A registry project created to collect data on the work and health history of former workers at the Baie Verte asbestos mine site on the northeast coast of Newfoundland and Labrador has been completed.

WorkSafeBC has made changes to its policy regarding asbestos-related issues, which will see the creation of an asbestos exposure registry program and more workers being compensated for asbestos-related health issues, a recent report from the British Columbia workers’ compensation board indicated.

The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) of Newfoundland and Labrador is ramping up efforts to address occupational disease issues through the creation of an Occupational Disease Advisory Panel (ODAP), which will oversee and “address the government’s action plan” on matters relating to occupational disease.

A new registry of former employees of the defunct Baie Vert Asbestos Mine in Newfoundland has been created to help identify former mine workers who may have developed asbestos-related diseases and determine their general state of health.

New plan increases inspections, tackles occupational diseases and motor vehicle injuries, and formalizes family involvement in court sentencing
 
With four items on the 10-point occupational health and safety plan completed, the Alberta government is adding four new initiatives to help keep working Albertans safe and healthy.

“Work-related diseases and vehicle incidents are killing more workers than injuries are,” said Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. “It is time we took steps to reduce these work-related fatalities.”
The new initiatives are:

Identifying new ways to reduce work-related motor vehicle incidents - a new best practices guide and e-learning program, Driving for Work: Developing Safe Practices for Employers and Workers, will help employers develop effective safe driving programs for their employees.  

Identifying new ways to reduce work-related diseases - Lukaszuk has instructed Employment and Immigration to establish an occupational disease prevention program.
Formalizing the process to ensure that family input is sought on each and every occasion that involves a creative sentence.

Making the enforcement system even stronger - hiring an additional eight Occupational Health and Safety Officers will bring the total to 102 and will result in a stronger presence on Alberta worksites. 

Lukaszuk launched a 10-point plan for Occupational Health and Safety in July.  He confirmed that as of November 8, four items from that list will have been completed. These include a stronger compliance system, a template for employer records, a website with records of companies and a review of the Work Safe Alberta initiative. On November 8, Lukaszuk will be hosting a forum with a number of industry and labour stakeholders, the first since 2005. The remaining six items are still underway.

A recent Aon survey on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace reveals that over 40 per cent of organizations have senior management teams involved in the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases related to MSDs. Of these, 81 per cent identified repetitive motions as the main risk factor.

Aon conducted the Rapid Ready survey in mid-May where 163 Canadian corporate clients participated.

Musculoskeletal disorders include physical ailments such as lower back pain, joint-related injuries and various forms of repetitive strain injury. MSD-related injuries originating from work-related activities or conditions and not addressed or mitigated properly may easily spell significant cost and productivity issues to employers.

59 per cent of participants believed the risk factors associated with MSDs were addressed at their organization. While 50 per cent of respondents confirm that senior management was not equipped with means to monitor or assess the progress of the prevention of accidents and occupational ailments involving MSDs.

Where plans did exist to proactively address and mitigate MSDs, more than 40 per cent of respondents confirm dealing with identified risk factors and training all current and new employees.

"MSDs represent a major challenge for most companies," says Gilles Normandeau, senior consultant at the firm's Montreal office," Prolonged MSD-related absences have negative impacts on costs and affect a company's ability to deliver competitive business results. Companies should not have to wait for governments to tell them how to act through laws, regulations or guidelines."

Aon Consulting is one of Canada's leading integrated human capital consulting and outsourcing firms. For more information, visit http://aon.ca.