Ergonomics

It is common for office workers to experience wrist and elbow pain from working long hours on a computer each day. The discomfort arises from frequently using a mouse with an awkward posture. To ensure your wrist remains in the “right” posture, follow this tip: Hold your arm out as if you are about to shake […]

It’s shaping up to be a big year for hazard communication in Canada. Health Canada’s alignment between GHS and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS 2015) is scheduled for completion during 2018. The June 1 compliance deadline for suppliers is just around the corner, with deadlines for distributors and employers following shortly after. If […]

Laptops are rapidly replacing traditional computing stations in the workplace due to an increase in the number of remote workers and a heavier emphasis on mobility. However, with a more portable and compact computer comes a new set of ergonomics challenges; follow these four tips to help you address them Laptop users tend to position […]

As 2017 draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to recap OSHA and Health Canada’s regulatory activities regarding GHS, HazCom 2012 and WHMIS 2015 that have occurred this year. Let’s take a look back at what has happened, and paint a picture for the future of hazard communication.  OSHA’s Top 10 List – OSHA […]

On November 17, Health Canada published its Policy on Managing Incomplete Claims for Exemption Filed under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA). The new policy is intended to prevent confidential business information (CBI) claims from being held up in the review process due to missing or incomplete claim information. Upon formal notice of incomplete […]

Record flooding in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, has caused a slew of secondary health and safety hazards. Among these issues is the high risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals in contaminated flood waters, including lead, arsenic, benzene, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. With damage to chemical manufacturing facilities, […]

“Do you recommend that my ergonomics teams be cross-functional? Or does that dilute the team’s focus?” We get this question often. There are several considerations here. Before creating a team, you first want to think about its purpose, which is to conduct risk assessments, identify solutions, and lead improvement efforts. The team should also be […]

October is National Ergonomics Month, and it’s the perfect time for employers everywhere to take a step back and revisit their ergonomic programs, especially in workplaces where ergonomic risks might not be so easy to see. You may think you don’t have to worry about workplace ergonomics because you’re not seeing the immediate costs and […]

In an effort to generate greater awareness and prevention of workplace musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and other ergonomics-related injuries and illnesses, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) along with occupational safety and health organizations around the world are celebrating October as Global Ergonomics Month. The Workers Health & Safety Centre of Ontario (WHSC) estimates the total […]

Unprecedented flooding in the Corpus Christi and Houston/Galveston Bay areas caused by Hurricane Harvey has left businesses, residents and first responders in one of the nation’s largest petroleum and chemical processing regions with more to worry about than rising waters. Secondary effects of the flooding have created high risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals in […]