Two of the three inaugural WSIB Small Business Health and Safety Leadership Awards were awarded to Northern Ontario businesses.
JTR & Custom Works Inc. of Timmins was named the gold-medal winner, earning $5,000 in award money. Owned by Jean and Joelle Charbonneau, JTR is a family-operated business that provides services ranging from torch repairs, millwrighting and welding to confined space management.
Mike Moore Construction Ltd. of Sault Ste. Marie earned the bronze medal, taking home $2,000. Owned by Mike Moore, the company is a general contractor specializing in industrial, commercial and institutional construction across Northern Ontario.
The silver-medal winner was Devolder Farms Inc. of Dover Centre, in Chatham-Kent in southern Ontario, which took home $3,000.
New for 2017, the awards “recognize outstanding commitment and achievement in establishing health and safety programs in businesses employing fewer than 50 people.”
The WSIB said nominees were judged on their performance in five categories:
- safety culture and leadership
- inspections
- hazard identification and control
- quality of return-to-work programs
- employee safety engagement survey results
The panel of judges included representatives from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth, the Ministry of Labour, and the WSIB.
Small businesses registered with the WSIB were eligible to nominate themselves, and individuals or local associations that support small businesses could also nominate a company. The award nomination period was May 8 to June 30, 2017.
More details about the awards and the 2017 winners is available here.
