Midsouthwest Health and Safety Training & Consulting

Defining Confined Spaces Silos, manure pits, and water supply towers. Do you know what they have in common? It’s not a trick question. Silos, manure pits, water towers certainly don’t store the same products, but they do share a commonality: they’re confined spaces.... The only way to determine if a space is confined is to evaluate it To determine whether your workplace has confined spaces, you must be familiar with the definition of confined space. The only way to determine if a space is confined is to evaluate it: Is the space fully or partially enclosed? Is the space not both designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy? Might an atmospheric hazard occur? It’s up to the employer how they evaluate confined spaces. However, many employers still struggle to correctly identify confined spaces. Especially where atmospheric hazards are concerned. It’s sometimes challenging to discern accurately whether a hazard might occur. https://www.midsouthwest.ca/Defining-Confined-Spaces.html

Planning and Executing Workplace Fire Drills When is the last time you conducted a workplace fire drill? If you can’t remember, you’re overdue!... Fire Drill Planning A workplace fire drill plan is an essential component of your workplace emergency response plan Fire drills are important because they ensure that in the event of an emergency, everyone is prepared to act safely, calmly, and quickly to reduce panic. Good fire drills do require planning. Contact the Fire Department Most fire alarm systems are connected to the local fire dept. If the alarm is activated, the fire department is normally notified right away, so that they can dispatch emergency services. Communicate Let workers know there’s going to be a fire drill and ensure that they all know the evacuation routes. Change it Up Keep your drills interesting, and relevant, by changing the scenario. After all, fire is unpredictable, and your drills ought to be as well. Nominate a Fire Marshal or Committee The fire marshal will be responsible for activating the alarm, timing the evacuation efforts, taking a headcount at the meeting place, and evaluating the effectiveness of the drill. Debrief Once the fire marshal or committee has evaluated the effectiveness of the drill, identified deficiencies, and have some corrective actions prepared, be sure to debrief all who participated. Document Be sure to document each fire drill. Recording each fire drill, including deficiencies and corrective actions shows due diligence. To make it easy, MidSouthWest is giving you a FREE Record of Fire Drill Form. https://www.midsouthwest.ca/download-workplace-safety-check

Emergency Response Plans: Planning for Pandemics The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything about the way we do business. In March 2020, many businesses were caught off guard by the fast-paced and very sudden closures. The good news is that there are steps you can take to safeguard your business from future pandemic events. Risk Assessment and Emergency Response Planning A pandemic plan is a plan that protects against the worst-case scenario Most businesses have emergency ...response plans so that all employees know how to handle events such as: Fires Electrical outages Structural damage Violence Hazardous spills Natural events such as storms, or earthquakes Accidents, injuries Exposure to controlled chemicals However, very few emergency response plans include a response to a pandemic emergency. But, it should. Having a plan in place before a pandemic is declared will protect your business and your workers and increase the likelihood that your business survives. 5 Things to Consider Revenue Replacement Running on Reduced People Power Keeping Workers Safe Preparing to be Shut Down Remote Work https://www.bistrainer.com/sto/midsouthwest-inc-store/home

Review your Health and Safety Program Annually or More Often An annual review is best practice, but that doesn’t mean that a program can’t be reviewed more often. In some cases, it’s necessary. Why review a program more frequently?... There is an accident or incident that makes a program review necessary A new piece of equipment or machinery is introduced A Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) or workplace inspection identifies program deficiencies A new hazard is identified There is a change or update to legislation that applies to your organization Your organization significantly changes its business model Three Essential Elements of a Workplace Health and Safety Program Review: 1. Policy Review 2. Program Review 3. Training Program Review https://www.midsouthwest.ca/reviewing-your-health-and-safet

How Online Learning Will Shape the Future of Health and Safety Training In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, online training isn’t just an alternative it’s the future. Benefits of Online Learning... Completing health and safety training online benefits your company in all the usual ways: It’s cost-effective There are a wide variety of titles and topics available Employees enjoy the flexibility of training anytime, anywhere Companies still get the freedom of managing training on their schedule Training records and certificates can be kept and shared digitally The list goes on. But now, there’s a new advantage to training online. https://www.bistrainer.com/sto/midsouthwest-inc-store/home

Respirator Fit Testing The health and well-being of you and your family are our top priority. Due to the recent progression of COVID-19, we wanted to reach out to say that MidSouthWest is here to help. We offer a 15-minute respiratory fit test that includes an inspection of the mask, ensure proper mask fit and finally, provide a seal test. Learn more about who should be evaluated and respirator fit testing requirements in Ontario.... For employees returning to work Our Respirator Safety Training program is based on the standards and procedures of the respiratory mask manufacturer, the OHSA and Regulations, as well as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). MSW is Here to Help Our mobile and online training solutions are available to you anytime, from anywhere - 24/7 Online Joint Health and Safety Committee Part I, II and Refresher Training Respiratory Safety Training, including Qualitative Fit Testing (QLFT) Our experienced evaluators will provide Respiratory Fit Testing to ensure proper mask fit and provide a seal test. https://www.midsouthwest.ca/consulting.html

Using Meeting Agendas will Make Your JHSC More Effective Using a meeting agenda is an easy and effective way to keep your Joint Health and Safety Committee operating at peak efficiency. ... Improve your JHSC Having an effective JHSC has numerous benefits, such as: Lower injury and illness rates in the workplace, resulting in less lost time A more positive safety culture, resulting in proactive safety initiatives and programs Happier and healthier workers with better productivity rates Your organization can expect to see a positive impact on the bottom line as a result of reduced lost time, increased productivity, and a happy and healthy workforce. Download our free agenda template here https://www.midsouthwest.ca/jhsc-meeting-agendas.html