Not all superheroes wear masks!
The Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA) is back with its Health & Safety conference and new one-day auditor’s workshop running Feb. 26-27, 2020.
This year’s theme will be “Safety Superheroes: Unmasked,” which NLCSA CEO Jackie Manuel says speaks to the “everyday superheroes” who champion safety in the workplace.
Since the conference will be held in St. John’s at Memorial University’s Signal Hill Campus but not everyone is able to travel to the city from outlying areas — especially during unpredictable winter weather — NLCSA is introducing the option to attend the conference virtually via livestream technology.
The other big change this year is that the NLCSA has added a second day: an interactive workshop for internal auditors. Attendees can choose to attend both days, or just one of the two.
“This is something we’ve never done before, but we’re working with a great venue and livestream company, and we’re excited to see it all come together,” says Manuel. “Geography will no longer be a barrier to the important information people and organizations need to hear.”
The livestream isn’t limited to NLCSA’s 3,500 members, either. Anyone with an interest in health and safety can register to tune in or attend.
While some sessions will be geared towards people working in the construction industry, Manuel says most of the topics are “universal” and applicable to any industry or workplace.
The Day 1 keynote speaker, Jorgen Gullestrup, will be coming all the way from Australia. The CEO and founder of Mates in Construction will be talking about his awareness and support program, Mates Helping Mates, which works to reduce the high level of suicide among construction workers.
“There isn’t a program like this in Canada yet, so we’re hoping Jorgen’s presentation might be a springboard for action here,” says Manuel.
NLCSA’s goal for the conference is to reach as many construction professionals as possible — helping companies to understand what they need to be successful and equipping them with the tools and skills necessary to meet health and safety requirements.
Other conference sessions will include Sandy Ash with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services covering how to be a more effective supervisor and overcome the challenges of wearing many hats. To complement Ash’s presentation, a panel of local construction supervisors will discuss some of these challenges as well as the strategies that they have used to be successful.
Dr. Farrell Cahill with Horizons Occupational Health Solutions will be talking about the dangers of workplace fatigue, which can cause physical and mental impairments similar to alcohol intoxication.
Darren Stratton with McInnes Cooper will be discussing professional qualifications and being competent on the job from a legal perspective.
One of the most intriguing parts of the conference may be the session run by award-winning Harry Houdini biographer, Bruce MacNab, who has spent decades researching the famous escape artist and how he managed to perform so many dangerous stunts.
In a session called “Harry Houdini: Public Daredevil and Secret Safety Pioneer,” MacNab will share how the magician actually lived by a strict safety code — and that many of his stunts were actually controlled experiments that resulted in improved safety for divers and miners.
Tammy McCabe, NLCSA’s manager of communications and industry relations, notes that the NLCSA is an industry-driven, not-for-profit corporation committed to providing cost-effective, affordable and accessible safety training and advisory services to Newfoundland and Labrador’s construction industry.
“To date, the NLCSA has issued more than 115,000 training certificates and conducted close to 900,000 hours of safety training,” says McCabe. “And more than 3,200 companies and organizations have participated in our flagship Certificate of Recognition™ (COR™) Program, which is designed to help companies institute an effective health and safety management program.”
The NLCSA decided to introduce the new, one-day Internal Auditor’s Workshop to help those individuals involved in the COR™ program and responsible for implementing and monitoring their health and safety programs. Workshop sessions will include topics such as the NLCSA’s new COR™ audit instrument, documentation standards and developing effective and relevant corrective action plans.
“The information provided at the conference and workshop would be beneficial to not only to these organizations but to any company or organization looking to improve health and safety at their workplace,” says McCabe.
NLCSA didn’t hold an annual conference in 2019, so NLCSA event planner and executive assistant, Georgina Jackman, says everyone is really looking forward to reconnecting with friends from across the industry — especially in Signal Hill Campus’s beautiful meeting room overlooking the St. John’s harbour.
“We’re back and better than ever. This year’s conference is going to be a breath of fresh air, as we have fun offering the livestream option — and a second day — for the first time,” says Jackman. “There are a lot of exciting things planned, including a few surprises. We always try to make it a memorable experience for everyone.”
The Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Safety Association’s (NLCSA) annual Health & Safety Conference and Internal Auditor Workshop run Feb. 26-27, 2020 at the Signal Hill Campus in St. John’s. To register to attend in person or via livestream, please visit nlcsa.com/conference.
