Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

2 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 13 Celebrating 75 GROUNDBREAKING years in 2018 Manitoba's largest and most dependable Dust Control Provider for 27 Years 938 McPhillips Rd. | St. Andrew, MB 204.785-2180 | www.fortdistributors.com We invite applications for a Mechanic Supervisor for our Semi Truck / Trailer repair shop to join our staff COR Certified Gold Seal Employer Specializing in • Asphalt Paving/Concrete Paving • Site Development • Sewer & Water Services • Diamond Grinding 777 Erin St. Winnipeg, MB R3G 2W2 Phone: 204-783-7091 | Fax: 204-786-3106 www.mapleleafconstruction.mb.ca I f there's a secret to shaping a strong culture of safety, it's this: ere are no secrets. Sharing information is key to success, and the heavy construction industry is unique in that its members are willing to collaborate, says Gord Lee, president of Nelson River Construction. "Whatever you've done really well in your own company, you're happy to share it with your competitor so that they don't find themselves in a predicament that you could have otherwise helped them with," Lee says. "It's just amazing the cooperation you get on safety from people who could be your most fierce competitor. ey're quite open about what they're doing to be safety-minded and you reciprocate." At Nelson River Construction, success rests on promoting a sense of "internal responsibility" as well as maintaining a long history of corporate responsibility. "Internal responsibility means that safety always starts with the individual," Lee says. "Each of us has a responsibility to act safely for our own sake and so we don't bring harm to the person next to you or even outside of your group." Lee says senior management has always provided unequivocal support for safety initiatives. "It's always safety first, production second. I remember back right from the earliest days, 30 years ago, when I was working part-time here, safety always took precedence at Nelson River Construction." In the early days, only a few in the industry really paid attention to that element of operations, Lee says. "Today everybody thinks about it." e COR™ (Certificate of Recognition) safety program has become an industry standard. Currently, about 75 per cent of Manitoba's heavy construction companies are COR™-certified. Lee would like to see the industry itself move it upwards of 90 per cent. "You act on safety because it's the right thing to do and if you have a strong moral compass, which I believe most of the employers in our industry do. It's good for their people, it's good for their co mpany and it's the responsible thing to do." Inspired by the book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don't, by American business consultant Jim Collins, the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) is looking at ways to apply Collins' analyses to raising the safety bar. at means adhering to core values, maintaining focus and taking action because it's a responsibility, not a job. e first step is to have the right people in the right place. People like Hugh Munro Construction safety coordinator Brent Good and Accurate HD safety coordinator Marc Rodrigue. e MHCA was among eight organizations that presented awards at the inaugural Safetys, co-hosted by SAFE Work Manitoba in September. Rodrigue received the first MHCA WORKSAFELY™ safety leader award. Along with providing safety orientation for new workers, WORKSAFELY™ training sessions and "toolbox" talks, Rodrigue conducts inspections to ensure everyone on a job site is in compliance with sa fety protocols — everything from wearing personal protection equipment to conducting hazard assessments first thing in the morning and reassessing potential hazards throughout the day. "Someone might notice a tree with a big wasp nest later," he says. "In the last year we have had two employees working for us that were highly allergic to bee stings… those things also have to be brought up to the crew." When in doubt, Rodrigue calls upon WORKSAFELY™ staff and other companies for advice, and he's happy to return the favour. Good has been with Hugh Munro Construction for more than 30 years, and since 2010, he has been teaching safety in formal classroom and workshop settings as well as in the field. "If you're working with a subcontractor who isn't, say, up to par on their safety, we would make sure to help them out, give them some guidance, make them aware of things they should have in their safety program." Hugh Munro general manager Wayne Loo says it benefits everyone to help smaller compan ies bridge any safety gaps and increase baseline knowledge throughout the industry. "e best thing we can do as an industry is make sure that everybody working in this industry is getting to the same standards and levels," he says. "Because we all have to work alongside each other and if everybody is held to the same standards that will help take safety from good to great." Earlier this year, Hugh Munro initiated a Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) program as an incentive to encourage workers to focus on safety behaviours, both good and bad. Workers fill out cards and submit them in a ballot box, with the option to be entered in a draw for small prizes, or remain anonymous. Reported behaviours might be anything from noting that an equipment operator failed to use three-point contact while climbing off a machine, to acknowledging a worker who drove at a safe speed through a job site. e reports are not used for punitive response but rather as valuable feedback. Good has used some issues in his toolbox talks. Loo says the open communication contributes to a culture of safety from the top to bottom. Rather than laying blame, the company