Health & Safety

Do you often think: “It seems I always have to adjust to my workstation, should not it be the other way around?” This course will help workers learn ways to adjust and operate so posture, force, and repetition will have less of an effect on the body.

Biological hazards affect a large number of occupations and have one distinguishing characteristic: the ability to reproduce. This course will explore the immune system response, routes of entry and transmission, and allergic reactions and sensitizations to prepare workers to safety deal with this hazard.

This 3-hour course will assist learners to identify confined space hazards and provide them with strategies to control these hazards in their workplaces.

Workers in confined spaces are 150 times more likely to encounter danger than doing the same work activities outside. The course will show how hazards can be identified and coordinated through a confined space plan outlining such things as entry permits, coordination of documents, rescue procedures, PPEs and related topics.

Fire/explosion/electrical shock/being crushed are all possibilities when working with a conveyor system.  As employers move materials and supplies through the workplace, this course will guide you through the task of learning to assess the dangers and assist in recommending controls.

Accidents may cause people to over react. This course will reveal techniques in how to identify a stressful situation, how to control reactions, and how to put in place stress-busting strategies to guide you through what could be a very ugly situation.

Explore the world of dust and fibre. These seemingly harmless micro-particles are everywhere! Learning the hazards and their health effects will help us learn to control it, and yes, even reduce it. Learn the secrets to a cleaner and safer workplace.

Do you ever wonder what goes into making your clothes, curtains and the things you buy? This course explores the world of the fabric industry: household goods, apparel, and industrial applications. It takes you through a journey involving hazardous chemicals, pre-dyed and pre-treated fabrics, third world countries, and the exploitation of workers.

Electricity powers a multitude of things, but can also be one of the deadliest sources of energy we work with. In a recent provincial study, 1,000 fires and 5 fatalities were associated with electrical wiring, extension cords, electrical panels, and cords on appliances. In the course we review this safe and reliable form of energy, in addition to how harmful it can be if misused.

For millions of people, electricity and electrical equipment are part of their daily lives, both at work and at home. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are electric and magnetic fields coming from electrical devices; basically anything that uses electricity and it can be absorbed by the body. Take the course and find out how and why.

H1N1 (influenza), the Bird Flu, Mad Cow Disease, tornadoes, and multi-car accidents; all of these have reaped havoc with the public. Enroll in this course and learn what every organization that employs workers or volunteers should have in place regarding emergencies and pandemics

We bend, reach, lift, and twist every day. The injuries that may occur from any one of these tasks, becomes a part of one of the most frequently occurring injuries within the Canadian workforce of today--musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs). This course reviews how some of these injuries occur and guides us towards a common goal of prevention.

Combining fuel, oxygen, and heat is a guaranteed recipe for a fire, not to mention the by-products, such as: smoke, toxic gases, and possible burns. This course reviews the different ingredients of a fire and examines the factors that could lead to an explosion. Sign up to learn about the most dangerous hazards, and what can be done about them.

Flammables and combustibles are common in almost every workplace. Any one working with these liquids must be made aware of the point of ignition, the hazards, and how to store and work with them safely.

What is a hazardous material? How are workers protected? How do you identify workplace hazards? GHS gives workers the right to know about the hazards of materials used in their workplace. All these questions and more are investigated in this fascinating course.

Hand tools allow us to: strike, tighten, loosen, grasp/hold, transport objects/materials, and apply materials. However injuries to our hands have a surge of effects on workers’ abilities. Hands are used in everyday life, and in every industry. Take this course to learn how to properly use the various tools we work with on a regular basis.

It grows on rotting fruits, on basement walls and is a problem for people who live and work close to it. What is it you ask? Sign up and learn all about the world of mould. Not all mould is harmful, as some is used to make things such as antibiotics, cheeses and beverages, other mould can be toxic, and can cause allergic reactions and infections leading to respiratory problems.

Workers expect to stay alive while earning a living, thus there is a need for health and safety in the workplace; it’s what keeps us safe. To find out how, take the course. It reviews the reporting of accidents, understanding the long-term effects of exposure, and the impact an accident can have on a workers life.

In the pursuit of a healthier and safer work environment, this course expands on Level 1-Part 1. You will cover topics such as: toxic substances, physical states of matter, sound and vibration, principles of control, and various pieces of legislation, just to name a few. When this course is complete, you will have learned that no risk is acceptable.

Do you want to have some control in your workplace? Being part of the health and safety committee means you have the right to obtain information; identify hazards; investigate accidents and work refusals; and make recommendations. The committee is much more effective when workers participate in the process. It’s a very effective check and balance on the system.

This course builds on Level 2-Part 1 and brings an increased awareness to: researching hazards; investigating, collecting information, interpreting, and reporting that information. By the end of this course, you will be able to prioritize hazards, utilize sources of information, and have the skills required in playing an active role on your workplace committee.

For a safe and healthy workplace, we need to learn about the laws that affect us. It will aid you to interpret the law in order to gain a better understanding of the duties/responsibilities and procedures of everyone involved. By the end of this course you will be able to develop short-term strategies and long-term goals for your health and safety committee.

