Category Archives: News

Tri-Cities Champions for Young Children Awards of Excellence

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On May 11 2017 I attended the Tri-Cities Champions for Young Children Awards of Excellence event at the Hard Rock Casino. Presented by the Tri-Cities Early Childhood Development Committee, this event is a celebration of those who have improved the lives of children aged birth to 6 years and their families in the Tri-Cities.

As I looked around the room during the evening, I was happy to see that many of the nominees, award winners and guests are clients of Safe + Sound. Over the last 17 years we have had the pleasure of providing Red Cross First Aid training to thousands of childcare workers, parents and babysitters, most of whom live and work in the Tri-Cities.

I was particularly thrilled when Tazeen Bharucha (SD43 Strongstart) receive the award in the individual Champion category. Tazeen was one my children’s’ preschool teachers and it would be hard to find a kinder and more dedicated childcare worker. It was also wonderful to see Diane Lee from Tri-Cities Child Care Resource & Referral Program receive the Leadership Champion award – well deserved recognition of 35 years work in the childcare field.

Thank you to Trish Mandewo from Vancouver Tumblebus for nominating Safe + Sound First Aid Training for an award at this event. It was an honour to be in the same room as some of the most caring, loving, creative, people in our community; those who have dedicated their lives and their careers to protecting the most vulnerable among us – our little ones.

Kudos to Susan Foster from MCFD and all of the other event organizers, for providing a platform to recognize and inspire those in the field of childcare. Congratulations to all and keep up the good work!

Nitroglycerin or Aspirin – which is best for a heart attack victim?

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When a person is experiencing a heart attack, should you give them Aspirin or Nitroglycerin?

If you suspect that a person is having a heat attack, the most important thing to do is to call 9-1-1 immediately. Don’t do anything before calling 9-1-1.

Heart attacks are usually caused by atherosclerosis (the build up of plaque on the artery walls), and complicated by thrombosis (blood clots) in the heart vessels. Anti thrombotic treatment should happen as soon as possible after a heart attack. Aspirin (ASA) helps slow down the formation of clots.

It is recommended that a person experiencing a heart attack chew 160 to 325 mg of ASA – either two low-dose (81mg) tablets or one regular strength (325 mg) tablet.

Taking ASA is not advised during a stroke, because not all strokes are caused by blood clots. Most strokes are caused by clots, but some are caused by ruptured blood vessels. Taking ASA could potentially make these bleeding strokes more severe.

Nitroglycerin “Nitro” is a symptom relief medication and does not target the underlying cause of the heart attack. First Aiders should focus on helping the person take ASA over nitroglycerin, as long as there is no contraindication. Remember to ask “Are you allergic to aspirin?”

For more information on giving aspirin during a heart attack or stroke please follow this link: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/PreventionTreatmentofHeartAttack/Aspirin-and-Heart-Disease_UCM_321714_Article.jsp#.WQjdLdLyuUk

Why smart employers provide Mental Health First Aid Training in the workplace

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The Cost of Mental Illness in Canada

According to the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) the economic burden of mental illness in Canada is estimated at $51 billion per year. This includes health care costs, lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life.

  • Individuals with a mental illness are much less likely to be employed. Unemployment rates are as high as 70% to 90% for people with the most severe mental illnesses.
  • In any given week, at least 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to mental health problems. This includes:
    • approximately 355,000 disability cases due to mental and/or behavioural disorders plus
    • approximately 175,000 full-time workers absent from work due to mental illness.
  • The cost of a disability leave for a mental illness is about double the cost of a leave due to a physical illness.
  • A small proportion of all health care patients account for a disproportionately large share of health care costs. Patients with high mental health costs incur over 30% more costs than other high-cost patients.
  • A growing body of international evidence demonstrates that promotion, prevention, and early intervention initiatives show positive returns on investment.

Why smart employers provide Mental Health First Aid Training in the workplace

Key findings from a Pan-Canadian Survey conducted by the Canadian Mental Health Association show that ‘Mental Health First Aid’ is by far the resource most known by respondents.

The most effective tools according to respondents are CMHA workplace mental health workshops, Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (free online resources), and The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Respondents indicate that the best methods for learning about workplace mental health tools and resources are through in-person seminars, workshops and presentations.

Respondents indicate the need for more education about the tools and resources that exist to support workplace mental health. Also needed are organizational cultural shifts that exemplify acceptance of mental health concerns as a legitimate health issue.

Contact us today for information about onsite Mental Health First Aid training in your workplace.

9 Tips for a Safe Halloween

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Follow these tips on Halloween night to help ensure your family has a fun and safe night of trick or treating!

1. Young children should be accompanied by a parent.

2. Older kids should trick or treat in groups and have a cell phone with them. Discuss your child’s route with them and what time they will be home at.

