The Canadian Auditor General’s office has raised concerns about how dangerous goods are transported in Canada, in a report that may have far-reaching effects on Transport Canada, as well as the transportation and chemical industries. The conclusion in the report that “Transport Canada has not designed and implemented the management practices needed to effectively monitor regulatory compliance with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992” has already become a major news story, raising public concern. But how valid are these concerns?
Scott Vaughn, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, this week issued his report on the performance of Transport Canada and the National Energy Board. The report, issued as the 2011 December Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development found, among other areas of concern:
Transport Canada lacks a consistent approach to planning and implementing compliance activities. In particular, it has not established a “risk based” approach to monitoring companies involved in transporting dangerous goods.
There is a lack of follow-up on reported deficiencies. Corrective action is not consistently taken when violations are discovered. Documentation of corrective actions is often missing or incomplete.
The system for approving and overseeing Emergency Response Assistance Plans (ERAPs) is slow, and many plans are given merely “interim” approvals, but never progress to full approval (some have been designated interim as long as ten years).
Inspectors lack detailed guidance on how to enforce and monitor compliance.
The report identifies some significant areas of concern, and Transport Canada has committed to addressing these issues. However, it should be pointed out that most of the issues raised by the Commissioner are not related to actual incidents, but the day-to-day administrative procedures of the department. In general, Canada’s record in safe transportation of dangerous goods is still very good. The number of accidents related to non-compliant dangerous goods is low, and most incidents are dealt with quickly and appropriately, due to the hazard communication requirements of the regulations.
Companies involved in the transportation of dangerous goods in Canada should watch the developments from this report carefully. As the government tries to address these concerns, we may see improvements for industry, such as speedier approvals, but there may also be a downside. Will the criticism of Transport Canada’s enforcement procedures result in inspectors taking a more “hard-nosed” approach during investigations?
Christmas time is almost upon us again. Many of us like to decorate our homes for the Christmas season with traditional plants and flowers. The poinsettia is always a big favorite; it’s bright red leaves just scream Christmas. We hang mistletoe so we can kiss our beloved. We like to decorate window sills and banisters with holly and ivy. And last, but certainly not least, many of us like to put a large real Christmas tree in the middle of our living rooms.
Poinsettas
There is some controversy, mostly from those who sell flowers, whether or not poinsettia’s are poisonous. Actually, the flower itself is not poisonous but the sap that comes out of the leaves can cause skin and mouth irritation, and vomiting. If a pet or child ingests any of the plant, it can be treated by washing with soap and water.
Mistletoe
The berries of the mistletoe plant are extremely poisonous. It is recommended that you remove the berries if you plan to have the plant around your house. The berries can cause excessive salivating, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, heavy breathing and a fast heart rate.
Holly
Like mistletoe, the berries on the holly plant are poisonous. They are not as poisonous as mistletoe berries and many birds do live on them but they can cause gastric intestinal distress, vomiting and diarrhea in small children and pets. If you think a pet or child has ingested the berries, contact your doctor or vet immediately.
Pine trees
If you bring a real Christmas tree into your home you must be aware of the dangers, to pets especially. It is inevitable that the needles will fall off a pine tree. If your pet ingests the pine needles there is a danger of their internal organs being pierced by the needles. It’s probably safest to buy an artificial tree. They don’t drop needles, they don’t dry out, and they are not a fire hazard.
Don’t be afraid of decorating your homes with Christmas plants and flowers. Just taking a few precautions can ensure that you and your family and your pets will have a wonderful holiday season.
As a Christmas enthusiast, I enjoy stringing Christmas lights around trees and small plants to give my home a warm glow for the holiday season. These lights mesmerize children and adults alike in a stunning display of twinkling color. But we forget the risks that Christmas tree lights pose when used inside the home. We can steer clear of such hazards by taking preventive measures against potentially threatening situations.
Real Tree Fire Hazards
Christmas tree lights have a reputation of sparking electrical fires on Christmas trees. According to our local fire administration, a short in one light of the electrical light string often ignites a fire on the family tree. However, fires are less likely to break out on well-watered Christmas trees than dry ones. Therefore, Christmas tree owners have to keep their trees well-watered to reduce the chance of an electrical light fire.
Choking Hazards
Children seldom consider the consequences of getting tangled up in Christmas tree lights. Toddlers and small children may get the electrical light cords wrapped around their necks and suffocate if not placed under adult supervision. Parents can prevent this occurrence by making sure their small children are never left alone in a room with boxed or partially strung Christmas tree lights, as children might use them as toys or attempt to string the lights themselves.
Pre-lit Tree Risks
Christmas tree lights don’t need loose cords to pose a threat. In the United States the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled some pre-lit trees. According to the commission, some buyers experienced electrical shocks and fires resulting from exposed wiring, wires that were too short and electrical cords that were not plugged in all the way. While not purchasing pre-lit trees is the only way to prevent such issues, individuals can take some precautions by placing the tree in a well-ventilated area where it is not likely to quickly spread fire to furniture, pillows or gifts within close proximity.
