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Hamilton Spectator
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Working in the heat wave? Here are your rights in Ontario to stay safe from heat stress
A heat wave is crashing down on Ontario this week and people are running for cover in air-conditioned buildings and public pools . But for some, there's no place to hide. Those working in construction, agriculture and other industries are coming face-to-face with blistering sunshine and a humidex high in the 40s that is expected to continue into Tuesday. Ontario law requires employers and supervisors to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers in extreme heat. But what does that actually mean — and what can you do if your employer isn't meeting that bar? Here's what you need to know. Under Ontario law, there is no specific temperature at which it is considered too hot to work, according to Lior Samfiru, a Toronto-based employment lawyer and co-founding partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. But the law requires employers to take reasonable steps to protect workers from the heat, whether indoors or outdoors. 'Ultimately, employers have to understand that working out in extreme temperatures can have significant health effects,' Samfiru said. 'The employer is the one responsible for helping the employees avoid those situations.' Those working in construction, agriculture and other industries are coming face-to-face with blistering sunshine and a humidex high in the 40s that is expected to continue into Tuesday. The law doesn't mandate specific precautions an employer must take. Precautions might be as simple as ensuring workers have rest breaks, access to water and a properly-ventilated space, Samfiru said. It could also include modifying the work schedule to be outside peak hours, adjusting clothing to be looser and lighter, or providing a tent or umbrella to create shade, according to Jan Chappel of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Regardless, employers have to proactively put guidelines in place to reduce the effects of heat on workers. 'To simply say, 'Well, if you have a problem, let me know, employee,' that's not going to be good enough,' Samfiru said. You have the right to refuse work if you consider it unsafe. The first step is to report your concerns to your supervisor, said Chappel, a senior technical specialist in occupational health and safety. If your employer doesn't address your concerns, you can call in the workplace's health and safety committee. If you still feel like your concerns aren't being addressed, you can call an inspector from the Ministry of Labour, Chappel said. The inspector may find the conditions are safe, or they may deem the conditions unsafe and order the employer to change their conduct, Samfiru said. In either scenario, the employer can't punish you for voicing your concerns, so long as it was done in good faith. Under Ontario law, there is no specific temperature at which it is considered too hot to work, according to Lior Samfiru, a Toronto-based employment lawyer 'The employer can't say, 'Well, I told you everything was fine, employee. You didn't listen to me so I'm going to punish you,'' Samfiru said. 'That's illegal. You have this right to refuse unsafe work, free of any repercussions.' The employer can offer the work to someone else, but that person must be told why the work was previously refused, Chappel said. 'Someone else can step up and do the work, but they have to understand the hazards that are present,' she said. The biggest risk from working when it's hot out is heat stroke, which can sometimes be fatal, Chappel said. It's important that everyone in a workplace knows the symptoms, because often the person with heat stroke won't notice it themselves. Symptoms include sudden or severe fatigue, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness, disorientation and confusion. Importantly, someone experiencing heat stroke might not be sweating, Chappel said. If you see someone with these symptoms, move them to a cool place and get them medical attention. An estimated 220 workers die annually in Canada from occupational heat stress, according to Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers in 2024. It's important to understand that employers have to take steps to protect you from the heat, Samfiru said. 'There's always this fear, 'If I upset my employer, if I tell them I'm not comfortable working, I don't think it's safe,' … there's fear of retaliation,' he said. 'Employees should know that you have a right to advocate for yourself, even if it turns out that you were wrong.' A worker at a construction site in Toronto on Monday, amid a heat warning in Toronto and other parts of Ontario.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Daylight Saving Time 2025: How 'springing forward' negatively impacts your health — and why you should prioritize sleep now
