A couple of words about NAOSH Week: May 6 – 12, 2007

I have been wanting to formally congratulate the NAOSH Week committee on the wonderful organization of this year’s NAOSH Week. The information packages and posters that supported the well thought out themes were top notch. All the planning and work that went into this year’s National Launch paid off. As some of you may know, it is the President’s job to host the event. We made history with our National Launch Event by having representation from all three North American countries - Canada, the United States and Mexico - making it a true North American event, with over 200 people in attendance. This was a great opportunity to profile the CSSE with the CEO Health & Safety Leadership Charter, through the involvement of Duncan Hawthorne and the CSSE, by providing a forum in which two CEO’s signed the Charter in front of our large audicence. In lieu of a gift to Mr. Hawthorne, a donation of $1,000 was made to the Threads of Life organization – some of our CSSE money put for good use. The launch in Halifax was a success and that is thanks to the local organizing and the CSSE NAOSH Week committees and of course all of the participants.

As I traveled across our nation that week, I saw NAOSH Week newspaper articles, posters, activities and news coverage. We are making a difference in raising the profile of Occupational Health and Safety within our country. It is great to see so many organizations, government officials, industry sectors and individuals involved in activities that promote health and safety in the workplace and within our communities. The CSSE’s representation at events and activities across the border in the US is another way we show our support and commitment to the greater global aspects of health and safety.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) hosted a national launch event in Washington, D.C. at the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Headquarters on May 7th. Participants included ASSE, CSSE, OSHA Officials and Staff, OSHA Alliance Program Partners and 30 families whose children had participated in the ASSE’s Safety on the Job Poster Contest. The families traveled to Washington from 13 different states and paid their own way to the event. In total there were approx. 150 people at the morning launch event. Greetings on behalf of CSSE were given by our Secretary, Andrew Cooper. Our cooperative participation on both sides of the border through our relationship with the ASSE is an important one.

Later in the day, a second NAOSH Week event was held at the Capitol Building, the centre of the US Government. This reception focused on transportation safety and included the official awards ceremony for the poster contest winners. Andrew Cooper brought greetings from Canada to this gathering as well, which included the CSSE’s NAOSH Week experiences and activities. Andrew has been a wonderful supporter of NAOSH Week and has been very pleased to carry on all the hard work that Art Nordholm has lead with the NAOSH Week committee over the last few years.

It is wonderful to see our CSSE joint initiatives spread across our country and across country borders. Our success within this initiative emphasizes the importance of our organization and of everyone within it, as we move this profession and its agenda of working to keep people healthy and safe, forward.

Item for comment: The ASSE went one step further this year during NAOSH Week and supported a Safety Professional’s Day on the Wednesday of NAOSH Week. What do you think? Should we do that here in Canada as well?


CSSE Secretary, Andrew Cooper and US Assistant Secretary of Labor (OSHA), Edwin G. Foulke Jr. celebrate with the winners of the ASSE’s Safety-on-the-Job Poster Contest.