Occupational Health & Human Performance Training

Fatigue, impairment and noise are workplace hazards your employer has to assess and control, and you have duties too.

• Fatigue: CCOHS lists long hours, shift rotation, short breaks between shifts and lack of rest as causes. Fatigue slows reaction time and impairs judgment, and CCOHS recommends education and training as part of a fatigue management program.
• Fit for work: in BC, no one may enter or stay at work while alcohol, a drug or another substance affects their ability in a way that puts anyone at risk. Alberta says workers must not work when there is a risk of impairment, and supervisors should be trained to recognize it.
• Noise: the 8-hour noise limit is 85 dBA in Alberta, BC and Ontario. In BC, where noise goes over the limit, employers need a hearing conservation program that includes education and training, and must make sure hearing protection is worn effectively.

• Workers on long or rotating shifts: Fatigue Management Training for Workers Certification, about 90 minutes. Sleep cycles, causes and symptoms of fatigue, team strategies, driving, and an optional module for shift workers.
• Drivers and the people who supervise them: Fatigue Management - Supervisors and Drivers, about 60 minutes. Rest planning, myths about staying awake, and legal responsibilities in Canada and Alberta.
• Fit for work: Alcohol and Drug Awareness - Fit for Work, about 30 minutes. Fit-for-work policies, what to do if someone seems impaired, and why you might be asked to take a test.
• Noisy work: Hearing Protection Training, about 15 minutes, on choosing, fitting and maintaining hearing protection. For more depth, Hearing Conservation - Canada runs about 45 minutes.
• Lifting and repetitive work: Industrial Ergonomics for Canada, about 30 minutes, covers the signs and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders.

• These courses build awareness. Your employer's fit-for-work policy, fatigue controls and hearing tests are separate.
• A course doesn't settle drug and alcohol testing questions. Alberta notes its current OHS legislation does not address testing for impairment.