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Steps for Life 2022: A Walk for Workplace Injuries

5/25/2022

 
Picture- Amanda Wood, Community Relations Coordinator
  • On May 1st, the annual Steps for Life fundraising and support walk took place in Regina, SK. Community members gathered to show their support to those families and friends who have had a loved one involved in a workplace injury. The Steps for Life walk brings community members together to change the future for all those who have been affected by a workplace tragedy. The Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support, known as Threads for Life, offers support to the healing journey of families who have been impacted by a workplace fatality, traumatic life-changing injury, or occupational disease.

​Derek Wold, Committee Chair of Steps for Life, shared that their goal for donations was increased three times, and that the Regina area campaign progress raised over $5,000!

​The Saskatchewan Safety Council was on location to show support and volunteer at the t-shirt table. Our organization understands the mission of Steps for Life, and we’re proud to support the valuable and meaningful services and resources that Steps for Life has to offer.
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Before the walk began, we heard from Michelle and Jerry Sprackman, two parents who lost their son Cade to a workplace incident in 2015. They travelled to Regina from their home in Hudson Bay, SK to be present with everyone at the Regina Steps for Life walk. They expressed the importance of safety training and why respecting safe practices is an essential part of participating in the workplace. Michelle spoke about the benefits of the forums offered by Steps for Life, and how that support from other families who are grieving and attempting to heal helped Michelle and Jerry on their healing path after Cade passed away. Cade was only 18 years old and died 3 weeks into his job at a new workplace.
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Amanda Wood, Community Relations Coordinator, and Rory McCusker, New Media Specialist, representing the SSC at the Steps for Life event.
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Amanda Wood, her husband Brady, and family members join together for the 2022 Steps for Life walk.
​Chief of The Regina City Police, Evan Bray, shared remarks about the event and showed his support, explaining why Regina is proud to support Steps for Life and showed appreciation for the hard work they have done to provide support and services for the grieving families of Saskatchewan.
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Shortly after 11:00 am, at Wascana Park, the Steps for Life walk began. Everyone was showing their support, wearing their Steps for Life t-shirts, and walking together to complete the 5-kilometer walk. The walk is aimed to educate the community and how we can work together to prevent injuries and fatalities from happening in the workplace, and to remember those who we lost in a workplace incident. 
​Every day, there are 3 workers who die in Canada resulting from a workplace incident, which every year leaves over 1,000 families to heal and try to live on without their loved ones. If you were unable to attend this year, we hope to see you next year! The Steps for Life walk takes place across Canada, and in Saskatchewan, the annual fundraising walks are held in Regina and Saskatoon. We invite you to learn more about Steps for Life and welcome you to join us and continue to offer support to these families suffering and help us to prevent these incidents from happening altogether.
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Wascana Park hosts this charity fundraiser and support walk in Regina.

Moto-Mindset: Spring Psych-Out

5/20/2022

 
​​“I didn’t even see them!” are the classic words spoken following a 4-wheel on 2-wheel collision. After so many variations of the ‘unseen motorcycle’ story have been repeated by so many drivers after collisions, it’s time to ask the question – Why can’t other drivers see motorcycles in traffic?
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The first and foremost reason may be a result of habit. In the spring, motorcycles are not a fixed presence on Saskatchewan roads. Many "caged" drivers have not shared the road with motorcycles for over 5-6 months. Simply put, the 4-wheeler's subconscious mind may have forgotten that the 2-wheelers even exist.
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While that may explain some bad springtime habits, the mystery of the unseen motorcycle remains at large all season long. So, what else could be causing this lack of awareness? Let's look at some factors that seem to hide bikers from the eyes (and minds) of other Saskatchewan drivers.

Selective attention: Brains set to ‘driving mode’ are looking for obstacles. Many young drivers train themselves to scan for car and truck shaped objects - a habit that does not account for slender, two wheeled objects.

The solution? Be as visible as possible. Break through the visual bias that keeps you in the background. Honk, wave, and wear bright colours.

Peripheral blindness: The average peripheral vision is weak at best, and is geared towards movement. With the average driver looking for box-like vehicles, that leaves motorcycles to get lost in the blur.

The solution? Appeal to peripheral vision with movement. Hand waves, head nods, gentle speed variation. Stand out however possible.

Blind spots: Not just applicable to rear mirrors and big fluffy dice, those pillars surrounding the windshield can already obscure a full-sized vehicle… Think of how completely a motorcycle gets swallowed up in these additional blind spots.

The solution? Recognize when you are approaching a vehicle at the 10 or 2 o’clock positions, knowing that you may be obscured. Avoid lingering in rear gates that might fall into blind spots.

Headlights: A motorcycle’s single headlight is more likely to be passed over and ignored, as it does not ‘match’ the two-beam headlights a driver is expecting to see on the road. 4-wheel vehicles with burnt out headlights experience the same effect – they don’t match the ‘normal’ form of a vehicle, so other motorists mysteriously don’t register their presence.

The solution? Keep your headlights on bright in the daytime. Keep them clean and maintained at all times.

Sunlight: Both fighter pilots and birds of prey attack “out of the sun”. Why? Because contrast (shadow) stands out more than anything when registering new objects. The difference is, these attackers want to be hidden, motorcyclists should not.

