Human Resources 101

Tips for working safely in the heat
With hot temperatures across the province, precautions should be taken when working in the heat. Heat stress can strike workers unexpectedly and in extreme cases can be fatal.
Signs that a worker may be suffering from heat stress include nausea/vomiting, dizziness, slurred speech, and hot, dry skin.
Employers, supervisors and co-workers [...]

Edmonton… An Edmonton company specializing in working alone solutions, a central Alberta firm involved in the oil and gas production services industry, and an innovative Calgary company are all recipients of the 2007 Work Safe Alberta Awards for Innovation in Workplace Health and Safety. The awards were jointly presented today by Iris Evans, Minister of [...]

Pierre Lebrun worked at OC Transpo, the public transit company in Ottawa. He stuttered badly. Cruel teasing and ridicule from his co-workers rained on him without let-up. Finally, in retaliation, he slapped one of his tormenters. He was forced to apologize—a further humiliation. Later, after he had been let go, Lebrun returned to his workplace, [...]

from Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry The goal of this Tool Kit is to help employers and employees understand typical indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, and to suggest reasonable solutions to common problems. This guide will help you identify the problem and provide advice about common approaches to recognizing and controlling IAQ problems.
Indoor air quality toolkit (PDF [...]

Yesterday, a 16 year old worker was critically injured while using a cutting torch. From CBC news:
A teenager is in hospital in critical condition Friday morning after an industrial accident in Edmonton’s west end.
The young man was using a cutting torch on a 45-gallon drum at a truck and trailer repair and sales shop [...]

Health and safety a clear priority for Alberta workplaces
Edmonton… Last year saw fewer workplace deaths, disabling injuries and lost-time claims in Alberta, latest health and safety statistics show. There were 124 occupational fatalities in 2006 compared to 143 in 2005, including 33 motor vehicle incidents, 27 workplace incidents, and 64 occupational disease deaths. The fatality [...]

This sounds like a throwback to the days of building transcontinental railways in North America, when Chinese labour was considered cheap and expendable.
Two workers at an oilsands project north of…

Dr. Martin Shain, a senior scientist at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, outlines seven key ingredients of a healthy environment.
As an employee you would:

Have a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities and perceive that your skills match the job
Have a say in your job and how you do it and [...]

According to StatsCan, 2004 saw over 356,000 incidents of workplace violence reported. One third of those took place in a social assistance or health care facility. And, in case you think employees are beating up each other, the majority of incidents were not committed by co-workers but rather a member of the public, a client, [...]

A study published in Canadian Social Trends found that workers in 1986 spent on average 4.2 hours, or 250 minutes, doing activities with their family members. In 2005, that time had dropped to 3.4 hours, or 205 minutes, a decline of 45 minutes.
“As work hours rise, family time falls.”
That’s the key conclusion of a [...]