If you’re seeing clients, always consult with your clinical supervisors about how many and which type of cases are appropriate for you. Your caseload should be aligned with your level of experience and designed to help you achieve your training and career goals.

Biohazardous infectious materials are usually found in a hospital, health care facility, laboratories, veterinary practices and research facilities. Workers in these places do not usually know which tissues or fluids contain dangerous organisms. For this reason, the workers assume that every sample is hazardous and proper protection is used all the time. Examples of biohazardous infectious materials include the AIDS/HIV virus, Hepatitis B and salmonella.

In addition to chronic toxicity hazards, remember that a product may have additional hazardous properties such as being acutely toxic (e.g., can have immediate toxic effects) or it may have other hazardous properties such as being corrosive or flammable.

The hazard categories address explosives in terms of unstable explosives; mass explosion hazard; severe projection hazard; fire, blast or projection hazard and may explode in fire.

hazard symbols意思

Developing a mindfulness practice can also help you commit to yourself amidst all the chaos. Mindfulness can be practiced in as little as 1-5 minutes, and is recommended to be practiced at least 5-15 minutes a day for a beneficial practice. There are several free or low-cost apps to assist with breathing or guided meditation (e.g., Headspace; Stop, Breathe, & Think; Insight Timer). I personally prefer to incorporate deep breathing and mindful focusing into parts of my natural day (e.g., at every red light while driving, while brushing my teeth, or before bed).

If you’re clinically oriented, you might also find yourself experiencing compassion fatigue. We work with clients and extend patience and compassion all day long that by the time we get home, we have little left for our other loved ones. Working with trauma, a book I’ve appreciated is called Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky. This book articulates how working to make the world a better place can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, and professional fatigue, and also suggests restorative practices to care for ourselves.

Have 20 minutes? Keeping an up-to-date (prioritized) task list will help you identify small chunks of work that can be done in short breaks, such as responding to emails, writing just one paragraph or section of a clinical report, or making a phone call.

Consumer product symbols are framed by one of two shapes, which signify whether it is the contents of the container or the container itself that is dangerous.

Recall that classification and labelling of this hazard group is not mandatory in Canada. However, suppliers may indicate these hazards on labels and SDSs if they choose to.

ALWAYS check the product's SDS and label on the containers to ensure that you know what is being used and the full range of potential hazards associated with a product.

Toxicity of a chemical does not change, but the risk of exposure from using it can be controlled and minimized through proper handling and storage practices.

Consumer products are chemical products sold to Canadians for general household use that have certain hazards (such as toxic, corrosive, flammable). Consumer products use different symbols than WHMIS.

Another way I care for myself is by seeing my own therapist. Beyond contributing to my goal of destigmatizing therapy, it’s useful! Life happens outside of my program, so I work with a therapist to discuss the issues that might interfere with my ability to be my best self. Not all issues are relevant or appropriate to discuss with my clinical supervisors, but that doesn’t mean they don’t affect the way I approach my work.

Consider more than the mere number of cases, but also the amount of prep time required for each. For example, are you implementing a treatment you’ve never done before? Do you need to spend extra time with a manual or preparing client worksheets? Also keep in mind the amount of mental energy necessary for high risk clients and the time it takes to follow up with certain clients between sessions.

Health hazardsymbol

* Note that the most hazardous categories (Types A, B) within these classes will use the explosion pictogram alone or with the flammable pictogram

This pictogram is used by the 'corrosive to metals' hazard class (physical hazard group) to indicate products that can cause corrosion or damage to metal containers and structures upon contact.

With so much to manage, it can be useful to not have to think about certain parts of your life all the time – like food, sleep, and exercise. I find that having a set schedule for meal planning, meal prep, grocery shopping, sleeping, and exercising can not only help me keep up with these required tasks, but also ensures I don’t overschedule myself to the point where I find my pantry empty in the middle of a work week! Keeping a routine of basic health tasks (e.g., eating, sleeping, and exercise) is also helpful for our circadian rhythms and metabolism.

Hazard symbols

Corrosive products such as strong acids and strong bases can attack (corrode) metal or our skin/eyes. Common acids include hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Common bases are sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and ammonia. Check the labels and read the SDS (Section 10: Stability and reactivity) for additional information.

If the product only has this pictogram, the main concern is its toxicity for aquatic life. If the material has other pictograms, it is also hazardous to humans in the workplace (e.g., physical or health hazards).

WHMIS groups products with similar properties or hazards into classes. The Hazardous Products Regulations specifies the criteria used to place products within each classification. WHMIS classifications are made by the manufacturer or supplier for products to be used in Canada.

These materials are organisms or the toxins they produce that can cause diseases in people or animals. Included in this class are bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. As these organisms can live in body tissues and fluids, they should be treated as toxic. Urine and feces should be treated as toxic only if they are visibly contaminated with blood.

The pictogram for oxidizing products is an "o" with flames on top of it. The "o" is for oxygen and the flames show that oxidizers are significant fire hazard if they are not handled properly. There are three types of oxidizing product: oxidizing gases, oxidizing liquids and oxidizing solids.

