Leaders in electrical safety receive awards from ESA

MISSISSAUGA, ONT. — The Ontario Electrical Safety Awards were held recently to celebrate leadership and achievements in electrical safety by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

The awards were presented in the categories of Worker Safety, Consumer and Home Safety, Powerline Safety and the Licensed Electrical Contractor Recognition Award. A Public Safety Officer Special Recognition Award was also presented.

The 2024 award recipients are:

• Worker Safety – PUC Services Inc.: PUC Services Inc. was recognized for its commitment to educating distracted drivers about the importance of staying cautious near road work zones to ensure the safety of road workers. The Road Safety Video Campaign is a series of personalized videos that share stories and messages from road workers, highlighting real-life dangers and the need for driver attentiveness.
• Consumer and Home Safety – Elexicon Energy: Elexicon Energy was recognized for its contributions to the Children’s Safety Village in Belleville and the Kids Safety Village of Durham Region. Understanding that children learn best through discussion and play, Elexicon Energy donates electrical equipment, conducts informative sessions and provides financial support to both villages.
• Powerline Safety – Bluewater Power, Hydro One and London Hydro: Bluewater Power, Hydro One and London Hydro were recognized for successfully transporting enormous beer tanks, each over 33 metres long and 6.62 metres wide, from Sarnia Harbour to the Labatt Brewery in London, Ont. This large-scale project employed best practices in safely hoisting, cutting and reconnecting powerlines, minimizing power disruptions along the route and keeping the public in affected areas well-informed.
• Licensed Electrical Contractor Recognition Award – Mellon Inc.: Mellon Inc. was recognized for its outstanding commitment to employee safety and well-being. In addition to continuous professional development through regular safety training and educational initiatives, they foster a strong safety culture, promoted through a robust incident reporting system, well-defined safety policies, strong mentorship and field-based coaching.
• Public Safety Officer Special Recognition Award – Ottawa Community Housing: Ottawa Community Housing was recognized for its commitment to improving workplace safety and creating electrically safe spaces for over 32,000 tenants. In 2023, they achieved zero open defects on two separate occasions, reduced the average defect correction time from 240.9 days to 12.4 days, and lowered the monthly defect count from 10,000 to fewer than 100, by incorporating ESA inspection program through the Continuous Safety Services program into their annual home assessments.