Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/1262450
6 www.thesafetymag.com/ca W O R K P L A C E N E W S U P F R O N T Saskatchewan developing sexual assault examination training During Sexual Assault Awareness Week (which took play May 11-15), Saskatchewan announced that it is developing sexual assault examination training for nurses and care providers in rural and remote areas, as well as northern communities. The funding will also support the future expansion of coverage in Regina hospital emergency rooms, where nurses with sexual assault examination training will be available around the clock. The province is also developing sexual violence education for its justice system professionals, along with a province-wide awareness campaign to challenge and change attitudes about sexual violence. Ontario extends renewal deadline for working-at- heights training Ontario has amended the Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation to accommodate workers who have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, the mandatory working-at-heights training of around 120,000 Ontario- based workers will be expiring over the next six months (the training is valid for three years at a time). However, many training providers have had to temporarily shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak. Workers in the construction sector will now be granted an additional year to renew their working-at- heights training. This means that the training will now expire in 2021. "Investing in road construction and maintenance represents excellent value for taxpayers. This significant contribution will create thousands of jobs and economic benefits to communities across Alberta." Ron Glen CEO of the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA) IN April, Alberta's provincial government announced the creation of its Agriculture Jobs Connector website, an online resource that will allow Albertans to find job opportunities in the agriculture sector. Conversely, the website also allows essential agriculture businesses to find workers. Businesses can post jobs on the website's job bank or search for workers for available openings. Workers can search the website for job openings or freely submit a resumé to the Agriculture Jobs Connector platform for recruiters to look at. The website provides additional resources for both workers and employers. For employers, Agriculture Jobs Connector has made available a list of resources to look into for financial help, as well as links to recruitment tools (for example, tools on how to attract staff in rural Alberta) and safety resources. For job seekers, the online platform links to financial help and employment supports, as well as job search tools to further enhance the worker's job search. Due to the ongoing travel restrictions surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic, many agriculture businesses that would normally rely on federal temporary foreign workers TFW) are struggling to hire seasonal workers. The Alberta government wants to put in touch these businesses with workers that are currently unemployed — many due to the current crisis. "There are great job opportunities on Alberta farms and ranches," said Devin Dreeshen, minister of agriculture and forestry. "There is definitely a greater appreciation for Alberta's agriculture sector, and this new website will help Albertans find an exciting new job in this essential service." Additionally, the Alberta government recently announced that it plans to increase its 2020-2021 capital maintenance and renewal (CMR) funding to $1.9 billion from $937 million. The government plans to allocate this funding to projects it hopes will help Alberta companies keep afloat and create new jobs. These infrastructure investments will cover projects such as resurfacing roads, repairing potholes, repairing bridges and restoring schools. "Investing in road construction and maintenance represents excellent value for taxpayers," said Ron Glen, CEO of the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA). "This significant contribution will create thousands of jobs and economic benefits to communities across Alberta. On behalf of our 800 member companies, the ARHCA thanks the Alberta government for this substantial investment." ALBERTA ANNOUNCES NEW AGRICULTURE JOBS CONNECTOR INITIATIVE Province says filling jobs and keeping food supply safe is top priority amid launch of new website