1. • Before the cooler weather even sets in, it is
a good idea to have a specialist check your
furnace for leaks and to make sure it is safe
for use come the fall.
• Fireplaces and candles are fall staples for
coziness in the midst of chilly weather.
Purchasing a metal screen to keep sparks
contained and ensuring a fire or candle is
completely out before going to bed will
keep you safe while you sleep.
• With Daylight Savings time coming to an
end, it is the perfect reminder to change the
batteries in your smoke alarm and to ensure
they are properly working.
• Autumn brings about leaves, rain and fog
that can become hazardous while driving.
Children can be playing in piles of leaves near
curbs, wet leaves can increase the slipperiness
of slick roads and fog can reduce visibility.
Be sure to take your time while driving,
and ensure your headlights are
functioning properly.
• When using a ladder for trimming or pruning
trees, it is important to keep your ladder away
from power lines and ensure the ladder
is properly secured on even ground. Also,
dry and appropriate footwear should be
used when climbing ladders or cleaning
eaves troughs.
• Fall season is flu season; we need to take every
precaution necessary to avoid contracting
the virus. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention have three recommendations to
fight the flu: 1) Get the flu vaccine yearly, 2)
Take preventative actions to stop the spread
of germs (avoiding close contact with sick
people, washing hands often, staying home
when sick, disinfecting surfaces), 3) Take flu
antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them
(they shorten the time you are sick, and work
best within two days of getting sick). Flu
symptoms include: fever/chills, cough, sore
throat, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches,
headaches, fatigue, vomiting or diarrhea.
• Finally, fall means the spooky day of
Halloween! As fun and unique as this holiday
can be, there are specific health and safety
risks associated with dressing up. If your
costume includes makeup, test it in a smaller
area on your arm first and remove it at the
end of the night – this is also a great way
to test for allergies. Only wear well-fitting
masks, costumes and shoes to avoid blocked
vision, trips and falls. Be careful to avoid
jack-o-lanterns and candles while wearing a
loose-fitting costume. Finally, wearing warm
layers underneath a costume will help keep
you warm while still being able to show off
your costume.
We hope you enjoy the beauty of this
season in the safest way possible!
Written by Vanessa Bellemore
SafetyNetNEWSLETTER OF THE JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES
wlu.ca/sherm | 1
The shorter days and cooler evenings of fall
can result in many cozy evenings spent near
the fireplace. However, the autumn season
brings about additional hazards that we need
to be aware of, such as fire hazards, impaired
vision, and an increased risk of contracting
the flu. The following is a list of tips designed
to keep you safe this fall season.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHMIS 2015.......................................... 2
Pumpkin bar recipe.................................2
En Route to Safety..................................3
Health and Safety Myths.......................3
Joint Health and Safety Committee
Members Fall 2016.................................4
JHSC Member Spotlight.........................4
FALL INTO SAFER HABITS THIS SEASON
Issue 19 | FALL 2016

2. 2 | wlu.ca/sherm
PUMPKIN BAR RECIPE
Recipe by Paula Deen
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
15 oz. can pumpkin
2 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
Icing
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
½ c. butter, softened
2 c. sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine eggs,
sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric
mixer until light and fluffy. Stir together
the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt
and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to
the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed
until thoroughly combined and the batter
is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased
13x10-inch baking pan and bake for 30
minutes. Let cool completely
before frosting.
Icing Directions
Combine cream cheese and butter in a
medium bowl with an electric mixer until
smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low
speed until combined. Stir in vanilla and mix.
Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
WHMIS 2015
By Vanessa Bellemore
WHMIS 2015 is the incorporation of Globally Harmonized System (GHS) with the current Workplace
Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) regulations, established in 1988. The incorporation
of GHS provides an internationally consistent system for identification of hazards associated with
controlled products. The main differences between WHMIS 1988 and WHMIS 2015 are listed below.
