Car Seat Safety – Part 2

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There is a vast variety seats. It can be overwhelming. I’ll try and break it down. In order to leave the hospital with baby in hand, you will need an infant car seat. There are two types, a convertible or an infant. Infants car seats are great. There is a base that is first installed in your car and the bucket simply clicks in and out of the base. So if baby falls asleep, you just click them out and off you go with baby without waking them. The downfall of these is you will need another car seat when they get to 20-30 lbs (depending on the brand). Convertibles are great, they go from infant, usually all the way to booster. On the down side, they are not easy to switch from vehicle to vehicle and you are unstrapping and waking baby every time you leave the car. Once you pick a type, you need to insure it fits in your vehicle. Most car seats are a final sale so ask the clerk to check the floor model to your vehicle. This is one of the (if not the most) overwhelming parts of gearing up for a new baby. Do your research, talk to friends and ask retail workers a ton of questions. This is your child’s life, take your time, do your work.

So now you have your brand new car seat… You just have to install it. You open the instructions, read through it and none of it makes sense, you might as well be reading a different language. First try reading the car seat section in your car manual, that should give you some insight. Thankfully there are many groups out there that will help you. Every area is different. So go to transport Canada’s website and see what’s in your area. You can also try BCAA or checkout some Facebook groups, buckle up Wood Buffalo is a great one. Once you have your seat installed, you will still need to check it now and then. It should never move more than an inch side to side or front to back. Make sure you take the time to install your little one’s seat properly. If done incorrectly, not only can it be a fine if pulled over but it is not keeping your child safe. Come back tomorrow and we will address the most common mistakes.

Car Seat Safety – Part 1

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Anytime you’re on (or off) site, in any sort of equipment or vehicle… the first rule is to put on your seat belt. Why? Obviously because seat belts save lives. What about when it comes to our children? We all use car seats, but did you know that it’s estimated they are used incorrectly 50% of the time! That is a huge number…it means we are taking a 50/50 chance with our most precious cargo. This has to change. Let’s go over some musts when strapping your little ones in.

Let’s start at the beginning, purchasing a car seat. Canada has very strict safety regulations when it comes to car seats. Even the United States does not meet our standards. I know car seats are much cheaper in the states, but you do get what you pay for. Not only are they not as safe as seats manufactured for Canada but it’s also illegal to use one. If you get pulled over using a car seat missing the national safety mark you’re looking at $179 fine and could be charged with child endangerment, not to mention the hospital will not let you take your baby home in a car seat without it. Just because you can order one online and ship it to your home does not make it legal. Border patrol will seize it. There are no seats manufactured to cross borders.  Also, you are not likely to be contacted if there is a recall and you have purchased out of country. Now when it comes to buying used; it’s not really recommended. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a brand new one. So if you are buying used make sure it’s not past the expiration date and the instructions are included. Please note, even if it’s not expired but manufactured before 2012 it is not up to code. Canada revamped our safety standards and it will no longer meet them. Try to buy from someone you know and trust. Car seats are void after it’s been in even the smallest of accidents. There is no real way of telling, so you have to trust the person you’re buying from. Alright, now we know the do’s and don’ts when purchasing a car seat, tomorrow let’s figure out which one we need.

Flu Season

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It’s that time of year again… Flu season! Not as much fun as other annual events like Halloween, Christmas and New years… Okay, it’s actually not fun at all but thankfully there are a few things we can do to steer clear of the flu altogether. First and foremost; get a flu shot. Anyone over 6 months can get one. Especially if you carry a higher risk of having complications with the flu or passing it to the vulnerable, such as small children, elderly, pregnant women, health workers or those already suffering from a pre-existing condition. It takes roughly 2 weeks in your system to fully protect you. It’s best to get one before the season hits hard, so you want to get one by the end of this month. In addition to getting your flu vaccination, you should also be washing your hands frequently, always before eating and after using the washroom. Do not sneeze or cough in your hand, always do so in your arm. Do not share drinks or food with others, even your children. Disinfect frequently used items, such as cell phones and keys. Unfortunately sometimes even if you do all of the above, you still may get sick. If you do, please stay home.

Not all people can receive the flu vaccine, so if the rest of us do, we are not only protecting ourselves but those who can’t. Ask your doctor or go to almost any pharmacy, it takes a few minutes and is usually free, if not it may be $10-$15. Which sure beats 7-10 days off without pay.

Deer Crossing

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Unfortunately, deer after all this time, still haven’t learned to use a marked crosswalk. Until they do, we will have to be on the lookout for these animals on the road. A run-in with a deer could not only kill the unassuming animal, but it could also kill you! Here’s what to do to try and avoid an accident.

