Calgary Stampede Parade

July 4, 2008


Howdy Partners!

CSSE Executive Director, Wayne Glover, and I attended and participated in the Calgary Stampede Parade. What a wonderful way to highlight the importance of safety, increase public awareness and celebrate a great event with other safety professionals. Here are a few pictures of us at the parade. Thanks for the invite and I know that Art and Wayne would love to be involved again next year.





Safety is an important consideration for the Calgary Stampede – whether it is horse or cattle, health and safety issues to the human aspect. Warren Connell, the Vice President of Operations and Park Development believes that this is an important aspect of the stampede and the parade. He supported his Safety and Environment Staff by having them ride the float and walking in the parade.

World Safety Congress – Seoul Korea

Day 4 – July 2, 2008

On the fourth day of the conference INSPHO hosted a Symposia session from 9 am to 11 am entitled – International Transportability of Safety and Health Practitioners Credentials. The session went well with a variety of perspectives presented – including a Canadian one by yours truly, which was followed with a period of discussion.

Here is a picture of all of us who presented at this session and one of those INSPHO board members who was present at the conference.


The closing ceremonies were as spectacular as the opening ceremonies, with singing, dancing and safety – just my style. Awards were given for the films that were presented – Congratulations to Canadian IAPA which walked away with one of the awards.

World Safety Congress – Seoul Korea

Day 3 – July 1, 2008

HAPPY CANADA DAY from Korea. Some of us Canadians got together for a picture as we celebrated our pride within the country.



I was surprised by some of the comments of some of the people that passed as we took the picture – it did the whole range from "Happy Canada Day" to "I hope you are not the ones that support the use of Asbestos in your country."

I was an invited guest at the INSPHO General Annual Meeting, which took place throughout the morning. INSPHO is the global voice for the occupational safety and health profession and acts as a forum for international collaboration among professional organizations to improve safety and health at work. The Board of Directors is made up of each of the represented member groups and are as follows: Eddie Greer – President of INSPHO (ASSE); Martin Ralph – President elect of INSPHO (IFAP); Jim Allan (CSSE); Paul Faupel (IOSH); Yoosoof Jauhangeer (IOSHM); Neville Rockhouse (NZISM); Phil Lovelock (SIA); Andrew Tan (SISO) and Nikolay Novikov (NACOSH). The meeting approved 3 more full members – KOSHA, COSHA, and . The affiliated member of CSP, has been joined as well by BCRSP. More information can be found from their web page – www.inspho.org.



The evening ended with a celebration dinner entitled Korean Night with traditional food and cross cultural performances and entertainment again, at the Seoul Race Park Convention Hall.

World Safety Congress – Seoul Korea

Day 2 – June 30, 2008

It is amazing that even when over 170 different countries and organizations, with translators in various languages, get together to discuss a common subject (health and safety) you hear the same issues and discussion topics around the table time and time again.



After the general session in the morning, the exhibit area opened with ribbon cutting and more traditional drumming. There was Intentional Film and Multimedia Festival that also opened on the Monday. There were a couple of Canadian entries into this – such as IAPA`s new worker orientation and the Danatec WHMIS video created by CalBright Ventures Inc out of Montreal. The afternoon was filled with visiting these sessions and choosing between which of the 16 symposia sessions I wanted to attend.



INSHPO, the International Network of Safety and Health Practioner Organizations of which we are a part, had their Executive Council Meeting during this day and were busy preparing for their Annual General Meeting the following day.

In the evening, there was some time to see local sites and experience some of the culture, as well as visit with Canadian friends at the conference and at the various tour spots.

World Safety Congress – Seoul Korea

Day 1 – June 29, 2008

The XVIII World Safety Congress on Safety and Health at Work – Global Forum for Prevention – Safety and Health at work: A Societal Responsibility took place in Seoul Korea from June 29 to July 2, 2008. CSSE was very generous in providing me with an honorarium to help cover some of the conference expenses, as I choose to represent the CSSE at many of the functions. On the first day, I attended the welcome reception where I had wonderful traditional drinks and sampled the delicious food.