New rules will be gradually phased in, with full implementation completed by November 2018. At this
time, it is possible that some suppliers have already switched labels and SDSs to the WHMIS 2015
rules. A summary of the transition to WHMIS 2015 is below:
PHASE
1 February 2015 to May 2017
Suppliers may begin using new labels and SDSs.
Old labels and MSDSs can be used, or the new versions.
2 June 2017 to May 2018
Importers must switch to the new labels and SDSs.
Old labels and MSDSs can be used, or the new versions.
3 June 2018 to November 2018 All chemicals must have new labels.
It is important to note that as of November 2018, all chemicals must use the new labeling system
and an SDS must be available. There is no “grandfathering” clause to allow for old labels and MSDSs
to be used.
WHMIS 2015 training is available online through My Learning Space. Anyone using chemicals with
the new labels and SDSs must be trained on the new system. For more information on WHMIS 2015,
contact Sarah Lamb at slamb@wlu.ca or extension 3108.
Labels
The labels of WHMIS 2015 include more
information than the previous labels of WHMIS
1988. There are two types of labels: Workplace
labels and Supplier labels.
Pictograms
The main difference between WHMIS 1988
and WHMIS 2015 is the pictograms. There are
nine pictograms for easy, quick and uniform
identification of physical or health hazards of
chemical materials.
Safety Data Sheets
In WHMIS 2015, Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS) have now been replaced by Safety
Data Sheets (SDS). SDSs now have 16 headings
instead of nine and include much more
information about the product.

3. wlu.ca/sherm | 3
EN ROUTE TO SAFETY
By Vanessa Bellemore
The Safety, Health, Environment and Risk
Management department is working with
community members on a project that will focus
on traffic safety for workers across Ontario.
The project, titled En Route to Safety, will help
to make streets safer for workers and pedestrians
that travel by bicycle, car, or by foot.
The En Route to Safety Program will be made
available online to employers who may train their
workers as part of their Safety Programing.
In Ontario alone, 7.5 % of workplace-related
accidents that resulted in a temporary absence
were due to motor vehicle and transit drivers.
The En Route to Safety program aims to
lower this amount by educating the workforce
in Ontario.
The program will consist of a comprehensive
tool kit that will include an employer guidebook,
training and resources to meet the goals of
the project. The employer guidebook is a
manual for employers to develop their own
traffic safety program. The program will help
employers identify and control hazards that are
present while navigating within urban or rural
communities. The online training modules will
focus on various topics and are designed to give
workers the knowledge they need to navigate
their environment safely.
This is an exciting project for Laurier and the
community. We hope that all staff, faculty and
students set the right example and make Laurier
the safest campus in Ontario.
Community Partners
Laurier is teaming up with private and
public organizations in both Brantford
and Waterloo; including:
• The Waterloo Police Dept.
• The Brantford Police Dept.
• Waterloo Fire Dept.
• Brantford Fire Dept.
• University of Waterloo
• The City of Brantford
• The City of Waterloo
• The City of Kitchener
• Brantford Business Improvement Association
DID YOU
KNOW…
Ambulance drones
have been developed.
A Dutch graduate student developed
an ambulance drone that can reach
heart-attack patients in less time than
a normal ambulance to increase survival
rates from 8% to 80%.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
MYTH OR FACT
#1 A hazard can be described as an accident waiting to happen.
Myth. A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm.
#2 To keep from getting hurt on the job, you need to find out about
the hazards while you’re working.
Myth. You need to know about all the hazards before you start working.
#3 The number of people in Ontario who suffer a work-related illness
or injury each year would fill the seats of a dozen hockey arenas.
Fact.
#4 Basic Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training is
voluntary in Postsecondary Institutions.
