ARTICLE
Watch the Media Event Overview - 4 min 38 sec. The Ground Disturbance for Saskatchewan Workers online training program is the result of a collaboration between Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance (SCGA), Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan (HCSAS), and Saskatchewan Safety Council. For the past year, these three organizations have worked together to create a ground disturbance safety awareness training program aimed towards the education of new workers in Saskatchewan. The resulting program, freely available to all who wish to register, will be a key component in the Council’s Career Safety Education program for youth ages 14 to 21. “New and young workers often find some of their first jobs in sectors that deal with ground disturbance concerns. Every year, we hear statistics of people being injured and sometimes killed in this line of work, but these are not statistics, they are our friends, neighbours, nieces, nephews, and children. Through this multi-agency collaboration and the financial support of the SCGA, we can make sure that every person who needs to take ground disturbance training to learn about the hazards and risks in their work, can do so without barriers.” – Ryan Jacobson, CEO, Saskatchewan Safety Council By raising the awareness of both new workers and youth to the existence of underground or soil-related hazards, the parties believe there can be a reduction in the number of incidents due to underground utility strikes or soil collapse. As a result of this education, young and new workers will be more informed and aware of the hazards in work they may be asked to perform. “The cost to the economy of these incidents is significant, but more importantly, there is also a risk of injury and even death from events that are most often entirely preventable,” said Derrick Mann, SCGA President. Mann added that developing safety habits when one is young “produces a lifetime of benefits” by that person becoming a role model to champion safe behavior. For employers throughout the province, they can have confidence that this online resource has been designed and vetted by leading industry experts. It is a great way to improve workers’ general knowledge of ground disturbance concerns in a cost-effective manner. “Our members are continuously involved with detailed projects that involve working around underground infrastructure for long periods of time,” said Natalya Uchacz, Safety Program Consultant, of the HCSAS. “As we see younger employees entering our industry constantly, this is a fantastic opportunity to build that safety skill mentality right as they start their careers.” Young workers and those new to jobs that work in soil, who are pursuing careers in agriculture, heavy construction, residential construction, landscaping, or with companies that provide services to utility companies are encouraged to complete this free training course. The online training is accessible 24 hours a day and offers a downloadable certificate upon completion. It can be completed on any computer, smartphone or tablet with internet access. By providing the training free of charge, any financial barrier is eliminated. The Ground Disturbance for Saskatchewan Workers program is now available on the Saskatchewan Safety Council website, www.sasksafety.org. Career Safety Education provides universal access to completely FREE safety training for all youth in Saskatchewan between the ages of 14 and 21. Core program components are specifically designed by industry safety experts to address the most common injuries to new workers in their respective fields. Currently, programs are contributed to Career Safety Education by Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan (HCSAS); Saskatchewan Association of Safe Workplaces in Health (SASWA); Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA); Saskatchewan Safety Council; and WorkSafe Saskatchewan. SCGA is a non-profit member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by developing and promoting effective damage prevention practices related to ground disturbance in Saskatchewan. HCSAS is an industry funded non-profit safety association dedicated to promoting the arts and science of safety to the “R” code employers of the Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board & their employees in order to try to reduce incidents & accidents that result in injury & property damage in Saskatchewan.
Watch the Media Event Overview - 4 min 38 sec.
The Ground Disturbance for Saskatchewan Workers online training program is the result of a collaboration between Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance (SCGA), Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan (HCSAS), and Saskatchewan Safety Council.
For the past year, these three organizations have worked together to create a ground disturbance safety awareness training program aimed towards the education of new workers in Saskatchewan. The resulting program, freely available to all who wish to register, will be a key component in the Council’s Career Safety Education program for youth ages 14 to 21.
“New and young workers often find some of their first jobs in sectors that deal with ground disturbance concerns. Every year, we hear statistics of people being injured and sometimes killed in this line of work, but these are not statistics, they are our friends, neighbours, nieces, nephews, and children. Through this multi-agency collaboration and the financial support of the SCGA, we can make sure that every person who needs to take ground disturbance training to learn about the hazards and risks in their work, can do so without barriers.” – Ryan Jacobson, CEO, Saskatchewan Safety Council
By raising the awareness of both new workers and youth to the existence of underground or soil-related hazards, the parties believe there can be a reduction in the number of incidents due to underground utility strikes or soil collapse. As a result of this education, young and new workers will be more informed and aware of the hazards in work they may be asked to perform.
“The cost to the economy of these incidents is significant, but more importantly, there is also a risk of injury and even death from events that are most often entirely preventable,” said Derrick Mann, SCGA President. Mann added that developing safety habits when one is young “produces a lifetime of benefits” by that person becoming a role model to champion safe behavior.
For employers throughout the province, they can have confidence that this online resource has been designed and vetted by leading industry experts. It is a great way to improve workers’ general knowledge of ground disturbance concerns in a cost-effective manner.
“Our members are continuously involved with detailed projects that involve working around underground infrastructure for long periods of time,” said Natalya Uchacz, Safety Program Consultant, of the HCSAS. “As we see younger employees entering our industry constantly, this is a fantastic opportunity to build that safety skill mentality right as they start their careers.”
Young workers and those new to jobs that work in soil, who are pursuing careers in agriculture, heavy construction, residential construction, landscaping, or with companies that provide services to utility companies are encouraged to complete this free training course.
The online training is accessible 24 hours a day and offers a downloadable certificate upon completion. It can be completed on any computer, smartphone or tablet with internet access. By providing the training free of charge, any financial barrier is eliminated. The Ground Disturbance for Saskatchewan Workers program is now available on the Saskatchewan Safety Council website, www.sasksafety.org.
Career Safety Education provides universal access to completely FREE safety training for all youth in Saskatchewan between the ages of 14 and 21. Core program components are specifically designed by industry safety experts to address the most common injuries to new workers in their respective fields.
Currently, programs are contributed to Career Safety Education by Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan (HCSAS); Saskatchewan Association of Safe Workplaces in Health (SASWA); Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA); Saskatchewan Safety Council; and WorkSafe Saskatchewan.
SCGA is a non-profit member-driven association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by developing and promoting effective damage prevention practices related to ground disturbance in Saskatchewan.
HCSAS is an industry funded non-profit safety association dedicated to promoting the arts and science of safety to the “R” code employers of the Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board & their employees in order to try to reduce incidents & accidents that result in injury & property damage in Saskatchewan.