The opening ceremonies started in the late afternoon with the introduction of the Prime Minister of Korea along with traditional dancing and drum playing. Each of the sponsoring organizations – ISSA, ILO and KOSHA – brought the tone of welcome and of importance to the topics that would be presented over the next three days. We heard of the day’s activities with a health and safety charter being signed by these organizations and many businesses that were invited to a summit on health and safety earlier in the afternoon. If you are interested, you can read the charter on the KOSHA and the ILO websites. Canada was represented around the Table by HRSDC. Many other special meetings occurred during the day such as the Robert W Campbell award Global Alliance meeting and the meeting of the WHO collaborating Centres in Occupational Health.

A welcome reception had wonderful traditional drinks and food for all of us to sample. The reception allowed us some time to catch up with old friends and safety peers, as well as make some new acquaintances. Paul Pascoe was there, as well as all the members of INSHPO, president of IOSH - Ray Hurst and President of ASSE – Warren Brown. I even ran into some of my friends from UAE – Andrew Broderick and Steven Storey.

Congratulations to...

Peggy Craig of Baycrest Ontario!

Peggy won the CSSE Toronto Chapter draw for a free registration to the Quebec City Conference. Toront Chapter Chair, Peter Sturm, announced that not only is Peggy a regular meeting attendee (7/10 meetings this year), she has also encouraged co-workers and co-op students to attend meetings throughout the year.

Facts & Figures:
o Prize - a Full Conference Plus registration for the CSSE’s Professional Development Conference in Quebec City, September 14-17, 2008. The prize value is over $800, and includes the Monday Evening Event, an evening dinner cruise on the St. Lawrence River
o Draw entries were earned by attending monthly chapter breakfast meetings from September 2007 to June 2008
o Early bird draw was held in January, and Joe Libralesso from J.D. Smith & Sons won registration for the February Education Day ($125 value)
o Over 90 chapter members participated
o Over 200 ballots were earned

Photo: Peter Sturm, Toronto Chapter Chair, Peggy Craig, Baycrest (draw winner) and Ryan Conlin, Stringer Brisbin Humphrey (meeting speaker)


Participation at monthly meetings is important and allows for individuals to converse with their peers and hopefully learn a thing or two.

Thank you to all CSSE members who regularly attend chapter meetings, your support is greatly appreciated! And congrats again Peggy, we wish you an enjoyable time in Quebec City in September.

ASSE Conference - Day 4

I attended some great concurrent sessions, to expand my professional knowledge and to get ideas for our own PDC. On the last day of conference, I spent some time meeting with and saying goodbye to my contacts, friends and peers. It was my last time representing the CSSE as President.

I must admit there was some personal time spent at the conference as well – visiting with safety peers and friends, making new contacts, seeing a show during a night on the town and having a little pool time. Conferences are about learning new information, bringing back tools and skills, making contacts, and re-energizing our own batteries to be able to utilize these things. Another Successful ASSE Conference.

I want to extend a thank you to the ASSE staff, board members, fellows and members, who over this conference and last, have taken time during my Presidency to meet and get to know me, support me and treat me like a real show girl... you all have been truly wonderful and generous during my time as President.

ASSE Conference - Day 3

Meeting of the minds

The second day opening session focused on honouring the contributions of Mike Thompson within his presidency this last year. His family was in attendance, which really emphasised his messages of support. Support of family and friends and members of the organization were strong messages within his speech. Mike has made a great contribution to the ASSE and to the profession as a whole in the last year.

The morning speaker, Dr. Robert Cialdini, that followed was a highlight of the conference for me. His session “ Principles of Ethical Influence” was wonderful as he talked about our circle of influence. This is one of the “meeting of the mind sessions”; I believe in what he spoke about and will be able to apply some of the tools that he gave us during the session.

The first formal "meeting of the mind sessions" was at the VIP Luncheon Meeting hosted by ASSE president, Mike Thompson. There was representation from many safety / safety and health related associations including: AIHA, IOSH, CSSE, ASSE, BCSP, ABIN, BCE and each provided updates on their activities & initiatives. The group also discussed current issues and concerns.

The AIHA updated us on their court case with TLV’s in the US.
Input report:
- Discussion on promotion of the profession via media, outreach programs, involvement with education
- Economic situation will affect uptake on programs, book sales, so need to budget to memebership fees – US trend
- Discussion on collaboration possibilities between organizations
- Good governance and social responsibilities

International Transportability of Safety Credentials meeting, hosted by BCSP, Roger Brauer
- Roger gave a presentation and a discussion regarding the issues and concerns followed
- We discussed that an existing individual organization will be able to implement programs such as certification or member body, but need to look to organizations such as INSPHO or ENSPHO to do so.

