By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — Twenty-seven years ago, Sue McLaren, who was pregnant then, received a phone call that her husband Keith had been injured in a workplace accident.
“I’m the wife that got the call,” she recalled. “It changes things quickly.”
She wasn’t working and now her husband was not able to work.
Today, it’s a different story for Ms. McLaren.
“Now, I’m the one making the call, and they are hard calls to make,” she said, adding, “Especially when the accident could have been prevented.”
Eight years ago, Ms. McLaren left her position as the Manager of Health and Safety for the Ottawa Police and began her own business, McLaren Health and Safety Consulting on the outskirts of Cobden and continues to be “passionate about health and safety in the workplace.”
She goes to various businesses, whether it be two employees or hundreds of employees, to conduct occupational health and safety checks. She is also a member of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Canadian Standards Association and Excellence Canada, and is currently the vice-chair of the eastern Ontario chapter. This month she becomes the chairperson.
She is also involved with the national chapter and just finished her third year as chair of the conference committee.
In hopes of ensuring everyone has a safe place to work, she took on a summer volunteer project titled Health & Safety Bootcamp. It is Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Horton Community Centre, 1005 Casteleford Road (near Renfrew), from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $45 a person, with lunch included.
Ms. McLaren said she’s not sure if businesses are aware of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and all that it entails….and it’s for any type of business, including farming. There are regulations specific to each industry, she said.
“I’m not sure how the businesses get information, so I wanted to bring the information to the Valley,” Ms. McLaren said. “Anyone, even if there is just one employee, has to follow health and safety regulations.”
With her connections throughout her years in business and working for the Ottawa Police, Ms. McLaren was able to obtain top-notch speakers for the one-day event.
“There will be lots of information in 30-minute time slots,” she said.
Ms. McLaren noted “There is a changing landscape and more criminal charges are laid” when there are accidents in the workplace.
Changes in regulations regarding harassment, noise, working from heights, etc., have also taken place recently, she said.
When there is an accident at the workplace, the Ministry of Labour will be involved, and many people are afraid of them because they are enforcers of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, she said. However, are those in charge aware they will come and help a business ensure they are following the act before something happens?
“They will come with tons of information and provide a lot of information,” Ms. McLaren said.
The keynote speaker for this one-day conference is Patrice Dagenais, who is co-captain of Team Canada, which has won the 2015 world wheelchair rugby challenge, the 2015 Toronto Parapan Am Games gold medal and the 2012 London Paralympics silver medal.
Mr. Dagenais grew up in Marionville, Ontario and has always been passionate about sports, especially hockey. On June 12, 2003, Mr. Dagenais, then 18, was working at a job site and fell two stories, suffering a spinal cord injury. The accident left him paralyzed from the chest down and he became a quadriplegic.
After many excruciating months of physiotherapy to regain strength in his shoulders and arms, he discovered a new sport called wheelchair rugby that allowed him to fulfill his childhood dream of competing at the highest level of a sport.
Participants attending his presentation will be motivated and inspired by his journey.
Ms. McLaren is hosting the event with Brian Fisher-Smith. Mr. Fisher-Smith has more than a decade of experience delivering demonstrated leadership in guiding, fostering and leading environments where the focus is placed on achieving organizational goals with minimal loss and incurred costs.
There will also be an opportunity for a guest panel question and answer session following the 30-minute workshops, Ms. McLaren said.
Not wanting to bog anyone down in statistics, she did note that in WSIB statistics for allowed lost time claims per 10,000 employed workers, Renfrew County is at 96.8 percent while the provincial average is 90.5.
Each person at a business should be trained in health and safety, Ms. McLaren stressed.
“Anyone with employees is encouraged to come and learn about the law,” she said. “It can only enhance the health and safety at your workplace.”
Speakers
Allen Cramm, an employer specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, will talk about the Workplace Safety Insurance Board’s (WSIB) update on Rate Framework.
Ghita Segal and Lynn Thomas, employees with WSIB, will talk about Better at Work approach to case management and Return to Work Services and Principles and Roles.
Greg Swan, Health and Safety Advisor to Ottawa Community Housing, will talk about Leaders of Safety.
Linda Patchell, a regional program co-ordinator with the Industrial Health and Safety Program, along with Peter Stewart, who has been a Ministry of Labour inspector for more than 11 years, will talk about occupational health and safety law in Ontario and the changes over the years, and those coming.
Kimberly O’Connell, executive director for the eastern and northern regionals for the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, will talk about occupational disease awareness.
Jim Hopkins, president of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, will walk about Leadership—Who’s In Charge.
Tom Abercrombie, is a healthcare inspector for eastern Ontario for the Ministry of Labour. He will talk about hiring a safety and health professional.
