April 25, 2006

Safety

Safety advocate Harford wins award

PETER KENTER

correspondent

TORONTO

The Construction Safety Association of Ontario (CSAO) yesterday presented the 2006 Roy A. Phinnemore Award to Robert Harford, former Business Agent of UA Local 787—Refrigeration Workers of Ontario. The award is presented each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to health and safety.

“Bob simply can’t stand the idea that people can get hurt or sick when they’re trying to make a living,” says Roy O’Rourke, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of CSAO. “But what sets him apart is how he rolls up his sleeves and actually tries to improve working conditions. The history of his volunteer work demonstrates the depth of his commitment to health and safety.”

Harford was founding member of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Trade Labour-Management Committee, one of the first committees to develop a trade-specific safety manual and training modules.

Bob Harford

He was also a member of the Toronto Regional Committee for 15 years, sometimes as chair or co-chair, and worked on the committee’s guidelines for emergency response planning. He served on CSAO’s board of directors from 1995 to 2004.

Harford’s tenacity in working toward permanent improvements in health and safety is best exemplified by his tireless efforts to make changes to the Ontario Building Code after the death of a 43-year-old refrigeration and air-conditioning worker in 1989.

Richard Knarr died from a fall after the fixed vertical access ladder he was climbing detached from the wall.

During the 1990 coroner’s inquest, Harford promised Knarr’s widow, Margaret, that he would have the Code revised to incorporate stringent standards for fixed access ladders. With the assistance of union and government advocates, Harford persisted until the Code was amended in 1997.

The award is named in honour of past CSAO Executive Director Roy A. Phinnemore and was presented at the CSAO’s 77th annual general meeting in Mississauga. The award is established through a donation made by builder Oliver Gaffney and the Phinnemore family.

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