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 That could cause them to be withdrawn, isolated, have low self-esteem, not eating or sleeping, physical symptoms like stomach aches and headaches, and self destructive behaviour.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.

Welding PPE – Part 1

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It doesn’t matter if you’ve been welding pipe for 25 years or about to strike your first arc, PPE is the difference between you leaving work the same as you came or walking off site looking like Freddy Krueger… Or worse. Welding is very dangerous, we aren’t out here sitting in comfy, ergonomic chairs and desks. Your PPE game has to be on point or you will get hurt, no question. Let’s take at look at what you will need from head to toe.

Now depending on where you’re working (every site and shop has different standards) your face shield may be a soft top ( your typical welding shield, that offers no safety for the top of your head) or clip on (a welding shield that clips onto the front of your hard hat) make sure to use the proper one. As much as soft tops are more comfortable and drastically smaller for those tough to reach welds, there is a reason you’re being asked to wear a hard hat. Make sure your lens is the proper shade. Regular or auto darkening, just make sure that your lens number correlates with the amps being used. This will protect your eyes from infrared and UV rays. Now just because you are wearing a face shield does not mean you get out of wearing safety glasses. Believe it or not those clear glasses also offer excellent UV protection plus they keep out grinding dust, wire wheel debris and slag. Having to double up on eye protection can sometimes cause fog, they have anti fog wipes that are amazing for that, so no excuses. Come back tomorrow and we will gear up for some more safety tips to weld like a pro.

Baby Proofing

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At work we have all sorts of guards, lockouts and signage to help keep us safe. But what about our little ones at home? Unfortunately posting safety signs at home won’t help when it comes to a toddler. However there are tons of other precautions we can take to keep them safe and sound. Here is a quick list of do’s when it comes to our kiddos wellbeing.

When buying baby furniture like cribs, high chairs, gates etc, etc, make sure it meets the Health Canada safety standards. Please note that drop side cribs are now illegal, even selling an old one in a garage sale is against the law. These cribs are highly dangerous and have caused fatalities.  Make sure to anchor large furniture and TV’s to the wall to prevent tip overs. Use covers on all outlets in reach. Unless your home is equipped with newer outlets that have built-in shock prevention. Always use the safety strap on change tables and high chairs. Now depending what type of parenting you choose, some parents choose to put everything in full lockdown mode where others choose to teach their children not to go in cupboards and downstairs. We’re not here to tell you how to raise your children however if you’re going to leave your cupboards open we suggest putting medicine and chemicals up high where they can not be reached. If you do choose to put baby gates on your stairs, do not use expansion or accordion style gates. Small children may get stuck in them. Then there is the obvious pointers that should still be mentioned (hey, no judgment here… I know if you have children, you probably don’t get sleep…we all miss things when running on minimal sleep), keep knives, scissors and other sharp objects away from children. Keep alcohol, vitamins and medicine out of reach as well. Keep guns, ammunition and drugs out of the house. If you have guns, keep them locked up separately from your ammo.

No matter what parenting style you go by, the end result is the same… To protect your children. It only takes a minute for accidents to happen, so be prepared and put in place safety precautions. Just remember that even if your house is in full lockdown mode, nothing protects your child better than adult supervision.

Stretching

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With the cold weather coming up, stretching is even more important. Yes weather affects your muscles… Even if you’re not old like some of us. With colder temperatures your muscles will take even longer to warm up. So the stretching you have to do every morning is actually very important. Doing stretches before you begin work will help lengthen your muscles and tendons and allow more blood flow to these areas giving you a greater range of motion, better physical performance and reducing back injuries. No one expects you to do the yoga sleep pose (sounds easy right? Look it up… It’s insane) or the splits, but a few toe taps and bends should do the trick. Each stretch should be comfortable enough to hold for 10 seconds but should be done for 30 seconds total. What’s a few minutes out of your morning if it keeps you on your feet.

That ONE Guy

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I feel like there is usually that one person who just won’t embrace a safety culture on every crew. I know there was on most of my crews. They usually have a story for every situation and ample of anti safety slogans. I would also like to mention this is usually the same person who is missing a finger or a toe… I’m willing to bet there is some sort of correlation. I thought I’d put together some of my all time favorite anti safety quotes for you… Let the ridiculousness begin!

  • Safety first… Okay maybe third or fourth.
  •  Stay safe or die trying.
  •  Safety first, people second.
  •   Stay safe at work… Call in sick
  •   Safety is alright- if you got all night.
  •  Don’t get hurt or you’ll get fired
  • We’re not happy til you’re not happy.
  • We have no idea what your job is but our book says you’re doing it wrong.


I’m sure you have heard them all before. But you have to admit they sound absolutely ridiculous, especially when you read them together. When it’s actually your life you have to lose, you’d think people would be more open to adopting a safer way of doing things. So next time you hear someone spewing out anti safety slogans, I’ve also compiled a few of my favorite safety slogans for you to throw back at them. Let the super safety cheese feast begin!

  • You can’t pick up your paycheck with no fingers.
  • A hardhat on your head keeps you from being dead.
  •  Safety first or hospital next.
  • Falling objects can be brutal, protect your noodle.
  • When you gamble with safety you bet your life.
  •  Chance takers are accident makers.


I could do this all day but I’ll stop. Listen, no one expects you to be as enthusiastic about safety slogans as me but we have safety protocol in place so you can go home safely every night… And that is definitely something to be enthusiastic about.