Health and Safety Guide
3rd Edition
Revised
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Contents
Section I Basic Rules of Safety
1. The Law Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Elements of On-the-job Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. Safety Tips for New Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. Safety Tips for Supervisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Safety Tips for Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section II Maintaining a High Standard of Safety
1. OSH Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Workplace Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3. Accident Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4. First Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section III Emergency Preparedness
1. Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2. Fire Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3. Eyewash Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4. Emergency Showers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section IV Classroom Safety
1. General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2. Science Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section V Arts and Crafts
1. Arts and Crafts Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2. Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section VI Industrial Technology
1. Hand Tool Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2. Drill Presses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3. Wood Turning Lathes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
4. Band Saws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5. Circular Saws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
6. Planers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7. Grinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8. Soldering Irons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
9. Gas Welding and Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
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Section VII Maintenance and Custodial Practices
1. Office Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2. Ladders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3. Scaffolds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4. Powered Boom Platforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
5. Manual Materials Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
6. Lock-out Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
7. Confined Space Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
8. Toxic Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
9. Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
10. Basic Electrical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
11. Grounds Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
12. Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Section VIII Sanitation and Infection Control
1. Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
2. Infection from Blood and Body Fluids . . . . . . 79
3. Biohazardous Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Section IX Sports and Activities
1. Sports and Sporting Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
2. Off-Site Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Section X Work Environment
1. Indoor Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
2. Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
3. Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
4. Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5. Working in Hot Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
6. Working in Cold Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
7. Portable Classrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
8. Asbestos Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
9. Ultraviolet Rays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
10. Electromagnetic Radiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Section XI Ergonomics
1. Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMIs) . . . . . . . . . 106
2. Computer Workstations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
3. Working in a Sitting Position . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
4. Chair and Work Surface Adjustment . . . . . . .113
5. Workstation Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
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Section XII Personal Protective Equipment
1. General Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
2. Safety Glasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
3. Safety Footwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
4. Safety Headwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
5. Hearing Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
6. Hand Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
7. Respirators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Section XIII Health and Safety Legislation
1. Legislative Responsibilities in Schools . . . . . . 134
2. Canadian OH&S Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
3. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System (WHMIS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
4. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) . . . . . . . 143
5. Public Health Promotion Legislation . . . . . . . . . 144
6. Fire Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
7. Building Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
8. Environmental Protection Legislation . . . . . . . . . 145
9. US OH&S Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Section XIV Information Sources
1. Canadian Government Departments with
Responsibility for OH&S . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
2. US Federal Safety and Health Agencies . . . 156
3. State Occupational Health and Safety Plans . 160
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1. The Law Says...
Health and safety laws are meant to protect you.
By law your employer must provide you with a safe and
healthy workplace.
It is your supervisor鈥檚 responsibility to make sure that you
understand the safe way of doing your work.
Working safely is your responsibility. You must use
personal protective equipment required by your employer,
follow safety procedures required in your area and report
any hazardous conditions you are aware of.
If you think a task is dangerous for you or your co-workers,
you have the right to refuse to do that job until it can be
done safely. You must report to your supervisor your
intention to refuse dangerous work.
2. Elements of On-the-Job Safety
1. The right way is the safe way of doing your job.
Follow instructions. If you don鈥檛 know, ask.
2. Know potential hazards in your work and ways of
working safely to prevent such hazards.
3. Know safety rules for specific jobs and be able to
explain these rules to fellow workers.
4. Follow emergency procedures in case of fires,
medical emergencies, and need of rescue squad.
5. Report all injuries including minor scratches, cuts,
burns, slips and falls. Your employer needs to know,
in order to take corrective action to prevent future
injuries. Follow your school鈥檚 procedures for
reporting injuries.
6. Know where emergency equipment is located, such
as fire extinguishers, eyewash stations and safety
showers, and learn how to use this equipment.
2
7. Use personal protective equipment as required by
your employer. Such equipment includes, but is not
limited to, safety glasses, hearing protectors,
respirators, safety boots, hard hats, gloves and face
shields.
8. Learn special safety procedures for particularly
hazardous work such as vessel entry, confined space
entry, electrical work and welding.
9. Follow electrical safety rules when using electrical
equipment, grounding portable electrical tools and
working near overhead power lines.
