Page 36 - GBC summer 2016

Ashley Chinner R.I.B. (Ont.) & Anna Armstrong
Ashley Chinner is the Director of Golf with Signature Risk Partners Inc. and Anna Armstrong is the Manager of CESafety. Contact Ashley at achinner@signaturerisk.com | 800-260-9921 and Anna at annaarmstrong@cesafety.com | 613-583-3722.
The Canadian golf course industry hires large numbers of young and seasonal workers each spring to help with operations and ensure that the facility is maintained in top condition. These jobs include Food & Beverage, Grounds Mainten- ance, Beverage Carts, and working in the Pro Shop.
AT HIGHEST RISK
According to the 2014 Economic Impact Report, as many as 37% of employees working at Canadian golf courses are students.1
Keeping young and seasonal workers safe must be a priority. Summer hires play a critical role in the daily operations of the golf facility, and they are often tasked with operating dangerous power equipment.
Additionally, exposure to chem- icals capable of causing serious injury or death requires club manage- ment to create comprehensive orientation and equipment training programs.
Studiesshowthatyoungworkers are four times more likely to get hurt during their first month on the job than at any other time.2 In fact, 15 to 24 year olds in all types of employment are more likely to be severely injured or killed at work than any other age group.3
This is primarily due to the fact that new and young workers are often not properly trained, or they do not understand the hazards on the job. Golf course owners and operators need to remember that when new and young workers show up for their first day at the course, the club environment is entirely new to them. They might not feel comfortable speaking up, or may not know who to ask for help. In addition, the majority have no understanding of their rights under the law, or what their employer’s responsibilities are.
WHAT Could PoSSIbly Go WRonG?
The following are real examples that occurred at golf courses. Is your course prepared to make sure these accidents never happen?
Example #1:
A young Pro Shop worker was texting on his phone while filling a portable gas can from the fuel storage tank by the Superin- tendent’s shop. He accidentally overfilled the portable container, resulting in gas spilling all over him.
The cell phone’s battery could have easily ignited the fumes. No one was hurt and the young worker was taken to the showers and his
clothes were disposed of. No training had been done and there was no written operating procedure at the time.
Example #2
A young worker in the Food & Beverage department walked into the kitchen to place an order. The floor had just been mopped and was still very wet. The worker who mopped the floor failed to put out a “Wet Floor” sign. The young worker slipped and accidentally put his arm in the deep fryer, suffering very serious burns. The golf course received a heavy fine because there was no training provided or any safety programs in place.
1 Economic Impact Study of Golf in Canada – Key Findings Report: National Allied Golf Associations, 2014: Page 3
2 Blitz Results: New and Young Workers 2014: Ontario Ministry of Labour, June 8, 2015: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/sawo/blitzes/blitz_report64.php 3 New and Young Workers: Infrastructure Health & Safety Association: http://www.ihsa.ca/new_experienced_workers/new_young_workers.aspx
36 Golf Business Canada