Anaphylaxis is an acute systemic (whole body) allergic reaction, which has a collection of symptoms affecting multiple systems in the body. It occurs when a person has become sensitized (i.e. the immune system has been triggered to recognize a substance as a threat to the body).
There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the use of antibacterial products such as soaps, lotions and products such as cutting boards and pillows that contain antibacterial substances, may be creating an environment which allows harmful bacteria to flourish, and may be leading to the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
If there is a bomb threat at your school, who conducts the search? The Ministry of Education and Training requires each Board to have a set of Emergency Procedures which includes bomb threats.
Confined spaces are fully or partially enclosed areas, not designed for human occupancy, where atmospheric hazards may be found. New regulations came into effect on September 30, 2006 in response to workplace fatalities.
When teachers were included under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSAct) in Ontario (in 1984) by regulation, the issue of whether Department Heads were considered 'supervisors' was unclear. The wording of Section 3.1 of the Regulation was then, and still remains for some people, the cause of confusion and misunderstanding.
Water and electricity together pose the very serious - potentially fatal - hazard of electrical shock. Particular attention must be paid to the location and maintenance of aquariums and their electrical appliances to protect workers from injury.
The hantavirus can cause serious illness and death in humans. The virus is carried by rodents and causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in humans. HPS is characterized by flu-like symptoms, high fever followed by fluid in the lungs and a drop in blood pressure.
A table comparison of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis
Does your room feel stuffy? Do you feel fatigued or become dizzy during the work day? Do you regularly get headaches at your work location? These symptoms have a variety of causes (ergonomics, lighting or noise) but could indicate an indoor air quality problem due to inadequate ventilation.
Are your job duties normally indoors? Is the temperature in your workplace or classroom below 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit)? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then inform your Principal/Supervisor that the room falls below the limits as set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
All shops generating wood dust or explosive vapours, (refinishing rooms, wood shops and spray booths) require a functioning blast wall and spark arrestor.
With the implementation of Universal Precautions to prevent infectious diseases, the use of latex gloves has been increasing steadily. In the past ten years, there has been an increase of reports of severe health effects associated with the use of latex rubber products. These allergic reactions are thought to be due to an immune response to latex proteins.
Lockdown protocols are now a necessary part of any worksite safety procedure. The development of appropriate protocols to deal with intruders and missing persons is discussed in this bulletin, along with the best practices for training and drilling. Advice on conduct during a lockdown is included.
Metal Halide lighting is a type of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting. Other types of HID are Mercury Vapour, High Pressure Sodium and Low Pressure Sodium. All HID lamps work on the same principle, that of causing an arc across a gas or vapour and using the gas or vapour as a conductor, the same way incandescent lamps use a tungsten filament as its conductor.
What are musculoskeletal injuries? MSI or Musculoskeletal Injuries are a range of disorders involving muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, nerves and other soft tissues. The most common term used to describe these disorders is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Some examples of musculoskeletal injuries are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendinitis, Tennis Elbow and Bursitis.
The Ontario Building Code limits a room occupancy, using the size of the room and the use or type of room. The Ontario Building Code sets a minimum square area per person.
What is assault? Assault is an act of verbal aggression, or an act or threat of physical aggression, which produces damaging or hurtful results. What to do when assaulted?...
Under Section 43 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Ontario, you have the right to refuse unsafe, unhealthy work.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1990 affirmed three important rights for workers: the right to know about all hazards in the workplace, the right to participate in training and consideration of issues an the right to refuse unsafe work.
Moulds are found everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, particularly in decomposing leaves and wood. Due to several years of inadequate funding, our schools have seen little preventative maintenance and now have many water sources which allow for mould growth: roof leaks, plumbing leaks, condensation from uninsulated pipes, flooding and high humidity levels.
Many of our members risk contact with blood or other body fluids in their workplace. Universal Blood and Body Fluid Precautions are widely accepted in workplaces across North America as crucial measures to protect workers from exposure to disease-causing biological agents.
A written statement by Chris Stockwell, Minister of Labour, on February 14, 2000 has clearly included any violent incident in the workplace under the definition of "accident" in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.