uses incidents for learning purposes, and shares that information with others. "Sharing what's been successful and not successful for companies is not going to create any unfair advantage competitive edge to contractors. It's all leading to growth." ❱❱❱ TAKING SAFETY FROM GOODTO GREAT BUILDING ON INDUSTRY SUCCESS B Y P A T S T . G E R M A I N Accurate HD safety coordinator Marc Rodrigue reviews safety logs. Photo by DARCY FINLEY Scott Fraser Christopher Wiens Scott Gilmour Patrick Smoke Sel Tse Chris Wren Craig Swaitkewich w w w. a p e x s u r e t y. c a Manitoba's Leading Construction Insurance and Bonding Broker Local experts advising local contractors 204.560.2508 Freeland's experience key to future prosperity B Y C H R I S L O R E N C T he appointment of Chrys- tia Freeland to lead the federal Finance portfolio elevates the right person at the right time, to deliver what this country needs. Freeland has proven herself a skillful minister since her first appointment to cabinet by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015, navigating Canada's global interests through the renewal or signing of new free trade agreements – U.S. Mexico and Canada Free Trade Agreement; Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with the European Union -- that have secured and vastly expanded markets for our goods and services. Her experience in the global (Freeland, a Rhodes scholar, is educated in Eastern European studies) and trade-relations arena could serve Canada well. Especially, now. The country needs a steady and reliable hand on the tiller – the ground is rough economically and on the global trade front. Canada's finances need to rebound from the drubbing the country and all its governments have taken since March. How do we rebound, balance expenditures against cratered revenues and manage deficits and rising debt? The true strategy has been to rely upon trade, continentally and internationally. And Freeland's experience in trade and global affairs is critical to that. Canada is well positioned, in the abstract, to enlarge its global trade profile. But the nuts and bolts of moving trade on the ground need attention. This country has taken its knocks on the international stage for its ability to ensure that goods move smoothly, efficiently to ports via rail and road. This is something Canadians need someone with Freeland's stature and pull at the cabinet table to attend to now. In 2008, Canada held bragging rights as a reliable trade partner. It was ranked in the top 10 globally by the World Economic Forum's Competitive Index. Today, that same index has dropped us to 32nd place. And it's largely because of our lack of investment in trade corridors – the infrastructure that matters most when it comes to doing business with the world. The difference between then and now is simple: in the early 2000s, the federal government led the way as a role model for the provinces in establishing and enlarging pools of cash dedicated to trade infrastructure – highways, corridors and gateways and port facilities. All are critical to ensuring a connected, efficient network for getting the goods to our key markets. The Chretien government launched Canada's modern infrastructure investment era with a total $12 billion through federal cost-shared programming; Paul Martin picked up the standard through a full GST rebate to and the sharing of federal fuel taxes with municipalities for infrastructure. Stephen Harper then upped the ante with even more robust expenditures, notably in his 2007 budget which alone saw $37.1 billion total tagged for infrastructure. Today, the world has opened to Canada's producers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers, but frustrations mount – on both sides of the border and ports. Nationally, trade infrastructure investment has taken a conspicuous back seat in recent years to investment in social infrastructure. No one is arguing the need for investment in climate change technology and adaptation, in housing or communities' internet connections. But these needs cannot be met if there simply is not the revenue filling government coffers to help finance them. Investment in core infrastructure, specifically trade transportation assets, holds amongst the highest returns to our GDP of any public investment made, repeat economic analyses have documented. All levels of government reap the benefits (especially with gas tax revenue sharing to municipalities) from this return on investment, an investment that is enlarged with shared-cost infrastructure agreements that press municipalities and provinces to identify and fund critical assets. In past economic crises, it was infrastructure investment that kept Canada working. The economic shakedown the world is experiencing is unique in its origin; we have no idea where the pandemic is taking us or whether the arrival of a vaccine can come soon enough. But we do know from history – dating back to the Dirty '30s, through the cataclysm of 2001 and the 2008 meltdown – how to stabilize and recover when world events sucker punch global markets, government treasuries, corporate pillars, jobs and family savings. Freeland branded herself as a champion of global free trade and the prosperity that flows from it when in a celebrated 2018 speech she upbraided Donald Trump and America's "naked protectionism" and tariff assaults. Now she must make sure Canada can deliver from its end. It is time for a new nation-building trade transportation infrastructure program. Canada's future depends on it. Chris Lorenc is president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association In past economic crises, it was infrastructure investment that kept Canada working. " –Chris Lorenc

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