September 2022

FRANÇAIS | ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ

If you lift a heavy load without taking any precautions, you are very likely to end up injuring yourself. In the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the most common lifting injury in 2021 was caused by an awkward body movement or a twist while lifting or holding a heavy load. 

Lift and twist injuries can happen in any industry. Here are some examples of activities where a worker can be hurt:

• Shoveling snow or gravel (lift) and turning to dump it (twist)
• Picking up a heavy item from a cart (lift) and placing it on a shelf without moving your feet (twist)
• Moving a snowmobile stuck in the snow (lift & twist)

To reduce the risks of lifting and twisting injuries, workers who handle any kind of load should know about proper lifting techniques. An injury prevention plan should be developed in collaboration with your supervisor and coworkers. Here are some factors to consider to minimize the potential for injury: 

• The weight of the load (heavy or light?)
• Its distance from your body (close or far?)
• Its size and shape (Is it easy to grip or will you need help?)
• The distance to carry (Should you use a lifting/carrying device?)
• The length of time it will take to carry the load (short time or long time?)
• The number of lifts that will have to be completed (a few or many?)
• The pace (the speed at which the lifting will be done)

When preparing your injury prevention plan, keep in mind that each factor listed above has a positive and a negative side. By carrying heavier loads, you will reduce the number of lifts you have to complete during your workday but twisting your trunk while lifting might result in a more severe injury. Carrying a lighter load might give a false sense of security: some workers might be tempted the extend their reach to pick up the item, which can be even more unsafe than carrying a heavy load close to the body. 

If you want to learn more about injury prevention while lifting, visit WSCC’s Safety Spotlight page.

As fall approaches you can already feel that the temperature is getting colder. The gradual return of darkness and quickly changing light conditions means an increased need to wear high visibility clothing, whether you are working outside or just walking from home to your office or jobsite.   

When assessing the need for high visibility, think about the times of day and brightness conditions where you will be working. In daylight, bright colours and fluorescent material are suitable. If you’re outside in lower light conditions, like at dawn or dusk, fluorescent colours, combined with reflective materials, will be more effective. In dark conditions, fluorescent materials are not as effective, meaning that you must use clothing made with material that will return the light in the direction of the light source. This type of material is called retroreflective.   

Evaluating the risks with the type of work and location is also necessary when deciding what kind of high visibility clothing should be used. What’s the distance between the workers and the construction equipment? If workers are close to oncoming traffic, what speed are the vehicles traveling? Are the activities being performed diverting the workers’ attention from approaching traffic or any other hazard? Are the tasks being performed in a location where the view is obstructed by equipment, building or any environmental or landscape features? These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself. 

There are more criteria to consider when choosing high visibility equipment. To learn more, please consult our Personal Protective Equipment: High Visibility Apparel Code of Practice. To speak with a Safety Officer about the best practices regarding high visibility equipment, email us today.  

If you have recently hired young people who are new to the workforce, or have recently entered the workforce, WSCC has resources to show them the fundamentals of workplace safety.

WSCC’s “Ready to Work?” checklist is the first document you should review with young workers. It highlights important information about workplace safety, like the three basic rights of every workers and their responsibilities regarding workplace safety.

While it does not replace on-site training, the Young Worker Safety Certificate Course is a good starting point to learn about workplace safety. This free online course is only 2 hours long and a certificate of completion will be provided. You might also want to talk with them about their rights and responsibilities regarding mental health in the workplace.  

To make sure your new recruits know the best practices regarding workplace safety, you can use the Young Worker Toolbox Talks. This series of short guides will help you initiate workplace safety discussions in specific work environments.

Reminder: Assessment Payment

Employers paying by instalment plan are reminded that their final assessment payment for the current year is due September 30, 2022. If you are paying by instalments and make payments by pre-authorized credit card debits or post-dated cheques, please review your payment method to ensure it is up-to-date. Payments can be submitted through WSCC Connect.

There is a legislated penalty of 2% per month on overdue balances if not paid by the instalment due date.

If you would like to speak to a representative in Employer Services, email employer@wscc.nt.ca for the Northwest Territories, employernu@wscc.nu.ca for Nunavut, or call 1 (800) 661-0792.

WSCC’s Offices will be closed for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, September 30 and will reopen on Monday, October 3.

To report a serious workplace injury or incident, call 1 (800) 661-0792.

To report unsafe work, use our online Report Unsafe Work service on WSCC Connect.