The solution? Notice your shadow. If your shadow is pointing down road, those cars are having trouble seeing you! Avoid wearing black, grey or other background colours.

Familiarity: More than 50% of collisions occur within 8km of the home, and 25% occur within the first 3 minutes of driving. These familiar roads close to home get neglected by drivers feeling a false sense of security.
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The solution? Don’t fall for this yourself! Those last few turns before arriving home may tempt the mind to wander. Stay vigilant from start to finish.
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At the end of the day, it is up to each rider to take safety into their own hands. As we learn the psychology behind this spring 'psych-out' that plagues many drivers during the early riding season, we can help remind drivers that yes, motorcycles exist, and yes, we are back for another year of sharing the road.

Agriculture Safety Spotlight - Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) Application Tips for The Producer

5/17/2022

 
Nitrogen fertilizer usage in Western Canada has increased from 1.6 Million Tonnes to nearly 2.3 Million tonnes in the last decade, and Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) makes up a large portion of this increase.
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Photo: An Anhydrous Ammonia transport truck operated by Federated Cooperatives Limited.
Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) is the richest form of nitrogen available for producers. As a fertilizer, it provides essential nitrogen for plants. It is safe to work with NH3 as long as it is stored, transported, and handled properly. Before working with Anhydrous Ammonia, ask your retailer to explain the step-by-step procedures for NH3 application.

Fertilizer Canada recommends these precautions for working with NH3:
  1. Always work from an upwind position.
  2. Secure the tank when product is being transferred to avoid it rolling away. Use wheel chocks on the nurse wagon, or secure it to application equipment if the transfer is being done in field.
  3. Put on your required personal protective equipment (i.e. full-face respirator, one/two piece ammonia resistant suit, neoprene gloves, and proper foot wear).
  4. Make sure an ample supply of fresh water is available (minimum 20 litres).
  5. Check that additional non-vented goggles, gloves, and a water bottle, are in the tank’s safety kit.
  6. Always handle all hoses by the valve body, not the valve wheel.
  7. Ensure that bleed valves are closed before opening the main valves, and that they are open prior to disconnecting the couplings.
  8. Inspect all hoses before use for cuts, cracks or abrasions. Verify the hose inspection status and hose service date range.
  9. Inspect all fittings and gauges before each use.
  10. Inspect the nurse wagon running gear such as wheels and tires before each use.
  11. Inspect the nurse wagon and applicator hitch for cracks and signs of fatigue, and for the presence of good safety chains.
  12. Inspect the nurse wagon for tank mounting bolts and for stress cracks in the frame.
  13. Make sure all hitch pins are properly rated, are in good condition, and have safety pins.

Looking for more Agriculture Safety Resources to share with new & young workers?

Michelle Reaburn Brings Full-Time Council Presence to Saskatoon

5/12/2022

 
Leading the Council's vehicle and traffic training in Saskatoon is Michelle Reaburn, a long-time instructor and traffic safety specialist. In-person training gets a boost in the bridge city as Michelle teaches the Defensive Driving Course, which is always in high demand. Michelle delivers higher level training such as the Professional Driver Improvement Course, while also performing in-car driver assessments in Saskatoon. Michelle shares her story below.
PictureMichelle Reaburn performing an in-vehicle assessment in Saskatoon, SK

​My background is in transportation. I started as a driver, moved into training, and then on to facilitation within the transportation industry. My focus has always been passenger safety and road safety.

Over the last 15 years, I’ve expanded into developing and facilitating “Respectful Workplace” and “Leadership within the Workplace” courses.

I have been teaching the Canada Safety Council's DDC and PDIC courses since 2014. In 2015, I was contracted by the Saskatchewan Safety Council to facilitate the SGI Defensive Driving course in Saskatoon. Driver Assessments were added into my responsibilities shortly after that.
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Since coming onboard full-time with the Council my portfolio has expanded to include “15 Passenger Van Safety” and “Trailer Towing”. “Skid Smart Collision Avoidance” and FIT testing are soon to be added. I am also on a couple of teams dedicated to the development of Council programming. I am really excited about this new opportunity and getting to know everyone.

Training courses are hosted as open enrollment on our training calendar, with many more available upon request. View our traffic training courses to find the right fit for you.

Aerial Work Platforms: What Are the Risks?

5/10/2022

 
Aerial Work Platforms are an extremely useful tool for any construction/industrial worksite. They allow workers to gain access to areas without the use of the deadly ladder. They are very smooth to operate and usually allow more than one worker to operate within them. With the right training and practice, they are the cat’s meow.

In training, you learn one of the most dangerous actions when operating them is moving, repositioning, or travelling with them (Driving). Due to the design, what may look like a bit of a bump for the machine, turns into a massive bump for whomever may be within or on them.
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Utilizing fall protection equipment that RESTRAINS a worker within the platform is essential. This includes the use of a fall protection harness, a short lanyard, and a complete connection to the anchor point on the lift. In this case... there was obviously not so much of a complete connection.
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Does your operation work at heights? Do your employees know how to inspect a fall protection set up to ensure its proper operation? Our fall protection courses range from entry level to supervisor and inspector level training. By training with us, you support injury prevention efforts across Saskatchewan.​

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