In 2020, the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) introduced the Safety Innovation Award, which recognizes innovative practices, programs and projects in Ontario, Canada’s aggregate industry. The award honors innovations that improve the health and safety of employees, subcontractors and the public in the areas of OHS management systems, health and safety training, wellness programs and culture.
2021 Winner:
CRH Canada Group Inc. – Dufferin Aggregates – Flamboro Quarry.
Project Name: Headbox Modification.
Project Team: Joint Health and Safety Committee, Amar Khan, Dale Arnold, Paul Sardella, Odette Palis, Neil Woodcock.
The innovation came about when the Joint Health and Safety Committee team discussed concerns regarding clearing material jams from the headbox. The usual procedure involved climbing onto the belt to access the headbox.
The team at the Flamboro Quarry worked with Sovereign Fusion to engineer a solution that allowed workers to access the jam in the headbox safely by adding a lockable gate. Through Safe Work Procedure review and collaboration with the Joint Health and Safety Committee, a common Working at Heights risk was eliminated while ultimately improving plant performance and efficiencies.
Dufferin Aggregates was awarded the 2021 Safety Innovation Award at OSSGA’s 2022 Annual Conference in Toronto.
Honorable Mentions:
- CRH Canada Group Inc. – Dufferin Aggregates – Flamboro Quarry Project: Installation of additional platforms with guardrails to the fines screen platform to eliminate working at heights risk.
- CRH Canada Group Inc. – Dufferin Aggregates – Millcreek Pit Project: Implementation of an electric belt cutter as a safer replacement for knives for cutting/splicing conveyor belts and rubber skirting.
- CRH Canada Group Inc. – Dufferin Aggregates – Teedon Pit Project: Installation of a hand railing to allow employees to access the flume chute safely, avoiding working at heights.
- CRH Canada Group Inc. – Dufferin Aggregates – Teedon Pit Project: Improved traffic flow and avoiding truck lineups by relocating overload area, creating a dedicated tarping area, and relocating parking area to prevent pedestrians from walking into traffic.
The OSSGA Industry Recognition Awards Program recognizes a wide range of activities that contribute to a progressive image of member aggregate producers and the aggregate industry as a whole. A key goal is to raise the bar in the industry by highlighting operations that go above and beyond what is required by legislation.
“We encourage each member to strive for excellence in their operations, to be sound stewards of the lands on which they operate, and to be engaged and valued members of their community,” said Norm Cheesman, executive director of OSSGA. “All of OSSGA’s 2021 Industry Recognition Award winners have gone far above our expectations.”
For more information on OSSGA’s Industry Recognition Awards Program, visit ossga.com/awards. For a growing list of past winners, visit GravelFacts.ca/community.