October 28, 2021
October 29, 2021
October 28, 2021
Join your host, Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC CEO Lisa McGuire, for a brief introduction to the conference. In the opening session, we have invited MLA and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility Dan Coulter to share his personal story of workplace injury, and the impact on his life and direction.
As we open the conference and break out into sessions on so many topics, Dan’s story reminds us that health and safety is personal. Injury and illness at work can strike deep, and the impact is felt broadly in our workplaces and greater communities.
We invite you to join us in a shared commitment to prevention—to creating healthy, sustainable cultures and safe workplaces for our people and our businesses.
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Chronic staffing shortages and unpredictable supply chains create challenges not only for productivity but also for workplace health and safety. Left unchecked, short-staffing and overtime cause worker fatigue and associated impairment. In many facilities, an unreliable supply chain is translating to large bulk orders when materials are available. In operations with limited storage, this can create tripping hazards, improper storage, and potential dangers from falling materials or overstressed racking. And unusual material handling requirements, exacerbated by short staffing, can translate into MSIs.
In this session, assess the risk to your organization and strategies for identifying and controlling hazards caused by these critical changes to standard operating procedures.
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Staffing shortages and supply disruptions are behind some of the most challenging productivity, scheduling, and safety challenges for manufacturers today—in virtually every industry. Recognize the impact of this challenging industry environment on your people’s health, safety, and productivity—and learn new strategies to manage risk.
In this fast-paced session, discover how one leading manufacturer is redesigning systems to meet the challenges of today’s environment and drive sustainable performance.
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While production typically requires work onsite, with 81% of workers wanting to stay remote or move to a hybrid work schedule (Harvard Business School survey), many employers are offering the flexibility of a hybrid approach for office positions.
This new and variable work environment requires a different approach to managing health, safety, and performance. Employer legal obligations for workplace health and safety apply equally in office, production, and remote work environments. And psychological safety in a hybrid work arrangement takes building trust with employees so that they feel safe sharing information about their home and family life that may impact work schedule and productivity.
In this session, learn new strategies to recognize and manage a new mix of office, plant, and home office-based hazards. Explore practical approaches to communications and management to build an engaged and high-performing culture with your distributed team.
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Workers can be injured on the job at any age, but young and new employees may be more at risk for workplace injuries. Give your young workers a safe start with a strong, effective, and comprehensive new employee orientation. New workers are often injured due to inadequate or incomplete training, lack of supervision, and inexperience. Young employees may be reluctant to ask questions or seek clarification on safety issues so it’s important to ensure you have an open and effective way to communicate about workplace health and safety.
In this session, learn how to build effective, comprehensive new employee orientation programs that reduce the risk of injury for young and inexperienced workers.
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As you face the significant challenges posed by supply chain issues, workforce demographics, skilled labour shortages, and tomorrow’s new challenges, the agility to pivot quickly can help keep your business viable. Engagement with your team is essential to navigating a pivot effectively.
In this session, learn how to use clear communication, collaboration, preparation, and planning to keep your team motivated and engaged through the change.
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In the wake of the pandemic, job candidates are holding potential employers to higher standards for workplace health and safety—including supports for mental health, diversity initiatives, and overall safety performance. A recent survey by Workplace Intelligence and Kronos found that when job candidates evaluate a job offer, they choose “safety of the work environment” over “opportunities for professional growth” and even the “quality of potential coworkers.” That presents an opportunity for employers in today’s competitive hiring market.
In this session, learn new ways to leverage your company’s health and safety initiatives to build confidence with job seekers and tap into their desire to work for companies that value and support people and sustainability.
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The factory of the future is always associated with the term “batch size one.” The new modular safety relay myPNOZ from Pilz offers just that, since it is produced individually according to your requirements. An easy-to-use device that’s flexible in application and boasts clever features, it ensures reliable monitoring of your safety functions.
