Municipal Safety News - March 2021

Lots packed in this quarterly newsletter! Reminder: The Working Mind for Employees Psychological Health & Safety Certification - PHS 104 on March 24 International Women's Day - March 8 Alberta Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association's Professional Development opportunities and AGM Ergonomics Coaching Sessions - Upcoming training ISO:45001 Training - April WorkSafe BC Musculoskeletal Injury Grant Project Announcement Reminder! Office Ergonomics Course & Online Self-Adjustment Tool New! RFP Safety Recreation Facility Operator Certifications Industry Task Force Update Now Online: H&S Committee/H&S Representative Training The Paperless Solution for a Mobile Workforce Upcoming Training Alberta Labour & WCB Updates Joint NASC/SASC Meeting - coming in April! Municipal Job Postings - 2 opportunities

Reminder! The Working Mind for Employees

We have just 7 seats remaining for our March 11 course on the Working Mind for Employees. This evidence-based course, offered through the Mental Health Commission of Canada, is designed to address and promote mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness in a workplace setting. This course will help employees to increase their resiliency skills, decrease stigmatizing attitudes, and increase overall mental health wellbeing. Participants require webcam, speakers, microphone. Cost is $150 for members/Associate Members and $175 for non-members. Click here to register online for this program or call 1-800-267-9764.

Psychological Health & Safety 104

AMHSA, in partnership with Howatt HR, is offering PHS 104: Mental Health and Illness, Stress, and Resiliency Foundation live and online on Wednesday, March 24. AMHSA's Psychological Health and Safety (PHS) Certification program can help you learn how to integrate PHS into your existing health and safety management system. To register for PHS 104 online, click here. Or if you would prefer to register in person, you can call our offices at 1-800-267-9764. Our PHS 105: Respectful Workplace Foundation is being offered on Wednesday, April 28. To learn more about our certification program, please visit our website.

International Women's Day

AMHSA will be supporting International Women's Day on March 8 through awareness on social media. This year's theme is: #ChooseToChallenge. Did you know that 56% of women workers are concentrated in occupations known as the 5C's: Caring, cashiering, catering, cleaning, and clerical functions? Many of them are the essential workers we all call heroes but who are neglected for protection or benefits. Women have also borne the brunt of the economic losses. Within Canada in March, 2020, women represented 70% of all job losses in the core demographic aged 25-54 years. One in 5 women workers lost their job or the majority of their hours in February and March. [source: Feminist Recovery Plan for Canada website]. How will you help forge a gender equal world? Celebrate women's achievements. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality. Raise your hand high to show you are committed to choose a challenge and call out inequality. Check out International Women's Day website for more information. #ChooseToChallenge

Alberta Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association's Professional Development & AGM

AMHSA is a proud sponsor of the 2021 Alberta Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Virtual Professional Development Courses (PDC), Symposium, and AGM on March 17 and 18. The Local Section is open to anyone interested in the promotion of the field of industrial hygiene in the province of Alberta. Some relevant presentations/speakers that AMHSA believes that you may be interested in are: Regulatory Update: Bill 47 - Lisa Chen (Government of Alberta) - March 18 (at the Symposium preceding AGM) COVID-19: Developing an Exposure Control Plan - Michelle Kutz (Red Deer College) - March 17 (Virtual PDC) Respirators during the Pandemic - Adam Hayden, Stacy Richardson, and Cady Bush (3M Canada Limited) - March 17 (Virtual PDC) Designing Building HVAC Systems to Minimize Transmission of Airborne Viruses - Dr. Lidia Morawska (University of Australia) - March 17 (Virtual PDC) You can view the agendas for both days here. If you are interested in attending this meeting, you can register here as a guest. After selecting "guest," you can then choose which event you would like to attend (PDC, AGM, or both). Please note that registration closes on March 9. Click here if you would like to learn more about AIHA Alberta Local Section.

Ergonomics Coaching Sessions

Upcoming Ergonomics Coaching Workshop: Ergonomics Coaching Workshop - March 18 @ 2:00 pm Ergonomics Coaching Workshop - April 15 @ 8:30 am Ergonomics Coaching Workshop - May 20 @ 2:00 pm To see more workshop dates and/or to register for sessions, please visit our website.

ISO:45001 Training

AMHSA is hosting the following ISO:45001 training by virtual webinar through SGS Academy that is open to members and non-members: Understanding the Requirements Training (Day 1 and 2): April 13-14 -Cost is $480+gst per person Internal Auditor Training (Day 3): April 20 - Cost is $240+gst per person Lead Auditor Training: April 21 - Cost is $240+gst per person   For more details, please visit our website and/or contact Shannon Thomas.

WorkSafe BC MSI Grant Announcement

AMHSA is proud to announce its workplace partnership with BC Municipal Safety Association (BCMSA). AMHSA and BCMSA will be working with the University of Alberta on a musculoskeletal injury (MSI) research project made possible through the awarding of a recent grant. This project relates to MSI screening tools which will be presented in an online workshop setting. Feedback received from the online workshop will provide key evidence on the effectiveness of available MSI Risk Factor Screening Tools and practice recommendations for the use of those tools. The findings of this research will suggest future research directions for Dr. Gross and the Department of Physical Therapy of which he heads.

