THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL ICI ROOFING CONTRACTORS IN ONTARIO ORN 12  ONTARIO ROOFING NEWS – WINTER 2018/19 Cannabis Impairment T he terms “cannabis,” “legalization” and “decriminalization” have become front-page news. It feels as if everyone in Canada is getting ready for the huge impact that will be caused by the coming invasion of legal marijuana. Certainly, the statistics from some U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana are a cause for concern, especially the increase in motor-vehicle incidents. But let’s remember that the use of mari- juana in our workplaces is not new. Employers across Ontario have been expressing concern that the use of cannabis – either medical or recreational – will result in more employees coming to work under the influence. Companies that perform high-hazard work are especially concerned because their employees must be more safety-conscious. If your current workplace health and safety policies and procedures do not address cannabis in the workplace or are inadequate to handle the issues that come along with it, you may be exposing your workers to more hazards than you realize. The use of cannabis in the workplace is merely part of a much broader class of workplace hazards: impairment. Impairment in the Workplace Generally speaking, impairment is a state of reduced competence, or reduced physical or mental ability, which can lead to an injury, illness or incident. The Canadian Human Rights Commission de- scribes the appearance of impairment at work as “odour of alcohol or drugs, glassy or red eyes, unsteady gait, slurring, poor coordination.” When most people think of impairment, alcohol and drugs mainly come to mind. Although they may be the most obvious examples, impairment can be caused by many substances and also by events. Basically, any substance or event that results in a lack of concentra- tion, an inability to complete a task, or an inability to solve problems or make decisions, can cause impairment. These effects can even be caused by life stresses such as divorce, ill- ness or expecting a baby. Or they can be caused by the side-effects of medication (e.g., dizziness or nausea) or by lack of sleep. These forms of impairment all fall into the same category as alcohol and drug use, but they aren’t always taken into consideration. If an organization is developing a policy that just deals with drugs and alcohol, other forms of impairment will be left out. Are You Ready for Cannabis in the Workplace? Impairment Being in an imperfect or weakened state or condition; Unable to function normally or safely (as when operating a motor vehicle) because of intoxication by alcohol or drugs. – Merriam-Webster dictionary 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Temperature 93 121 149 176 204 232 260 288 316 ZERO % of fumes in the air Regular BUR 75 % Reduction °C * ** By BITUMAR 11155 St-Catherine Street East Montreal-East, QC H1B 0A4 Tel.: 514 645-4561 bitumar.com ZERO ODOUR • When cold • Up to 177°C • 75% less fumes than regular roofing asphalt • BURPAK ZERO contains an odour suppressant which combined with a lower temperature of installation, minimizes asphalt odour • Zero complaint on odour • Complaints are time consuming and reduce productivity on job sites * The ideal viscosity temperature is typically lower by 23°C for BURPAK ZERO when compared with regular roofing asphalt. Therefore, there is no need for the kettle temperature to exceed 232°C when using BURPAK ZERO. ** Maximum temperature of a kettle as per ASTM D312. A NEW ROOFING ASPHALT WITH A LOWER EVT WHICH REDUCES FUMES AND ODOUR.