Young Worker Awareness

Did you know that most injuries among new workers happen within the first year of employment?

Education is the key to preventing these costly work-related injuries:

The Occupational Health and Safety Act gives minimum requirements to protect everyone from health and safety hazards on the job. The three main rights you need to be aware of are:

The Right To Know

You have the right to know. Your employer must inform you of any known hazards in your workplace, and provide training so you can work safely. The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Regulation (WHMIS) is one important part of your right to know. It gives you the information you need to work safely with materials used in your workplace.

The Right To Participate

You have the right to participate in health and safety issues in your workplace. You can be a member of a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) in your workplace where there are 20 or more regularly employed workers. If there are between 6 and 19 regularly employed workers, you can be a health and safety representative.

The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

You have the right to refuse work that you believe is dangerous to your health or safety, or the health or safety of another worker.

Identifying Workplace Hazards

Whether you are flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant, entering data into a computer in an office, hauling drywall in construction, or checking out groceries at the local supermarket - every job has its own set of hazards. It is important to be able to identify these hazards, and to know your rights and duties when you run into them.

Some hazards can cause immediate injury. For example, you could be burned by a hot oven or slip on a wet floor. You could get splashed by a chemical, such as sulfuric acid or ammonia, and sustain a burn. Burns, cuts, muscle strains, and broken bones are acute injuries you can feel as soon as the accident happens.

Not all hazards are so obvious and take time to develop. For example, if you work with some hazardous chemicals, the damage that occurs within your body may not be noticed right away. You could injure yourself doing jobs like lifting boxes, stocking shelves, or repetitive actions like scanning items at a checkout counter.

Top Five Causes of Injuries:

• Slips and falls
• Over-exertion
• Struck by, or against, an object
• Bodily reaction (toxic effects from chemicals)
• Burns

Five Most Common Injuries:

• Sprains and strains (including back injuries)
• Soft tissue injuries (cuts, punctures, bruises)
• Bone fractures
• Inflammation of joints
• Burns or scalds

Hazards to Watch Out For:

      Chemical

• Liquids (e.g. office supplies, cleaning products, paints, acids)
• Vapors and fumes (e.g. welding fumes, toluene)
• Gases (e.g. oxygen, acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide)
• Flammable, combustible, and explosive materials

      Physical

• Electricity
• Noise and vibration
• Heat & cold
• Dust & fibers
• Radiation
• Exposed moving machinery parts

      Biological

• Improperly stored medical waste
• Mould, fungus, and mildew
• Bacteria & viruses
• Plants (e.g. poison ivy)
• Insect stings
• Animal bites

      Ergonomic

• Workstation layout
• Work surfaces
• Chairs
• Lifting
• Repetitive movements
• Posture

Knowing How to Protect Yourself

First Aid

The First Aid Regulation of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act tells you what to do if you get hurt or sick while you're on the job. All the steps listed below must be followed so that the WSIB gets the information it needs as a result of your injury or illness. It is very important that you tell your supervisor about any injury or illness as soon as possible after it happens, and that you file the claim yourself. If you are under the age of 16, a parent or guardian must sign for the release of your functional abilities information.

In all cases of injury or illness you must:

• Seek health care treatment right away.
• Tell your supervisor about any injury.
• Tell your supervisor about any illness or condition that you believe happened because of work.
• File a claim with the WSIB.
• Choose your own doctor. Once you have chosen, you may not change doctors without the permission of the WSIB.
• Fill out and return all WSIB forms right away.
• Cooperate in your health care treatment and safe return to work.
• Within 10 days, report any changes you may have in any other sources of income, your return to work status or your medical condition.

How to Report an Injury:

• Employer's Report of Injury (Form 7): Filled out by your boss and you, and sent to the WSIB.
• Physician's Initial Report of Injury (Form 8): Sent to the WSIB by your doctor after examining you.
• Worker's Initial Report of Injury (Form 6): Sent to you by the WSIB if you do not file the claim on the Form 7.

Statistics: Top 5 Critical Injuries:

• Broken bones
• Severe loss of blood
• Head injuries
• Amputation
• Severe burns or scalds

How to protect yourself after an injury:

• Always report an injury to your employer
• If able, approve and sign the Form 7 or file the claim directly with the WSIB
• Let your doctor check your injury or illness