AMHSA looks forward to participating in this research and the continuance of raising MSI awareness. As the project progresses, AMHSA will be looking to our members to provide input on any MSI screening tools that are found and improve the existing content of the AMHSA MSI prevention campaign that is utilized by our members.

Reminder! Office Ergonomics Course & Online Self-Adjustment Tool offer expires soon

Don't forget to take advantage of AMHSA's free offering of our ergonomics training until March 31. The course and tool are excellent resources to help prevent musculoskeletal injuries. To take the course and utilize the tool, click here.

New! Safety Recreation Facility Operator Certifications

AMHSA and Alberta Recreation Facility Personnel (AARFP) have partnered to offer 4 educational Safety Recreation Facility Operator certification opportunities!

The 4 distinct certification programs include: Aquatics Safety Operator Arena Safety Operator Building Maintenance Safety Operator Parks and Sport Fields Safety Operator For more detailed information, visit AARFP's website. To enroll in one of these programs, please contact [email protected] and advise which program you are interested in. Upon enrollment, you will be automatically updated monthly as to the status of your program.

Industry Task Force (ITF) Association Update

The Industry Task Force published a recent February update that covers the following topics: Government Engagement Medical & Appeal Process Review Policy Consultation on Legislative Changes Psychological Injury Working Group To view this and past ITF newsletters along with information on adjudicating psychological injury claims and reporting a psychological injury, please visit our website.

Now Online: H&S Committee/H&S Representative Training

As we mentioned in our last newsletter, AMHSA has been approved as a designated provider of ONLINE Health and Safety Committee and Representative training (HSC/HSR). Just a reminder that to be compliant with legislation, employers must ensure that each HSC co-chair or Representative completes the mandatory HSC/HSR training course. As best practice, the training is also recommended for all HSC members and managers who will be supporting either the HSC/HSR. To register for this online course, please click here. Information on HSC/HSR from Alberta Labour can be viewed here.

The Paperless Solution for a Mobile Workforce

Are you looking for an easy way to switch from paper to digital forms? If so, AMHSA has the solution for you! Our software will allow you to: Upload your paper forms to our software allowing a switch to digital forms Complete anywhere using a computer, tablet, or smartphone Drag-and-drop functionality allows you to easily design digital forms that fulfill your company's needs Create hundreds of customized forms for competency validations, incident investigations, COR audits, hazard assessments, and equipment inspections To learn more about what AMHSA can do to make your job easier, please visit our website or contact Rick Northrop via email or call 1-800-267-9764.

Upcoming Training!

We are offering the upcoming training: Flag Person: General - Thursday, March 11 - 8:30am - 12:00pm Flag Person: General - Thursday, March 18 - 8:30am - 12:00pm Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulations, and Code Overview - Tuesday, March 30 - 8:30am - 12:30pm Flag Person Train-the-Trainer - Wednesday, April 14 - 8:30am - 4:00pm Contractor Safety Management - Wednesday, April 7 - 8am - 12:00pm Leadership for Safety Excellence - Wednesday, May 26/27 - 8:30am - 4:00pm Please call 1-800-267-9764 to register

Alberta Labour & WCB Updates

Alberta Labour Read the latest news on Fair public service compensation on Alberta Labour's Website.

Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta - Updates

Read about the most recent information regarding Psychological Injuries on WCB's Website.

Safety Council Meeting Dates

AMHSA will host its Joint Northern and Southern Alberta Safety Council virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 20 from 10:00am - 3:00pm. For those of you who might be new to AMHSA's Safety Council meetings, they include updates from Alberta Labour, Workers' Compensation Board, and AMHSA. In addition, you are invited to share recent highlights from your municipality including significant incidents, lost time claims, trends, projects, challenges, and new initiatives, etc., in our Roundtable discussion. Next meeting will occur on September 21, 2021. For Alberta Cities, your next meeting will occur on June 1, 2021. Look for an Outlook calendar and email invitation coming shortly for the Joint NASC/SASC meeting!

Municipal Job Postings

AMHSA has posted two job opportunities: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo - Program Manager, Disability Management (permanent/full-time) Foothills County - Health & Safety Supervisor (permanent/full-time). To view these positions, please visit our Municipality Job Postings webpage. If your municipality would like AMHSA to post a job opportunity, please contact Terri.

Contact Us

AMHSA Calgary

[email protected] www.amhsa.net  1.800.267.9764

AMHSA Sherwood Park

Your partner in Alberta OHS education for the past 30 years! Vision: To be the recognized leader of municipal safety excellence and an innovative provider of education programs We post updates on our courses, etc., on Facebook and LinkedIn. If you would like to receive updates, please follow us!

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