The most active times for deer is dusk and dawn. If you’re on the road at these times, be extra cautious. Keep an eye out for warnings from road signs. These are put up in heavily populated areas. If you see a deer, even if it’s not on the road… be careful, there is almost always more than one. Honking is always a good way to let them know you’re there. You should always be wearing your seatbelt and going the posted speed limit and deer are just one of the reasons why. If you see a deer, slow down. Also, if there is no oncoming traffic, use your high beams. The more you can illuminate the road, the safer you’ll be. If a deer is in your lane, slow down and stop (if you can). Swerving puts you at more risk to hit other vehicles or other deer. Deer are kind of dicey, they have no rhyme or reason when they start jumping around, so you want to stay put. As much as I love animals, a human life trump’s a deer’s life. Sometimes there is no choice but to hit a deer.

If you have the misfortune of making contact with a deer, pull over. Put your hazards on. If anyone is injured, call an ambulance. If everyone is okay… I know your first instinct may be to check on the injured deer… Don’t! They can be very dangerous. Stay in your vehicle. Call the police.

Even the most cautious drivers may have a run-in with a deer. The most important thing is to stay calm and don’t panic. Deer are unavoidable in Canada so we need to stay alert and stay safe.

Workplace Bullying – Part 2

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There are a few ways you can put a stop to bullying. Depending on how comfortable you are with speaking directly to the person bullying you, you could first try to ask them to stop. I know in some cases this is not an option but sometimes a worker may not be very self aware. Maybe by you bringing it to their attention, they may stop.  However, if you are too uncomfortable or intimidated to speak to them directly, you could think about bringing a supervisor, union member or a neutral coworker to address them. If you are still too uncomfortable, you need to report it. If you witness someone being bullied or you’re being bullied, you need to report it to your supervisor. Every company has a different bullying or harassment policy. If you feel that nothing is being done, please don’t be afraid to take it directly to HR or your union. Unfortunately sometimes it’s not just one bully but a group, which could include foreman or supervisors. If you need to, go above them. Keep a timeline, documenting all the incidents. Please don’t stop talking about the bullying and reporting it until proper actions have been taken. Employers should not be ignoring any harassment allegations. At no time is retaliation acceptable. Make sure to follow the proper steps.

A worker being bullied will most likely take it home with them. That could cause them to be withdrawn, isolated, have low self-esteem, not eating or sleeping, physical symptoms like stomach aches and headaches, and self destructive behaviour. A worker being bullied is also more likely to get injured at work or overlook hazards for other workers. So, if you have the attitude that someone else being bullied does not affect you… you couldn’t be more wrong. It affects all of us. So do your part and report it. It’s a pretty easy concept that we’ve all learned at a very young age… Treat others how you would like to be treated, it’s that simple.



Workplace Bullying – Part 1

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Us trades people think we’re immune to office politics because we forgo the office for a dusty work site. However, being bullied on site happens more than you would think. It’s sad that we even need to have these policies in place or have toolbox talks about this topic. We are all adults and by this point in our lives we should understand how to be kind and respectful to one another.  At work we all have the right to a safe environment. So let’s go over a few things.

Bullying isn’t just shoving someone in their work locker, it’s any time you knowingly do or say something to someone you know will be unwelcome. This can be saying unwanted comments, starting rumours, any unwanted touching, threats, written or said, sabotaging somebody’s work, lewd or crude comments or photographs in the workplace, excluding someone purposefully, and the list goes on. I know a lot of workers make jokes with each other, but if your jokes are intended to humiliate, it’s actually bullying. Also joking is when both parties want to be included. You may think your jokes are funny but if they are directed at somebody with malicious intent, you have no idea how it could affect that person.

Bullying affects every worker differently. Some may be able to shrug it off (still doesn’t make it acceptable) whereas other workers may take it very hard (not meaning that they, by any means are weaker). When someone is being bullied it affects everyone. A worker being harassed may not have the job on their mind, they may be distracted, have a loss of concentration, high anxiety, self doubt, or afraid to ask for help when they need it. We have enough to worry about at work; like making it home alive. So when a worker has all these additional worries, it could affect their safety. So how do we stop it? Come back tomorrow and we’ll go over it.

Facial Hair

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Depending on the trade you work in or the site you’re working at, there will be a time in your career where you are required to wear a respirator. You will generally go for fit testing to learn how to put your respirator together, take it apart, clean it, do positive or negative pressure tests and wear it properly. In order for your respirator to do its job, you will need a proper seal. Which means being clean shaven. This goes for all sideburns, goatees, beards, mustaches, fu manchus or stubble. I know big beards and mustaches are all the craze right now… (Thank you hipsters) but as fashionable as these man manes are, they could also be deadly. So many workers believe they are still getting a tight seal with facial hair… Human hairs are just tiny right? Wrong, when compared to a microscopic fume particle, human hairs are huge. Meaning all those itty bitty particles are going right past your respirator and into your lungs. Now if you’re working with poisonous fumes, asbestos or other particulates, things are about to get hairy. So even for you poor souls that take a month to get some patchy stubble, it’s got to go. As for the men that have been growing a beard since they were 9, you may need to shave before work and again at work to keep your scruff at bay. Either way, if you are required to wear a respirator at work, keep your face shaved. I promise it will grow on you.