Fake Tree Dangers
Even though real trees and pre-lit trees seem to pose the most threats in the home, artificial trees are equally as vulnerable to Christmas tree light risks. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, fake trees are likely to catch fire when decorators overload electrical sockets with Christmas tree lights. Did you know that even flame retardant or flame resistant artificial trees can eventually succumb to a fire, as their resistance wears off when completely consumed in flames? By following the instructions on Christmas tree light packaging, owners can determine how many light strings they can safely connect before posing a threat to their homes.
by Suzanne Levac on October 26, 2011 at 8:00 am · in Suzanne's Blog
(NC)—If you have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed on every storey of your home and outside bedrooms, and they each have fresh batteries, give yourself a pat on the back.
But if any of those smoke alarms is more than 10 years old, or any CO alarm is more than 7 years old, your family safety efforts are being wasted. Because just like other appliances and devices in your home, smoke and CO alarms wear out and must be replaced.
While newer models have a built-in “end of life” warning – a chirp that tells you to replace it – older ones do not. So how can you remember to replace alarms, and, when?
Follow the ’10/7 Replacement Rule’. It goes like this: replace any smoke alarm after 10 years, and any CO alarm after 7 years. It doesn’t matter whether your alarms are battery operated or hardwired into your home’s electrical system. The 10/7 Replacement Rule still applies.
Did you know?
All smoke alarms are not the same.
Photoelectric smoke alarms are a good choice near kitchens. Their sensors are best at detecting slow smoldering fires so you will have fewer false alarms when you burn the toast.
Ionization smoke alarms are a good choice for general living areas, as they are best at detecting fast-flaming fires.
Fire departments say that having both types of alarms installed in your home provides the best protection. More information on the different types of smoke alarms and other fire safety tips can be found online at www.safeathome.ca
The new Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling (GHS) is now ready for worldwide implementation. Many countries have already adopted the GHS, while the USA and Canada are just beginning the task of harmonizing existing regulatory regimes within the GHS framework. Whereas the question on most people’s minds these days is “When will GHS be implemented?” concern should focus on how GHS will affect our commerce and safety in our workplaces. Target audiences for the GHS include consumers, workers, and emergency responders. GHS will benefit these folks. Though for the employer or Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager, once you’ve educated yourself in GHS principles, expect to spend much time sifting through the data needed to correctly categorize chemicals and their mixtures per the new GHS criteria. You should also expect to spend much money and time applying new GHS labels to chemical containers, reformat existing MSDSs to the sixteen sections Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and retrain workers how to interpret GHS hazard information. Do not expect a GHS shift to magically make your workplace safer, since GHS is not intended to harmonize risk assessment procedures or risk management. This gradual process of GHS assimilation should however eventually help in the decisions process.
The advantage of GHS is the way it identifies the intrinsic hazards found in chemical substances and mixtures and conveys this hazard information through a standardized use of statements, symbols and signal words on labels and SDSs. GHS labels include product identifier, signal word (DANGER or WARNING), hazard and precautionary statements with associated pictograms and supplier identification. This is a vast improvement over existing systems in North America. The jurisdictional agency responsible for GHS implementation, OSHA or Health Canada, may opt to include risk phrases, first-aid procedures, and a reference to the SDS. Health Canada may further opt to maintain the distinctive hatched border that is mandatory for a WHMIS supplier label. Yes, this additional information is good and important for enhanced occupational health and safety. Though for the average user, it may be so overwhelming that it will be simply ignored.
The GHS SDS is also a vast improvement over existing MSDS formats in North America. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) MSDS standard (ANSI Z400.1-2004) was modified to adopt the GHS 16-section SDS format. For the first time since the introduction of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), or Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), there will be a standardized format. Users will always be able to locate the information they need in the same section on every SDS. However, the GHS SDS will contain additional technical data, making it a document written by technical professionals for technical professionals. It is doubtful that it will be read by the average workplace employee even though it contains important information to protect human health and safety.
GHS classifications are criteria based. GHS criteria are semi-quantitative or qualitative, and “expert judgment may also be required in interpreting data for hazard classification of substances, especially where weight of evidence determinations are needed.” There are 16 classes based on physical hazards, 10 based on health hazards, and 2 based on environmental hazards. These classes are further divided into ranking categories that represent varying severity of hazard. A Category 1 in GHS represents most severe, or worst, case. So if in your workplace you rank risks using either the traditional Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS®), or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA 704 system, or both, then prepare yourself for ranking discrepancy and confusion in the workplace. As example, compare this ranking for flammability.
Flammability Criteria
GHS Category
NFPA 704 Rating
HMIS III® Rating
Flash point < 73°F(23°C) and initial boiling point 100°F(37.8°C)
1 or 2
4
4
Flash point < 73°F(23°C) and initial boiling point 100°F(37.8°C) and Flash point > 73°F(23°C) and < 100°F(37.8°C)
2 or 3
3
3
Flash point ≥ 100°F(37.8°C) and < 200°F (93.4°C)
3 or 4
2
2
Flash point > 200°F(93.4°C) and will burn in air when exposed to a temperature of 1500°F(815.5°C) for a period of 5 min.
None
1
1
When GHS is finally adopted by OSHA, then by Health Canada, be sure these agencies will implement performance based standards. As an employer or EHS Manager, whether you are looking forward to the new challenges that GHS will confront you with or not, it still remains that a successful and functional workplace safety program is based on six principles:
All injuries and occupational illnesses can be prevented
Safety is a line-management responsibility
All construction and operating exposures can be reasonably safeguarded
Line management has a responsibility to train all employees to work safely
Preventing injuries and incidents is good business
Working safely is a condition of employment
For more information about GHS, news and updates, check out this link.