10. Know how to protect yourself when working
outdoors in very cold or hot weather or in direct
sunshine (UV rays).
11. Perform a circle check before taking out a vehicle.
12. Lock out and tag energy sources (electrical,
mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, etc.)
of all machinery and equipment under maintenance
or repair.
13. Report unsafe practises and unsafe conditions.
14. Wear clothing that鈥檚 appropriate to the tasks you
perform. Do not wear loose sleeves, cuffs, rings,
bracelets, nor anything else that may get caught in
moving machinery and cause injury.
Off-the-job safety is equally important.
Safety should not stop when you leave your
school or workplace.
3
Sample
SCIENCE LAB CHECKLIST
Date Room No.
Inspector(s)
Unsatisfactory, requires attention
Satisfactory
ITEM INSPECT FOR...
FACILITIES
J Hazard warning signs posted, condition, location
J Equipment condition, location
J Gas and water taps condition, location
J Electrical outlets condition, location
J Emergency equipment
availablility, condition, location
(fire, eyewash, etc.)
J First aid box availability, contents, location
J Broken glassware disposal availability, condition, location
J Labware cleaning facilties condition, location
CHEMICALS
J Procedure(s) for: purchasing, established, availability, location
storage, use and disposal
J MSDSs and labels (labels for
biological specimens stored availability, location
in chemical solutions included)
J WHMIS training availability
J Authorized access only posted
J Procedures for toxic substances established, posted
J Procedures for compliance with established, posted
health and safety regulations
J Emergency contact procedures established, posted
PRE-ACTIVITY AUDIT
J Safety and emergency established, posted, understood
procedures for students
J Student awareness of potential
hazards,(ie. long hair, jewellery, understanding of safe practices
etc.)
27
6. Planers
Belt Guard
Cutter Head Trigger Switch
Front Handle
Infeed Table
(Front shoe)
Outfeed Table
Cutter Blade Cutter Retained Edge Guide
Guidelines for Safe Use
WEAR safety glasses or a face shield.
USE blades of the same weight, and set at exactly the
same height.
ENSURE blade locking screws are tight.
REMOVE adjusting keys and wrenches before turning
power on.
DISCONNECT the planer from the power supply before
making any adjustments to the cutter head or blades.
Secure Work
SUPPORT stock in a
comfortable position
for doing the job
safely and accurately.
DISCONNECT power
supply to dump
out chips. Support stock for safe
accurate planing
46
Transferring Weight
Use the following sequence of motions for moving heavy or bulky
materials.
REDUCE the load on your back by transferring weight.
SHIFT your body weight from one leg to the other.
AVOID twisting your back.
1 PULL the material toward you.
2 TRANSFER your weight
to the lift side.
3 LIFT only to the level
required.
4 SHIFT your weight to
your other leg.
5 PUSH the material
into position.
65
2. Infection from Blood and
Body Fluids
Contact with blood and body fluids visibly contaminated
with blood may transmit illness.
Cleaning and Decontaminating
Blood-Contaminated Areas
WEAR gloves and use disposable towels or other means
of cleaning that will ensure against direct contact with
blood and body fluids.
DECONTAMINATE the area, with an approved
germicide or 1:100 solution of household bleach.
WASH and disinfect all the equipment used in the
cleaning task.
DISCARD all soiled cleaning materials in a leak-proof
plastic bag, according to local/public health
regulations for the disposal of infectious waste.
WASH hands thoroughly with warm water and soap, after
removing gloves.
2. Soap 3. Lather
1. Wet Hands
CHANGE gloves after each task or exposure.
DISPOSE used gloves as contaminated materials.
Hand Washing Guidelines
WASH hands regularly,
especially after each
exposure.
WET, SOAP and LATHER for at least ten seconds.
WASH and scrub under the nails and cuticle.
RINSE thoroughly and dry.
79
7. Portable Classrooms
Health Concerns
There are reports that students and teachers in portable
class rooms experience symptoms such as:
irritation of nose, throat and skin;
nose bleeding, muscle aches, extreme fatigue;
breathing problems from allergic reactions such as
asthma
cold- or flu-like symptoms: runny nose, phlegm in the
throat, coughing, wheezing;
hoarseness and sore throats;
itchy and inflamed eyes;
nausea, joint pain, and headaches.
