SAFER

Setting a Positive Example for Young Workers

 

Setting a positive example for young workers

Between 2012 and 2016, around 126 young workers were injured daily on the job in B.C. But, a proactive approach from employers is trying to turn the tide.

 

By Jesse Marchand

 

Work can be intimidating for young people, especially when they’re new to the job, or don’t have a lot of experience in the industry. They want to make a good first impression by showing their employers and co-workers that they know what they’re doing.

But, without proper training and support, young workers are at risk of injury. Between 2012 and 2016, more than 32,000 workers aged 15 to 24 were hurt on the job in B.C. Eighteen of those individuals died.

That, quite simply, is unacceptable, says Trudi Rondou, WorkSafeBC senior manager, Industry and Labour Services. “So, together with employers, we’re encouraging young workers to trust their instincts, and, when they have safety concerns, to raise them with their employers. We also want to ensure they know their rights and responsibilities on the job.”

 

“I wish I knew then, what I know now.”

Understanding rights and responsibilities, is something Clint Mahlman, executive vice president and chief operating officer for London Drugs Limited, takes to heart. Two near misses at a B.C. sawmill opened his eyes to the dangers of inadequate training on the job.

“It was a different time and place back in the early ’80s when I started to work. I wish I knew then what I know now about safety,” says Mahlman. “I just about lost my hand due to a crush injury when working in a sawmill as a young maintenance worker, and I saw one of my good friends nearly impaled by a hydraulic ram. Those two things really snapped my attention,” he adds. “We

were never taught lockout procedures.”

Today, Mahlman considers training young workers a top priority at London Drugs. Since 26 percent of injuries in retail involved young workers in 2016, it’s a significant concern. One of the things they are doing is making sure workers understand the health and safety training no matter what their background.

“English isn’t the first language for a lot of our employees,” says Mahlman. Having a coach or co-worker help reinforce a safety message in the worker’s mother tongue helps get the message across.

“It’s also really important for young workers to talk about safety,” he says. “Speaking up to your employer is a very good thing, and quite honestly, if an employer doesn’t value that, you’re working for the wrong place.”

Working toward continuous improvement and innovation in safety

Over in the construction industry, which employs 28,000 young workers in B.C. each year, the risk of serious injury is high. Five young people lost their lives to workplace incidents in this industry in the past five years.

Scott Jacob, co-owner of Jacob Brothers Construction in Surrey, B.C., is determined not to see that happen at his workplace. And he believes that getting young workers to feel comfortable asking questions is key.

“It’s not enough to say safety matters. You have to demonstrate it,” he says. One of the ways they do that is through their innovative Green Hard Hat training program. “The green hard hat identifies them as a new or a young worker,” says Jacob. “We think it makes it easier for young workers to ask for safety help, or receive safety suggestions, from the more experienced workers.” The hard hats are a reminder to not only ask questions, but to really think about the risks before doing something.

Promoting a safety culture

Over at Beedie Construction in Burnaby, B.C., early training and orientation is part of the business model. Eric Jensen, director, construction operations, knows all too well what lack of training on the job can do. In his youth he got an injury at work that he feels to this day.

“I was standing on the edge of an excavation, the bank gave away and I suffered a knee injury that took a fair number of months to recover from,” says Jensen. “It really opened my eyes to the importance of safety.”

So much so that today, Jensen sees safety as a high priority. “In our company it starts from the top,”

he says. “It’s very much in the DNA of the Beedie’s themselves. They’re very proud of what they do and take a great deal of pride in doing it safely.”

Almost 20 percent of workplace accidents involving young workers occur during their first month on the job, so orientation is key, says Beedie.

“An initial orientation provides young workers with information about what we expect from them and how they are expected to work. We then mentor them by providing them with experienced work partners.” Young workers are also encouraged to ask questions, he adds.

Safety is good for business

“There’s a strong connection between safety and productivity,” he says. “We’re not building one building or any one project, we’re building a reputation. I believe very much there’s a competitive advantage to being a safe company.”

Over in Kelowna, B.C., Central Kitchen + Bar has the proof that a safety mindset is good for business. They recently won Best Employer at the 2017 Small Business BC Awards. The hospitality industry employs around 71,000 young workers in B.C., with the most dangerous jobs falling to cooks, kitchen and food service helpers, and fast-food preparers.

“When people start in restaurants, they underestimate the risks of just working an everyday serving shift or bartending shift,” says Central Kitchen co-owner Jared Lee. “We want to encourage staff to ask questions and not feel they’re being judged. It’s important that we create a space where they can really thrive, feel safe,

and just be happy to work.”

Setting a positive example

“At the end of the day it’s our responsibility as owners to make sure we lead the charge for safety,” adds Lee. As an employer who started out as a young worker in the restaurant industry, he knows that setting a positive example is vital.

While employers in B.C. are required by law to train and supervise their workers and ensure their health and safety, Lee, Jacob, Mahlman, and Jensen all agree that health and safety is just the right thing to do. As Scott Jacob says, “When you care about your employees from a safety perspective, you’re telling them in the most sincere of ways that they matter, and that what they do is important.”

 

Article courtesy of WorkSafeBC Magazine - 2017 September-October Edition.