Once I receive the minutes of this meeting, I will post onto the blog.

International Practice Group – meeting and dinner took place on Wednesday evening.

ASSE Conference - Day 2

Starting with Flare

I was up early to be at my rehearsal at 6:30 am – for my colourful presentation and fraternal greetings at the Conference Opening. Because I was making a grand entrance with showgirl feathers, my rehearsal was kept separate from the others, so as to keep it a surprise to the general population. I have included some pictures and the speaker’s notes, which I only used as a guideline, much to the frustration of the Teleprompters. I believe that it made an impression. If you where there – let me know what you thought.





The afternoon allowed some time to walk the exhibit hall and meet up with peers, associates, and friends. The exhibits are truly amazing – every year I am impressed by the number of exhibits that are available.

Eldeen’s Speaker Notes:

What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas!
Speaking notes for Eldeen Pozniak – CSSE President
Wow, it is great to be here at the ASSE conference and bring greetings and well wishes for your PDC from the CSSE to you Mr. President, IOSH and other association dignitaries, invited guests, and ASSE delegates.

Of course some of you delegates come to the conference not only for the professional development, networking opportunities and contacts, but for the cultural aspect of the location as well. I have spent some time seeing the sites having come in early and I've managed to catch a couple shows.

Part of the cultural aspect here in Vegas is the motto "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas"; I tried to see how that applied to this profession, our respective organizations and this conference.



Slide 1
On the topic of Networking
Things to Take away from Vegas:
• Contact information from other safety professional from around the globe.

Thing to Stay in Vegas:
• Contact information from “others” that you met in Vegas from around the globe.

The international relationship information related to this next item as well.

Slide 2
On the topic of Transportability of Credentials
Things to Take away from Vegas:
• Improved skills and international relationship information
The CSSE, along with the ASSE and IOSH all believe that this profession is the best profession and it supports the concepts of professional development within it. Conferences such as this one allow us to expand our knowledge and skills. And that information, those tools, should not be left in Vegas. The CSSE is working with organizations such as ASSE, IOSH, INSHPO to further explore the competencies of the Profession at home, as well as within an international transportability concept.

Things to Stay in Vegas:
• Any package given to you by a stranger in Vegas – you do not want to transport that anywhere.

Slide 3
On the topic of Relationships and Partnerships
Things to Take away from Vegas:
• Take ideas and working relationships

The CSSE values our cross-border relationship. Networking between organizations is key to our success, as there is a larger voice in numbers. Partnering in initiatives such as NAOSH Week and the Professional Day allow further emphasis and general knowledge throughout North America. Our Canadian NAOSH Week launch this year was in our Capital, Ottawa. We are honoured by the support and participation from our US counterparts and had a wonderful time at the post luncheon at the US Embassy. Andrew Cooper, the NAOSH Week chair in Canada, appreciated his wonderful inclusion at your launch in Washington. These types of initiatives, partnerships and relationship activities come from meetings that we have at conferences such as this. Conversations and ideas – safety and health related - that are generated at formal meetings, within workshops, or over a meal and social event here, should not stay here, but be taken back, worked on and fostered.

Thing to Stay in Vegas:
• Try not to take away any relationships that have started at Wedding Chapel on the Strip.



Slide 4
On the topic of Professional Development
Things to Take away from Vegas:
• New knowledge and skills learned at the professional development conference.

Thing to Stay in Vegas:
• New knowledge and skills learned at the gambling tables.



Slide 5
On the topic of Renewed Passion and Re-energization
Things to take away from Vegas:
• The renewed passion and energy that we get from having people with a common interest get together to discuss, share and maybe cut loose a little. We need to refuel our tanks once in awhile and organizations such as CSSE and yours assist with that – giving us information, networking opportunities as well as have our backs when things get rough.

Things to Stay in Vegas:
• Any other passion or 'stuff' that makes you energized that you may have come across here in Vegas.

Slide 6
The re-energization that we get from being with and supporting each other, needs to be carried with us over the year until we get together again, not Stay in Vegas. The contacts and networks that we create here, should not be forgotten once we leave Vegas, but utilized and celebrated throughout the year.

