit program premiums due to the ill health effects of cigarette smoking.
With the New Year upon us, consider helping employees commit to quitting in 2022 by sponsoring a workplace smoking cessation program. Not only will your workers enjoy the freedom and health of a smoke-free lifestyle, but employers will also reap the benefits including cheaper benefits premiums, increased productivity, and less lost time due to smoking-related illnesses. |
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In 2022, resolve to be prepared for anything
November 29, 2021
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Wow, what a year! 2021 went by so fast, it’s hard to imagine it’s already that time again when we set organizational safety resolutions aimed at helping us be the best we can be in the coming year. At MidSouthWest Safety Training and Consulting, we believe that setting safety resolutions sets the tone for the entire year. Why set safety resolutions?
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Is there a pattern in your workplace safety incidents?
November 2, 2021
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Trending safety issues are the issues, problems, or concerns that keep coming up over and over. When an issue arises once and is swiftly and effectively resolved, it’s not a trend. But when the same things happen more than once, patterns start to form, and these become trending safety issues in the workplace. These issues may be minor, such as JHSC members consistently identifying the same housekeeping concerns month to month, or major such as more than one staff being seriously injured during the same work process.
The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is a key player in documenting and identifying safety trends in the workplace. They are also responsible for making recommendations to ensure that safety issues are controlled, and trending issues are addressed. |
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Managing Hazards Part 1: Health Hazards
October 18, 2021
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Hazards are generally sorted into two broad categories:
Health hazards contribute to occupational illness and disease. They’re pervasive because they’re not clearly defined, sometimes unnoticeable, and workers may ignore warning signs or symptoms that are indicative of the presence of a potential health hazard.
The effects of health hazards are not always immediate, sometimes taking months or even years to appear. As well, it is often the case that illnesses resulting from health hazards are irreversible. The five health hazard categories are:
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