People who have allergies are more likely to be affected
compared to others.
Cause of Sickness
The possible cause of such sickness is believed to be poor
indoor air quality and indoor air pollution. Similar illness
can occur in any classroom with inadequate ventilation.
Lack of adequate ventilation results in build-up of moisture,
dusts, organic vapours, and emissions from the human
body in the indoor air. High moisture content of the air
(relative humidity) results in moulds and mildew growth.
Moulds release spores into the building air. Inhalation of
spore contaminated air increases the risk of allergies and
other illnesses. All exposed persons are not equally affected.
However, as level of air contamination and/or exposure
time increases more and more people are affected.
The (Ontario) Inter-ministerial Committee on Indoor Air
Quality (1987) and the ASHRAE 62-1989 standard on
indoor ventilation recommend that an outdoor air supply
of 15 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per occupant is necessary
to provide a healthy indoor environment. This ventilation
rate assumes that the outside air is evenly distributed in
the room.
96
3. Working in a Sitting Position
鈥淕ood鈥? Body Position
There is no one single body position recommended for sitting.
Every worker can sit comfortably by adjusting the angles
of the hips, knees, ankles and elbows.
The following are general recommendations. Occasional
changes beyond given ranges are acceptable and
sometimes beneficial.
KEEP the joints such as
hips, knees and ankles
open slightly more
than 90掳
KEEP the upper body
Hip Angle
within 30掳 of upright 90掳鈥?120掳
positions.
Knee Angle
ALWAYS keep the head
90掳鈥?130掳
aligned with the spine.
KEEP upper arms vertical Ankle Angle
100掳鈥?120掳
to 20掳 forward.
KEEP elbows at an angle
between 90掳 and
120掳.
KEEP forearms between
horizontal and 20掳 up.
Trunk
SUPPORT the forearms. inclination
0-30掳
KEEP the wrists straight and
aligned with the forearms.
PLACE the working object so
that it can be seen at
viewing angle of 10掳 to
30掳 below the line of
sight.
110
KEEP shoulders low and
relaxed.
KEEP elbows tucked in. Elbow angle
90掳-120掳
TUCK chin in and do
not bend forward
when looking down
and forward.
Upper arm
CHANGE positions inclination
0-20掳
frequently within
recommended
ranges.
CROSS legs alternately.
0掳
t3
Line of sight
igh
s
of
e
Lin
30掳
AVOID side bending.
AVOID forward bending.
DO NOT SLOUCH.
DO NOT SIT for more than 50 minutes at a time.
What to Avoid While Sitting
Poor arrangement of the workstation fosters an awkward/
poor body position. Poor body position hinders breathing
and blood circulation and contributes to injuries affecting
people's ability to move.
111
3. Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System (WHMIS)
WHMIS (Pronounced whimiss)
WHMIS applies to all Canadian workplaces. It requires
that all workers who work with or near a hazardous
substance (controlled product) be informed about its
potential hazards and recommended safe work practices.
WHMIS requires that information be provided in three ways:
l. All controlled products used in the workplace must
have a WHMIS label on the container.
2. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and hazard
information must be readily available in the
workplace. A MSDS summarizes the health and
safety information about the product.
3. Workers must receive training to be able to recognize
and work safely with chemicals.
Sample
NETTOYANT XYZ CLEANER
Causes Burns Cause des br没lurs
Very Toxic Material Produit tr猫s toxique
Avoid Contact with Skin 脡viter tout contact avec
la peau
In case of skin or eye En cas de contact avec la
contact, flush with copious peau ou les yeux, laver 脿
amounts of water for grande eau pendant
15 minutes and seek 15 minutes et consulter
medical attention un m茅decin.
Sample
See Material Safety Data Sheet
WHMIS Voir la fiche signal茅tique
Label ABC Chemical Company Ltd.
Fabricant de produits chimiques ABC
The HAZARD SYMBOL is an important part of the
WHMIS label. It warns the user that a particular hazard
exists. Actual hazards from toxic substances depend on
the amount (level and duration) of exposure. A brief
exposure at high levels may result in chemical poisoning
within hours. Prolonged exposure at low levels may
cause illness after several years.
141
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