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Technical Safety BC’s Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards celebrate innovation and connection

Technical Safety BC recently recognized five safety professionals who are making a difference at its 10th Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards , held November 7 in Vancouver.
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Technical Safety BC recently recognized five safety professionals who are making a difference at its 10th Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards, held November 7 in Vancouver.

As an independent, self-funded organization that oversees technical safety in the province, Technical Safety BC’s mandate includes elevators and escalators, gas and electrical systems, railways, boilers, amusement rides and ski lifts. As its services to the province are far-reaching – from issuing permits, licences and certificates, to working with industry to reduce safety risks through assessment, education and research – it’s important for the organization to involve others as it strives to improve safety in B.C.

Launched in 2005 as a way to foster connection and highlight the accomplishments of those working to enhance safety in British Columbia, the Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards bring together representatives from business, industry associations, government, labour and others in the community to celebrate the achievements of safety professionals. The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, presented the awards to this year’s five award recipients.

“We wanted the awards to be something that companies and individuals can aspire to,” explains Kate Baillie, vice-president of communications and content strategy for Technical Safety BC. “Together, we all have a role to play in safety, and these awards recognize those shared accomplishments and bring us together to celebrate them.”

Celebrating a commitment to safety

The 2018 Lifetime Achievement award went to Bill Yearwood for his tremendous contributions to safety during his nearly 20 years as manager of aviation accident investigations for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

“All sectors who conduct investigations have learned from the excellence that Bill demonstrates – not simply his technical abilities to understand cause, but his compassion for everyone involved in these tragedies,” says Technical Safety BC president and CEO Catherine Roome.

Eric Peterson was recognized with the Excellence in Safety and Technical Training award. As president and CEO of GUNN Consultants – an elevating-device engineering consulting firm – Peterson has set a higher standard for elevator consultants across B.C. through his work promoting education and developing training programs.

Dale Risvold, field safety representative and branch manager with electrical contractor Canem Systems Ltd., received the award for Exceptional Contribution to Technical Safety – Contractor. Over the last 40 years, Risvold has promoted electrical safety through safe electrical installations, sharing his expertise with the younger generation as they join the industry.

The recipient of this year’s Data and Digital Technology in Technical Safety award was Western Pacific Enterprises Ltd. The commercial and industrial electrical contractor leverages collaboration software to record safety stats throughout its work sites and uses the data to mitigate reoccurrence.

“To see a contractor go about safety innovation in a very methodological way is a great thing,” says Baillie. “They dug deep into their data to identify their best opportunities, then developed processes and innovative procedures, tools and interfaces for their teams to use to drive safety forward in their organization.”

The Upstream Chief Inspectors Association received the award for Exceptional Contribution to Technical Safety – Asset Owner. The organization helps promote the safety, reliability and integrity of upstream oil and gas facilities by providing a forum for sharing industry best practices, lessons learned and concerns or issues related to pressure equipment management.

According to Baillie, the awards are a great opportunity for Technical Safety BC to promote safer technical systems and better decision-making.

“The Lieutenant Governor Safety Awards give us a chance to pause – across the safety technologies that we serve – and celebrate the idea of making people safer. We love to be able to provide that recognition.” 

For more information, visit technicalsafetybc.ca/safety-awards.