We need to take it home, to our workplaces, to our communities - the information and skills that we share here - so that we can be the best that we can be in this profession.

I wish you a successful conference.

ASSE Conference - June 2008

Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas... the 2008 Professional Development ASSE Conference was held in Las Vegas. Great location, great venue – the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and Conference Center - great speakers, great people and great topic.

Wayne and I arrived just in time to attend the black tie Fellows Dinner hosted by Mike Thompson and his wife Judy at the Hilton Hotel. It was an excellent opportunity to meet new friends and renew friendships and connections with ASSE fellows, executives, and board members, as well as many of the international guests present. It was wonderful to see and chat with people such as Ray Hurst (President) and Rob Strange Executive Director from IOSH and Martin Ralph, Managing Director from IFAP. President, Mike Thompson ran a wonderful program that evening and this was a great way to start the conference.

NAOSH Week 2008

Safety and Health – A Commitment for Life! Start today – Live it Everyday!

The Canadian launch of NAOSH Week 2008 was held in our nation's capital at the National Arts Centre on Monday, May 5th.

The goal: to focus employers, employees, partners and the public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community.

NAOSH Week is led by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), in concert with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and partners in Mexico.

This event marked the beginning of NAOSH Week 2008 with keynote presentations by Minister Blackburn, Christopher Patton- ASSE, Mr. Steven Mahoney, Chair of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ms. Rosemarie Leclair, President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa Limited, David Needham, Division Director from the Safety Health & Environment Management (SHEM) office at the US State Department in Washington DC and Shirley Hickman, Executive Director of Threads of Life. The room at the arts center was packed and energized. I hosted the event at the Arts Centre, with George Pappas being my side kick providing translation into our second language.



Post launch, the USA embassy hosted a luncheon and tour of their facilities that emphasized the importance of relationships, as well as the importance of the topic. The Ambassador of the United States, Mr. David Wilkins was a wonderful host.

The Canadian NAOSH Week Committee includes representatives from all over Canada. This committee is responsible for the ongoing development and coordination of NAOSH Week in Canada, to ensure, sustain and further advance the goals of NAOSH Week. Contact your representative on this Committee for information about NAOSH Week events and activities in your region: Chair- Andrew Cooper ; Alberta/NWT/Nunavut - Reinhard Dunse & Barrie Harrison; British Columbia/Yukon - Jim Hopkins & Kathy Tull; Vice-Chair- Dawn Perrin; Atlantic Region - Deirdre O'Reilly & Bill Nichol; Saskatchewan/Manitoba - Terry Daly & Philip Cain; Ontario - Leonard Maccarone, Anita Dubey, & Rick Tilley.

The NAOSH Week launch 2008 planning Committee worked very well with the National Committee and the local contacts to ensure a wonderful event. A special thanks goes out to them – Steve Clouthier, Don Neville, Chloe Black, Kimberly Blaney, Jan Fralick, Monette Hache, Leonard Maccarone, George Pappas, Dawn Perrin, Dianne Tolgyesi, and Eleanor Westwood. I am sure all those who attended the Launch are happy that I am writing the names and not trying to pronounce them again. I do also want to acknowledge the staff support for this project – Jan Fralick is the foundation piece within the launch events. Thank you all - for all your hard work that was key in the success of this event.



Our Secretary – Andrew Cooper – was invited to and attended NAOSH Week Launch in the United States hosted by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) in Washington, D.C. at the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Headquarters on May 5, 2008. Participants included ASSE, CSSE, OSHA officials, and staff and OSHA Alliance Program Partners. The children who were winners in the ASSE’s Safety on the Job Poster Contest and their families form a large part of the focus of the day’s activities. The agenda included addresses from the OSHA Deputy Administrator Don Shalhoub, ASSE president Michael Thompson, and our Andrew Cooper. The event was followed by a reception in the Capitol Building hosted by the ASSE and included awards ceremony for the poster contest winners. Andrew also addressed the people at this gathering. One of the winners in the ASSE poster contest was a Canadian Meghan Baker from New Brunswick – her father works at McCain Foods in Florenceville, NB. Some photos of the ASSE NAOSH Week events are below:

CSSE Secretary, Andrew Cooper poses with ASSE President, Mike Thompson and the winners of the ASSE's Safety-on-the-Job Poster Contest at the US OSHA Headquarters in Washington D.C.