Specifically designed with your custom project in mind, you tell us what you want from your safety relay solution, and we put it together for you, sending you a final product that’s ready to do what you need it to do right out of the box. No additional changes are required. Join Pilz Canada and learn how to create your own safety according to your requirements.
Dave Phillips, Chief Mental Health Officer at TeksMed Services Inc., is excited to present an important and timely conference session, designed to help you understand how you can have a more positive inner life experience. Cultivating positive mental health helps us become stronger inside as we continue to live with all the complex challenges of our life, especially at work. We all know that trying to change the externals of our life can be frustrating, exhausting, and sometimes very expensive. But what if we could strengthen our inner core so that we had more stability and flexibility? This is the direction we will take in this session. The focus of this session is on helping you understand how your brain works and how you can give it what it needs from you (based on your own core values) to develop strong inner resilience.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Every day, workers encounter hazardous energy caused by hazardous power, point of contact, and ejecting material from machinery and equipment. What safeguards, shields, and safety devices have you put in place to prevent this hazardous energy?
In this session we will:
- Discuss some typical injuries caused by lack of safeguarding
- Show examples of hazardous power, hazardous point of contact, and ejecting material
- Provide four next steps to help mitigate the hazards posed by the lack of safeguarding
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Continue the learning. Join today’s session moderators for a review of the day’s key takeaways. Share your insights and learn from your peers.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
There are numerous energy sources in machinery and equipment that can injury a worker. To prevent this, we need to de-energize and lockout the equipment before we attempt to clear jams or perform maintenance.
In this awareness session, we will discuss some common injuries and hazards related to this subject. Are these situations possible in your workplace? We will finish off by providing some next steps to prevent these incidents.
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In the waning days of the pandemic, business leaders are recognizing that anxiety is a serious business issue. One in five Canadians experienced symptoms of depression, anxiety or PTSD in the last quarter of 2020 (STATSCAN). In women, the frequency increased to one if four; and Canadians aged 18-24, one in three. And according to Morneau Shepell’s monthly Mental Health Index, 36 per cent of Canadians are concerned about a co-worker’s mental well-being.
In this session, discover strategies to help employees deal with uncertainty; balance an overwhelming or unpredictable workload; and feel valued, accepted, and supported.
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Temporary and contract workers fill critical gaps in production staffing requirements—particularly given recent surges in orders and unpredictable access to raw materials. For seasonal food-processing facilities and supporting technical services, there is always a need for temporary, agency, and on-call production workers and specialists.
But employers are legally responsible for the health and safety of every worker in their facilities, so it is important to recognize that temporary workers experience more injuries than permanent workers in the same occupations—in some industries, as much as double the rate of injury.
In this session, learn best practices for integrating temporary and contract workers into your health and safety program, communicating and coordinating training, investigations, and prevention plans with staffing agencies and contractors.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
There have been some recent changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Part 16, Mobile Equipment. Are you aware of what is now defined as mobile equipment? Have you heard of the new terms Prime Mover or Excluded Ground Machine? Join this session to find out this information and much more.
We will also discuss the hazards posed by mobile equipment and provides some next steps to prevent injuries from mobile equipment.
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Is every employee in your business comfortable calling out a mistake, pointing out a problem, or offering a new idea? The most successful companies—particularly in challenging times—encourage employees to listen to their gut and speak freely. That can only happen when you have laid the groundwork to create a psychologically safe workplace. Learn how supporting and rewarding your team (including your management) for boldly speaking out will help you identify and solve problems faster and more effectively.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Hot work does not refer to the temperature of the workplace. It is work that involves burning, welding, riveting, grinding, using fire or spark-producing tools—or other work that produces a source of ignition. Are these activities in your workplace? Do you have contractors who come into your worksite to perform hot work, such as a plumber coming to fix a leaking pipe?
If you use any flammable and combustible materials in your facility, you need awareness and knowledge of how hot work can impact your workplace. The last thing you need in your workplace is a fire.
Join this session to gain basic awareness of hot work and next steps you can take to prevent a hot work incident.
