Health and Safety Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)?

Answer: To give workers and employers information about hazardous products used in the workplace.

WHMIS is Canada's national standard for communicating information about the safe handling and use of hazardous products in the workplace. It involves specific labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and worker education programs. Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) is a separate regulation.

Under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, workers have three fundamental rights. These are the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to:

Answer: refuse unsafe work.

The three basic rights for workers under Alberta OHS are the right to know about workplace hazards, the right to participate in health and safety matters, and the right to refuse work they believe is unsafe without fear of reprisal.

While patrolling a parkade, a security professional notices a large puddle of clear, odorless liquid on the floor in a dimly lit corner. There are no warning signs present. What is the most significant and immediate health and safety hazard this situation presents?

Answer: A slip and fall hazard.

While other hazards could exist, the most immediate, common, and likely danger in this scenario is that a person could slip on the liquid, fall, and sustain an injury. Hazard identification requires recognizing the most direct and probable risk first, which in this case is a slip and fall.

A security professional is assigned to work a 12-hour overnight shift alone in a large, isolated warehouse. According to Alberta's OHS regulations for working alone, what is the employer's primary responsibility?

Answer: To develop an effective system of regular communication with the worker.

Alberta's OHS Code requires employers to conduct a hazard assessment for lone workers and establish an effective communication system. This system must include regular contact at intervals appropriate to the nature of the work to ensure the worker's well-being.

A security professional is required to wear a hard hat and steel-toed boots while patrolling a construction site. This equipment is an example of which type of hazard control in the 'hierarchy of controls'?

Answer: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

A hard hat and boots are forms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In the hierarchy of controls, PPE is considered the last line of defense, used after attempts to eliminate the hazard, use engineering controls (like barriers), or use administrative controls (like safety procedures).

While on duty, a security professional discovers a contractor who has fallen from a ladder and is conscious but in obvious pain and unable to move. After ensuring the scene is safe for everyone, what should be the security professional's immediate priority?

Answer: Activate emergency medical services (call 911).

The primary responsibility in a medical emergency is the well-being of the injured person. For a potentially serious injury, such as a fall from a height, the correct and immediate action is to call for professional medical help (911). Moving the person could worsen potential spinal injuries, and detailed investigation can wait until after aid has been summoned and rendered.