Tiger Torch Safety

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During the summer months pre-heating your pipe is the worst, now that it’s cooler outside, everyone loves pre-heating. Tiger torches are a must have for welders and fitters, but they come with some serious hazards if not used properly. Here are some tips to keep those flames on your pipe and not your face.

First do a pre-use inspection on the cylinder, the regulator, the hose and the torch itself. Check for any damage, such as dents in the cylinder or holes in the hose. Check the tag on the cylinder to ensure an inspection has been done in the last ten years. If there’s no tag, inform a supervisor and tag it out. Also check to ensure there is a pressure release valve . The cylinders should always be used and stored in the upright position. Don’t lay them on their side or roll them. They should also always be stored outside. Use a proper wrench to tighten the regulator in to steer clear of leaks. If you smell propane while using it you probably have a leak. Turn off the tank and torch and disconnect then reconnect properly. You need to have a fire extinguisher with you if using a tiger torch. Always be careful to turn off the torch and the tank. When lighting the torch,  always hold away from any personnel and use a striker. Never use a cigarette lighter or matches, you should not even have either one of these things on you, leave it in the lunch trailer. Only use tiger torches for the proper applications, they are not meant to heat your toes or to melt ice off another propane tank (that should go without saying… but just incase). When you are finished, always disconnected the tiger torch, never store a cylinder still connected to the regulator and torch.

Tiger torches are a day-to-day tool in the trades. But you need to remember that they are still compressed gas with flames shooting out the end and have obvious hazards that come with them, so use cautiously.

Nothing is Too Important to Skip Safety.

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We talk a lot about taking our time and doing the job safely. But we all can have the “it won’t happen to me” attitude from time to time. Sometimes it takes an incident or accident to snap us out of that mindset. The last thing we’d want is for you to actually get hurt, so I thought we could do a little recap of a construction site that put a deadline over safety. Back in 2007/2008, during the build of City Center in Las Vegas, which consisted of 6 towers including the Aria and Mandarin Oriental, 6 workers sadly lost their lives. In rushing to open for business by New Year’s Eve 2009 this project became so deadly it was nicknamed City Cemetery by the workers. Tragically two workers were killed by crushing accidents, two fell to their death and two were crushed by a 3000 pound steel wall that had fallen on them. The youngest of these workers was 24. All of these workers had friends and family. This is an incredibly unfortunate reminder that taking shortcuts and rushing can be deadly. Nothing, including a deadline is so important that  it’s worth skipping safety. Human life is so much more valuable than anything else. So please take your time and make safety is your number one priority.

Welding PPE – Part 2

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Next we have the two that I think are the most under used PPE for welders by far. Ear plugs and respirators! Welding is super loud, with your basic stick weld at 80-89 decibels all the way up to 118 decibels for arc gouging and don’t forget the grinding. With noise levels this high you could cause serious and permanent damage in one 8 hour shift. Always make sure you’re wearing your earplugs properly, plus they really do the trick when you don’t want to listen to your fitter… Kidding…or am I? Now onto respirators. I see a lot of welders, old and new who refused to wear respirators. Lots of welders think if they smoke there’s no point. But if you’re filling your lungs with cigarette smoke you should give yourself a fighting chance and not fill them with welding fumes as well. For most welding applications a respirator is not required by your employer but I would highly recommend it, the gases and vapors created from welding can cause all sorts of problems. Trust me zinc poisoning is not fun; wear a respirator!

Your gloves need to be flame resistant, they will usually be leather but there are other options out there. Make sure they are the gauntlet kind to protect your wrist and arms. You should always be wearing long sleeves preferably a welding jacket or leathers. Be sure to stay covered-up even on those hot summer days. Exposure to UV rays can lead to skin cancer later in life. Make sure your clothing is fire or flame resistant, cotton, wool or other natural materials. Make sure they are free of grease or other flammable chemicals. Never tuck your pants into your boots or roll the cuff of your pants or sleeves up; this is a great place for hot slag to fly into and burn its way out. Now for your boots; they need to be a CSA approved work boot with at least 6 inches ankle coverage. Not required by employers, but I would highly recommend adding a rubber toe to your work boots as well as a metatarsal guard for those laces.

I know gearing up to do a weld can feel like you are bogged down with PPE, but working with temperatures upwards of 1500 degrees Celsius is crazy, and it’s even crazier not to protect yourself from that. Always load on your PPE before welding and keep Freddy Krueger in the movies and not the person looking back at you in the mirror.