OUR HISTORY
The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board operated several organizations through which to establish safe work practices on work sites. One of these was the Forest Products Accident Prevention Association (now Workplace Safety North under the Ontario Ministry of Labour) with a board of Directors encompassing all sectors of logging, sawmilling, board manufacture plus the inclusion of organized and unorganized labour. One of the goals was to establish local groups to further the safety message and reduce injuries.
Lakehead Regional Safety Council(LRSC) what is our purpose?
Identifying Safety Risks to Industry and the Public
LAKEHEAD REGIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL held its first meeting on April 15 1983 at the Airlane Hotel. P.Nicholas was elected Chairman and John Venasky a Director. Initially the name of the organization was Lakehead Forest Products Safety Council and similar groups were formed in Nipigon, Fort Frances and across the Province. Local sawmills and Board Mills were formed into similar safety organizations. At one point there were in excess of thirty such volunteer safety organizations in this Province. Presently Lakehead Regional Safety Council is the sole survivor.
One of the early objectives was to promote safe work practices among the independent smaller contractors working on Crown Forests. Contact between these small independent contractors and safety training authorities was very weak.
LRSC and its predecessor were/and are partially self funded. In Order to raise funds to put on these programs an Annual Banquet and Dance was established. Initially It was held at the Kakebeka Legion, then, as its popularity spread to the Ortona Legion and later the Slovak Legion.
Attendance was 400 plus persons with always a live band. It became known as the Loggers Ball with prizes donated by local suppliers.
An additional social activity was the Annual Golf Tournament
LRSC also partnered in establishing and running a Forest Harvesting Equipment Show for several years.
Courses in First Aid provided by St John’s Ambulance Critical Areas in Work places information sent out to small Contractors WHMIS Training for small Contractors Load Security sessions for haulers of raw forest products, eventually transformed into North Ontario Log Truck Association (NOLTA) which still exists today.
Power Saw training
Clearing Saw training
Defensive Driving with the OPP in attendance
Development of a system of safe and secure transportation for the felling heads of feller bunchers.
Later, following changes in Provincial legislation Joint Health and Safety committees were established in each corporate work place. The LRSC felt a change of focus and name was required. Coincidently the provincial support organization was changed from the WSIB to the Ontario Ministry of Labour and our relationship would be through Workplace Safety North (WSN). LRSC role was redefined to include mining exploration and some parts of construction.
Locally we added a relationship with the 55 Plus Centre, to assist in providing AED/CPR programs for Seniors.
Additionally, we provided a column and safety hints to a local Seniors newspaper until it ceased.
Supporting visibility at night and low light conditions for pedestrians and cyclists by providing several reflective devices including reflective armbands. We purchased a number of these devices and distributed them. This project is ongoing.
Current Projects include actively supporting the addition of warning lights for truckers along the Thunder Bay Expressway. This latest project is to raise awareness about the lack of warning lights for trucks et al at traffic lights along the Hwy 11/17 Expressway. Petitions to promote this very worthwhile project are available for signature in many locations. These individual petitions will be combined and with the assistance of our local MPP’s be presented to the Ontario Legislature.
Continued support for visibility at night and in poor light conditions.
Support for Thunder Bay 55 Plus and Thunder Bay EMS in providing AED/CPR Hands Only Training for seniors. Lakehead Regional Safety Council has presented safety education bulletins at the Health and Wellness Expo hosted by 55 Plus Centre each year.
Support for those in the farm community who work part time during winter months cutting wood.
We were involved with the pulp and paper and forestry sector at the shows, we had the following training sessions over the years MHEO, Forestry pit and road when it became legislation, WHMIS training, Transportation of dangerous goods, 23 point inspection course with the MTO, Power saw training, clearing saw training, defensive driving with the OPP in attendance, load security sessions, forestry and road equipment shows that we participated in, Annual awards banquets yearly. We promoted safety in the woodlands and mining. Our committee has changed over the years but we continue to promote safety in the community with the seniors paper articles. Promoting CPR and defibrillates training at the 55 plus centre.