Andrew Cooper, Canadian Poster Winner - Meghan Baker, ASSE President - Mike Thompson

Andrew Cooper speaking at the US OSHA Headquarters in Washington D.C.

Andrew Cooper and Meghan Baker pose with her winning poster

Thank you to everyone who submitted your organization's events to the NAOSH Week website. We look forward to NAOSH Week 2009!

Looking back...

When I became President in 2006, I wrote an article in the Contact about what I would like to see happen with the Society - this group of committed professional people who voluntarily come together to solve common problems, meet common needs and accomplish common goals. As my term draws to a close, I look back on that article to see where we are today. Has my vision at the time translated into action today?

In the original article, I stated that I believe that the four obligations of leadership of this organization are:
1. To ensure that the leadership team has access to a common stream of information from members and stakeholders that allows the Society to understand their views of the world.
2. To provide a coherent stream of information back to members and stakeholders that allows them to understand why the decisions have been made the way they have.
3. To bridge any gaps between the member's/stakeholder's views of the world and the views held by those who seek to earn the right to lead them.
4. To understand that in the voluntary nature of associations, people choose to engage because they perceive that it is in their own self interest to do so.

You will be the judge of how well we did as an organization in meeting these goals. During the past two years, I called upon these guiding believes as I made decisions, gave direction and engaged others in conversation. The Board as a whole has taken these and integrated them into how we do business as we seek your opinions, remain open to discuss concerns/issues and make decisions that are for the best of the organization. We have had success, and as well as some challenges along the way.

We have opened up a variety of avenues of communication to all parties in the Society. Through vehicles such as the member satisfaction survey, the CHSC survey, course and event evaluations and informal discussions, we have sought out the views of our members and used that information in our decision-making.

We have improved our communications back to the membership through regular reports to the members. The Board adopted a communication plan to help guide information flow. The Society is now a multi-million dollar enterprise, and so communication becomes key to continued success in providing members with their needs from the association. We are still struggling to improve our communication vehicles, but we are trying.

At every event that I have attended as President, I have talked to members and encouraged them to tell me about their views of the safety profession.

I have taken that information back to Board and committee meetings where I have shared your views with the volunteers who are giving of their own time to give back to our profession.

I am pleased to see that there are more members involved in the organization than ever before. There are many different areas where members can engage with the Society and the work of the professional body. Volunteers repeatedly say that they get more out of their volunteer efforts than they put in to assisting the organization move ahead.

I continue to believe that the keys to sustained success is to have a reputation for value by providing a portfolio of products and services that people want; by creating an enjoyable culture based on trust and communication; and by building a nimble infrastructure that allows us quickly to seize opportunities to create value. We are becoming an intelligent organization.

An intelligent association is about sustaining knowledge and using it well to ensure that value is being received.

An intelligent association defines what will constitute value. The CSSE leadership team works hard to reach consensus on what will constitute success for our organization. This objective influences the leadership team's judgment as it makes decisions on the allocation of resources. I believe there has to be an emphasis on having a written plan that reflects the definition of measurable success and is truly strategic. The success measures and strategic direction drives the activities of all staff and volunteer work groups, and directs the organization's annual operational strategies.

An intelligent association uses the strategic intent to develop strategy. The Board ensures that the strategic direction and its intent is a living reality. It is reviewed and updated on an annual basis, and forms the backbone of our implementation strategies.

An intelligent association implements, monitors and adjusts strategy as needed. The leadership team engages in continuous strategic dialogue to ensure that what is promised and defined in the strategic direction is successfully delivered. It is important that we have a process in place to evaluate the progress and success of the plan and to hold the leadership team accountable for the plan's progress and success. Continued successful implementation of the strategic direction and demonstration of the value that it brings to members and other key stakeholders are significant forces in creating and retaining a positive organizational image and reputation in the marketplace.

An intelligent association earns a reputation for relevance. The CSSE leadership team continually works to understand clearly what the membership both wants and needs. These needs and wants have been effectively identified through continuous external and internal scanning, marketing research and dialogue.

An intelligent association sustains knowledge and uses it well. The leadership team utilizes a knowledge-based governance strategy to focus on the key strategic challenges and opportunities, to monitor performance and achievement of desired outcomes, to adjust strategy and policy to changes in the environment and to maintain the necessary planning and policy tools of intelligent governance.