 

 

 

Stand More and Sit Less

 

Stand More and Sit Less

 

Every day, millions of people wake up in the morning, hop in their car and drive to work. Once at work they sit through their work day, and most of their breaks, before getting back into their car and driving home in the evening. Once at home, they prepare dinner, watch some TV and go to bed. This happens five or more days a week, and even on weekends and holidays. This modern lifestyle doesn’t leave much room for physical activity at all.

 

According to Statistics Canada, the average person walks less than half an hour per day – that means they’re sedentary the rest of the time!

 

In fact, 25% of Canadians report that they usually sit most of the day, with 41% claiming that during the workweek they walk for less than an hour. 6 Our U.S. counterparts also reportedly sit for about 10 hours (or more) a day.

 

These problems don’t just happen in adults, however. Children are also at risk!

Westwood Total Health - Coquitlam - Chiropractor - Coquitlam - Kids - Students Sitting for long periods has become a normal part

of everyday life, and it is accepted by most people as a condition of our modern lives. Whether it’s our jobs that require us to sit for long periods, or the length of time we need to commute to work or school, or even the amount of time we spend driving just to go shopping, the result is the same: we are all sitting way too much, and it’s starting to affect our health.

 

Too much sitting is very unhealthy. Scientific research of the human body shows that sitting for too long is associated with obesity and chronic diseases, not to mention a shorter life span. We know that muscle activity keeps the brain stimulated and alert, and stimulates the creation of new brain cells. When we are sedentary for long periods of time, however, the opposite effect can be seen. In fact, chronic inactivity may also re-shape certain neurons, causing confusing signals to be sent to the nervous system. As a result, blood pressure is greatly affected, and can make a person much more susceptible to cardiovascular disease.

 

In addition, there are several orthopedic and chronic health problems that are associated with too much sitting:

 

1. Neck, knee and lower extremity problems: While sitting at a computer, a natural reaction is to hold the head and neck forward. This leads to a strained and painful neck, sore shoulders and a sore back. The legs also weaken over time as the muscles degenerate, which can lead to injury of the knees and ankles. The glutes weaken from disuse, affecting both posture and stride.
2. Poor diaphragm function, and bone and muscle degeneration: Without stimulation from standing, muscles weaken over time. This affects the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles, leading to reduced oxygen intake, or ‘chest breathing’, and compression of the internal organs. Because weight bearing activities strengthen bones and increase their density, a lack of activity can cause osteoporosis and weakened bones.
3. Pelvic floor, hip, shoulder and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ): Studies show a very strong correlation between jaw angle, pelvic alignment and the lower back. Postural issues and injuries in one area not only cause pain, they also impact muscle groups in other areas; it is a chain reaction. For example if the left side of the jaw has tight muscles, the right side of the hip will also be tight. Incorrect pelvic alignment and tight hip muscles can be caused by sitting for prolonged periods of time, which decreases the flexibility of the hips and causes tightening of the hip flexor muscles.
4. Lower back pain and hernias: Sitting, especially when hunched forward, puts more pressure on the lower spine than standing. The vertebral disks are compressed, and there is reduced blood and fluid circulation in the spine which leads to stiffness and loss of flexibility. Sitting excessively while hunched over also increases the risk of herniated disks in your back, because of the increase in intradiscal pressure  compared to how much pressure the vertebras experience while in a standing position, hunching while sitting increases the pressure by 400%!
5. Organ damage: Being sedentary causes slower blood flow and reduced fat burning, which leads to a greater risk of heart disease. The pancreas is also affected, because sitting for too long causes it to produce too much insulin, leading to diabetes. It may also contribute to breast, colon and endometrial cancers due to increased insulin production, weight gain or a decrease in antioxidant production in the body. The cancer link, however, is still being researched, and is unconfirmed at the time this article was published.
6. Varicose veins: Sitting not only decreases circulation, it also increases fluid pressure in your lower body, causing blood to pool in your lower extremities. Swollen ankles, varicose veins and even blood clots (a.k.a. Deep vein thrombosis or DVT) are a big risk factor with prolonged sitting.

Small changes every day will lead to a healthier body down the road.

 

Getting up from a sitting position approximately every 30 minutes can drastically improve your health. Studies show that as soon as you get up from sitting, a chain of reactions occur in your body. Most notably, within 90 seconds of standing up the systems in your body that are responsible for controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides are activated. These effects occur from simple muscle activation from carrying your body weight, and decrease your risk of obesity and diabetes Type 2.

 

If you’re used to sitting upwards of 6 hours a day, make small changes to alter this behavior, rather than ditching your chair altogether. By making these small changes, you’ll be increasing your movement during the day, thereby increasing the amount of time you spend standing.

 

• Look into getting an adjustable desk that allows for standing.
• Use an exercise ball to engage your core muscles instead of your regular office chair.
• Stretch your hip flexors, hamstrings and calves regularly.
• Incorporate yoga into your routine. Yoga is excellent for reducing stress, and improving the flexibility and function of your spine and extremities.
• Exercise consistently. If you’re short on time, try Burst Fitness!

One of the most important things we can do to ensure the health of our spines is to see a Chiropractor. Having your spine checked for postural issues and/ or misaligned vertebrae (subluxation) can help get your spine functioning optimally. This in turn helps to reduce the wear and tear on your spine. A healthy spine also helps to ensure proper nerve flow, which is essential for health in all areas of your body.

 

This wellness article is courtesy of WESTWOOD TOTAL HEALTH

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