Common Campus Hazards
There are a number of common situations on our campus that present both actual and potential risks of injury to all members of our College Community.
Injuries from Slips, Trips and Falls:
As injuries from slips, trips and falls represent the most common source of injuries to College employees, all College employees must complete basic training in slip, trip and fall prevention. Contact Human Resources Services to arrange for your training.
To report slip, trip and fall hazards: at the Thunder Bay Campus, contact Facilities Services (6261, or [email protected] , or use one-touch dialling from a Help! Phone or Classroom Help! Phone); at regional campuses and satellite locations, report hazards to your Campus or Office Manager.
Musculoskeletal Injuries:
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a potential risk for all occupations in our College Community. They can cause discomfort, fatigue, pain, injury, and illness. MSDs are often caused by work that involves repetitive motion, forceful movements, and awkward body postures that are done for long periods of time. The most common causes of MSDs at our College involve work at computers and manual material handling.
As this group of injuries comprises the second most common type of injury at our campus, all employees must complete mandatory MSD Awareness training. Contact Human Resources Services to arrange for your training.
Office Ergonomics
In addition to MSD awareness training, all College employees who use computers must complete basic training in office ergonomics. Contact Human Resources Services to arrange for your training.
For a quick overview of the topic, review the following Powerpoint presentation: The Healthy Office Tune-up (ppt)
Download "WorkSafe Sam" from WorkSafe BC: http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/Ergonomics/Resources-office.asp. Sam will prompt you to take needed breaks from your computer, and will update you with ergonomic tips.
To request an ergonomic assessment of your workstation, contact Human Resources Services.
Manual Material Handling:
At some point, almost all of us will have something that will need to be lifted, carried, pushed or pulled. The decisions that you make about how that "something" is handled can have an impact on your health.
You can reduce your risk of injury by:
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getting assistance, including the help of Facilities Services (6261, or [email protected] , or use one-touch dialling from a Help! Phone or Classroom Help! Phone);
reducing the weight of the load;
using appropriate tools (e.g. carts or dollies: loaner carts and dollies can be borrowed from Facilities Services; step stools, ladders, etc.);
use the elevator, instead of the stairs; and
if you need to move items to your vehicle, move the vehicle closer to the building (e.g. the loading area at Facilities Services, etc.)
Fire Safety:
- You can ensure that our campuses stay "fire safe". Review the College fire safety plans and review the following checklist and fire safety note:
Fire Safety Note: Doors Blocked Open
Storage Safety:
- Sometimes we need to store items that are not currently in use. Please keep everyone safe by adhering to the safe storage checklist that follows. The checklist addresses both ergonomic and fire safety issues.