By expanding on Level 2-Part 2, we dive into the details of how legislation works for us. Workers will learn about amendments to the Act and regulations, how to interpret the Act, appeals, and Ontario Labour Board decisions. Upon completion, you will have the knowledge of your role as a committee representative, and the power you wield while on the committee.

The human body regulates its internal temperature, but under extreme conditions, this control mechanism can be overstrained. This course examines the balance between body temperature and the surrounding temperature and covers: gains, losses, acclimatization, equilibrium, and exchange of heat and cold. Participants will learn the health effects; assess hazards; monitor and control; and implement strategies to reduce temperature extremes.

The 9-5 work day is becoming rare as businesses often employ workers 24/7. Shifts have now evolved into flex shifts, compressed, rotating, captive time, and continental. The course explores the hazards of each, how to cope, whom it affects, and solutions and strategies in achieving a balanced life. Get ready to challenge yourself in today’s work world

Workers in sealed buildings may be exposed to an assortment of health and safety hazards. This course covers what the hazards may be, the exchange of air, and what workers themselves bring to the equation. You will learn cause and effect and how to control it, in addition to viable solutions to a very common problem.

Infectious diseases are caused by tiny organisms. These microorganisms are invisible to the eye and exist in the soil, in the atmosphere, in water, on or inside animals, in plants or foodstuffs. This course examines the different types of harmful organisms, how they enter our bodies, the effect they have on us, and how we can stop them.
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No one wants to get injured, but when it happens there are many important factors to be aware of. This course will ensure injured workers are aware of the steps required for reporting an injury or illness and navigating an often complex system.
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In this course participants will see how the physical and psychological demands of a job task influence a worker’s performance. Job task analysis identifies and describes the different elements of a job, combining the skills, and knowledge while assessing the physical demands of the job. The course covers the different risk factors present and reviews how job task analysis aids in fitting the job to the person.

Light is necessary for vision, and sight is one of the ways we receive information about our environment. The ability to work safely on most tasks depends on the quantity and quality of light that illuminates our work and our workplace. Explore how poor lighting and excessive lighting, the weather, alertness, time of day, limited lighting, length of time, and other types of light all affect our work.

The control of energy is a vital component of the workplace. When controlled, energy makes the job of handling, processing, and producing materials fast and easy. Uncontrolled, it becomes a hazard for workers. A lockout procedure is a set of safe work practices that makes it possible for workers to control dangerous energized sources. Learn to combine knowledge with effective controls and programs to ensure your safety in the workplace.

Man made mineral fibres is a term used to describe synthetic fibrous materials including glass fibres, mineral wool fibres and ceramic fibres. It’s cheap, and used in construction, pipe insulation, fireproof textiles such as draperies and emergency protective clothing, and fibre optics. Fibres are released each time products made of, or containing, man-made mineral fibres are handled. Learn how these products enter the body and the acute and chronic effects they have on us; how they can be controlled, and how they can be eliminated.

"How much weight can a worker safely lift?" Every type of workplace involves manual material handling (MMH) tasks that are the direct cause of a large number of injuries to workers, the most common being back injuries. MMH involves workers physically moving materials or objects by lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing, pulling, shoveling or stacking. This course explores how size, shape, repetitiveness, bending, twisting, the environment and distance all play a role in the re-design, elimination, or reduction of workplace injuries.

According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 350 million people all over the world with a mental illness. With that surprising statistic, it is highly possible that we will all interact at some point with someone experiencing mental illness. With that possibility in mind, the very people you would not expect to be experiencing mental illness, such as friends, family, coworkers, and even your boss, will be the ones fighting it. Is it Mental Illness? In this module, we will explore what is mental illness and what is mental health, what are the common types of mental illness and we will strive to understand the effects of mental health.

In the workplace, attitudes toward mental health and mental illness make a big difference for all employees, especially for those experiencing mental health issues. There is a stigma surrounding mental health.  Most often, this leads to inaccurate and hurtful stereotypes of people as dangerous and incompetent.  The shame and isolation associated with these inaccurate assumptions prevents people from seeking the help necessary to live healthy and full lives.   In this module, we further our learning of mental health by exploring the various aspects of the ‘real threats’ of mental illness, and the effects it has on the lives of those affected.

When you first realize that someone you are close to may have a mental illness, it can be a confused and frightening time.  You may fear where this may lead.  Suddenly you are called upon to provide special support for which you feel completely unprepared.  What can you do?  Who can you talk to?

This course is the third in a series of courses that you can take to help you gain the knowledge, insight and tools in interacting with individuals with mental health matters.

Once you have completed this course, it will round out your knowledge in the series of Mental Health Matters courses.

Metalworking fluids are used widely for cooling and lubricating both tools and work surfaces. Metalworking fluids are described by their use and not by their chemical ingredients. Learn about the different types of fluids used, and the contaminants they create. As by-products, they put workers at risk causing acute and chronic health effects.