Are we there yet? We are definitely going forward. We are having great success. Along with that success, of course, have come challenges that build character, strength and vitality for us as individuals and for the organization. My father used to tell me that nothing of value comes easy.

Being your President has been work, but it has definitely been of value to me, and hopefully for the organization as well.

Eldeen E. Pozniak CHSC, CRSP

IOSH 2008 Conference, Telford UK

Day 4 (Wednesday)

This was the last day of the conference. It was the last opportunity to walk the floor to decide what we liked about the exhibition area and to confirm some of the items that we like about ours. We took advantage of being close to SMART-ISO product representative and had a meeting with him. We further discussed international group organization and possible working relationships with David Evans – the International Group Chair and Sasha Lemon the IOSH manager in the area.

The first picture shows myself with the IOSH president Ray Hurst, ASSE president – Mike Thompson, and SC2 General Manager – Harry Ho.


The second picture shows Nattasha Freeman, the incoming IOSH President with Mike and myself. Nattasha will be President when Art Nordholm takes over role of President for the CSSE.


Presidents are challenged to share and participate and to remember all the information that we gather at these opportunities. I have to say that Wayne helps keep me on the straight and narrow, to ensure I do not get caught up in the energy of this and get carried away – which believe me is easy to do. Having Wayne at these events and conferences allows for the continuity of information shared and ensures meaningful relationships are built. I just want to thank Wayne for being there and for helping carry the large load of information that we are bringing back on behalf of the CSSE.

In the evening of our last night at conference, I spent a great dinner with and had a wonderful discussion with ASSE president – Mike Thompson, Fred Fortman, and Dewy Whitmore and his wife. We talked about relationships and how important they are to learn and grow as a safety professional and as an organization – this last evening proved that once again.

Wayne Glover, our Executive Director stayed on a couple of more days to go to the IOSH office with a list of questions and items seeking additional information. It was a great opportunity to learn about our organizations’ similarities and what we might be able to do together in the future.

IOSH 2008 Conference, Telford UK

Day 3 (Tuesday)

The conference was officially opened by Ray Hurst. He welcomed us all – around 600 people or so. This conference differed from ours in the following ways: It starts late on the first day, around 10 am, that is so most people can travel in by train in the morning. They had many more panel discussions and presentations prior to them that were 10 -15 minutes in length to lay the ground work for the discussions. I found the day informative and entertaining.



I spoke on a panel regarding “Migrant workers – An International Perspective,” along with Mike Thompson – ASSE; Jakka Takala – Director of European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; and Alwai Shudder – Director of the Bahrain Center for Occupational Health and Safety. From the feedback received, the panel presentations, specifically my presentation, and the subsequent discussion went over well.

Wayne and I attended some of the sessions and met with a variety of people at the conference. One of most interesting meetings was with Sarah Hamilton, Director of International Affairs, Branches and Groups and some of the Chairs from groups who discussed how they have speciality or industry sector groups set up, including how they are run and what have been some of the successes and barriers or issues.

The day ended with a buffet reception event for social and professional networking. I believe a good time was had by all.

IOSH 2008 Conference, Telford UK

Day 2 (Monday)

Today was a day of international meetings. At 11:30 Wayne and I met with a group of international delegates to discuss some of our initiatives, share areas of growth and concern along with best practices and other helpful information.



In attendance Sarah Hamilton – Director of International Affairs IOSH; Dewy Witemore – ASSE; Past President Lisa Fowlie; Wayne and myself; Ministry of Labour and Social Policy from the Republic of Bulgaria – legal expert Atanas Kolchakov; IOSH – President Ray Hurst; ASSE – President Mike Thompson, IOSH Executive Director – Rob Strange, SC2 Singapore – General Manager - Harry Ho; and missing from the picture Sasha Lemon from International Affairs IOSH. After the meeting, more information discussions occurred at a late lunch with us departing at around 3:30.

Discussions continued later that evening with additional people from around the world. Ray Hurst – the IOSH president welcomed everyone to the evening. I presented and brought fraternal greetings and well wishes from the CSSE to the conference, along with representatives from USA, Singapore, Kingdom of Bahrain, and Malta.

