Uko Akpanuko
The Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA) held a free session in Prince Albert on Monday to bring some safety awareness to the Prince Albert area.
The SCSA brought a trailer outfitted with displays and demonstrations dealing with fall protection, cut-resistance gloves, and other safety devices and practices.
SCSA board member Corey Johnson helped bring the event to Prince Albert. He said it was a great opportunity to improve safety practices.
“There’s maybe a miscommunication when it comes to new workers coming into the trade,” Johnson said. “They’re told that they’re supposed to wear hardhats. They’re told they’re supposed to wear cut-resistant gloves. The purpose of this demonstration is why they’re supposed to wear hardhats and why they need to wear cut-resistant gloves. It’s to bring awareness to new workers the purpose of why they need to put on safety equipment.”
Monday’s demonstration was part of a northern tour the SCSA is conducting, with stops in La Ronge and Candle Lake, among other communities.
Johnson said they were also able to get a few SCSA safety experts to come out and answer questions. He said safety in the Prince Albert construction industry is good, but there is room for improvement.
“I drive by workers on top of roofs or doing renovations and things like that where they’re not wearing safety gear, and I really hate to see that,” said Johnson, who works as a Health and Safety Manager with Flyer Electric. “That’s my profession, health and safety with the company I work for, and I’ve taken it to train all of my workers on why they need to wear that protective gear, so when I see other companies that aren’t, it’s kind of a sore spot for me.
“I stop and go and say, ‘hey, if you’re working up on a roof make sure you put a harness on,’ or safety glasses or hardhats and things like that, and they may go to pound sand, which is fair, but I’d rather stop and mention it and say something than not say anything at all.”
Johnson said his advice to construction workers who couldn’t attend is to seek out safety training on their own. He said many of the programs are inexpensive and easily accessible.
“I think it’s really important that anybody who’s starting out in the construction industry have a grasp on that thought process, that safety culture,” Johnson said.
Roughly 50 people attended Monday’s safety demonstration in the Northern Lights Casino Parking Lot. Johnson said he was happy to see the interest.
editorial@paherald.sk.ca
