Oshawa Health and Safety Week

Opening ceremonies for the Oshawa region's annual Health and Safety Week included representatives from the Ministry of Labour (MOL), Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Durham College, City of Oshawa, and CSAO.

Paul Kells related the story of his son's tragic death in an industrial accident and concluded by challenging those present to make, in workplace health and safety, the same culture shift that has rendered drunk driving unacceptable and the designated driver a success.

"We have to do the same thing, take the same vigilance with the people who are working with us, not just driving with us, because you can get killed that way as easily as you can in a car," he said.

The week-long program in October featured visits by the CSAO mobile classroom to schools in the area and to Home Depot in Whitby. This helped to deliver the accident prevention message directly to students, construction sites, and the general public.

As in years past, young and future workers were a major focus. Organizers hope that similar events can be held in other parts of the province to highlight the importance of workplace health and safety, especially for students and small businesses.

Health and Safety Week was organized and coordinated by the construction industry's Oshawa Region Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee, representing labour and management in the area.

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