Canadian Occupational Safety

APRIL/MAY 2018 7 Medical residents work average of 71 hours per week M ore than one-half (54.8 per cent) of medical residents in Quebec are showing signs of burnout, according to a survey from the Fédération des médecins résidents du Québec, a group representing 3,600 medical residents. "While we suspected this problem existed among our members, these findings raise a red flag," said Christopher Lemieux, president of the association. The survey of 947 medical residents also found 64.5 per cent feel exhausted at the end of their work day at least once a week, while 48.8 per cent wake up weary before starting their work day at least once per week. The association also completed another study with its members to assess the number of hours they worked on a weekly basis. More than 2,000 medical residents responded and it was found they work an average of 70.94 hours per week. "This means that, during the day, evenings, nights and weekends, our medical residents work virtually two weeks in one, compared with other health system employees' average regular work week (around 36 hours), all year round, throughout Quebec," Lemieux said. "Like nurses and other health professionals, medical residents are clearly overloaded… and solutions must be found to this situation." The association has launched a campaign called Discount Resident/Available Until Exhaustion to raise awareness on the issue. Transport Canada mandates new safety technologies for trucks, buses T ransport Canada is requiring commercial trucks and buses to adopt two new technologies. The first is electronic stability control technology; a crash avoidance technology that can reduce collisions by helping drivers maintain control, preventing rollovers and improving directional stability. Electronic stability control technology is now required in new truck tractors and will be required in school buses and intercity buses by June. The second technology is mandatory electronic logging devices for federally regulated motor car- riers (trucks and buses) and their commercial drivers. Electronic logging devices help a driver to remain compliant with the federal Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, which reduces the potential for driver fatigue. Electronic logging devices also reduce the admin- istrative burden related to paper log books. They automatically record a driver's driving time, are synced with a vehicle's engine and are designed to be tamper resistant. "Electronic logs will make compliance easier to verify, ensuring all carriers are following the hours of service rules. This will result in a levelling of the playing field within the industry and improved road safety for all," said Mike Millian, president of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. Electronic logging devices that meet a new National Safety Code technical standard will become manda- tory in 2020. Devices now in use will be permitted until 2022. Canada's new regulations for both technologies are closely aligned with similar regulations in the United States to improve safety and to support economic growth, trade and shipping, Transport Canada said. By further aligning Canadian and U.S. log- ging device regulations, Canadian operators could use the same logging device in both countries. Workplace harassment complaints in Ontario double after law takes effect W orkplace harassment complaints in Ontario have increased more than 100 per cent since Bill 132, sexual violence and harassment legislation, has been in place, according to Workplace Safety North. Bill 132 came into effect in September 2016, expanding the definition of harassment to specif- ically include sexual harassment. "The legislation helps address one of the biggest problems in the workplace — especially with smaller businesses where the owner is the alleged harasser," Workplace Safety North said in a release. "In the past, employees had nowhere to go to report sexual harassment from the boss and that has all changed." In the first 10 months following Bill 132, the Ministry of Labour received 4,935 calls regarding workplace harassment, includ- ing sexual harassment. The calls resulted in 2,133 harassment complaints, including 156 specific to sexual harassment. Compared to the same time frame in the previous year, this is a 136 per cent increase in harassment complaints and a 114 per cent increase in sexual harassment complaints, said Workplace Safety North. Of all the complaints, there were 1,539 field visits conducted by specially t ra ined Minist r y of Labour inspectors at 1,041 Ontar io work- places, and inspectors issued 2,168 orders and 35 requirements. The retail and restaurant sectors reported the most sexual harassment on the job, making up 26 per cent of the 156 sexual harass- ment complaints made to the ministry. Industrial manufacturing employers are responsible for most of the remainder, including automotive, food, beverage, tobacco and industrial services. The Ministr y of Labour has also received calls from workers who are no longer in the workplace, and who may have left due to harassment. WORK SAFELY. Protecting Generations of Workers since 1896 ECLIPSE TM QUAD-HAZARD ® Chemical Resistant - HiViz - Arc Flash - Flash Fire Come and see us at Booth # 405 | www.tingleyrubber.com Tingley_Pub_8,625x3,33_v4.pdf 1 2017-03-15 4:18 PM

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