Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

As we celebrate Black History Month, let us recognize Charles Lightfoot Roman.

Charles Lightfoot Roman was one of the first Black Canadians to graduate from McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine. He was a pioneer in the field of industrial medicine, specializing in the study and prevention of workplace accidents.

After putting his studies on hold at the start of WWI, Lightfoot Roman completed medical school and worked for a time as an on-site doctor/researcher, later rising to medical director. He published multiple papers — including “Severe Industrial Injuries to the Fingers and their Treatment” in the CMAJ — that influenced health and safety protocols at mills and factories.

Over the course of his career, he documented the evolution of health and safety for cotton mill workers, helping to make workplaces safer for everyone.

As Canadians, we have much to be proud of and many legacies to celebrate as part of Black History Month. It is as important for us to thank those who came before us, such as Charles Lightfoot Roman and remember their contributions to our nation.

Chris Herrera, Shop Foreman at Capital Ford Lincoln, was chosen as the recipient of this year’s S2SA Safety Champion Award for his dedication and passion in making his workplace a healthier and safer place to be! He was nominated for his high level of involvement and genuine concern for his coworkers’ overall safety.

Chris embodies what it means to be a Safety Champion, maintaining a safe work environment through hazard identification and control, as well as creating a strong safety culture through frequent and meaningful communication.

Capital Ford Lincoln is working towards SAFE Work Certification by developing, revising, and implementing safety policies and procedures, communicating safety information via Safety Talks, and ensuring staff receive the proper safety training. A driving force within their organization is the Safety Committee, where Chris and his team are conducting quarterly workplace inspections and ensuring all safety concerns are addressed. Capital Ford Lincoln has made a commitment to health and safety for their staff and customers. This is evident through the hard work of Chris and the rest of the Capital Ford Lincoln team.

The Safetys

The Safetys was created to present several Manitoba occupational safety and health awards at one signature event. It’s a cross-industry gala to recognize and reward Manitobans who go above and beyond to make their workplaces safer and healthier.

This year, due to COVID-19, The Safetys were held virtually. If you missed it, you can go to their website to see all the winners. See Other 2020 The Safetys Award Winners

S2SA Safety Champion 2021

If you or someone in your organization has what it takes to be next year’s S2SA Safety Champion, nominations open June 2021. Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn to stay in the loop!

Past S2SA Safety Champions:

2019 – Lloyd Gross, Birchwood GM
2018 – Kelly Waddell, Murray Chevrolet
2017 – Dawn Steiner, Kelleher Ford Sales Dauphin

October is Global Ergonomics Month! It’s an international campaign to raise awareness of ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazards in workplaces.

Ergonomics is the science of matching work tasks to the body, i.e. “fitting the job to the worker”. Good ergonomics improves efficiency, productivity, health, safety, and comfort, and reduces the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs).

What are MSIs?

Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs), also known as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), are injuries or disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissues. Injuries can include sprains, strains, inflammation, and more.

They can be caused by:

• Poor working postures,
• Excessive physical and cognitive demands of the worker,
• Work set up including improper work heights, reaching zones, lighting, temperature in the environment,
• Tasks such as reaching above shoulder level, rotating arms, bending wrists, and prolonged sitting,
• Duration, frequency, work rate, and scheduling of tasks.

The Danger:

• Chronic pain, aching, fatigue, and weakness persist at rest,
• Inability to perform light duties,
• Pain, weakness, swelling, burning sensation, or ache over the affected area,
• Drastic effects on mental and physical health, as well as impact on the lives of the workers family,
• Time loss and long-term Workers Compensation Board claims.

MSIs are one of the most common injuries experienced in almost any type of work. They made up nearly 38% of all injuries reported by Manitobans to the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) in 2017.

What Can You Do?

There are three considerations which all work together to create a safer and more comfortable work experience. They include the interaction between:

1. The worker – eg. human characteristics and capabilities
2. The environment – eg. temperature, lighting, physical layout and surroundings
3. The tasks – eg. pace of work, how it is set up and organized, use of equipment and tools

What Employers Can Do:

• Assess the ergonomics of your workplace,
• Use job design and design work environments to suit each task and worker,
• Use job rotation to avoid repetitive work,
• Teamwork can provide a greater variety and more evenly distributed muscular work,
• Train employees on safe lifting techniques,
• Provide, train for, and encourage use of ergonomic equipment such as carts, lifts, adjustable chairs, anti-vibration gloves, etc.,
• Provide frequent breaks.

What Employees Can Do:

• Perform tasks close to your body,
• Position your work and equipment to keep your gaze straight ahead,
• Work with your wrists in a strong, natural position,
• Avoid leaning and stretching forward to reduce stress on your lower back,
• Use teamwork when possible. It can provide a greater variety and more evenly distributed muscular work,
• Use safe lifting techniques,
• When possible use carts, lifts, or rollers to move materials,
• Properly use ergonomic tools and equipment,
• Improve your posture by taking the time to adjust your body and adjust the load or equipment you are using,
• Include micro breaks in your tasks for body recovery and fatigue prevention,
• Take breaks from long periods of sitting,

Learn More

Risk assessment

Contact your S2SA advisor or email info@s2sa.ca for information on our ergonomic assessments.

If you’d prefer to assess your workplace yourself, SAFE Work Manitoba has a handy Ergonomic Assessment Checklist:

Related Ergonomic Topics:

• msdprevention.com – Happy and Healthy at Work Poster
• SWM – Ergonomics for Retailers and Offices Poster
• SWM – Safe Manual Lifting
• SWM – Adjusting Office Workstations
• SWM – Hazards of Seated Posture
• SWM – Office Ergonomics – Neck and Shoulder Hazards
• SWM – Office Ergonomics – Arm and Wrist Hazards

SAFE Work Manitoba Courses:

• Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) Awareness
• Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) Prevention

You may have heard of something called “COVID Fatigue”, “Coronavirus Burnout”, or “Pandemic Fatigue”, or even felt the effects of it yourself. COVID fatigue is real and it’s causing some people to be less careful. It’s caused by living in a state of prolonged stress: we’re tired of being cooped up, tired of being careful, tired of being scared.