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October 29, 2021
In a competitive hiring market, one key to retaining skilled workers is to ensure that they feel valued and safe. As consumers seek out sustainably produced products, job seekers are increasingly looking for employers that have a reputation for sustainable and inclusive people practices – including effective health and safety policies and workplace mental health programs.
If you employ a mix of younger and older workers, perhaps temporary workers—who speak multiple languages, the challenge is even greater. In this session, learn practical steps to build and strengthen an inclusive and supportive safety culture. Lead the way to becoming a top place to work in your community.
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While language and cultural differences present challenges in many industrial environments, a 2020 study by MIT Sloan Management Review and Glassdoor identified diversity as one of the key cultural values held by leading companies that has the greatest impact on results. Tap into new perspectives to support innovation and problem solving.
In this session, learn to strengthen relationships, address challenges, and build a strong team culture in your diverse workplace. Learn to communicate effectively, bridge gaps, prevent bullying and harassment, and leverage the strengths in your diversity to build a strong, high-performing team.
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Facing a shortage of skilled workers, employers are increasingly looking to technology solutions to drive productivity and automate repetitive tasks. But the decisions leaders make at the intersection of people and technology are critical factors in sustainable performance and growth.
- Is your team equipped to leverage new technology effectively? To implement it safely?
- What new risks are you introducing when you implement a new technology solution?
- What opportunities does it create to provide workers with safer, more interesting jobs?
In this session, moderated by Jayson Myers, CEO of NGen, the not-for-profit leader of Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster:
- Learn from the experience of a manufacturer who’s invested $30 million in automation upgrades
- Take away a proven approach to technology implementation
Reconsider your technology strategy in terms of the impact on your team. Consider the risks and explore new approaches to equipping your team and your business for sustainable success.
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From the head office to the plant floor, your employees are your greatest asset. And in a competitive hiring market successfully keeping employees engaged will translate to lower turnover, a more attractive workplace for new hires, and a safer work environment for all.
In this session, learn new strategies for engaging staff in safety and other strategic initiatives, through consultation, communication, participation, and recognition. Understand the role of your supervisors and managers in engaging staff, and discover new ways to help employees connect their own efforts with company goals and performance.
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Hazard ID is a basic building block of any health and safety program. But emergency response planning requires a different approach to envisioning potential hazards based on a wide range of different external factors—and designing training, controls, and business continuity plans for any emergency.
We often think of emergencies as situations that might happen “someday” but if the pandemic has taught us anything – it’s that emergencies can and DO happen. Identifying the potential hazards of an emergency ahead of time builds employee confidence – and helps you to build a strong culture.
In this session, learn how to identify the hazards of any potential emergency you might encounter in your workplace and build plans to reduce the risk for your people and your business.
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Vaccine policy decisions are difficult and potentially divisive. In this session, see inside an employer’s review of the evidence, the risks, and the challenges to requiring vaccination or COVID-19 testing for employees.
In this timely keynote, we discuss the difficult balance between privacy rights and an employer’s obligation to protect the health and safety of everyone in the business—and walk through the journey to craft a vaccine policy and implement it in the workplace.
This is a keynote session, open to all attendees.
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The most effective injury prevention strategies are found in elite sport. This is because decades of research and development have gone into keeping professional athletes safe and performing at their peak.
Cost-effective wearable technology, intuitive data analytics, and smartphone-based training systems are now allowing employers to provide workers with a similar level of support. Using platforms like Preveture, companies are gaining a much greater understanding of musculoskeletal injury risks, enabling them to run proactive data-driven prevention programs. Plus, sensors and live movement feedback are now being used to improve return-to-work outcomes.
Join Scott Coleman, Preventure CEO and accredited Sport Scientist, as he explains the evidence behind this widely accessible technology, and how it can plug into your existing safety programs.
The most effective injury prevention strategies are found in elite sport. This is because decades of research and development have gone into keeping professional athletes safe and performing at their peak.
