May 6, 2008

Sault Ste. Marie Construction Association’s health and safety training program grows

ELAINE DELLA-MATTIA

correspondent

Sault Ste. Marie

With more than 330 students and 23 courses to choose from, the Sault Ste. Marie Construction Association recently completed its second annual health and safety training week.

The spotlight on construction health and safety is timely, especially with the growing number of younger workers, said association manager Rick Thomas.

Last year, about 150 workers and employers participated in a handful of courses.

This year, eight trainers provided 23 courses in five different locations.

Courses included construction health and safety orientation, first aid/CPR, lock and tag out, aerial man lift, trenching safety, power-actuated tools, fall arrest, WMIS and rigging.

Thomas said that participation came from all industrial sectors ranging from residential through heavy industrial.

“Our members have been very active with health and safety issues and the numbers here show it,” Thomas said.

“This is a very busy time for the construction industry in Sault Ste. Marie and we expect a strong market throughout the summer season and the employers want to ensure they have properly trained employees.”

Thomas calls health and safety the most important emerging issue in the industry right now — not only for employers, but for employees as well.

“Newer workers need to be brought up to standard and safety is everyone’s business,” he said.

What was once a simple accident in the construction industry is no longer, he notes.

Technology has emerged, equipment is heavier and production has changed.

While Sault Ste. Marie’s safety record is considered “extremely good” Thomas says that if one accident occurs, there is a high probability of a second accident occurring.

“That’s what we need to work on,” he said. “We’re fortunate because we are much busier than normal and we have a good safety record.

Thomas said that the Construction Safety Association of Ontario has played a key role in helping workers get trained by providing the trainers necessary to run some of the courses.

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