Myth. The training became mandatory in Ontario as of July 1, 2014. The training is
designed to help prevent workplace incidents and injuries by making all workers and
supervisors aware of their roles, rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

4. CONTACT:
Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management (SHERM)
Stephanie Kibbee, Director, Email: skibbee@wlu.ca
T. 519.884.0710 x 2874
SAFETYNET CO-EDITORS:
Vanessa Bellemore, Andrew Good, Sarah Lamb, Janice Vilaca
RUTH MACNEIL
As a member of the Dean’s Office
for the Faculty of Science, I support
the faculty and staff of the seven
departments with the Faculty.
The main focus for the position is
budget, human resources and facility
management. I welcome to return to the Health and
Safety Committee and look forward to working with the
other committee members to ensure the safety of all of
our members throughout Laurier.
Since joining the university in 1991, I have been privileged
to work in a number of different departments (we have
great people across the campus) and previously served as
the co-chair for the Health and Safety Committee during
my tenure as the administrative manager for the Faculty
of Arts. Outside of Laurier, I enjoy golfing, gardening and
reading and am currently enrolled part time in General
Graduate Studies with the hope of transferring into
the Masters of Arts in Christian Studies program this
upcoming year.
JULIE TOPIC
Before joining Laurier, I worked for
a global manufacturing chemical
company and was a worker member
and then management member of
their JHSC. When I came to Laurier,
I naturally wanted to join the JHSC,
where today, I am the Manager Co-chair for the Brantford
campus JHSC. Health and safety is always on my mind
especially when my extremely adventurous husband and
kids were always trying new things and doing things on
vacation that most typical families don’t do. For example,
exploring the Grand Canyon and investigating places that
most tourists don’t go.
I work in ICT where there are many safety concerns such
as climbing ladders to replace projector bulbs, crawling
on the ground under desks plugging and unplugging
computer cables and installing equipment in network
racks. I take the initiative to ensure that members of ICT
have taken the appropriate mandatory safety training and
specific safety training such as ladder training.
In my spare time, I really enjoy gardening and painting
acrylic on canvas.
4 | wlu.ca/sherm
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
SHERM-254-SEPT16
JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WATERLOO/KITCHENER - FALL 2016
STAFF REPRESENTATIVES
Cindy Schmidt (Co-chair, Certified #D46470)
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Linda Chamberlain (Certified #G25180)
Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association
Jim Gerlach (Certified #G18885)
Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association
Louis Mastorakos (Certified #G29534)
Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association
Dan O’Grady (Basic Certification #G54905)
United Food and Commercial Workers
Kelley Putzu (Certified #G32610)
Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association
Viana Sanders (Certified #G25178)
United Food and Commercial Workers
Allan Savard (Certified #E16504)
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Michael Wilkie
Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association
MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES
Ruth MacNeil
Director of Administration, Faculty of Science
Mark Dettweiler
Director: Planning, Design and Construction, Physical Resources
NON-VOTING ADVISORS
Stephanie Kibbee (Certified #IAPB80554)
Director, Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management
RECORDING SECRETARY
Sarah Lamb (Certified #E67829)
Supervisor, Laboratory Safety Programs
JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
BRANTFORD - FALL 2016
STAFF REPRESENTATIVES
Bryce Gunson (Certified #C50200)
Resilient Communities Research Collaborative
Janice Vilaca (Certified #E94699)
Office of the Senior Executive
Jason Lane (Certified #G32316)
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Karley Doucette (Certified #G34453)
Writing and Study Skills
Lori Prince (DWM) (Certified #E37306)
Student Records & Services
Tim Gawley (Co-Chair, Certified #G37121)
Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association
MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES
Julie Topic (Co-Chair, Certified #E94700)
Director, ICT Support
Lisa Keys (Certified #G50201)
Manager, Facilities Operations
James Yuhasz (Certified #E64168)
Manager, Special Constables
NON-VOTING ADVISORS
Stephanie Kibbee (Certified #IAPB80554)
Director, Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management
RECORDING SECRETARY
Andrew Good
Environmental, Health & Safety Advisor