The Barrie Construction Association has invited members to participate in the Labour-Management Network of Health and Safety Committees.
In a note to members, BCA executive director Alison Smith wrote:
Have an effect on your workplace – become a Network committee member. You can participate in protecting the health and safety of workers in Ontario by joining your local Barrie committee or attend as a guest to learn what you might gain from participating, or simply voice your opinion.
- Committees across Ontario, including the Barrie Regional committee, review and comment on proposed legislation and standards as well as contribute to development of new programs and products. They set priorities for health and safety campaigns. Committees consist of representatives from labour and management who meet to discuss health and safety issues. The committee is the first to know of ministry initiatives and priorities, and advises the MOL from input of the entire network, all members have a voice.
- The committees have the ability to review and suggest changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. They lobby for control of hazardous materials and procedures. They direct research into construction materials applications and procedures, suggest and review content for accident prevention training, review injury and fatal statistics and recommend responses. The committee will work with other government ministries, the Coroner’s Office, regulatory agencies such as Technical Standards, Safety Authority, Electrical Safety Authority and Canadian Standards Association in harmonizing requirements of Ontario construction with current standards of enforcement.
- Committees also take on safety related initiatives to interact with their local community, such as a recent campaign that placed Working at Height posters on the Barrie Transit busses in December 2015 and January 2016.
The success of this committee will depend upon the commitment and expertise of its members. Rewards for joining this committee include: recognition for leadership in confronting difficult problems and improving working conditions, input into health and safety legislation and developments in the province. Meetings take place locally, once per month, ten per year. Labour and management are represented equally, and the Barrie Construction Association is recruiting management representatives from the following construction sectors:
- Concrete Forming/Reinforcing Steel
- Electrical
- General Contracting
- Heavy Civil*
- Homebuilding/Carpentry
- Inside/Outside Finishing**
- Masonry
- Mechanical/Sheet Metal
- Road Building/Excavating
- Roofing
- Sewer & Watermain
- Steel Erection/Demolition
- Welding/Metal Fabricating/Millwrighting/Boilermakers
*Includes Marine Construction & Diving, Rock Drilling/Blasting, Tunnelling, Caissons/Piling, Soil & Rock Testing, Pipelines, Land Clearing, Utility Construction and Water Well Drilling.
**Includes Painting, Suspended Ceiling & Acoustical Work, Terrazzo & Tile, Drywall/Plaster, Broadloom/Rug and Flooring, Garage and O&H Industrial Doors, Glass & Glazing, Exterior Cladding & Siding, Exterior Painting/Waterproofing and Insulation Work.
All BCA members are invited to the Sept. 13 committee meeting at 1:00 at the BCA offices.
Smith wrote there will be an educational presentation from Don E. Bethune from Honeywell Safety Products about respiratory product fit testing.
She asks members to RSVP by Sept. 1 and to contact her at alisonsmith@barrieca.com for more information.
