May 13, 1998
(Environment and Labour)

Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Awards announced

Oliver Langdon, Minister of Environment and Labour today announced the winners of this year's Occupational Health and Safety Leadership Recognition Awards. The Occupational Health and Safety Leadership Recognition Awards program is an initiative of the Department of Environment and Labour. This program is offered to all employers within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its purpose is to recognize individuals and organizational efforts in the prevention of workplace accidents and injuries.

Awards are presented in six categories. The winners for this year include:

AWARD OF MERIT - This award is given to an employee(s) who, through alert and correct action, has saved a person's life or prevented serious workplace injury. The award winners are Clarence O'Quinn, Don Skeard, Mike Hoots, Bob Manuel, Toby White and John Walsh of Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., Stephenville, NF.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION AWARD - This Award is given to an individual who volunteered his/her time to provide health and safety training to promote an accident free work environment. This year's award winner is Bob Barry of TRA Grand Falls-Windsor Branch.

OUTSTANDING SAFETY COMMITTEE/REPRESENTATIVE AWARD - This Award is given to the most pro-active workplace health and safety committee/ representative that identifies concerns and implements recommendations, performs safety audits, and shows leadership. This year's award winner is the Occupational Health and Safety Committee of Labatt Breweries, NF.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM AWARD - This Award is given to a company whose leadership and commitment has resulted in the implementation of an outstanding health and safety program. This year's award winner is TRA Grand Falls-Windsor Branch.

MINISTER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - This Award is given to a company that has demonstrated over time an improved safety record, enhanced product quality, improved training courses and overall company success. This year's award winner is McNamara Construction Company.

INNOVATIVE SAFETY SOLUTION AWARD - This Award is given to the individuals or companies that develop innovative solutions for equipment and/or procedures that eliminate safety hazards. This year there were no nominations.

The awards were presented at a ceremony held at 12 noon at the Fluvarium in Pippy Park, St. John's.

The ceremony marked the advent of North American Occupational Health and Safety Week. This is a joint effort of Canada, the United States and Mexico to simultaneously promote injury and illness prevention in the workplace and to recognize the efforts of those who have contributed to the improvement of health and safety in the workplace. The theme of North American Occupational Health and Safety Week this year is Occupational Safety and Health, Partners Together in Safety.

Minister Langdon commended all the award applicants for their tremendous effort and paid tribute to their continued hard work towards safe, healthy and productive workplaces in the province.

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Backrounder
Occupational Health and Safety Award Winners

AWARD OF MERIT

This award is given to an employee(s) who, through alert and correct action, has saved a person's life or prevented serious workplace injury. The award winners are Clarence O'Quinn, Don Skeard, Mike Hoots, Bob Manuel, Toby White and John Walsh of Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., tephenville, NF.

These men, at personal risk, were instrumental in saving the life of a fellow employee. On February 12, 1997, an employee was caught in a paper machine and crushed across the upper chest. This group of men used come-a-longs (hoisting devices) to free him.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION AWARD

This Award is given to an individual who volunteered his/her time to provide health and safety training to promote an accident free work environment. This year's award winner is Bob Barry of TRA Grand Falls-Windsor Branch.

Mr. Barry has a consistent record for significant contribution to health and safety. He has been on the Safety Committee for the past 11 years. He volunteers his time to the promotion of workplace health and safety and has shown initiative in designing new training techniques and programs. All the time, energy and involvement he spends at work and for the community promoting safety is volunteer time. He always takes the initiative to accept extra projects without hesitation.

OUTSTANDING SAFETY COMMITTEE/REPRESENTATIVE AWARD

This Award is given to the most pro-active workplace health and safety committee/representative that identifies concerns and implements recommendations, performs safety audits, and shows leadership. This year's award winner is the Occupational Health and Safety Committee of Labatt Breweries, Nfld.

This committee is very pro-active in its objectives through its promotion of Safety Week, its annual Safety Day and plant wide audits. They encourage the Internal Responsibility System concept, that is, the resolution of workplace health and safety problems by the Occupational Health and Safety Committee. They introduced Whiteboards in the workplace where employees report concerns and it is only the employee who can remove these concerns once they are satisfied with recommendations.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM AWARD

This Award is given to a company whose leadership and commitment has resulted in the implementation of an outstanding health and safety program. This year's award winner is TRA Grand Falls-Windsor Branch.

This Company with the support and commitment of its Occupational Health and Safety Committee and all its employees have developed an excellent health and safety program. This program, to name a few initiatives, incorporates written safety policies, planned inspections, health and safety training, written policies for dealing with hazards, a health and safety coordinator and an orientation program for new employees.

MINISTER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

This Award is given to a company that has demonstrated over time an improved safety record, enhanced product quality, improved training courses and overall company success. This year's award winner is McNamara Construction Company.

This Company has demonstrated a considerable improvement in its safety record over the past several years and even more so between 1996 and 1997; with a decrease in the number of Lost Time Accidents of 18 in 1996 to two in 1997. This company has pursued the latest advancements in technology to achieve a higher level of productivity. Through the use of an ISO 9002 program, product quality has improved.

INNOVATIVE SAFETY SOLUTION AWARD

This Award is given to the individuals or companies that develop innovative solutions for equipment and/or procedures that eliminate safety hazards. This year there were no nominations.

Contact: Sean Kelley, Director of Communications, (709) 729-2575

1998 05 13              4:35 p.m.