On July 1, 2019, the amended regulation came into effect for Regulation 851 - Industrial Establishments. The changes update workplace health and safety requirements to industrial establishments, which includes, offices, factories, arenas, and shops.

The amendments will allow establishments to:

• Allow the use of alternative procedures, if the workers' health and safety is protected to the same level or better;
• Allow workers to wear personal flotation devices instead of lifejackets when appropriate; and
• Allows the use of antidotes, flushing fluids or washes instead of eyewash fountains or emergency showers, where appropriate, to prevent permanent injury to the eyes or skin.

For more information regard these amendments, click here.

As an employer and/or supervisor, you are responsible for ensuring that your workers remain safe during all aspects of their job, including driving. Ensure that your workers know when to stop and when not to stop for a school bus, the distance that should remain between the bus and vehicles and what the penalties are for not following these rules.

Drivers can be charged if they pass a stopped school bus with its upper red lights flashing:

• First offence: $400 to $2000 and six demerit points
• Each following offence: $1000 to $4000, six demerit points and possible jail time (up to six months)

Vehicle owners can be charged if their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus, even if they weren't driving. Therefore, it is especially important that employees driving your company-owned vehicles follow the rules of the road.

For information on school bus safety, visit the Ministry of Transportation's page by clicking here.

KFLA Public Health recently surveyed 1000 homes in the Kingston area and found that over half of the homes tested had higher levels of radon than the recommended guidelines as stated by Health Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that

comes

from the breakdown of uranium in rocks and soils. It has no taste or smell and is invisible. The health unit says that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada, after tobacco smoke.

 

KFLA Public Health is urging those in the Kingston area to test for radioactive gas, mitigation techniques can significantly reduce the concentration of radon. They will begin selling radon testing kits starting in November, since tests are the most accurate during the colder months.

 

For information on radon in Kingston area homes, click here. 

Starting in October, Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions will be offering Safe Food Handlers Certification Training, with our in-house trainer Holly Jacques.

Under Regulation 493/17 the Health Protection and Promotion Act, every food service premise (any place where meals or meal portions are prepared and/or served for consumption on premise) must have at least one certified food handler, on site during operating hours of the premise.

Whether you're hiring new staff for your establishment or you think it's time that your veteran staff refresh their knowledge of safe food handling procedures, encourage your employees to work together as they learn the safe and proper way to handle food and establish your business' reputation of cleanliness and food safety.

We will be offering full day training sessions that can be held at your location for you and your team of 10 or more participants or enroll individual employees to attend training sessions at our office. The training program concludes with all participants being required to successfully complete the food handler exam.

Successful participants will earn a Full Food Handler Certificate which is valid for 5 years and accepted by all public health units in Ontario.

Please refer to our website for more information and upcoming training dates.

Disciplining an employee can be a confusing and tricky task, but adhering to the following steps can ensure that you are meeting the requirements of the provincial Employment Standards Act and that you have the needed documentation in place to ensure that you, as a Supervisor are following the appropriate steps to terminate an employee:

1. Verbal Warning
2. Written Warning
3. Written Warning
4. Final Warning (may include a suspension)
5. Termination (pay and/or notice period is according to the Employment Standards Act)