Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
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10 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com PEOPLE&PLACES WorkSafeNB applauds steel maker, nursing home MQM Quality Manufacturing and Pine Grove Nursing Home were recently recognized by WorkSafeNB for their impressive efforts in workplace health and safety in New Brunswick. "We're extremely proud to recogni ze these companies, both of which have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and continuity to safe work practices and to a safe workplace," said Gerard Adams, president and CEO of WorkSafeNB. "These two companies have shown exceptional leadership and innovation, and, in doing so, they've not only signifi cantly reduced injuries but they've decreased their premiums and improved their bottom line." MQM Quality Manufacturing, a steel manufacturer based in Tracadie-Sheila, N.B., was acknowledged for its low accident frequency and commitment to ensuring its workers are happy and safe. The 150-employee company has only seen three lost-time claims since 2008, an accomplishment for which it has been rewarded with assessment rates 30 per cent below the industry average. Pine Grove Nursing Home is a non-profi t, 70-bed, long-term care facility in Fredericton. The nurs- ing home was applauded for being proactive and for introducing initiatives like WorkSafeNB's "Back in Form" body mechanics program, and wellness programs that support mental, emotional and physical well-being. Pine Grove has 99 employees and sees assessment rates 29 per cent below industry average. WSN hands out excellence awards At its annual general meeting, Workplace Safety North — an independent not-for-profi t health and safety organization in Ontario — awarded its inaugural President's Award to two companies with top safety records in their sector. Kidd Operations (a Glencore company) was one recipient. The Timmins Ont.,-based operation, which includes a mine and a mill, has been in operation since 1966 and is the deepest base-metal mine in the world. About 1,200 people work at the mine and the mill. "I have to get to both places because I believe an important aspect in safety is visible leadership. You need to be present and available and making a difference in the workplace," said Tom Semadeni, general manager of Kidd Operations. "It's a bit of a challenge for us and I think that's why it's so important to have good systems in place." The company strongly believes in having measurement criteria in place for self-auditing and year-over- year improvement. Kruger Packaging, Brampton, Ont., division, was the second recipient of the President's Award. The containerboard and packaging plant was established in 1904 and has 179 employees. The company is striving to meet the milestone of a zero reportable incident rate, said Joe Oleiro, HR manager. "We haven't achieved the magic number yet. For the last six years, we've been at one (reportable injury), so it goes to show you with all the good processes you can have in place, it just takes one incident to be a serious incident," he said. Workplace wellness pioneers As part of The Better Workplace Conference, Mary Ann Baynton and Marion Reeves were awarded the 2013 Canadian Workplace Wellness Pio- neer Awards. Since 1997, the awards have recognized professionals who make a difference toward improving the health of Canadian workplaces. Baynton is the program director for the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace where she has been instrumental in the initia- tion and development of leading edge tools and processes. And her contri- butions to the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace are "setting the stage for how we manage mental wellness in Canadian workplaces," said Deborah Connors, president, The Health Work & Wellness Group in Nanaimo, B.C., and founder of The Better Workplace Conference. Reeves is the principal of Life Fit Associates and has been working in the fi eld of workplace wellness for more than 30 years. Her earlier work, particularly in the area of active living, set the stage for much of the work orga- nizations do today around wellness. "Marion represents the original pio- neer persona, working for many years to create and further the awareness of healthy workplaces at a time when support for these initiatives was not as tangible as it is today," said Connors. Marion Reeves and Mary Ann Baynton are the winners of the 2013 Canadian Workplace Wellness Pioneer Awards. Left to right: Serge Thériault, MQM and Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB; Cheryl Wiggins and Jessica Estey, Pine Grove with Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB. Tom Semadeni, general manager, Kidd Operations. Joe Oleiro, HR manager, Kruger Packaging and Candys Ballanger-Michaud, president and CEO, WSN. In addition to the Executive Committee, the 2014 Governing Board includes Governors: Paula Campkin, MBA, CRSP, Brett D. Christie, BSc, CRSP, Kevin J. Dawson, MBA, PEng, CRSP, Andy Felczak, CRSP, Covena Hilford, CRSP, CSP, John Hollohan, BSc, BASc, CRSP, Yvonne O'Reilly, CRSP, Harry Stewart, CRSP, Peter Sturm, CRSP, CHSC, David A. Williamson, CRSP, CHSC, Andrea Cotroneo (Public Member), and the Executive Director is Nicola J. Wright, BA (Hons), CAE. The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) is a federally incorporated self-regulating, self-governing, ISO 17024 accredited and ISO 9001 certifi ed organization established in 1976. The Board governs its certifi cants in order that the public interest may be served and protected. Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals/Conseil canadien des professionnels en sécurité agréés, 6519-B Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5N 1A6, www.bcrsp.ca Announcement - Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals 2014 Governing Board Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals Paul Andre, Board Secretary-Treasurer is the Vice President Prevention Services for Work- place Safety North, in North Bay, Ontario. Mr. Andre holds a Forestry Technician and Forestry Technologist Diploma from Sir San- ford Fleming College and an Occupational, Health and Safety Certifi cate from Ryerson University. Mr. Andre has been a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) ® since 1996. Ron Durdle, Board Past Chair, is the Safety and Environment Manager for the Depart- ment of National Defence at Fleet Mainte- nance Facility, CFB Esquimalt in Victoria, British Columbia. Mr. Durdle graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Occupational Health & Safety program in 2000. Mr. Durdle has been a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) ® since 2001. Dave Turner, Board Vice-Chair, is the President and Lead OHS Specialist for Turner Safety Systems Ltd in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Mr. Turner graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1973 with a B.Sc.(Hons) in Mining Engineering and holds an MBA from City University of Seattle. Mr. Turner has been a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) ® since 2001. Dan Lyons, Board Chair is President and Senior Consultant of Step Change in Safety Inc. based in Cambridge, Ontario; and has more than 26 years' experience in health and safety manage- ment. Mr. Lyons is the twentieth chair of the BCRSP since the certifi cation body's incorpora- tion in 1976. Mr. Lyons has several academic achievements, including a Master's degree in Environmental Health Sciences from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Mr. Lyons has been a Canadian Reg- istered Safety Professional (CRSP) ® since1995.