Sign language ruled not
significant cause of teacher's
repetitive strain injury
Teacher for the deaf developed symptoms
after 3 years of using sign language
BY JEFFREY R. SMITH
A TEACHER at an Ontario school for the deaf who claimed her con-
stant use of sign language at work contributed to a repetitive strain
injury in her arm and neck has had her claim rejected for lack of
medical evidence linking her work and her injury.
The 34-year-old worker was a teacher at a school for the deaf
starting in 2008. On April 27, 2011, the worker began feeling pain
Stressing over worker's
compensation benefits in Ontario
New Ontario legislation expanding benefits eligibility
to include more mental health injuries in 2018
BY JOEL SMITH
PREVENTING WORKPLACE
harassment and managing its
impact on workers and the
workplace as a whole has been
a key focus of several signifi-
cant pieces of recent Ontario
legislation. In March 2016, Bill
132, the Sexual Violence and
Harassment Action Plan Act
(Supporting Survivors and
Challenging Sexual Violence
and Harassment), 2016, re-
ceived Royal Assent. Bill 132 in-
cluded significant amendments
to the province's Occupational
Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
that strengthened employees'
protections against workplace
Safety Reporter
Canadian
www.safety-reporter.com
November 2017
FALSIFIED POST-INCIDENT DRUG TEST
WORSE THAN HAVING MARIJUANA AT WORK
Marijuana in worker's system not evidence
of impairment but dishonesty in trying to
falsify test results was just cause pg. 3
WSIB'S HANDLING OF WORKER'S
CASE DISCRIMINATORY pg. 5
Delays, communication restrictions,
and confusing information
exacerbated worker's anxiety and
other psychological disorders
WORKER'S PREVIOUS
BACK INJURIES LED TO
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION
Latest accident would not have caused
disc hernation on its own; employer
granted 90% relief from costs
pg. 6
INSIDE
NEWS BRIEF
Treating > pg. 4
Credit:
Shutterstock/Yuganov
Konstantin
Teacher's > pg. 2
PM
#40065782
BC GUIDES PIPELINE
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Richmond, B.C. – WorkSafeBC has
produced a new safety resource
for constructing pipelines in the
province.
The Pipeline Construction In-
spection Guide is aimed at help-
ing employers, owners and workers
understand the key health and
safety requirements for pipeline
construction operations.
Alongside a glossary of terms,
the guide lays out WorkSafeBC's
regulatory jurisdiction over pipe-
lines and the specific obligations
under that framework for owners,
employers, prime contractors, sup-
pliers, supervisors, and workers,
as well as the relevant sections of
the B.C. Workers Compensation
Act and Occupational Health and
Safety Regulation.
The guide also outlines the
personal protective equipment
necessary for workers on pipeline
construction projects and require-
ments for emergency response
and first aid. Each phase of con-
struction carries a particular set of
health and safety considerations,
broken down in overviews for pre-
construction and construction ac-
tivities. This resource is available in
PDF form or in printed infoflip for-
mat ordered on worksafebc.com.