Latest news with #workplacesafety
CNA
14 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
Eldercare services firm gets S$7,000 fine over death of 76-year-old whose wheelchair fell off an elevated platform
SINGAPORE: A company that provides eldercare services was ordered to pay a S$7,000 (US$5,400) fine on Tuesday (Jun 3) after a senior under its care died when his wheelchair rolled off a van platform during transportation. Mr Hassan Mohamed Karchi Arsan Osman's head struck the ground and he died of a head injury. The 76-year-old was a client of Active Global Respite Care, which provided transportation services for elderly clients, among other eldercare services. The company was on Tuesday convicted of a charge under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for failing to implement control measures and safe work procedures to minimise the risks of using a wheelchair lift. Another charge of a similar nature under the same Act was taken into consideration for sentencing. The company owned two vans that took clients between their homes and a senior care centre located along Ghim Moh Link. During the transportation process, a healthcare assistant would be present in each van to help. At the back of each vehicle was a wheelchair lift, which was a platform that could be raised or lowered so that wheelchair users could board or alight from the van. Van driver Kwa Kim Seng, 67, and the healthcare assistant Moe Thadar, 49, both employees of the company, were helping Mr Hassan to board the van via the platform when the incident happened. Each was previously sentenced to a S$10,000 fine for their roles in Mr Hassan's death. On Feb 3, 2021 at about 4.40pm, the van driven by Kwa was at a daycare centre's pick-up point. Mr Hassan was among the elders to be taken home and Moe Thadar wheeled him onto the platform. However, she failed to engage the brakes of his wheelchair. As she walked away, she told Kwa: 'Uncle, hold.' This was to inform him that Mr Hassan was ready to be lifted, so Kwa proceeded to raise the wheelchair lift platform from the back of the van while holding onto the wheelchair and chatting with a colleague. As the platform was about to be level with the van's interior floor, Kwa removed his grip on the wheelchair before the healthcare assistant within the vehicle had a hold on it. The wheelchair rolled backwards, fell off the platform and Mr Hassan's head struck the ground. The back of his head bled from the impact. He was taken to the hospital unconscious and died that night, with his cause of death certified to be a head injury. The prosecution said that the company relied merely on verbal communication of safety measures when employees were getting training on the job. The company lacked a documented risk assessment on the transportation of their clients using a van with a wheelchair lift. The Ministry of Manpower's prosecutor Kimberly Boo told the court: "Before the fatal incident, there were inconsistencies in handling wheelchair users on wheelchair lifts as employees taught new employees based on what they were taught, relying on memory and a verbal chain of communication." Active Global Respite Care also did not have documented procedures to guide employees on safety measures for the use of the wheelchair lift. The defence lawyers, Ms Gloria James-Civetta and Ms Noelle Teoh, said the company was appointed by the Ministry of Health and the Agency for Integrated Care to operate the Ghim Moh centre. They argued for their client to be given a fine of not more than S$5,000. Although the harm was high, the culpability was low in this case, the lawyers said, referring to the firm's unblemished record. "The incident was an isolated and unprecedented occurrence that tragically resulted in the passing of the late Mr Hassan. "Prior to the incident ... Active Global had operated in Singapore for several years without any record of similar serious incidents or accidents." The lawyers also argued that there were protocols and procedures to protect the passengers but they were not followed in this instance. "It is acknowledged that control measures in place were insufficient to ensure that staff members complied with the safety protocols intended to minimise the risks associated with using the wheelchair lift at the rear of the van. "However, the defence submits that this lapse was due to negligence, not intentional wrongdoing." In mitigation, the lawyers highlighted that the company and its representatives have accepted responsibility and fully cooperated with the authorities, in addition to pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity. Since the incident, the company has addressed gaps in its safety protocols and has deployed more workers at drop-off and pick-up points to enhance safety. "Weekly checks have also been implemented to ensure compliance with (standard operating procedures), with stern warnings and retraining issued to any non-compliant staff," they said.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
We must prevent worker exposure to workplace hazardous chemicals — Wong Soo Kan
JUNE 2 — In Malaysia many industries handle and use chemicals in their everyday operations. The hazards of the chemicals used vary remarkably from less hazardous like our household chemicals to very hazardous chemicals that could cause irreversible long-term health effects. Some examples of these effects include acute symptoms like skin irritation, and eye irritation, while some cause chronic conditions like asthma, cancer, neurological disorders, and reproductive problems. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) enacted the Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health (USECHH) Regulation 2000 governing the use of chemicals in the workplace. The law requires employers to provide information about the identities and hazards of the chemicals used in their workplace. DOSH also has the regulation Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013 (CLASS 2013) which requires employers using hazardous chemicals to ensure they are properly labelled and their safety data sheets are accessible to workers. The workers must be trained to handle the chemicals correctly. The training for workers must also include information on the hazards of the chemicals and the measures to protect themselves Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to classify their chemicals appropriately, and prepare labels and safety data sheets complying with CLASS 2013 regulations. A file picture of workers from Kualiti Alam conducting checks on chemical drums in Kuala Selangor. — Bernama pic Exposure to chemicals is preventable. Without adequate controls on chemical exposure, workers could suffer long-term health effects. Many health effects from chemical exposures manifest years after exposure. The delay between the exposure and the appearance of health effects is called the latency period. The latency period can vary significantly depending on the chemical, the nature of the exposure, and individual susceptibility. Due to the long latency periods associated with chronic diseases of hazardous chemicals, USECHH 2000 regulation requires employers to send their workers for medical surveillance. The law also requires employers to maintain detailed records of workplace exposures for at least 30 years. This is because occupational cancers, like mesothelioma, can have latency periods between 10 to 40 years or even longer. Hazardous chemicals come in several physical forms like liquid, gas, solid and vapour. Exposure can occur through four routes, depending on the form of the substance: inhalation; skin or eye absorption, and ingestion. Employers have responsibilities to minimise workers' exposure by adopting the appropriate exposure controls. In summary, chemical exposure in the workplace can pose significant health risks, ranging from immediate symptoms to chronic conditions. Proper prevention measures, and training, are essential to protect workers from the adverse effects of chemicals. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Protect Workers From Heat Waves or Face Fines, Japan Tells Firms
