Several British Columbia Organizations Recognized for Worker Safety

 

“Our common goal is to promote safety and health at work in our province, nation, and our world,” said Tanya Steele, president of the NAOSH Week Steering Committee—B.C. “This week provides the opportunity for organizations to challenge themselves to do something unique in the continued promotion of and dedication to safety at work.” (WCxKit)   

 

 

NAOSH Week is marked by a 1997 agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, dedicating a week each year to focus on occupational health and safety. It was held from May 1–7, 2011, with more than 50 companies in B.C. participating, and 14 organizations receiving 18 provincial recognition awards. The CSSE Achievement Recognition Awards are given annually to individuals, organizations, and groups that have demonstrated outstanding commitment and effort to the occupational health and safety field. 

 

The best overall winner in the provincial NAOSH Week competition was Versacold Logistics and EV Logistics based in Delta, B.C. Employees and managers organized a multitude of activities demonstrating the effects of what life could be like after a workplace injury, including one-handed hockey slap shot, eye-patch basketball, and one-legged golf putting. They held a blood-drive clinic, a forklift rally competition, evacuation drills, health and fitness seminars, and much more. Versacold’s overall effort also resulted in the company being awarded honorable mention in the Canadian national competition.

 

 

“We believe our efforts to make safety a priority in the organization has made a significant difference to the business, with reductions in time-loss accidents being a key indicator of this success,” says Mike Stephens, OH&S manager, Western Canada Versacold Logistics. “Since first participating in safety and health week in 2006, we have reduced time-loss accidents by 93 percent and days lost by 90 percent.”

 

 

Two organizations in B.C. were category winners in both the provincial and national NAOSH Week competitions. In the provincial event, the Squamish Nation in North Vancouver won for best new entry, and the City of Kamloops won best of theme. Both of these organizations tied for best new entry in the competition across Canada. 

 

 

In B.C. last year, more than 95,000 workplace injury claims were accepted by WorkSafeBC, and 143 of these were fatal claims. On average, 2,600 work injuries are reported every week, and 17 workers are permanently disabled every working day.