Working Wise | DrumhellerMail

My son just started his first full-time job with a construction supplies company and I am a little worried about his safety. Wood and other heavy items are piled high, he’s expected to use a power saw, and there are fork lifts and trucks driving around th

Dear Working Wise:

My son just started his first full-time job with a construction supplies company and I am a little worried about his safety. Wood and other heavy items are piled high, he’s expected to use a power saw, and there are fork lifts and trucks driving around the yard all the time. He’s an adult now, but how can I help him stay safe at work? Signed, Worried Mom

Dear Worried Mom:

Safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Your son’s employer is responsible for making the workplace as safe as possible and your son is responsible for working safely.

Under Occupational Health & Safety legislation, workers must:

- Take reasonable care to keep themselves and co-workers safe;

- Wear personal protective equipment required by their employer;

- Take and follow health and safety training provided by their employer;

- Ask for training if they do not feel confident or safe;

- Follow health and safety work procedures developed by their employer;

- Refuse work that may put them or another worker in “imminent danger”;

- Report unsafe or malfunctioning equipment to the employer immediately;

- Avoid tasks they are not competent to do unless they are being supervised.

Workers can report dangerous situations by calling the Workplace Health and Safety Contact Centre toll-free at 1-866-415-8690 or 780-415-8690 in Edmonton.

The good news is that fewer Albertans are getting hurt on the job. The provincial lost-time injury claim rate of 1.41 in 2010 was the lowest it has been in 20 years.

But, one injury is too many.

You can help your son stay safe at work by encouraging him to ask his supervisor about the hazards of his job and how to avoid injuries.

You can ensure he understands his responsibilities to work safely and what he should expect his employer to be doing to keep the workplace safe for everyone.

You can encourage him to check out the New and Young Worker safety tips at: www.employment.alberta.ca/ohs-youngworkers.

And, you can check out his employer’s safety record. Alberta Human Services has posted the safety records of more than 150,000 Alberta employers insured by the Workers’ Compensation Board.

The database allows you to search by employer name, industry, and city or town.

Records include the number of lost-time claims and the lost-time claim rate by employer and by industry so you can compare the employer’s record to the industry average.

Also included in the records is the number of fatalities and if the employer holds a health and safety Certificate of Recognition.

A number of improvements were made to this year’s update, including more detailed information about fatalities and a video to help users conduct searches. Check it out at: www.employment.alberta.ca/employerrecords.

Good luck!

Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at charles.strachey@gov.ab.ca. Charles Strachey is a regional manager with Alberta Employment and Immigration. This column is provided for general information.

I am 52 years old, have worked since I was 15 and most my positions have been in either retail or fast food places. I want to get a better-paying job—possibly with a pension, but I’m not sure how. Is there any help available? Is it too late?

Dear Working Wise:

I am 52 years old, have worked since I was 15 and most my positions have been in either retail or fast food places. I want to get a better-paying job—possibly with a pension, but I’m not sure how. Is there any help available? Is it too late? Signed, Need a Raise

Dear Need a Raise:

No, it’s not too late to look at your options and find a career that fits your needs.

Many people mistakenly think of career planning as something you do at the start of your career and never do again, but ongoing career management is increasing in importance.

The world of work is becoming more complex as we move toward a knowledge-based economy—more jobs are requiring post-secondary education and training.

The needs of workers are also changing—what we want from our jobs tends to shift as we age, start families, or near retirement.

Canada Career Week, October 31 – November 4, 2011, is a great opportunity to take a little time to revisit your career plan and ensure that you are still on track.

I recommend you take in some of the more than 60 career events that are happening in Alberta Works Centres around the province during Canada Career Week. You can find out more about all the job fairs, workshops for job seekers, and job-shadowing opportunities happening in your community at www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careerevents.

You can also visit your nearest Alberta Works Centre—year-round—and ask to meet with a Career and Employment Consultant. Your consultant can help you discover your strengths, identify your transferable skills, and explore your work preferences to help you find a suitable new career.

Career and Employment Consultants have helpful information on hundreds of potential new careers including salary, working conditions and required training.

Once you have found a new path, your consultant will be able to advise you on any additional training you require and how to get it.

If you have the training you need, your consultant will be able to provide you with job-search support and advice. They will be able to connect you with free workshops on searching for a new job, writing your resumé, and preparing for job interviews.

Many consultants can also provide information on local employers who may be hiring for positions that would be a good fit for you.

Your Career and Employment Consultant can also show you the handy free job-search tools that are available in Alberta Works Centres located across the province, including:

· Computers with Internet access;

· Access to the Job Bank www.jobbank.gc.ca;

· Telephone, fax, and photocopiers;

· Referrals to local employers who are hiring; and

· Mini Job Fairs held right in the Alberta Works Centre.

To find the Alberta Works Centre nearest you, visit www.employment.alberta.ca/offices.

If you have trouble with transportation or prefer online services, you can also take advantage of the fantastic career-planning resources on the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) web site at http://alis.alberta.ca.

Good Luck!

Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at charles.strachey@gov.ab.ca. Charles Strachey is a Regional Communications Manager with Alberta Human Services. This column is provided for general information.

I am interested in working in the oil industry, but I don’t know much about it or anyone who works in the industry. I’m wondering how I can learn more and get a job with an oil company?

Dear Working Wise:

I am interested in working in the oil industry, but I don’t know much about it or anyone who works in the industry. I’m wondering how I can learn more and get a job with an oil company? Signed, Interested in Oil

Dear Interested:

Alberta’s energy industry has been a key economic driver and employer of choice in our province for over 60 years.

According to the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada (PHRC), nearly 140,000 Albertans work in the energy industry today—more than any other province.

And the future looks bright for those who choose to work in Alberta’s oil patch.

Employment in Canada’s energy industry is expected to grow 30 per cent over the next 10 years just as our most experienced workers are beginning to retire.

Energy companies are already experiencing shortages of experienced workers, including engineers, class-1 drivers, rig crews, field operators and tradespeople.

You can find more information about predicted demands for energy careers at the Petroleum HR Council’s web site: www.petrohrsc.ca.

Many employers prefer to hire people referred to them by current employees, because the new recruits are more likely to understand what the job entails. Some energy workers have to contend with long hours of physical work in the cold, far from home for weeks at a time.

A lot of employers also require job applicants to have their H2S and First Aid certificates, a valid class-five driver’s license, a clean driver’s abstract, pass a pre-employment physical exam and drug-screening test, and provide their own steel-toed boots and fire-retardant coveralls.

Alberta’s energy industry offers a wide variety of occupations and, as you can see, there is some important information you need to know before you start sending out resumés.

Fortunately, there are a number of resources to help you choose a career and demonstrate to employers that you understand the industry and the job you are applying for.

First, employer web sites can offer helpful information on energy careers and specific positions that they are recruiting for.

Second, the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors runs a web site www.rigtech.ca, which is a great source of information on drilling-crew careers.

Third, the Petroleum HR Council’s new www.careersinoilandgas.com website is a one-stop resource for job hunters interested in careers in the energy sector.

The Careers in Oil & Gas web site features:

· job-search tips and employer profiles;

· information on the industry, available occupations, and all of the various sub-sectors;

· videos of different energy sector operations; and

· “day in the life” features to help you understand what the job is really like.

Web sites are useful, but nothing beats talking to people in the industry.

For those who don’t know someone in the industry, job fairs are a great way to talk with employers, learn more about the jobs they are looking to fill, and find out what skills and experience they are looking for.

A list of upcoming Alberta job fairs is available at: http://employment.alberta.ca/jobfairs.

Good luck!

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