Tougher rules being enforced in Japan will see employers fined if they fail to take adequate precautions to protect workers from extreme temperatures. The revised legislation, which came into effect June 1, is a rare global example of a national-level policy on heat safety for employees, and comes after 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries last year associated with high temperatures, according to health ministry data. Most of those affected worked in construction or manufacturing.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Learning quick and having fun': Melville school holds safety day
Melville Comprehensive School held an 'Amazing Safety Quest' on Thursday, a theme day to teach students about safety at the workplace and at home. 'The students, Grade 5 to 12 are navigating safety stations, learning about a variety of industries, everything from workplace safety to community safety, recreational safety, getting a sense of different career paths they might be interested in,' said Amanda Wood, community relations coordinator at the Saskatchewan Safety Council. The inspiration behind the event was the passing of Cade Sprackman, an 18-year-old from Hudson Bay who was killed in a preventable workplace incident three weeks into his first job on Jan. 27, 2015. The safety day was organized to honour his memory and to ensure that accidents like his are prevented. The event was held at the school's gym. About 20 organizations were lined up along the walls. Students had seven minutes to try out a variety of activities, from CPR dummies to a fire hose. There was a lot of laughter and goofing around despite the importance of the event. Safety Day Students at Melville Comprehensive School took part in a safety day on Thursday. (Fruzsina De Cloedt / CTV News) 'All of these students will be going into careers, and in any type of field, there's always safety you need to learn about,' one of the students pointed out. 'Even in your personal life, you never know when you're going to come across something that you might need to know about these things,' she added. The Melville Fire Brigade held a mini race for the students: spraying water to knock over pylons. Lieutenant Parker Ellert told CTV News that he too, thinks that events like the one at the school are important. 'It gives kids experiences that they wouldn't usually get in their ordinary life or everyday life,' he said before he returned to his station to show a group of students how to hold the hose. A few minutes later, there was cheering as someone managed to knock over a pylon quickly. 'Actually, they're really good. They're learning quick, and they're having lots of fun,' he added. While the safety quest was only available to students at the school, the organizers thought that other members of the public would also enjoy learning about prevention. For those who are interested, an evening community event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Melville Comprehensive School.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Northern legal clinics receive funding to support victims of sexual harassment
The funding will support four clinics in northern Ontario: Algoma Community Legal Clinic (Sault Ste Marie), Keewaytinok Native Legal Services (Moosonee), Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic (Thunder Bay), and the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. Community Legal Clinics across northern Ontario are working together to address sexual harassment in the workplace by providing free legal advice and support to victims. The province-wide, two-year project is funded by the Department of Justice of Canada and led by Northumberland Community Legal Clinic. The funding will support four clinics in northern Ontario: Algoma Community Legal Clinic (Sault Ste. Marie), Keewaytinok Native Legal Services (Moosonee), Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic (Thunder Bay), and the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. Officials said even today, sexual harassment in the workplace is far too prevalent. 'One out of every two women report experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, and nearly one out of every three men do, as well,' said Scott Florence of the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic. People feel ashamed 'It's often something that people feel ashamed about. They're not sure what they can do about it. And so this project gives people free legal advice, free education and support to help them understand how to deal with sexual harassment if they've experienced it themselves -- or how to be an ally, and, ideally, how to be a better employer and make change in the workplace.' The $1 million in funding is an expansion of a program that began in 2019. The money for the second phase of the initiative is to run until March 31, 2027. 'At the Algoma Community Legal Clinic, we've been participating in this project since its initial inception,' said paralegal Jill Hewgill. 'Since 2020, we partnered with Algoma University … to deliver public legal education sessions regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. Because it's not just a legal issue, it's a social issue, as well. So the social work department felt there was a real need to have both of those complement one another.' Hewgill said that while the program has been successful, they saw the need to reach more people. 'We want to get to those individuals who aren't reporting it,' she said. Legal advice 'By doing this and involving all of the community legal clinics in the north, we're hoping that it will bring more people forward to seek legal advice -- or at least (provide) information to give them some guidance, some resources available for them.' Hewgill said many people don't come forward or even look for more information is fear of repercussions. 'This is in hopes of trying to break down some of those barriers and letting victims know they're not alone,' she said. People experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace can call 1-833-677-5146 for free legal advice, click here or contact the nearest community legal clinic to be referred to speak to someone directly.