What a great opportunity to meet other safety professionals and organizations from around the world. At the meeting in the afternoon and in the evening, we realized that most of our initiatives and strategies are heading in the same directions – we just are at different locations on the path. Our concerns and issues are relatively similar and we all do not want to have to reinvent the wheel. Relationships were built throughout the day that will help support CSSE activities and heighten our credibility at home and abroad.

IOSH 2008 Conference, Telford UK

Day 1 (Sunday)

The IOSH 08 conference took place once again in Telford UK. It really is a great conference center and a wonderful English community in which to have the conference. What a place to learn from each other about health and safety, as that was a big part of this community during the birth of the industrial revolution there, 251 years ago.

This year, I was accompanied by Wayne Glover, our Executive Director, for the first time. The Executive Committee feels that it is important that Wayne continue to accompany the CSSE President to these events to provide continuity with this ongoing relationship. Presidents come and go, but the Executive Director stays around for a while.

Relationships built at last year's IOSH Conference were celebrated and new ones were formed. I really want to thank IOSH and all of the wonderful people there for the kindness and generosity of time, information and friendship that they gave (and continue to give).

The first day started with getting my sleep and wake patterns adjusted and touching base with people that had already arrived. Wayne and I had a small strategy session and then met up with Mike Thompson the ASSE president for Dinner that evening.

Stay tuned for more details about the IOSH 2008 conference.

In health and done safely,
Eldeen E. Pozniak BA, BSc, CEES, CHSC, CRSP

The Advocacy Committee Met in February...

Definition of Advocacy: Advocacy is the process whereby we communicate with other parties in an effort to educate or provide information to allow others to make informed decisions and to compel them to take action on certain issues or topics.

The CSSE Advocacy committee met face to face for the first time in Toronto in February and I attended that meeting. I was very impressed with the committee, but more so with the individuals around the table and their commitment to the project. The set up of the committee is like that of other CSSE Strategic focus committees – Regional with Staff support. The committee members are: Ed Dyna – Chair, Andrew Smith, Bob Westhaver, Dawn Turner, Dorothy Beckett, Frank O’Rourke, Grazyna Momot, Spenser MacPherson and Wayne Glover. Congrats group for all of your hard work that was evident at the meeting and for the engagement that you have with this new adventure that the CSSE is going on.

The committee has outlined a 3 pronged approach and is putting together how each of these look and how each will roll out going forward: supporting the profession, supporting an issue/position, and representation on boards/councils.

At this meeting they discussed and initiated principles that will guide the committee in the future. They identified the need to understand just what a safety professional is and that fits with our other strategic focus areas within the education portfolio and the competency study. They further discussed options for and mapped out the process for our members to bring forth issues/positions and how the committee will deal with them.

The Advocacy Committee has outlined and implemented the process to select members to represent the Society on boards and technical committees, which is working well and they are now starting to explore opportunities where our members can do this. If you are interested in sitting on a committee keep your eye on the job posting area of the web site – posting and application processes and forms are there. You can contact Wayne at the CSSE office or Ed Dyna if you have a board or council you feel the CSSE should be participating on.

The Committee is going to conduct a survey so that they and the society as a whole can understand what our membership feels about Advocacy. So keep your eye out for it, and when it comes to you… please fill it out. It is short, to the point and full of info that we feel we need to have to represent you – the CSSE member appropriately.

Communication between the committee, people selected for the committees and the general CSSE membership was discussed and will be an item that will be addressed. As within the definition of Advocacy – communication is the foundation piece.

To find out more about the Advocacy Committee or the Plan they have, go to the Advocacy tab under the members area on the web site.

CSSE Advocacy Committee

Toronto Chapter Education Day

The Toronto chapter held a Professional Development Day on Tuesday February 12, 2008 and I was invited to attend to support and participate. Thanks to the chapter – what a great day.

The following is a list of the wonderful speakers who presented and the topics they discussed at the meeting:

• Cheryl Edwards discussed liabilities of the safety professional under OH&S legislation;
• the Honorable Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister of Labour spoke about this view;
• Ontario WCB discussed the accreditation pilot project of the WSIB;
• a panel that spoke about safety professional competencies; the panel included Kirby James (The James Group), Theresa Wong Toose (Mapleleaf Foods) and me... just to mention a few.

