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NLIS 7
Government Services
May 3, 2010

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Government Services:

Minister Raises Flag for NAOSH Week

Earlier today I was very pleased to raise the flag recognizing this week as North American Occupational Safety and Health Week or NAOSH Week. Joining me was the local chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers and a number of companies who are leaders in occupational health and safety. This week is very important as it raises awareness on the importance of being safe at work through injury and illness prevention.

This year's theme is "Safety and Health: A Commitment for Life! How Safe Are You?" and it challenges all of us to examine our safety practices to see just how safe our workplaces really are. We need to promote safety and health in our workplaces and make that commitment not just for ourselves but also for those we love. Safety is not just for workplaces. The practices that we put in place at work are just as important in our home life and we should make a concerted effort to practice safety at all times.

I must acknowledge our local chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers who every year dedicate their time to plan and promote NAOSH Week. In addition to the flag being raised here at Confederation Building, they have arranged for the flag to be raised at all trade schools in the province ensuring that our young people learn how vital it is to have safe and healthy workplaces. This group was the pioneer of NAOSH Week and their recognition of the benefits of improving attitudes towards safety quickly turned into a need to recognize this important issue across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Our safety professionals have shown that they are leaders in spreading the message about injury and illness prevention in our workplaces. I congratulate them on this achievement and assure them that the Occupational Health and Safety Branch of the Department of Government Services will continue to work hard to do our part in making workplaces safer. We are proud to be a participant in NAOSH week.

NAOSH Week strives to increase understanding of the benefits of investment in occupational health and safety and to raise awareness of the role and contribution of health and safety professionals. It is our hope that by recognizing NAOSH Week and participating in health and safety initiatives, we will make further strides in reducing workplace injuries and illness. Therefore I encourage everyone to participate in NAOSH Week activities to raise awareness of the importance of health and safety in our workplaces.

Photo #1: The Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Government Services, raises the flag for NAOSH Week.

2010 05 03                         1:45 p.m.


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