Preventable

Written by robertwillis on Friday, April 27, 2012 No Comments

Tomorrow is the Day of Mourning in Canada. Since the day is on a weekend, events to commemorate workers whose lives have been lost or injured in the workplace are being held today and tomorrow across BC and Canada.

In light of the tragic event in Prince George, remembering those that we’ve lost is unfortunately very fresh in the minds of many. In BC,

“…142 workers lost their lives on the job. Of the 142 fatalities in 2011, 71 were the result of occupational diseases from workplace exposures, 42 were traumatic fatalities and 29 resulted from motor vehicle incidents.” – WorkSafe BC

While reflecting on these loses and injuries, it’s important to think about our own lives. Remember, have a word with yourself about preventable injuries.

Tags: at home, at play, Day of Mourning, On the Road, preventable injuries, WorkSafe BC

Too Hot For Tots

Written by robertwillis on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 1 Comment

Having a little one around means things you used to take for granted are suddenly important. For example, I recently moved into a new place, and unlike my past residences, the water is plentiful and hot in my new home. When I say “hot,” I mean hot enough to scald your skin if exposed to it for a few seconds. Having water that can scald soon after it comes out of the tap is never a good thing. With children around, hot water can go from bad to worse. Thankfully, there are resources available that can easily help prevent childhood burns like those caused by scalding water. Continue Reading…

Tags: at home, Burnes, preventable injuries, Too Hot For Tots

Pedestrians are Fragile

Written by robertwillis on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 4 Comments

The City of Vancouver is launching a new program today called “People are Fragile.” The program is designed to raise awareness about road safety and, ultimately, prevent collisions, injuries and fatalities for all road users. There’s a focus on pedestrian safety, and this reminded me of a talk I heard last November in Vancouver at the Canadian Injury Prevention Conference. The conference was jam-packed with sessions devoted to preventing injuries. There were many topics being discussed including aboriginals and injuries, sport injuries, and drugs and driving to name just a handful. But the session that really struck a cord with me was by Dr. Andrew Howard, MD, MSc, FRCSC, of The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Dr. Howard spoke about pedestrian countdown signals at intersections in Toronto and referenced a soon-to-be published paper he ‘s written and helped research. Continue Reading…

Tags: On the Road, pedestrians, Prebentable Injuries

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