Health and Wellness

Managing fatigue

Tired workers make mistakes. Long hours, early starts, travel and hard physical work all add up. Supervisors watch for signs of fatigue and plan schedules with that in mind. Breaks are expected, not discouraged, and people are encouraged to speak up if they are too tired to do a task safely, especially driving, climbing or using tools.

Cold, heat and heavy lifting add to the load. Rotating tasks and sharing heavier work reduces wear on people, particularly late in a long project.

Mental health

Construction can be demanding, and stress, pressure and personal difficulties affect people at work. We want crews to feel able to ask for help and for leaders to respond with respect. Supervisors are encouraged to check in with people who seem withdrawn or struggling, and to point them toward the support available to them.

Respectful sites

A site where people are treated with respect is safer. Harassment, bullying and discrimination are not accepted. Workers need to feel comfortable asking questions, reporting hazards and admitting mistakes. That only happens when leaders set the tone and act when someone crosses the line.

New workers, apprentices and people from other trades should feel as welcome as long-serving staff. Teams that look out for one another notice problems sooner.

The right to refuse unsafe work

Workers in Alberta and across Canada have legal rights related to unsafe work, and at HSM we respect them in practice. Any worker who believes a task is unsafe can raise it with a supervisor. The concern is taken seriously, the hazard is looked at, and no one is punished for speaking up.

If the issue cannot be settled on site, it goes to the project manager and to our Director of Health & Safety, Ghilda Gaber.