Most workplaces contain machines of one sort or another. They make human effort more efficient by substituting external energy for muscle power. Each year, physical contact with machine powered equipment account for a significant number of life-altering injuries, including amputations and disfigurement, and may also result in the death of a worker. Take this course to learn how most of these accidents can be prevented by effective safeguarding, lockout procedures, supervision and training.

Do you suffer breathing problems, fatigue, sore muscles, a weakened immune system and even mental confusion? MCS is the result of rapid technological growth in our society resulting in large quantities of new toxic chemicals. We may have become sensitized to chemicals, they are everywhere in the environment; it is not possible to escape exposure. This course examines chemical, physical, and biological hazards which can cause illness and disease.

Did you know you can get sick from using your keyboard or telephone at work? Microorganisms live on many work surfaces that can make people ill. Throughout the course we examine how microorganisms spread, the routes of entry to our bodies, how quickly they invade the body, and the factors which make some more sick than others.

PPEs are clothing, or an item that protects workers against a hazard. It is the most common form of protection, but not always the most effective, especially since it puts the sole responsibility of control on the worker. This course reviews the different types of PPEs, and informs workers of their limitations and usefulness.

Pesticides are among the most common and widely used chemicals in the world, and one to five million people are poisoned by them each year. This course will open our eyes as to who is actually exposed to these chemicals, where they were used, and what they were/are actually used for. Take this course and find out the far reaching effects of these common chemicals.

It’s colourless, flammable, and due to its weight, accumulates in confined spaces. Propane is a portable source of fire and explosion. In the course we examine the upper and lower explosive limits of this compressed gas. To ensure workers' safety, we review storage and transport procedures, in addition to, operating and emergency measures.

Back pain is the number one injury among health care workers, often because of work overload and the stress of handling patients. This course provides information on procedures and policies to handle patients ergonomically. By the end of the course you will have learned the proper approach, which includes the physical, mental, psychosocial, environmental, and occupational elements of the job along with reviewing safe patient handling skills.

Taking good care of patients does not mean you have to put up with abusive behaviour. Health care workers are more likely to be physically assaulted than the general public by as much as five times. Care givers who are victims of workplace abuse must be given the same consideration as any other victim of violence, as it is not their job to put up with aggressive behaviour from difficult patients. Participants will learn that recognizing workplace violence is the first step towards assessing and controlling it.

One care giver may perform up to 30 transfers and lifts over an 8 hour shift. In addition, care givers are performing up to 100 other patient handling related activities, such as feeding, dressing and bathing, which may contribute to the risk of musculoskeletal injury. This course will outline the importance of consistency in performing transfers, choosing the appropriate transfer equipment/procedures, and the difference between engineered and administrative controls.

Solvent exposure can occur when performing a wide range of tasks including mopping the kitchen floor, pumping gasoline, and degreasing metal operations. This course will explore the types of solvents, how they enter/exit our body, the affect on our health (chronic and acute), the principles of control, and strategies for change.

Job stress has been defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources or needs of the worker. This course builds on the stress awareness programs by reviewing how a unionized workplace can help workers effectively manage stress. Self-help is central to overcoming the problems caused by stress. Unions act as an “action group,” and represent an organized approach to self-help and change through vehicles such as: health and safety committees, collective bargaining, grievances, counselors, EAP programs, and activism.

UFCW Canada also offers a webCampus course, entitled Stress in the Workplace, that builds on our stress awareness programs by exploring how unions can help members effectively manage stress in the workplace. This course is availableto all UFCW Canada members and their family members completely free of charge.

Many aspects of office work have the potential to cause permanent and debilitating injuries. Technology has eliminated many repetitive and mundane tasks; however, its use has led to the introduction of different hazards. Discover how ergonomics addresses organizational stress (ie light, noise, and air), workload, and physical movements specific to office environments.

The physics involved in driving a 10 ton truck may result in an improper turn or a jack knife accident. Learn about the factors that could prevent accidents such as weather, ergonomics, dangerous goods, and hours of work. As unprecedented growth in this industry continues, reducing driver vulnerability while performing these jobs affects everyone on the road.

Welders are exposed daily to numerous hazards which can cause burns, blindness, and death. This course opens up our eyes to the chemical, physical, safety, and workplace design hazards that welders face. Learn the health & safety issues welders need to be aware of to keep safe.

A poorly designed workstation places stresses and strains on the body. The specific ergonomics of a work station directly affects many of the injuries that may occur while performing the work. This course investigates all the components that make up a work area, and the factors that may affect the output of the work being performed.

Work organization is about how, when, and where work is done. A well organized and designed job considers not only the work tasks, but also the needs and expectations of the worker. Factors such as work pace, working alone, overtime, and shift work are some of the topics that will be discussed in this very interesting course.

Workplace violence is a growing concern for employers and workers alike. This course examines work factors that define ‘high risk’ jobs, and factors that increase the risk of violence. You will learn what are the warning signs, examples of bullying, what are targets and how do they react, and what are the common mistakes employers make along with what their responsibilities are under the law.
Click here to watch a preview of the course.