Wildfire Resources 

The wildfire situation this year has resulted in the closure of major commuter highways this field season. 

For example, during the evacuation of Edson area, Highway 16 was closed in the Edson area (from Marlboro to Peers) due to the wildfire very close to the highway.

It is worth stressing the importance of checking your 511 app in preparation for your travels. For instance, if you were in the Grande Cache area and were wanting to return to Edmonton, the suggested detour was to go through Grande Prairie, resulting in an additional travel time of 9 hours. These closures can come very fast and so you must check it often when planning but also while en route. 

A few additional resources to help with the hazard of Wildfires:

Visit this link to see recent updates on the wildfire situation in the Alberta Forest Protection Areas or subscribe to receive them directly to your email.

FireSmoke.ca provides high resolution, interactive forecasts of hourly, daily average and daily maximum concentrations of PM2.5 smoke particles
at ground level from wildfires to assist you with air quality assessments.

Poisonous Plants are an Occupational Hazard 

There was an incident recently reported where the sap of a Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum) plant, pictured above, contacted the skin of a worker, and when exposed to UV light, the skin blistered. Contact with poisonous plants is a hazard for those researching in areas where they grow and should be listed in section 3 of the Field Activity Plan.

The field research crew who reported the incident (Haughland and Nielsen Lab) came up with this excellent example of the controls for the hazard of thorny, poisonous and sharp plants. Feel free to adapt all or some of it if it applies to your field work:

• Recognize and be able to identify botanical hazards. Participants should discuss any new or possible hazardous plant hazards before they go to their field site and on a daily basis if they identify new plants. 
• Wear long pants, sturdy boots, and appropriate outdoor clothing to protect exposed skin.
• Wear gloves if you are in and around known dangerous plants.
• Wear eye protection (sunglasses, glasses, or goggles) when there is a risk of eye injury from branches and other plants when examining the litter and live vegetation.
• Inspect all equipment and pack emergency supplies for any injuries that occur in the field.
• Do not touch a plant if you are unsure of its properties or feel unsafe. 
• Never eat any of the berries or flowers found in the field. 
• Possible plants to be aware of in the field locations chosen are: 
• Heracleum maximum - Cow parsnip sap can cause burns to the skin when the affected area is not protected from sunlight. The chemical in the sap makes the skin very sensitive to UV light. Try to avoid touching this plant and stay clear of broken branches. If you have come into contact with the sap, wash the affected area immediately and ensure that the affected area is completely covered from the sun for the next week. If a sunburn and blisters start to develop, we can treat the burn with an ice pack and hydrocortisone cream for the inflammation. 
• The Rosa, Rubus, and Cacti genera of plants - are thorny and have the possibility of tearing skin and clothes, treat these plants with caution and try to avoid them. If a thorn does rip skin, use an alcohol wipe to disinfect the area and then bandage the affected area and continue to monitor for infection. 
• Urtica dioica - commonly known as stinging nettle, has fine hairs on the leaves and stems that contain irritating chemicals released when in contact with the skin. Avoid stinging nettle if possible and wear long and thick clothes and gloves if coming into contact. If on the skin, rinse with cool water and soap or baking soda. Other possible skin irritants include plants in the Apiaceae family, poison oak, and poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii). Although rare, try to avoid it if possible.
• All workers will also review the information linked here:
  https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2022/05/04/poisonous-plants/

Ladder Safety 

Photo Credit: Morgan Randall, 2018 FRO Photo Contest Entry

A U of A employee recently sustained injuries after falling from a ladder at work while on campus. In our Culture of Care, every member of our community owns safety performance and that of others so everyone can go home safely each day.

If a ladder is used for your field research work, you must list it as a task in the hazard assessment, section 3 of the Field Activity Plan, list the hazards associated with this task, and then specify the mitigation or controls for the hazard. To assist you with controlling the hazard, HSE has prepared Ladder Safety Guidelines.  Make sure that you custom-tailor your hazard assessment to the work you are doing and please reach out to fieldoff@ualberta.ca should you have any further questions about ladder safety.

Other helpful resources for ladder safety:
WorkSafe BC Ladder Safety
CCOHS 

In-Person Training 

Electronic Version of the Daily Field Safety Log Books Available

FRO is offering a digital version of the Daily Field Safety Log Book using the free app EpiCollect. EpiCollect is compatible with Android and IOS phones and tablets and also has an online interface.

Please see these instructions that will guide you through creating your online Log Book. 

For those who wish to continue using the hard copy, please fill out the Google form to request yours. 

What's New at Health, Safety and Environment

INITIATIVES

• Culture of Care Action Plan: All senior leadership has signed the Leadership Commitment to Safety, affirming their commitment to personal and institutional values. 

NEW DOCUMENTS/RESOURCES 

• Incident Lessons Learned - Slip on Stairs (news item with a link to resources) 

OTHER

• July 12, Mental Health First Aid

JUNE is 

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Injury Prevention Centre information and resources

Still Noteworthy