3. Instruct children to walk on the sidewalk not the street.

4. Be seen in the dark. Encourage kids to wear lighter coloured and or reflective clothing or apply reflective tape to your child’s jacket. Take a flashlight.

5. Use glow sticks instead of candles. Wigs and costumes are highly flammable and glow sticks are perfect for illuminating Jack-o-lanterns.

6. Tell children to only visit residences with a porch light on and never to enter a stranger’s home. Teach them to politely accept candy and promptly leave.

7. Keep costume hems short to avoid tripping. Avoid masks or at least ensure they don’t block the eyes.

8. Parents should check candy before it is eaten to remove any potential hazards. Encourage kids to eat a healthy snack or meal before they go out.

9. Trick-or-Treat on one side of the street then the other. Never criss-cross the street and always look both ways before crossing

Stay safe and have a Spooktacular Halloween!

What are the first aid requirements for my workplace?

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First Aid Requirements in the Workplace

Employers are responsible for first aid in the workplace. To determine the first aid requirements of your workplace, first you’ll need to do an assessment. Then, you can review the findings and take necessary steps to put proper first aid procedures in place. If you’re an employer, you are responsible for first aid in the workplace.

First aid in the workplace is about providing workers with prompt, easily accessible, and appropriate first aid treatment. Depending on your workplace, you might need some or all of the following:

  • Occupational first aid attendants with the training appropriate for the type of workplace, number of workers, and time to a hospital.
  • Proper facilities, such as first aid rooms or dressing stations.
  • First aid kits with appropriate types and quantities of supplies.
  • A record-keeping system so incidents can be logged.
  • Appropriate means of transporting injured workers to medical aid.
  • Effective means of communication between first aid attendants and workers served, and for the first aid attendant to call for assistance.
  • Conduct a first aid assessment

To determine an adequate and appropriate level of first aid coverage, the first step is a first aid assessment. This doesn’t need to be complicated. But it does call for a full review of your workplace. The assessment will help you determine the minimum level of first aid needed in your workplace. First aid levels are outlined in the OHS Regulation Schedule 3-A: Minimum Levels of First Aid.

Steps to first aid assessment can be found on the WorkSafeBC website

I’m interested in Onsite Level 1 Training at my workplace

I’d like to register my workers on a Level 1 course in Coquitlam

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Onsite First Aid Training in Metro Vancouver

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Do your staff need first aid training?

We do onsite first aid training in workplaces in Metro Vancouver.  We can teach a class in the convenience of your own venue, or you can book a private course at our Coquitlam location. Private group training is easy to very organize. Just book a date with us and provide a group of people and we’ll take care of everything else!

We will come out to your location in the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody) Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver, North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Abbotsford or Langley.

The Venue

The training room should be clean and contain enough seating for the number of people attending as well as adequate clear floor space for the practical sessions. Please see guidelines below. There must be washrooms nearby.

Training room size

Red Cross minimum room size requirements: 1.4 m2 (15 sq. ft.) available for every 2 participants.

For Level 1 (Workplace Emergency First Aid) courses, WorkSafe BC requires a minimum of 500 sq ft of clear floor space in addition to the seating area.

First Aid Class Group Size

Red Cross First Aid/ CPR courses:

Maximum number of students per class = 18

Minimum number of students you will be invoiced for = 10

 

Mental Health First Aid courses:

Maximum number of students per class = 24

Minimum number of students you will be invoiced for = 10

Special arrangements can be made for smaller or larger groups.

Don’t have a suitable training room onsite?

No problem! We can teach your group at our Coquitlam location or you can register your staff members on one of our public courses. You can find our public course schedule at staging-wp123859.wpdns.ca

First Aid in Farsi?

Our public courses are usually conducted in English, however we have an Iranian instructor who can teach first aid and CPR classes in Farsi. We’d be happy to arrange a private course for your group conducted in Farsi.

Ready to book your private group course?

For more information, or to make arrangements for your onsite first aid training, please contact us. To help us to serve you better, please give us the following information if you can:

  • Which course do your staff members need to take?
  • Would you like us to teach the class at your workplace or our classroom in Coquitlam?
  • Which day of the week is most convenient for you?
  • Do you have any dates in mind for your training? Please give a two or three alternate dates and indicate your preference.
  • Would you prefer to be contacted by phone or email?

Contact us today to book a private first aid class for your group!
Call 604-945-7277 and speak to Gill, or email info@learnfirstaid.ca

View of person from behind with brain inflamation

Having a stroke more than doubles your risk of developing dementia

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A new report from the Heart & Stroke Foundation shows that having a stroke more than doubles your risk of developing dementia – all the more reason to adopt a healthy lifestyle now and get stroke victims to hospital as soon as possible.

