Education Safety Newsletter

		2009 Fall Edition			Français
		President's Message ESAO is currently undergoing many changes as it prepares for the upcoming amalgamation. I would like to assure you and our clients, that we are still offering the same great service and products as we have in the past. The upcoming amalgamation, with our partner associations in municipal and health care, will enable us to bring you a wider variety of programs and more training options. We have just announced the new CEO of the Health and Safety Association for Government Services, Louise Logan, and the planning process is well underway. In January, ESAO will be part of the new entity and we are working now to ensure that the transition is seamless. MORE > __________________________________________________			In This Issue Message from the CEO & President H1N1 Flu Pandemic Planning Bill 168 – What does it mean to you? Tomorrow's Workforce, Safer Today Job Exposure Profiles & the Training Matrix To Avoid Machinery Accidents - Stay on Guard ESAO President's Achievement Award OLRB Says, "Pick up the Phone!" The Practical Meaning of Flammable (Explosive) Limits Certification Update Human Pathogens and Toxins Act ONTRAC Safety Audit ESAO 2008 Annual Report Available Online
		H1N1 Flu Pandemic Planning Alain Chenard, Ontario Francophone Consultant We have all heard through the media about the new H1N1 virus and the potential for a pandemic outbreak. These reports raise a question of how the Education Sector is equipped to deal with the issue. A quick check with some of our clients revealed that a majority of them simply rely on the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) or the local Health Unit to guide them. MORE > __________________________________________________________________			Bill 168 – What does it mean to you? Ed Hager, South Western Ontario Consultant Bill 168, an Act to amend the Occupational Health & Safety Act with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace and other matters achieved “First Reading” on April 20, 2009. (Read Bill 168 here) Since then, a number of ESAO clients have been contacting their Field Consultants for an interpretation of the pending changes. ESAO believes that these amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act will indeed see “Royal Assent” in the near future. MORE > __________________________________________________________________
		Tomorrow’s Workforce, Safer Today Greg Swan, Eastern Ontario Consultant Twenty years ago the expression “young worker awareness” was a misconception of terminology to most. Today, through the hard work of safe work associations, such as the ESAO; and the firm driving force of the Ministry of Labour, we have managed to reduce injuries in educational workplaces exponentially. However, reducing injuries caused to workers under the age of twenty-five is a challenge at the best of times; but excelling at it takes special care and dedication. MORE > __________________________________________________________________			Job Exposure Profiles and the Training Matrix Jim Ogilvie, Central Lakes Region Consultant There are many tools and techniques available to the health and safety coordinator and one of the more powerful tools for a medium to large organization is the Job Exposure Profile (JEP). The Job Exposure Profile is based on the development of homogeneous exposure groups. A homogeneous exposure group is a group of people across an organization that performs similar or identical activities. MORE > ___________________________________________________________________
		To Avoid Machinery Accidents – Stay on Guard Guest Column by Simon Fridlyand, P. Eng. S.A.F.E. Engineering Inc. The list of possible machinery related injuries is as long as it is horrifying and includes: crushed hands and arms, severed fingers, and blindness. In the Education Sector, the places of concern regarding machinery related accidents are in the technical shop areas such as wood, auto and metal. MORE> __________________________________________________________________			OLRB says, “Pick up the phone!” Doug Bennett, North Eastern Ontario Consultant A student breaks a leg skiing on a class trip. The grandparent of one of your students suffers a fatal heart attack in your parking lot. The person servicing your photocopier trips over a waste basket and breaks his wrist. What should you do? According to a recent decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), one of the first things to do is pick up the phone and report the incident to the Ministry of Labour (MOL). MORE> __________________________________________________________________
		ESAO President’s Achievement Awards ESAO President’s Safety Achievement Award recognizes ESAO clients who manage an exemplary health and safety program and demonstrate outstanding commitment to creating a workplace culture that makes safety their top priority. By focusing on our clients’ achievements, we emphasize the importance of continuous improvement and encourage the development of innovative solutions to health and safety issues. MORE >			The Practical Meaning of Flammable (Explosive) Limits The following news articles reporting actual events were recently circulated, creating a lot of scepticism on the probability of such occurrences. Reuters' news, Düesseldorf, Wed. July 15, 2009 Man tries to fix airbed, blows up apartment “45-year-old man used tire repair solvent to plug a hole in his airbed and left it overnight … MORE>
		___________________________________________________________________________________________ Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Training Program under Review The WSIB is conducting a review of its Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) Certification Standards. This review will ensure that certified members receive the highest quality health and safety training and contribute to strengthening the internal responsibility system in Ontario workplaces. MORE > _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
		Human Pathogens and Toxins Act The Government of Canada passed the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act on June 23, 2009. Under this Act, persons responsible for activities involving human pathogens and toxins are required to register their laboratory or facility. Read a copy of the notice here.			ESAO has launched the Ontrac Safety Audit. It uses a modularized approach to determine key areas of risk within your organization. More information is available here.
		_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ESAO's 2008 Annual Report now available Our 2008 Annual Report is now available for download on our website. View the report here.

		Click the button below to see our course schedule
		Find your Field Consultant here Should you have comments, suggestions, or if you no longer wish to receive the Education Safety News, please e-mail Mehru Akram at makram@esao.on.ca