In addition to meeting the criteria for this hazard pictogram, remember that a product may have additional hazardous properties such as being acutely toxic (e.g., can have immediate toxic effects) or it may have other hazardous properties such as being corrosive or flammable.

Give yourself permission to excuse yourself from work, just for a bit. Just because there is always more to do does not mean we always have to be doing it.

For example, vapours from a flammable liquid can mix with air and be exposed to the right amount of heat to ignite and burn. In the workplace, controlling the fuel (e.g., flammable products), keeping quantities low, and eliminating sources of ignition are the main ways that allow flammable products to be handled safely.

This pictogram is also used by two health hazard classes for products that can cause destructive, irreversible damage to the skin and/or eyes.

Ten pictograms are used by WHMIS 2015. Pictograms are graphic images that immediately show the user of a hazardous product what type of hazard is present. With a quick glance, you can see, for example, that the product is flammable, or if it might be a health hazard.

Flammable hazards are products that can ignite easily and burn rapidly. For a fire to occur, three elements must be together at the same time and in the right proportions: fuel, oxygen, and heat (e.g., an ignition source such as a spark). It is very important for fire prevention and when working safely with flammable products to make sure that these three elements are not present together in the right amounts at any time.

Together, the symbol and the border are referred to as a pictogram. Pictograms are assigned to specific hazard classes or categories.

The health impacts covered by this pictogram may not be obvious to the worker right away, but the effects are generally reversible and of relatively short duration with proper medical treatment (and when further exposure is prevented). Always read the SDS and compare it with the label for the product. Understand how to use the product safely. Ask questions if you are unsure.

This pictogram is also used to indicate two health hazard classes for products that can cause destructive, irreversible damage to the skin and eyes. The two hazard classes are:

WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) helps identify the hazards of products like chemical and infectious agents.

Thousands of products are available which contain gases and mixtures of gases that are stored under pressure in cylinders.

But most of us would also like to enjoy a life outside of our professional career. So when there are multiple deadlines, projects without firm deadlines, and not always a clear line between “working hours” and “personal time,” how do we balance our priorities?

It’s okay. We aren’t static beings. We can’t be successful and organized all of the time. We have hiccups; we fall back into old habits and patterns we thought we broke. Maybe the times when you feel like you can’t are cues from your mind or your body that you need a break – you need to address something else. Do that first. Then you can get back to your healthy mindset and keep moving toward your goals.

Corrosivesymbol

Maybe your break is 15 minutes, maybe it’s 3 hours, maybe it’s an entire day or weekend. Or maybe it’s just a break from one specific project that’s been hanging over your head.

The basic components for a fire are a source of fuel (such as combustibles), a source of oxygen, and a spark or source of ignition.

This pictogram indicates that the damage caused by exposure to the corrosive material is very significant and likely irreversible. Lower hazard categories (e.g., skin or eye damage that will heal/be reversible) for the two health classes will use the exclamation mark hazard pictogram or no pictogram in some cases.

Non-liquefied gases are also known as compressed, pressurized or permanent gases. These gases do not become liquid when they are compressed at normal temperatures, even at very high pressures. Examples are oxygen, and nitrogen.

Because of the high risk of significant personal injury and extensive property damage for incidents involving these products, proper training and appreciation of the hazards is essential.

Being a graduate student is only one part of my identity. I am a daughter, a friend, a pet mom, a neighbor, and a community member. I re-charge by tending to these other aspects of my life on a routine basis. I enjoy acroyoga, bicycling, reading, going to concerts – and of course, the occasional Netflix binge-watching session.

Besides your mentor, clinical supervisors and peers can be some of your greatest resources in managing the demands of graduate school.

Between your practicum and academic courses, if you’re in graduate school, you probably have a heavy workload. We all have a lot we need to accomplish in a relatively short amount of time.

Chronic health effects occur from exposure to a product over a period of time, often measured in days, months or years. Long-term health effects such as carcinogenicity (cancer causing) or respiratory sensitization are included under this pictogram. In addition, this pictogram is used for products which can cause targeted health impacts on a specific organ system (such as the kidneys, nerves or liver) that develop after a single exposure or after repeated exposure.

Although the three classes of oxidizer may have different physical states, they share the characteristics of oxidizers and they all pose fire hazards if appropriate handling and storage needs are not followed.

Acute toxicity could result from exposure to the product itself, or to a product that, upon contact with water, releases a gaseous substance that is able to cause acute toxicity.

Products with this pictogram should only be used by individuals who are thoroughly trained and aware of the hazards and how to control them. This level of training is beyond the scope of this Kit.

Fire and explosion are the main concerns, but other issues may be present. If a product is classified as flammable, the supervisor and workers must understand specifics of what the hazards are and how to use it safely.

