TORONTO, Ont. – The corporate safety manager of Ontario’s Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) is seeking a peace bond in court against a Windsor man who has allegedly been posting harassing and threatening comments about him and the Board on Facebook. A two-day court hearing between Frank Brunato, the WSIB manager, and Mike Spencer began on March 17. The comments reportedly appeared in an anti-WSIB Facebook community called “Wsib [sic] KILLS People”, which charges that the provincial workers’ compensation board treats disabled workers unfairly and is morally responsible for past deaths by stress, suicide and other causes. “The WSIB takes the safety and security of its employees very seriously,” WSIB public-relations specialist Christine Arnott told COHSN. “As this matter is before the courts, we cannot comment further.” On March 22, Spencer posted on the Facebook page that the hearing would continue on April 21.
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Chemical leak at pigment factory sparks evacuations
VARENNES, Que. – Several homes in the Montreal area were temporarily evacuated on the morning of March 21, after a leak of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) occurred in the chloride process unit of a Kronos Canada pigment-manufacturing plant in Varennes. The company, which creates a whitening agent called titanium dioxide, estimated in a press release that about three cubic metres of TiCl4 had spilled in the production unit at approximately 10:00 a.m. that day. The release added that the leak had resulted in no injuries or contamination to any Kronos employees and that the situation was under control. “Kronos Canada has implemented all usual environmental emergency and safety rules and procedures,” the company said, adding that it was “working in cooperation with the environmental and municipal authorities to take all appropriate measures to protect the population and the environment.” Three plant workers and two local residents received medical treatment following the leak, according to media reports.
Public-service employees rally nationwide against sick-leave changes
NATIONAL – Federal public-service workers across the nation came together in various municipalities on March 19, to protest against the government’s proposed changes to a sick-leave policy. Organized by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and its provincial and territorial branches, the nationwide rally included events in several cities in every province. “We are coming together to call for a stronger public service for all Canadians,” PSAC national president Robyn Benson said in a press statement on the day before the rallies. “We all reject the Treasury Board’s ‘Go to Work Sick’ plan. Instead, we want to negotiate measures for healthier workplaces.” Background information from the union noted that all federal public-service collective agreements were up for renewal and that cutbacks had led to unhealthy work environments and poor morale among PSAC members. Mental-health claims had been rising in public-service work, and the government had been ignoring buildings in poor shape and toxic workplaces, the PSAC said. The union represents more than 170,000 public-service workers in Canada.
WorkSafeBC launches safety initiative for tractors and farm equipment
WorkSafeBC is taking steps to address occupational injuries and fatalities related to farm equipment. The organization has launched the WorkSafeBC Tractor and Equipment Safety Initiative, which provides free safety information to farm workers in British Columbia.
The launch of the new initiative on March 16 coincided with Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (COHSN, March 10). The project involves distributing public safety resources from equipment dealers and repairers directly to employers, as well as at agricultural conferences and through agricultural-commodity associations. In addition, WorkSafeBC has a new tractor and equipment safety web page that includes downloadable PDF files, one with frequently asked questions about tractor safety and another with a machine safety checklist, in four languages.
WorkSafeBC has also produced a short video, Tractor Rollovers, which demonstrates the lifesaving values of wearing seatbelts and using rollover protective structures (ROPS) when operating tractors.
“Tractor and farm-related-equipment incidents are the leading cause of fatalities on BC farms and ranches,” said Joy Piehl, WorkSafeBC’s manager of industry and labour services. “Since 2009, there have been 145 equipment and machinery-related serious injuries on BC farms and ranches – 11 of them fatal.”
Piehl added that farm injuries and deaths can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of the victim’s age or level of experience. “The key to safety is to take preventive steps to identify and control the hazards associated with the operation of the farm-related machinery.”
Among the questions answered in the two-page downloadable FAQ document: “When it comes to tractors, what hazards should I be aware of?” and “Are there situations when a tractor can be used without ROPS?” WorkSafeBC’s safety checklist includes both employers’ and workers’ responsibilities.
WorkSafeBC has been putting a face on the potential dangers of tractors and farm equipment by promoting the story of Devon Smith, a young woman who was hospitalized after an accident with a drilling device on her family’s farm in Enderby. Smith was helping her father repair a fence when her jacket became entangled in the tractor’s power takeoff (PTO); she was then thrown around and crushed against the augur and the PTO. Fortunately, an ambulance was in the area, and Smith was rushed to the hospital immediately.
“I don’t remember the accident itself; I became unconscious rather quickly,” Smith told COHSN. “I had about 13 broken or fractured bones in my body, a separated right lung and a laceration in my neck that caused my carotid artery to collapse, causing a stroke on the left side of my body.”
Smith spent three weeks, including her 21st birthday, in the intensive-care unit. Today, she attends regular follow-up appointments with doctors and undergoes physiotherapy. “The doctors are all amazed with how well I’ve been able to come through this,” she said. “I have been very lucky.”
She advises fellow farm workers to treat every use of farm machinery as if it’s the first time. “When you’re using it for the first time, you’re more aware of what you are doing and you’re not taking shortcuts,” she noted. “Be very aware of what you’re doing and keep in mind how easily something can go wrong if you’re not paying attention.