If you suspect someone is having a stroke call EMS/911 immediately and request an ambulance. The person needs medical attention as fast as possible. Do not drive them to the hospital yourself.

If the person is having a stroke that’s caused by a blood clot they can be given clot busting medication that can stop the stroke by breaking up the blood clot. The medication must be given as soon as possible and within 4½ hours after stroke symptoms start. Receiving this medication in time can reduce the severity of a stroke and reverse some of the effects, helping the person recover more quickly.

Stroke and Dementia by the numbers:

  • 1.9 million brain cells die every minute after a stroke.
  • 405,000 Canadians are living with the effect of stroke.
  • 1 in 3 Canadians who will develop stroke, dementia, or both.
  • 1/3 of dementia risk can be attributed to stroke.
  • 9 in 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for stroke and heart disease.

Signs of stroke include F.A.S.T.

FACE – Is it drooping?
ARMS – Can you raise both?
SPEECH – Is it slurred or jumbled?
TIME – to call 9-1-1 right away

Take a Red Cross first aid & CPR course and learn how to care for a person suffering from a stroke or heart attack. Check out our course list here.

Safe + Sound is now a Red Cross Disaster Management- First Aid Training Provider!

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CRC Disaster Response Thailand

We are now providing first aid training free of charge to Red Cross Disaster Response Personnel, operators of Red Cross vehicles and other Red Cross volunteers and staff.

Safe + Sound has been a Red Cross Training Partner since 1999 providing first aid & CPR training in the Metro Vancouver Area. It is an honour to be associated with an organization that provides such valuable support and relief to the most vulnerable people around the world.

One of the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is Impartiality. Red Cross makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

To learn more about how the Red Cross responds to disasters around the world please visit redcross.ca

April 28 National Day of Mourning

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The National Day of Mourning, held annually in Canada on April 28, is dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives, or suffered injury or illness on the job or due to a work-related tragedy.

Statistics and beyond

The most recent statistics from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) tell us that in 2014, 919 workplace deaths were recorded in Canada – more than 2.5 deaths every single day. Among the 919 dead were thirteen young workers aged fifteen to nineteen years; and another twenty-five workers aged twenty to twenty-four years.

Add to these fatalities the 239,643 claims accepted for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease. Including 7,998 from young workers aged fifteen to nineteen, and the fact that these statistics only include what is reported and accepted by the compensation boards, and the situation is even direr.

What these numbers don’t show is just how many people are directly affected by these workplace tragedies. Each worker death impacts the loved ones, families, friends and coworkers they leave behind, changing all of their lives forever.

Observance

The National Day of Mourning is not only a day to remember and honour those lives lost or injured due to a workplace tragedy, but also a day to renew the commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses and deaths.

On April 28th the Canadian flag will fly at half-mast on Parliament Hill and on all federal government buildings. Employers and workers will observe Day of Mourning in a variety of ways. Some light candles, lay wreaths, wear commemorative pins, ribbons or black armbands, and pause for a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m.

History

In 1991, eight years after the day of remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress, the Parliament of Canada passed the Workers Mourning Day Act making April 28 an official Day of Mourning. Today the Day of Mourning has since spread to about 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day, and as International Workers’ Memorial Day by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

It is the hope of CCOHS that the annual observance of this day will help strengthen the resolve to establish safe and healthy conditions in the workplace, and prevent further injuries and deaths. As much as this is a day to remember the dead, it is also a call to protect the living and make work a place to thrive.

From CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)

What one thing could you do to make your workplace safer today?

 

GHS WHMIS 2015

GHS WHMIS 2015 – Are your employees up to date?

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GHS WHIMIS 2015 is the newly updated version of  WHMIS. The course now includes new international guidelines. Your employees can take GHS WHIMIS 2015 online in 1 hour and print their own certificate. Course fee: $29.95. Register now for GHS WHMIS 2015

What is WHMIS?

The workplace Hazardous Materials Information System commonly known as WHMIS, is Canada’s hazard communication standard. It is a comprehensive system for providing information on the safe use of hazardous materials in Canadian workplaces.

 The key elements of the system include:

  • Cautionary labelling of containers of WHMIS controlled products and hazardous products
  • Provision of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) or SDS (Safety Data Sheets)
  • Implementation of worker education programs.

What is GHS?

The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals  is an international initiative to standardize chemical hazard classification and communication globally.

GHS has not replaced WHMIS. WHMIS has incorporated GHS elements, resulting in a new standardized:

  • Classification criteria
  • Label requirements
  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS) requirements (formerly material safety data sheet)

Register now for GHS WHMIS 2015