Woman Saved by Timely CPR

If you shop ’til you drop, have CPR providers nearby

Ross A. Courtney

Yakima Herald-Republic

YAKIMA, Wash. — There’s no good place for a heart attack.

And between the children’s clothing racks and a display of computer printers in the West Valley Walmart hardly would have been Ellen Davis’ first choice.

But just as the 69-year-old grandmother and substitute teacher collapsed while shopping on Black Friday, along came a registered nurse, a firefighter and a police officer. They all knew — and regularly practiced — CPR.

[Click Here to Read More]

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

December 6, 2009

December 6, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique Massacre, in which 14 women were singled because they were women and murdered. The École Polytechnique was not only a college, but also a workplace.

“The violence is there in our workplaces and in our homes.” Irene Harris, secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Federation of Labour

The Ontario Federation of Labour has been working to end workplace violence and ensure working women have workplace protections, legislative rights and strong violence prevention plans in Ontario workplaces.

The Occupational Health & Safety Act is being amended (Bill 168) to include harassment and domestic violence as it follows women into the workplace.

OSHA TO IMPROVE AUDITING PRACTICES OF WORK-RELATED INJURIES

According to the 2009 Occupational Self Safety and Health Administration Report (OSHA), Americans are routinely under reporting work-related injuries.

The report recognizes that employers fear that if there worker’s compensation costs increase this might hurt their chances of winning contracts. Furthermore, the report noted that workers did not report job — related injuries because they feared a negative response from the employer from losing their job to being passed over for promotions, bonuses or prizes awarded to those who maintain safe workplaces.

Concerned that this trend is undermining the health and safety of American workers, the chairman of the health, education, labor and pensions committee, Sen. Tom Harkin, expressed a need to improve reporting of workplace hazards so the risks faced by employees can be addressed.

The Government accountability office noted that while the rate of workplace injuries has declined there have been academic studies indicating that the OSHA data is flawed as it may exclude up to two thirds of the injuries and illnesses occurring at the workplace.

In response to this report the safety administration is poised to stop this trend of underreporting by improving auditing techniques as recommended by the accountability office.

The safety administration noted a flaw in OSHA’s auditing process of solely relying on employer reported injury and illness data and plans to establish more accurate auditing practices which will include in all audits interviewing random employees to check the accuracy of the data provided by the employer.

It is hoped that this will increase employee safety.

Written by Brenda McFarlane