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B.C. winners in workplace safety and health recognized today
Richmond, B.C., October 22, 2008 — Occupational safety and health awards are being presented today to companies and individuals in British Columbia who have demonstrated outstanding performance in workplace health and safety. Winners of both NAOSHWeek Awards (North American Occupational Health and Safety Week) and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) Achievement Recognition Awards will be acknowledged today at the 2008 Safety Forum and Awards Luncheon in Langley.
“Today we congratulate all winners who have introduced and participated in safety and health programs helping to provide a culture than not only benefits everyone’s safety in the workplace, but can also help boost morale at work,” said Jim Lippert, President of the NAOSHWeek Steering Committee-B.C. “We challenge companies across the province to plan activities during safety and health week that can have an effect all year round.”
NAOSHWeek is marked by a 1997 agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico dedicating a week in the year to focus on occupational health and safety. This year it was held from May 4–10, 2008 with the theme Safety & Health: A Commitment for Life. Start today! Live it every day!
“NAOSHWeek celebrates a unique partnership, not only among the three countries, but also among employers, workers, unions, and government,” said Labour and Citizens’ Services Minister Iain Black, the minister responsible for WorkSafeBC. “Together, we’re working to make safety the top priority in the workplace.”
The Best Overall winner for NAOSHWeek was Pollard Banknote Ltd. in Kamloops for their exceptional efforts around the workplace and in the community. They initiated a campaign that included an in-house pedometer program with over 466 participants from five different Pollard Banknote plants from across Canada and the United States. The company also ran an “Are you safer than a 5th grader?” contest based on the television show “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?” Covering traffic safety, protection, health, awareness, and home safety, the contest also featured taped responses from students at a local elementary school. These efforts also resulted in Pollard Banknote winning Best Overall in the national competition.
The CSSE Achievement Recognition Awards also being presented today are given annually to individuals, organizations, and groups that have demonstrated outstanding commitment and effort to the occupational health and safety field. One of the major category winners was the Best Training/Orientation Program for Young and New Workers which was awarded to Grouse Mountain Resorts Ltd. in North Vancouver.
More than half of Grouse Mountain’s workforce is made up of young workers aged between 15 and 24, many using equipment that can range from a dishwasher to tram. Their program for new and young workers is built around three main components of orientation, training and supervision and uses on-line, in person and on-the-job training.
New and young workers begin their training with two orientations on their first day; one for the base of the mountain and one for the top. The second day is for learning how to be safe as front-line employees and health and safety training is provided through department specific orientations, group discussions, videos, along with PowerPoint and intranet presentations. New and young workers job shadow experienced employees who teach them the basics of the job and are monitored by supervisors or by an assigned co-worker to ensure safe work habits are adopted. The new employee’s work is monitored by a supervisor until both the employee and supervisor feel confident in the worker’s ability to perform their duties.
“There are more than 360,000 young workers in our province that can be vulnerable to injury because of their inexperience,” said Diana Miles, Vice- President of Worker and Employer Services for WorkSafeBC. “We are pleased to be part of the awards by sponsoring the orientation and training category for new and young workers.”
WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors that serves 2.2 million workers and more than 197,000 employers. WorkSafeBC was born from the historic compromise between B.C.'s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. The organization is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits.
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| Gladys Johnsen |
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**To see a complete list of winners for both NAOSHWeek and the CSSE Achievement Recognition, as well as information on award categories and winners, visit the NAOSHWeek page on WorkSafeBC.com.