PAGE A4 – April 2009 – The GTA Construction Report
Editor’s
Publisher’s
column
viewpoint
Matthew Desrosiers
By Chase
I just got back from a trip to Barrie and had gresses to help showcase the great work that
the privilege to meet with Lisa Bertram, the two associations can do.
A recent fatal accident on a construction site in Ottawa has once again vice president and general manager for Bertram A quick recap of the rest of month shows a
brought up the issue of safety on the work site.
Construction & Design. Lisa is a third genera- busy schedule. I will be at the IAPA Health &
Nowadays, almost every company you talk to has a safety program
tion member of the Bertram Construction & Safety Canada Trade Show April 20 and 21, and
in place to make sure these kinds of things don’t happen. These pro-
Design family who has made an in-kind dona- from there I travel up to Blue Mountain in
tion to Gilda’s Club of Barrie for the construc- Collingwood for the OGCA’s 6th Annual Sym-
grams are most definitely beneficial, and play a key role in the safety of
tion of their club house in Barrie as part of the posium April 23 -25. This year we are Platinum
workers across the province. But the old cliché remains true: You can
“Open the Red Door” in our community proj- Sponsors of the event and have worked hard
plan for all the eventualities, but it’s what you don’t plan for that will get ect. this past year to increase our coverage of the
you.
This project will see two associations in Bar- event and association. After that I will be head-
Let’s face it. Construction is a dangerous profession. There are no
rie, both the Greater Barrie Home Builders’ and ing to Waterloo the first week of May for the
Barrie Construction Associations working Skills Ontario Career Exploration Showcase
two ways about it. When you’re dealing with machines that roll on tires
closely together to complete this project with this year on May 4 and 5. This is our first year
taller than the average person, you need to be careful no matter what
community support. Lisa has started the process being involved with Skills Ontario as a Silver
you’re doing. Something as simple as crossing a job site, which hap- of receiving in-kind tenders on the initial phase sponsor.
pens to have been the circumstances of this latest accident, can turn fatal.
of the project which is just for the shell of the Hard to believe we are now four months into
You shouldn’t need to be reminded of this, not with today’s safety
project and the response so far has been great. the year!
I look forward to travelling back to Barrie for Chase is the Director of Marketing and
programs. And likely not one worker forgets the dangers of the job. The
the official ground breaking ceremony of the Client Relations for the Construction News and
reality, however, is that you can’t do a job if you’re always afraid of
project on April 15, 2009. Report Group as well as the Associate Publisher
what could happen. So some workers ‘forget’, and approach their daily Even though the Construction News and Re- for the GTA Construction Report and Ontario
job with an attitude that it could never happen to them.
port Group can not offer concrete or other prod- Construction Report. If you have any recom-
Well, it can, it does, and it darn-well might.
ucts to help the project along, I have donated mendations or suggestions on changes you
I’ve been on job sites where project managers have had to kindly re-
advertising space in the GTA Construction Re- would like to make for the papers please contact
port starting in May to help recognize all the him toll free at 1-888-432-3555 ext 211 or
mind trades to wear their helmet. And sure, you might role your eyes at
companies who will be making donations and email him chase@cnrgp.com or visit us online
them, but you had better put it on. Not only could the Ministry swoop offering support of this project. I will also co- at www.cnrgp.com
in and lay fines, but more importantly, something could fall on your
ordinate news coverage as the building pro-
head! It’s not always about covering someone’s backside. It’s about
safety, your life, and your livelihood.
Companies aren’t exempt either. I’d like to suggest it’s not enough to
put a poster on the wall of the lunchroom, reminding workers about
safety procedures. You should be educating, reminding, and you should
have someone out there hounding safety.
During our research into the recent accident, we spoke to a govern-
ment official who flat out told us this industry is not doing enough to
protect its people. I refuse to believe it’s because we don’t care. I think
it’s more a result of our training programs and safety initiatives work-
The GTA Construction Report is published monthly by Mekomedia Enterprises Inc., Suite 202,
ing so well, that we become relaxed. When serious accidents become 1 Cleopatra Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2G 3M9. The GTA Construction Report is available free at
more and more rare, workers will become more and more confident. As
selected building supply dealers and at the Howard Johnson Inn and Suites Toronto East at the
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workers become more confident, they begin to let their guard down, and To change your address or cancel a subscription, please email subscriptions@cnrgp.com or fax
that’s when tragedy strikes.
your request to 888-370-8745. If you would like to request a new (paid) subscription, you can
e-mail or fax us, or if you prefer, phone toll free 888-432-3555.
It’s a shame that it takes incidents like this most recent accident to re-
We welcome your news about upcoming projects, company anniversaries and special events.
mind an industry that safety isn’t something you can hang on a wall and
Fax your news releases to 613-224-1076. Daily update data on upcoming projects, including
contact names and phone numbers, is available from F.W. Dodge. For more information, phone
forget about. Training is there to be used, regularly.
613-727-4900 ext 4902 or 493.
So keep your guard up and look after each other. Be smart out there,
and be safe.
President: Mark Buckshon
Publisher: Chase
Editor: Matthew Desrosiers 888-432-3555 ext 111
Director of Sales and Advertising, GTA:
••
Chase 888-432-3555 ext 211
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