International RSI Awareness Day 2018
Over 2.3 million Canadian adults are diagnosed and learning to cope with repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) each year and this number is increasing steadily. The impact of these injuries and disorders, not only on the individuals involved but on our society as a whole is enormous, which is why the last day of February has been recognized as International RSI Awareness Day. These injuries and disorders can be crippling, seriously affecting the ability to work or even perform daily activities. They often develop slowly, over time and although there is some discussion about the direct cause, it is generally accepted that work-related activities can be a contributing factor to the onset, severity, and location of an RSI or MSD. The overuse of muscles in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and back are linked to RSI symptoms. The use of vibrating tools, forceful movements, repetitive actions […]
Duty to Accommodate and Further Changes to the WCB Alberta
UPDATE Section 88.1 of the Workers’ Compensation Act, concerning the obligation to return injured workers to work, came into force on September 1, 2018, and was subsequently repealed as of April 1, 2021. Although s.88.1 has been repealed, it still applies to claims with dates of accident from September 1, 2018, to March 31, 2021, inclusive. Employer and worker rights, obligations, and penalties for non-compliance provided for in the section continue for these claims as though the section were still in force. As part of the 2017 review of the Alberta Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA), the Alberta Government has recently passed legislation that will affect current Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) policy. Although some of the legislation is already in effect (details regarding those changes can be found in our recent blog here), there are further policy changes scheduled for the remainder of 2018. In an effort to ensure it provides […]