After working so hard to keep our numbers low, it’s important to continue our success and sustain our physical and mental health. We must remain vigilant, but not fearful. As Dr Alex Nataros of Comox, British Columbia puts it: “We need to learn to be crocodiles: Relaxed, aware, but not expending excess energy.”

COVID Fatigue is completely normal and is actually to be expected. In the event of a disaster, communities goes through stages of what is known as Disaster Stress. The fatigue is part of Stage 5: Disillusionment.

During the disillusionment phase, communities and individuals realize the limits of how quickly life can return to normal. As optimism turns to discouragement and stress continues to take a toll, negative reactions, such as physical exhaustion or substance use, may begin to surface. What’s important at this time is to recognize your own mental health needs and seek help when needed.

Phases of Disaster Stress:

What Can We Do?

• Keep up with the basics: a balanced diet, exercise, and safe social interactions,
• Practice Self-Care in ways that work for you,
• Talk to loved ones,
• Ask for help when you need it,
• Be compassionate towards others and towards yourself,
• Continue to adapt to public health recommendations and requirements,
• Try to accept the new reality.

And although we are tired, it is still imperative to continue to employ spread-limiting techniques such as wearing masks, proper hygiene, and social (physical) distancing.

Some Ideas

Get Creative with Your Mask

Get or make a mask in a pattern you really like!

Embrace Outdoor Activities

As the weather cools down, our instinct is to stay indoors but it is important to stay social and active.

• Go for walks and watch the fall leaves change,
• Go for bike rides,
• Do yard work,
• Go apple picking,
• Visit a pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins,
• Have people in your social bubble over for a bonfire and hot drinks.

Celebrate Holidays Safely

Keep your holiday traditions, but rethink them to keep everyone safe.

• Decorate for the Holidays as you would normally, even if you can’t celebrate normally,
• Zoom or skype Thanksgiving supper with your grandparents,
• Send a Thanksgiving “What I’m Thankful For” email to loved ones to update them on what’s going on in your life,
• Netflix party a scary Halloween movie with friends,
• Carve pumpkins with people in your bubble,
• Show off your Halloween Costume on Instagram,
• Put together candy goody-bags for children in your social bubble.

This year, it is especially important to get the flu vaccination and / or take steps to prevent the flu as the health care system is already under stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cold and Flu Prevention:

• Get the flu shot if you are able. Getting the flu shot can reduce your chances of contracting influenza,
• Disinfect common surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, phones, and light switches, tools, etc.
• Practice good hygiene,
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow,
• Stay home if you are sick,
• Avoid touching your face,
• Wear a mask,
• Practice Social (Physical) Distancing,
• Monitor your health closely for symptoms,
• Get plenty of sleep and exercise,
• Eat healthy.

In the Workplace:

• Cross-train other employees so they can cover when one is away,
• Stay home from work if you are sick,
• If you begin to feel sick at work, go home as soon as possible.

Cold vs Flu vs COVID-19:

For both COVID-19 and flu, it’s possible to spread the virus for at least 1 day before experiencing any symptoms.

Not much is known about how the two diseases might interact, but it is possible to have both COVID-19 and seasonal flu at the same time. Both illnesses attack the respiratory system and both cause fever. The risk of such coinfections is typically low, but it gets higher when two viruses are circulating heavily in the same region.

When To Seek Medical Attention

People experiencing these warning signs should obtain medical care right away.

Emergency warning signs for COVID-19 or Flu*:

• Trouble breathing,
• Inability to wake or stay awake,
• Bluish lips or face.
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen,
• Persistent dizziness, confusion,
• Seizures,
• Not urinating,
• Severe muscle pain,
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness,
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen,
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions.

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Non-medical masks or face coverings may help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets from the user to others or to the surroundings.

Masks have limitations. Non-medical masks, such as homemade and cloth masks, are not medical devices and are not regulated like medical masks and respirators. These types of masks may not be effective in blocking virus particles that may be transmitted by coughing, sneezing or certain medical procedures due to potential loose fit and the materials used.

Be sure to also use other methods of preventing spread such as social (physical) distancing and proper handwashing.

Choosing a Mask:

Masks Should:

• Allow for easy breathing,
• Fit securely to the head with ear loops or ties,
• Be comfortable and not require frequent adjustment,
• Be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose and mouth without gaping,
• Be made of at least 3 layers
  • 2 layers should be tightly woven material fabric, such as cotton or linen
  • the third (middle) layer should be a filter-type fabric, such as non-woven polypropylene fabric .

Masks Should Not:

• Have an exhalation valve (as these masks do not protect others),
• Impair vision or interfere with tasks,
• Be made of plastic or other non-breathable materials.

How to Put on a Mask:

While Wearing a Mask:

How to Remove a Mask:

Disposable Mask:

Reusable Mask:

Cleaning a Reusable Mask:

• Washing by Machine: Wash using a hot cycle then dry thoroughly,
• Washing by Hand: Wash it thoroughly using soap and warm/hot water, allow to air dry completely.

Other Things to Keep in Mind:

• Never share your mask with someone else,
• Do not handle a mask belonging to someone else,
• Do not allow other people to handle or touch your mask.

Masks in the Workplace

Employers, use this template to create a mask Safe Work Procedure for your workplace: SWP COVID-19 – Non-Medical Masks

For assistance, contact us at info@s2sa.ca.