COCA backs new safety advisory group

TORONTO—The creation of a Construction Health and Safety Advisory Group will be a “tremendous asset” to the Ministry of Labour (MOL), states the Council of Ontario Construction Associations’ (COCA) president.

"It’s comprised of highly competent individuals who know what will and won’t work in the field," Ian Cunningham states in a release.

Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn announced the creation of this new group on May 21. The purpose behind it is to find effective ways reduce fatalities, injuries and illnesses in the construction sector.

The group will work with the Parliamentary Assistant Mike Colle and the province’s Chief Prevention Officer George Gritziotis to provide strategic advice on how to best implement the Construction Action Plan.

The advisory group is comprised of an equal number of labour and employer representatives from various subsectors of the construction industry.

The four labour representatives from across the spectrum of construction include, Joe Dowdall, of the International Union of Operating Engineers, James Hogarth, of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, Cosmo Mannella, from the LIUNA Ontario Provincial District Council and Mike Yorke, of the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario.

The four employer representatives from large construction and home building companies include Mike Wieninger, of PCL Constructors Inc., Steve Riddell, of EllisDon Corporation, Tom McLaughlin from Thomasfield Homes Ltd. and Dave McLean of Mattamy Homes.