“And you should always have your hair tied back and be wearing properly fitting clothing. All those little things can really save your life.”
As a victim, Smith commended WorkSafeBC’s new initiative, saying that tractor and equipment safety “is a very crucial subject to promote and very important to our communities.”
“People continue to be seriously injured or killed by tractors and farm-related equipment every year,” said Piehl. “Devon Smith’s experience is just one tragic example.”
WorkSafeBC’s FAQ list about working safely with tractors is available online at http://www2.worksafebc.com/pdfs/agriculture/tractors_faq.pdf, and its machine safety checklist is at http://www2.worksafebc.com/pdfs/agriculture/equipment_machinery_safety_checklist.pdf.
Bus driver reports gunshot fired at vehicle
HALIFAX, N.S. – The Halifax Regional Police (HRP) has been investigating a report that an unidentified man may have fired a shot from a firearm at a Metro Transit bus shortly after midnight on the morning of March 18. The driver of the bus told police that the suspect, who was driving a red or burgundy truck with a yellow light on the roof, had cut off the bus at a roundabout, then pulled over by the curb. The transit driver then heard what sounded like a gunshot from the car at the bus. The report described the alleged shooter as a white male in his 30s, who was wearing a yellow vest, dark pants and a jacket at the time; the truck reportedly had a salt preader at the back and a yellow plow at the front. HRP officers checked the area of the reported offence, but came up empty. The police investigation was ongoing as of COHSN press time.
National Energy Board investigating TransCanada over safety violations
Following a series of whistleblower allegations about safety-code violations involving natural-gas pipelines, the National Energy Board (NEB) has begun an investigation into the practices of TransCanada Corp.
NEB spokesperson Darin Barter confirmed that the corporation was being probed, but could not provide specific details, due in part to an obligation to keep the whistleblower anonymous. Reuters reported on March 19 that the allegations included poor repair work, inept welding and failure to report important safety issues, but Barter could not confirm this.
“Both the whistleblower and the NEB, we both agree that there are no public-safety or environmental concerns brought forward, but certainly some allegations that warranted investigation for compliance with regulations,” Barter said. “They’re unproven claims at this point.
“I can’t say much because it is under investigation,” he added.
The NEB notified TransCanada of the allegations on Feb. 27, according to Mark Cooper, a spokesperson for the company.
“None posed either an immediate or long-term threat to the public or our assets,” said Cooper, referring to the allegations. “Nonetheless, each and every allegation we receive is taken seriously.”
Cooper added that while TransCanada didn’t know the identity of the whistleblower, many of these allegations had already been raised and investigated internally. “We are working diligently to gather all of the relevant information to address each of these allegations for the NEB. We share the NEB’s focus on protecting the safety of the public, our workers and the environment, and we are working as quickly as possible on this process to provide information.”
This isn’t the first time that Canada’s national energy regulator has investigated TransCanada over safety concerns. Last year alone, the NEB received eight complaints from individuals across the country. In 2012, a TransCanada engineer named Evan Vokes left the company after raising a series of allegations regarding risk assessment, inspections and management review; these allegations led to a major NEB audit.
“We do encourage people to bring these allegations forward,” said Barter. “We do investigate every one of them, and every one is taken seriously.”
Cooper maintained that TransCanada also took safety concerns seriously and had an industry-leading record to back up the claim. He cited an incident rate of 0.114 per thousand kilometres of pipeline per year, which he said was lower than the average incident rates in Canada and all of Europe.
“TransCanada has spent an average of $900 million per year over the last three years on pipeline integrity and preventative-maintenance programs,” said Cooper. “We invested more than $90 million over the last five years in research and development related to pipeline safety technologies and $38 million in 2014 alone.” The company is planning to perform 150 inline pipeline inspections this year, he added.
If TransCanada fails to comply with safety regulations, it could face one of a wide range of penalties, including monetary fines and/or shutdown of a facility or pipeline, Barter explained.
“There’s varying degrees of enforcement that we can apply, and we will, if it’s warranted,” he said. “It could go up as high as we determine we need to go. It could be something more simple and correctable, such as an action plan.” For example, the NEB could demand that TransCanada correct a series of safety issues within 30 days, Barter noted.
Cooper said that the corporation already dealt with safety concerns on its own. “We encourage employees to feel comfortable reporting any breaches and retain an independent company to log and track incidents,” he said. “Should anyone be uncomfortable speaking to any of these resources or prefer to remain anonymous, the Ethics Help Line is another resource for reporting or seeking guidance.
“We will not tolerate anything that undermines the safety and reliability of our facilities.”
