b'HEALTH & SAFETY2023 CONSTRUCTION SAFETY MONTH By Matthew BradfordCONSTRUCTION LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS LEADS THE WAYCONSTRUCTION SAFETYConstruction Safety Week is one way tosponsor of the initiative, which was demands the spotlight throughoutget that conversation going. This year,founded in 2017 by the Ontario General the year. Every May, however, industrythe North American campaignStrongContractors Association to identify and stakeholders across North America uniteVoices, Safe Choiceslaunched showcase construction health and safety to amplify the importance of keepingMay 1, right after the National Day ofrole models. Companies that pass a workers free from harm. Mourning on April 28. (More details at rigorous safety evaluation are invited to www.constructionsafetyweek.com.) join the League, after which they receive May is a busy month for construction;a special campaign jersey they can its when everyone is getting ready toTCA was among the Canadian voicesautograph and display for all to see.start the summer season and whento champion that call. The association the message about workplace safetyleveraged its events (e.g., TCA MembersThe League of Champions was created needs to be on everyones mind, saysDay) and social media channels to drawto support people who prioritize safety Craig Lesurf, president of Gillam Group,greater attention to safe jobsite practicesand give them a way to talk about safety, and the companies and individualssays Lesurf, who, in addition to working chair of the League of Champions, andleading the way in construction healthwith TCA on numerous safety initiatives, longtime industry safety champion.and safety. also serves as the Leagues chair. The idea behind the jerseys is that employers Raising awareness is the goal behindWe were very excited to see so many TCAhave something they and their team can Safety Week and Safety Month, bothmembers join us in raising awarenesssign and hang in their office or jobsite for of which are observed by constructionon the importance of safety duringeveryone to see. Its this visual reminder industry players in Canada and the U.S.our annual safety week, says Suzanaof your commitment and something you Within Ontario, the Toronto ConstructionFernandes, TCAs vice president ofcan use to start the conversation.Association collaborates with itsoperations. During this years Safety members and industry allies to promoteWeek, we saw members deliver safetyThe League of Champions is active best practices, educate the public, andtalks, host events with a safety theme,year-round, with its members travelling spotlight safety successes.and lots of engagement on social mediato various employers and jobsites to through posts on the topic of safety.promote new members and put their Safety is not proprietary, Lesurfjerseys on display. Throughout the year, and especially during May, organizations insists. You can have a better safetyWith each passing year, there is no like TCA collaborate with the League to record, sure, but we share the samedoubt that our joint voices are gettingshowcase its safety mission.workers, and we all want to be using thelouder, and we are increasing awareness best practices to make sure they getof the importance of being safe,Everybody needs to make sure we look home safe. Thats why everybody in theFernandes adds.after each other and that everybody is industry recognizes that the only waygoing home safe at the end of the day, to change the industry is to talk aboutTCA also took the opportunity to spotlightand a big part of that is demonstrating working safely as an industry. the League of Champions. It is a patronleadership, Lesurf says.16Quarter 22023 BUILDERSDIGEST'