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2019 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards presented

Saskatoon, SK: Today, WorkSafe Saskatchewan presented the 2019 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards in Saskatoon as part of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board’s annual Compensation Institute.

2019 Safe Worker Award

WorkSafe Saskatchewan presents the Safe Worker award to a worker who goes beyond the expectations of their position to help create a safer workplace.

The 2019 WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker award winner is Darrell Wingerak of BASF Agriculture Specialities Ltd. in Saskatoon.

Darrell Wingerak is a safety leader and role model on the BASF worksite. In addition to co-chairing the OH&S Committee, Darrell has made a number of recommendations to minimize injuries on the worksite. These include improving the mezzanine railing system, identifying visual hazards from glare, correcting damaged door sweeps, tool storage, improving housekeeping and adding bump protection to site fume hoods. Most recently, he brought in a new tool to ensure that injection needles remain sharp and developed a process to sharpen the needle, reducing ergonomic strain on employees.

Darrell also revolutionized BASF’s Exposure Reduction Program – a worker-based program that helps workers coach each other on safety behavior. Darrell trains all new observers in this process and tracks their results to present to them at Site Safety Meetings. He has also encouraged others to be safety leaders on the worksite through the introduction of a program where workers can submit ideas to improve safety.

The two finalists for the 2019 Safe Worker Award are Dianne Addley of Canada Post in Saskatoon and Andy McGhee of Reliance Gregg’s Home Service in Saskatoon.

2019 Safe Employer Award

The 2019 Safe Employer winner is Namerind Housing Corporation in Regina.

Namerind Housing Corporation is one of the first non-profit housing corporations in Saskatchewan to develop a safety management system. Namerind’s employees are committed to developing and implementing hazard identification processes. In addition to training workers, supervisors and managers on their roles and responsibilities, Namerind has created a Job Hazard Analysis for high and medium risks jobs for both field and office staff and introduced Field Level Hazard Assessments and Supervisor Check-ins.

Contractors working for Namerind are provided with the necessary training for the jobsite and are assisted in building their own safety program or adopting Namerind’s. Namerind’s supervisors monitor contractors similar to staff to ensure Namerind’s safety processes are being adhered to. As one of the first organizations in Regina to adopt the Crime Free Communities program, Namerind works with the City Police, Mayor’s Office, contractors, staff and tenants to address workplace and community safety concerns.

The two finalists for the 2019 Safe Employer Award are Walker Projects Inc. in Regina and Park Derochie Coatings (Sask) Inc. in Saskatoon.

Fast facts:

WorkSafe Saskatchewan has presented the Safe Worker Award annually since 2006.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan founded the Safe Employer Award in 2007 to honour an employer who shows leadership in health and safety beyond the requirements of the industry and legislation.

Workplace peers and colleagues nominate the recipients of these awards. Two committees representing WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers adjudicate the nominations.

A video profiling each of the 2019 nominees is available on the WorkSafe website at worksafesask.ca/resources/awards/.

A complete list of committee members and past winners is available on the WorkSafe website at worksafesask.ca/safe-worker and www.worksafesask.ca/safe-employer.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan is a partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety.

In 2018, 88 per cent of Saskatchewan employers achieved Mission: Zero.

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For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Pilsner
Senior Marketing Manager
Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board
Phone: 306.787.4651
Cell: 306.519.4220
jpilsner@wcbsask.com