It was great to have the Minister of Labour speaking at the event, he was a real draw. I hear that Theresa had the connections to bring him in – way to use them. It is all about partnerships and utilizing them strategically – oh, is that not the theme of this year’s PDC in Quebec city? Anyway…

The event was well planned – congrats to Lisa Tkaczuk for all her hard work as she primarily organized and managed this chapter initiative and the other chapter members who supported her initiative and did their part to make it a success. It was well attended – I am unsure of the final numbers but over 100 people attended for sure.

Congratulations to Toronto chapter for having a great professional development day that was informative and entertaining. I’d like to hear about your professional development day – do you have one? What do you have planned? When is it scheduled? Feel free to post your comments.

Pictures attached – Toronto Chapter Executive and a shot with Honorable Brad Duguid.

Meetings between the President and the Executive Director are important.

Monday, February 11, 2007

While in Toronto recently I met with Wayne Glover at the CSSE office to review theyear’s agenda, prepare for the upcoming board meeting and to make sure we are bothinformed about what is going on in the CSSE world… from both of our perspectives. As the President, I have been in regular (Wayne may think it is constant) communication with him in his role as the Executive Director. Together, we continue to look at the vision of the organization and the strategic and operational plans and we work to ensure that these items are moving forward. As the board has moved to the strategic focus format, discussions on how things are going, what direction they are taking and in what direction we need to move the organization is key between these two positions - to ensure the forward momentum that we have. Wayne has also been in regular communication via phone and email to Art Nordholm - the Treasurer / V.P. who will be taking on the role of President this coming fall. Wayne is a key element to ensuring a smooth transition and aconsistent approach to our projects and strategic focus areas.

I believe that it is of utmost importance for the President and the Executive Director to have at least one or two face to face meetings a year, as well as the numerous phone calls and emails, as they work closely together for the benefit of the organization. It allows both to get to know each other’s approach and to plan activities, meetings, and communications appropriately. Wayne has been wonderful in assisting me to fulfill my role as President, calm me when I need calming, motivate me when I need motivating... and I know that he will continue to provide great support to our organization with the next, and the next, and the next.

Saskatchewan Safety Seminar

As the President of the CSSE it's great when my work allows me to attend conferences where I can wear the CSSE President hat and represent our wonderful association. The Saskatchewan Safety Seminar - one of the biggest safety conferences in the West (notice I said 'one,' Terry...) was held in Saskatoon, SK. So, since I didn't have to travel to get there and I was going to be there anyway, I am part of the conference committee and my job places me there to work. I was able to represent the CSSE at a couple of the events and activities at the conference.

Cris Kemp - the SK / MN Regional V.P. did a great presentation on "Everything you wanted to know about the CSSE"; he effectively communicated who we are and what we can do if people are interested in health and safety and moving their agendas forward within their workplaces. I introduced Cris at the conference and put in my 2 cents with a summary at the end of his presentation… Image that, me putting in my 2 cents.

Although there were many chapter members to man the CSSE booth at the conference, I also stepped in offer my support. It was a pleasure to bring people over to the booth, to hand out materials to interested people and to assist Cris with dismantling and boxing the booth for shipping. I thought, being President, I might be able to delegate that task, but no, taking down and boxing up is also a part of the job description.

Approaching exhibitors at the conference with PDC information took a couple of them by surprise, as I think they are more accustomed to going after conference attendees than having someone approach them with information trying to sell them on the positive aspects of exhibiting at the PDC. Hopefully one or two will take us up on the opportunity and be exhibitors at our conference in Quebec City.

Having a joint CSSE chapter meeting with over 30 people in attendance between the South Saskatchewan and Northern Light Chapters was another opportunity at this event to talk about the CSSE, to answer some questions and to receive some feedback. Cris did another wonderful presentation and we worked together to talk about NAOSH Week, the upcoming PDC and some of the positive aspects of the CSSE. It is good to celebrate our local and national successes with likeminded people - those who support the safety profession and the CSSE.

Planning for the next board meeting

I am really excited about our next board meeting in February. I was just doing some prep work for that meeting and thought I would share my excitement with all of you. We are going to have some time with the BCRSP to discuss some joint possibilities within our futures. It is great to be able to see the hard work of the members of the CSSE and the BCRSP at this level, but to also look at some of our common objectives and goals and see how we can work together to move the profession and professional development forward. Just thought I would let you know.