Mississauga, Ontario – June 12, 2008 – IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) presented Teknion Corporation’s Ergotech division with its first Health & Safety Achievement Award this morning. Ergotech, a Scarborough, Ontario based office furniture manufacturer was recognized with a Level I award for its workplace health and safety accomplishments.

Since 2002, Ergotech has consistently posted a lost-time injury (LTI) frequency that has been 100% lower than its assigned Workplace Safety and Insurance Board rate group. The firm has gone more than five years without an LTI – an injury where a worker not been able to work for at least one day.

"Creating a healthy and safe work environment is a journey," says Craig Fairclough, IAPA Principal Consultant. "In achieving this Level I award, Ergotech has shown that it is committed to creating an incident-free workplace where the well-being of its employees will always be a top priority. The firm has shown that it has the right tools and knowledge to continue on the path towards health and safety excellence."

“This award confirms and recognizes the efforts and commitment of the Ergotech Team to our safety program,” says Dave Bartrem, Ergotech, Human Resources Manager. “This award was achieved through continuous attention to the health and safety of each employee. Their spirit of understanding, cooperation, and participation made this award achievable. We look forward to continuing this outstanding health and safety performance and to celebrating many similar events.”

Ergotech received the Level I Achievement Award after IAPA conducted an on-site verification on May 1, 2008 to ensure that the firm’s health and safety management program met the award criteria. Ergotech alsocompleted the self-assessment report and met IAPA award requirements, such as prevention methods, legislative compliance, management practices, and lost-time injury frequencies.

IAPA ’s three-level health and safety awards program was launched in 2002. The program is designed to celebrate an organization’s journey towards achieving workplace health and safety excellence. Since the inception of the program, 43 companies have received the Level I Health and Safety Achievement Award.

Ergotech was established in 1993 as a division of Teknion Corporation. Teknion is a leading international designer, manufacturer, and marketer of office systems and related products for the contract segment of the office furniture industry. It is the market share leader in Canada, with an expanding presence in the United States and internationally.

IAPA is a not-for-profit, member driven organization operating in Ontario since 1917. Representing approximately 50,000 member firms and more than 1.5 million Ontario workers, IAPA is Canada’s leader in wor

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For more information, contact:

Lena Wan
Communications & PR Specialist, IAPA
Tel: 905-614-4272 ext. 2247
E-mail: lwan@iapa.ca

IAPA presented a Level I Health & Safety Achievement Award to Ergotech on Thursday June 12, 2008. Seen here are: (l-r) Hanna Shaheen (President and General Manager, Ergotech), Haile Yemane (Joint Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair Worker Representative, Ergotech), Dave Bartrem (Human Resources Manager, Ergotech), Craig Fairclough (Principle Consultant, IAPA), Shannon Jones (Director Corporate Environment Health and Safety, Teknion Corporation)