Health & Safety

Health and Safety

Good morning Sisters and Brothers. Given the tragedies that we have had to report on and deal with this past year I am pleased to say that we have not had any fatalities in our operations since our last Executive board meeting. Unfortunately over this past few months there have been a number of members pass away. There were 2 members from Excel, 1 from Plateau and another from PG S/M.Our condolences go out to the families.

SHARP has been working on another conference coming up in 2013 and we will continue to keep you updated on this and encourage full participation from the member companies that there will be good attendance. As well as was reported last time we conducted a training session at Conifex,Mackenzie for their new safety committee. This was a Union/ Management training and was given by the BC Fed. That week Plateau had the Fed put on 2 sessions at their operation in which our safety committee members attended.

I attended a dust seminar in Richmond in July that was sponsored by Worksafe BC that had an instructor from Dalhousie University. This was an eye opener as he went through the combustible dust scenarios and what happens. He also explained different methods of extracting dust from operations and ways to keep it at minimums. Since the two explosions there have been a number of measures taken in all of our plants with the direction of Worksafe BC to keep our plants cleaner and hence safer. The District 3 Health Safety and Environment committee still have not confirmed when the next Safety Conference will be held however there is another meeting scheduled for November 7 & 8 .

We hope everyone attends the Education Seminars this weekend and enjoys the dinner on Saturday evening which is always great. If not please drive safely on your way home and remember now that winter is upon use please use extreme caution, give yourself some extra time and be safe.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a Merry Xmas and prosperous New Year as we will not be back together until January for the next Executive Board meeting.

Respectfully submitted
Brian O’Rourke
Health & Safety Director