I’m not the model for speaking up about stuff, that’s a fact. But I find that asking just a few quick questions to the people you’ll be working for can totally help you decide if you want to work there or not. Write these 5 down and try them for yourself at your next interview.
If you’re like me, you don’t like talking to your boss about safety stuff because it can be a little embarrassing. But the truth is, most of them will respect you for doing it because safety affects their jobs, too. So, as long as you are confident and respectful, just a quick chat should work. Here’s some you can try:
“I like working on this equipment, but I wanna make sure I’m doing it right. Can you go over it one more time?”
“I know we’re jammed, but if I rush getting the popcorn I’m afraid I’ll burn myself.”
“I don’t want to lose a finger. Shouldn’t that thing have a guard on it?”
“I wanna help you out, man, but they haven’t trained me on that yet.”
Even if you prefer to fly below the radar like me, you still have rights. And one of those is the right to refuse unsafe work. Now actually doing it might be a little tough on you, but it can be necessary sometimes. Most employers do listen, though when you want to talk about safety problems. It benefits them, too, right?
Still, if you run into one of the few who don’t, all you have to remember is that it’s against the law for employers to fire you or even punish you at all for refusing or reporting unsafe work to your supervisor – no matter where you work in Nova Scotia.
Listen, every employer is required to put safe work practices into place, just like we have to follow them. But if you do feel unsafe, bring it up to your immediate supervisor. He or she should act on your concerns, but if you don’t get an answer you’re happy with, talk to your safety rep or your safety committee. (Your workplace is required to have a safety representative if five or more people regularly work there, and a safety committee if 20 or more people do).
Finally, if you’re still not getting anywhere you can always report unsafe work conditions to the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development by calling 1-800-9LABOUR (1-800-952-2687). The important thing is to make your concern heard, one way or another.
And you can always contact the WCB of Nova Scotia any time for information or safety awareness materials.
The bottom line is that you have a right to know about safety issues at work. And if you feel you could get hurt doing something, you have the right to refuse to do it. Plain and simple.
I came across some Nova Scotia facts that I thought were interesting. I put them into these 4 industries because that seems to be where 75% of Nova Scotia workers under 25 get injured (not that they are more dangerous, it’s just that’s where more people this age are working, which makes sense I guess.)
Injuries in 2008: 912
Number of those that were time-loss: 198
Under age 25: 22%
Most likely to be injured: Shelf stockers.
TIP #1: Use safe lifting procedures to prevent strains and sprains from things like stocking store shelves or moving lines of grocery carts.
TIP #2: Wear steel-toed boots in case heavy boxes or pallets fall on your feet.
TIP #3: Slippery floors can often lead to slips and falls, so clean em up.
Injuries in 2008: 856
Number of those that were time-loss: 154
Under age 25: 27%
TIP #1: Hot Stuff. Be careful around ovens, hot surfaces, and especially fat from fryers.
TIP #2: Sharp stuff. Be careful with knives or broken glass. Don’t rush. You wouldn’t want to lose a finger.
TIP #3: Slippery stuff. Messy means slippery, especially with all that grease and cooking oil.
Injuries: 699 injuries
Number of those that were time-loss: 144
Under age 25: 12%
TIP #1: Protect your fingers. Make sure you’re properly trained and the machine has proper guards in place.
TIP #2: Lift safely. Backs were second only to fingers in manufacturing injury.
TIP #3: Don’t take shortcuts to get the job done quickly. Get it done safely.
Injuries: 533
Number of those that were time-loss: 117
Under age 25:15%
TIP #1: Lift safely. Building materials can be heavy.
TIP #2: Wear fall protection when you’re working above 3 metres.
TIP #3: Before you use any equipment, be properly trained on it. Do not do it “just this once.”