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is back, meaning it's time to "spring forward" once again and move our clocks ahead one hour. This Sunday, March 9 at 2 a.m. local time is when the time change will occur, bringing an extra hour of sunlight each day for the next eight months. However, it's worth noting this centuries-old practice may come with concerning impacts. For one, this time change can cause us to lose roughly 40 minutes to an hour of sleep. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, it turns out the loss of sleep due to DST can have serious impacts on our health and wellbeing. DST causes a disruption in our circadian rhythm, also referred to as our internal body clock. Circadian rhythms help determine as well as regulate sleeping and eating patterns on a roughly 24-hour cycle. Essentially, this clock will tell you when you're sleepy or hungry as it rises and falls throughout the day. Read through some of the top impacts of daylight saving time below. The time change messes with our circadian rhythm, causing us to feel drowsy and moody; it can even lead some to experience an increased appetite. A disrupted circadian rhythm can impact our motor functions, response times overall alertness which increases our likelihood of injury. According to a 2009 study, there was a 3.6 per cent increase in mining workplace injuries on the Monday following DST. A separate study over a 10-year time period revealed a six per cent increase in car accidents in the United States immediately after clocks are adjusted in the spring. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) also indicated that according to statistics averaged from 2005 to 2009, car accidents rose by 23 per cent on the Monday following DST. Aside from being accident prone, DST can also cause an increase in heart attacks and stroke. Founder of Sleep Efficiency Andrew Holmes told CTV News there's a relationship between cardiovascular health and sleep. He shared an acronym of health issues, H.E.A.R.T.S., that sleep can impact. H — Heart failure: People who suffer from heart failure have often been diagnosed with sleep apnea. E — Elevated blood pressure: Sleep regulates blood pressure, while a person sleeping under seven hours can see their blood pressure rise. A — Atrial fibrillation: These irregular heartbeats can often be from someone suffering insomnia or sleep apnea. R — Resistant hypertension: A lack of sleep can make it difficult for medications to treat hypertension and blood pressure. T — Type 2 diabetes: Sleep is often linked to diabetes, as sleep deprivation can cause a disruption in your glucose metabolism. S — Stroke risk: Undiagnosed sleep problems can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure. Some studies have also found a link between DST and heart attacks as well as strokes. A study published in 2014 showed there was a 25 per cent increase in the number of reported heart attacks on the Monday following DST compared to other Mondays during the year. Dr. Amneedt Sandhu, a then-cardiology fellow at the University of Colorado, led the study and indicated this might be due to a combination of factors. Those might include the stress of starting a new work week and inherent changes to our sleep-wake cycle. Dr. Amneedt Sandhu, a cardiologist affiliated with the University of Colorado, led a study on the impact of sleep-cycle on heart health. According to the research, there was a 25 per cent increase in the number of reported heart attacks on the Monday following DST compared to other Mondays during the year. "With daylight saving time, all of this is compounded by one less hour of sleep," he said. "Whatever the reason, the findings may indicate a need to better staff hospitals the Monday after setting our clocks forward. ... If we can identify days when there may be surges in heart attacks, we can be ready to better care for our patients." Another study also showed that disruptions in circadian rhythm increased risk of an ischemic stroke. That's when a blood clot, known as a thrombus, blocks blood flow to the brain. The research, conducted by a team from Finland, revealed the risk of stroke was eight per cent higher in the two days following the spring time change than during the rest of the year. "Although from an individual point of view, this small increase in stroke risk we see in a population level is probably not a major issue, the study emphasizes the importance of sleep disturbances as a risk factor for stroke," lead researcher, Dr. Jori Ruuskanen of the University of Turku, told CBS News. Daylight saving time also has some serious health impacts on pregnant women, specifically those who conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF). A 2017 study from a team at the Boston Medical Center and IVF New England published a study noting an increase in miscarriages for patients who received egg transfer in the 21 days following spring DST, compared to patients who received egg transfer outside of the DST window. Until there are collective changes to how we tell time, it'll probably be a good idea to try and avoid health risks associated with DST. According to experts, there are a variety of ways you can ensure you remain healthy and safe after Sunday: Get rest: Try going to bed earlier to get your usual amount of sleep. Practice good sleep hygiene: Educate yourself on good sleep hygiene, including not consuming alcohol and avoiding using your phone before bed. Defer dangers: If your work involves dangerous tasks, it might be a good idea to schedule those tasks for later in the week. Plan ahead: Give yourself extra time to get to places, especially on the Monday. Choose safety: Take extra safety precautions following the switch to DST to prevent possible injuries or problems.