Unifor Local 100 approves new agreements with CN Rail
WINNIPEG, Man. – The Unifor branch representing workers in charge of inspections, maintenance and repairs on rail cars and locomotives has voted to accept a new deal with Canadian National Rail (CN). Local 100 – based in Winnipeg, but covering railway employees nationally – ratified six new agreements with CN by a vote of 79 per cent in favour, the union announced in a press release on March 18. The local reached the agreements with CN on Feb. 23, in time to avoid a lockout, Unifor added. The new deal includes wage increases over the next four years, enhanced benefits, stronger job security and apprenticeship ratios, the re-establishment of a joint health and safety committee and provisions for new jobs and in-sourced work; the union and CN will also collaborate to fund initiatives for women and aboriginal workers. “This agreement showed that we were able to chart our own pattern at CN and not simply accept what had already been negotiated by other unions,” said Local 100 president Ken Hiatt, as quoted in the release. “We were able to resolve the concerns that our members at CN have raised and improve their conditions at work.” About 4,800 CN employees are Unifor members, according to the union.
TSB demands better tank cars following derailments
As the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has continued to investigate three recent Canadian National (CN) derailments in Northern Ontario, Board chair Kathy Fox has spoken out, stating that a higher standard of tank cars for carrying dangerous goods is an urgent matter that Transport Canada (TC) needs to address now.
“I am reiterating my concern expressed in letters I sent to both the Minister of Transport and the Acting Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in the United States in October,” Fox said in a press statement on March 17, “in which I urged TC and its U.S. counterparts to adopt the highest possible standards for tank cars carrying flammable liquids and replace or retrofit existing tank cars as soon as practicable, so that they meet new standards.”
Fox’s statement came as the TSB released an update on its ongoing investigation into the derailment near Gogama, Ontario on March 7. The braking of an eastbound CN train, hauling 94 Class 111 tank cars full of petroleum crude, caused 39 of the cars to derail and catch fire. There were no injuries, fatalities or evacuations, but it took nearly three days to extinguish all of the fires (COHSN, March 17).
According to the TSB update, all but three of the derailed cars sustained significant damage that released enough crude to erupt into a pool fire. “Initial impressions are that these Class 111 tank cars performed similarly to those involved in the Lac-Mégantic accident,” the TSB wrote, referring to the disaster that killed 47 people in Quebec in July 2013.
“The TSB has been pointing out the vulnerability of Class 111 tank cars for many years, and the Board has called for tougher standards for all Class 111 tank cars,” the TSB added in the update. “In Lac-Mégantic, investigators found that even at lower speeds, the unprotected Class 111 tank cars ruptured.”
The update acknowledged that TC had announced a new tank-car standard, TC-117, which is expected to use thicker, stronger steel, jacketed thermal protection, full-height head shields, top fittings protection and improved bottom outlet valves. But the TSB expressed concern about the implementation timeline for the new cars.
“If older tank cars… are not phased out sooner, then the regulator and industry need to take more steps to reduce the risk of derailments or consequences following a derailment carrying flammable liquids,” the TSB wrote.
Provincial politicians have also spoken out about the risks. On March 14, Ontario Transport Minister Steven Del Duca and Quebec Transport Minister Robert Poeti sent a joint letter to federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, urging her to take immediate action.
“There have been a number of very serious train derailments,” the ministers’ letter read. “We urge the federal government to further strengthen safety practices on rail lines, particularly for the transportation of hazardous and flammable goods, especially crude oil and ethanol.”
In addition to their vulnerability to punctures and ruptures, the Class 111 cars involved in both the March 7 incident and the nearby Feb. 14 derailment lacked a thermal-protection system, the TSB noted. “Until a more robust tank car standard with enhanced protection for all tank cars transporting flammable liquids is implemented for North America, the risk will remain,” the Board wrote.
“Canadians expect their government to ensure that the risks posed by the transportation of flammable liquids are minimized to the greatest extent possible,” said Fox.
Labour Minister meets with trucking association
HALIFAX, N.S. – Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Canada’s Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, commended Nova Scotia’s trucking sector for its devotion to health and safety during a visit with members of the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association (NSTSA) on March 16. Dr. Leitch, the NSTSA and employees of Atlantic Tiltload Limited discussed best practices for improving oh&s standards in the industry, in such areas as leadership, mental health and opportunities for women. She also urged the Atlantic Tiltload workers to collaborate with their employers in turning their workplace into an environment that promotes both physical and mental well-being. “Promoting employment equity and workplace health and safety – including mental wellness – is a shared responsibility,” Dr. Leitch said in a press release following the meeting. “That’s why we work with… employer and employee organizations to continue finding ways to make workplaces more inclusive and to prevent workplace injuries.” NSTSA executive director Linda Corkum said in a press statement that keeping N.S. trucking employees injury-free was the association’s top goal.
Infrastructure Health and Safety Association receives Chalmers Award
The Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) has given its annual Doug Chalmers Award to Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) president and CEO Al Beattie and his team. The award, which goes to an individual or group that has contributed notably to occupational health and safety in the Ontario construction sector, was presented to recognize Beattie’s leadership in the oh&s field and his commitment to developing safety solutions in the industry, particularly his staunch advocacy for the Certificate of Recognition (COR) standard. In 2010, Beattie and his team successfully merged the IHSA with the Construction Safety Association of Ontario, the Electrical & Utilities Association and the Transportation Health & Safety Association. Previous recipients of the Doug Chalmers Award include Aecon vice president Mike Archambault and former Construction Safety Solutions safety specialist Dan Padden, according to the OGCA’s website.