Hazard symbols and meanings

Aquatic hazards may include "acute hazards to the aquatic environment" which evaluates short-term toxic impacts on various aquatic life forms (such as fish, crustaceans, algae and aquatic plants). It also includes "long-term hazards to the aquatic environment" which evaluates long-term (chronic) negative impacts on aquatic life forms such as bioaccumulation (buildup of material in organism) and degradation (persistence, or how long it will remain in the environment). Examples of long-term impacts for the aquatic environment could include reduced spawning, genetic problems in offspring and behavioural changes.

This same construct of keeping your training and career goals in mind is applicable for research projects as well. Keep your focus clear to ensure you only take on projects or tasks in line with your own goals. Don’t use your precious time doing something for the purpose of adding it to your CV or because you think it will impress someone. Keep your professional narrative in mind and utilize your time wisely to build the skills you’ll need. If tasks are aligned with your goals, you’re also more likely to maintain your motivation when it comes time to complete them.

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Chronic toxicity is different than acute toxicity. Acute toxicity refers to immediate health effects as a result of exposure to a toxic product. Chronic toxic effects tend to develop over time, often as a result of long-term exposure to a particular product. As an example, smoking a single cigarette is unlikely to cause a lasting toxic effect but smoking many cigarettes over time is linked with numerous adverse health effects. Chronic toxicity can also refer to a persistent adverse health effect that occurred as a result of a short-term exposure to a toxic product. For some chronic toxicity hazards, there is no known safe amount to which a person can be exposed.

Note: Consumer Products are partially covered under WHMIS ? an SDS is not required, but employers must still educate employees on the hazards and safe handling procedures for these products.

Most pictograms have a distinctive red "square set on one of its points" border. Inside this border is a symbol that represents the potential hazard (e.g., fire, health hazard, corrosive, etc.).

Irritantsymbol

I almost always have a nagging feeling that there’s something more to do. There’s always something I could be making more progress on.

This pictogram is used by a number of hazard classes in the health hazard group. If you see this pictogram on a product, it indicates that regular exposure could result in serious health issues. The health impacts will not be obvious right away. Always read the SDS and compare it with the label for the product. Understand how to use the product safely. Ask questions if you are not sure.

Exploding BombFlameFlame over circleGas cylinderCorrosionSkull and crossbonesHealth hazardsExclamation MarkEnvironmentBiohazardous infectious materialsConsumer Products

Adapted from: Stay Safe - A Safety Education Guide to Household Chemical Products for Children 5 to 9 years of age. Consumer Product Safety (CPS), Health Canada. Available online at:http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/449934/publication.html

For example: A highly toxic chemical can have a low health hazard if it is used with proper precautions and care. On the other hand, it is possible that a chemical of low toxicity may present a high health hazard if it is used inappropriately. These differences make proper handling and control measures very important.

Acute toxicity refers to effects occurring following skin contact or ingestion exposure to a single dose, or multiple doses given within 24 hours, or an inhalation exposure of 4 hours.

ALWAYS check the product's SDS and the label on the containers to ensure that you know what is being used and the full range of potential hazards associated with a product.

Materials in this class should only be used or handled by individuals who are thoroughly trained and aware of the hazards and how to control them. This level of training is beyond the scope of this course.

Note: The exclamation mark may also be used to indicate products that contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer. Recall that classification and labelling of the environmental hazard group is not mandatory in Canada. However, suppliers may indicate these hazards on labels and SDSs if they choose to.

Toxic symbol

With oxidizers, these products readily give off oxygen or other oxidizing substances (such as bromine, chlorine, or fluorine) and this is a significant fire/explosion risk. Oxidizers do not burn by themselves but oxidizers can:

Acetylene is the only commonly used dissolved gas. Acetylene is chemically very unstable and at atmospheric pressure, acetylene gas can explode. However, acetylene is routinely stored and used safely in cylinders because the acetylene cylinders are packed with an inert, porous filler. The filler is saturated with acetone or other suitable solvent. When acetylene gas is added to the cylinder, the gas dissolves in the acetone to create a stable solution.

There are many categories within the acute toxicity class. There are categories used to describe the different ways the product can enter the body ( e.g., oral (ingested/eaten), dermal (skin), or inhalation (breathed in).

Liquefied gases are gases which can become liquids at normal temperatures when they are inside cylinders under pressure. Refrigerated liquefied gases are those gases that are made partially liquid because of its low temperature. Initially the cylinder is almost full of liquid, and gas fills the space above the liquid. As gas is removed from the cylinder, enough liquid evaporates to replace it, keeping the pressure in the cylinder constant. Examples: anhydrous ammonia, chlorine, propane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide

Psychologists often preach self-care due to the resounding evidence of its utility – but it’s even more important to heed our own advice.

As a therapist (in training), it can sometimes feel easier to guide our clients to make healthy decisions in their lives than it is for us to make those same choices in our lives. I sometimes think about what I would say to a client experiencing the same struggles I am. Take a moment to imagine: If your new client were a graduate student who was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of hours they had to work and the emotional burden from seeing clients, what might you say to them?

The primary hazard of oxidizing products is fire and explosion. In addition to property damage, if an oxidizer product contaminates the skin or clothing, there is a high risk of very significant personal injury in the event of a fire.