Cost-effective wearable technology, intuitive data analytics, and smartphone-based training systems are now allowing employers to provide workers with a similar level of support. Using platforms like Preveture, companies are gaining a much greater understanding of musculoskeletal injury risks, enabling them to run proactive data-driven prevention programs. Plus, sensors and live movement feedback are now being used to improve return-to-work outcomes.
Join Scott Coleman, Preventure CEO and accredited Sport Scientist, as he explains the evidence behind this widely accessible technology, and how it can plug into your existing safety programs.
Registered? Log into the conference platform to watch on demand.
Continue the learning. Join today’s session moderators for a review of the day’s key takeaways. Share your insights and learn from your peers.
Registered? Log into the conference platform to watch on demand.
In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a worker’s last line of defense when other safety controls cannot be implemented. From masks and respirators to gloves, hard hats, and safety boots, they are an essential part of most workers’ day to day. Part of the Personal Protection Essentials course, this is an overview of key considerations for PPE.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Every day, we are exposed to noise at home, work, and while commuting. At what noise level should we be concerned about this hazard? What duration of noise exposure is acceptable? We will answer these questions in this awareness session.
Noise-induced hearing loss is a common problem. It will impact workers in all age groups. Unless you are exposed to a traumatic situation, noised induced hearing loss can take years to occur. This hearing loss is permanent and 100 percent preventable.
Come and join us to see how we can use the Hierarchy of Controls to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
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The great debate of 2021, business and HR leaders around the world are researching the contentious issues of vaccine policy, privacy, and health and safety responsibility. Policy decisions evaluate the nature of your work and vulnerability of your workforce and weigh the human rights issues alongside potential liability in the event of an outbreak or serious illness.
A question with no easy answer, this session considers the issue from the perspective of an organization that has developed, implemented, and successfully defended a vaccine policy. Learn from their experiences, challenges, and ongoing success.
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As we shift towards greater digitization and connection around the world, manufacturers are embracing automation, robotics, and smart technology in the plant. Robotics and automated operations can play a significant role in reducing workplace injuries and improving safety. Technology can also help address skills gaps and chronic labour shortages.
But automation is not without risk, and it’s important to consider how worker behavior is altered by working alongside robots and automated processes.
In this session, learn steps you can take to avoid the complacency that can arise from automated processes as you integrate technology in your workplace to increase productivity and reduce workplace injuries.
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Did you know that 21 percent of all WorkSafeBC claims are from falls? Employers submit an average of 10,744 fall claims per year. Are these falls from the same level or falls from height? Attend this awareness session to find out. We also will discuss prevention next steps.
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Why do some employers underestimate and undervalue the capabilities of OHS professionals? What happens when OHS professionals find themselves in situations they lack the specific skills to handle?
In 2021, the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC completed a new OHS competency framework for the manufacturing sector—the result of six years of research and engagement with safety professionals, industry executives, and academics. Designed to map educational and career development for safety professionals and bridge the gap with executives and hiring managers, the framework defines a professional standard for OHS skills and competencies.
In this session:
- Explore the meaning of competence in the context of professional duty and liability
- Understand the specific technical and business skills industry hiring managers are seeking—and often find lacking
- Share your input on the implementation of the framework in defining professional standards for accreditation, education, and career pathways
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In the Safety Committee Track, get an overview of important industrial safety topics to help you identify hazards and opportunities to improve workplace safety throughout your facility.
Nearly 40 cents of every dollar spent on workplace injury claims in British Columbia are related to musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs)—strains, sprains, and inflammation that not only keep people off work, but can cause lasting pain and disability. Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) account for, on average, 34 percent of all WorkSafeBC claims. That is an average of 17,891 claims per year. MSIs impact all industries and workplaces.
Have you done a risk assessment to determine the risk of MSI in your workplace? Have you educated and trained your workers on risk identification including sign, symptoms, and potential health effects of an MSI?
Join this awareness session to find out some important next steps you can do to prevent MSI injuries to your workers.
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