Press Release

April 6, 2010

Mississauga, Ontario – April 6, 2010 – Superior 2010 Health and Safety Conference and Trade Show returns to Sault Ste. Marie on April 20 – 21. The annual event will be held at the Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel, which is located on 208 St. Mary’s River Drive. It features informative sessions and keynote speakers designed to equip delegates with the tools and resources to make their workplaces safer and healthier.

Superior 2010 offers 32 dynamic and timely sessions that address health and safety issues affecting firms in the Sault Ste. Marie area. The sessions fall under four categories: hazard recognition, health and wellness, managing safety, and legislative updates and include:

• Confined Space Assessment: Rescue – Delegates attending this session will see whether they are properly prepared to perform a confined space rescue. The session will address topics such as documentation, equipment considerations, and legal requirements. Session runs Tuesday, April 20 from 11:15 a.m. – 12:10 p.m., led by John Parish, Chief, Provincial Fire Sector, Health and Safety Association for Government Services.
  
  
• The Cost and Cure of Stress and Mental Health Problems in the Workplace – In this session, delegates will learn how to recognize stressors and identify employees with a mental illness. They will also find out more about mental illness and what resources are available to them, as employers, to help their staff deal with it. Session runs Wednesday, April 21 from 9:00 – 10:15 a.m., led by Randy St. John, EAP Coordinator/Addiction Counselor, ESSAR Steel Algoma.

• Health and Safety for Small Business: Less than 20 Employees – How can small businesses integrate health and safety into their workplaces? Delegates attending this session will learn about health and safety requirements for small businesses and what resources are available to make sure their workplaces are healthy and safe. Session runs Wednesday, April 21 from 2:00 – 3:15 p.m., led by Louise Caicco Tett, President, Health and Safety Professionals Inc.

• Bill 168: Workplace Violence – Bill 168, An Act to Amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace will require Ontario employers to develop and implement policies and programs to address and prevent workplace violence and harassment. In this session, delegates will find out what the new requirements are so that they can prepare their organizations when the bill becomes effective on June 15, 2010. Session runs Wednesday, April 21 from 3:30 – 4:45 p.m., led by Murray Baker, Regional Program Director, Industrial Program, Ministry of Labour.

Superior 2010 features an engaging lineup of speakers. Elizabeth Mills, President & CEO of Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario shares her experiences about Leading During Change at the CEO Breakfast on Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 a.m. She will also address delegates shortly after the CEO Breakfast. Later on at lunch, Dr. Martin Shain, Principal of Neighbour at Work Centre discusses The Psychologically Safe Workplace: The Role of Guarding Minds @ Work (12:30 p.m.). On Wednesday April 21, John Slinger, Chief Operating Officer , Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), opens the day with his address on the WSIB Service Delivery Model (7:30 a.m.). Bill Mackan, Human Resources Manager, Agawa Crafts and Canadian Carver speaks to delegates about young workers in his lunch keynote presentation, The Future is Now! Tips for Training Young Workers to Safely Enter the Workplace and Survive Alive (12:00 noon).

The trade show, which will be open to the public, runs from 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20 and 7:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21. Consultants will be on hand to help answer questions about workplace health and safety and offer tips on developing comprehensive health and safety programs. The trade show floor will also feature the latest workplace health and safety products, services, and solutions. Visitors can drop by the Wellness Area, coordinated by Algoma Public Health, and participate in various health assessments such as blood pressure monitoring and glucose testing.

Registration for Superior 2010 is ongoing. The registration cost is $339 (plus tax) per person. To register for this conference or to find out more information, visit www.iapa.ca or call 1-800-406-IAPA (4272).

About the Ontario Workplace Health and Safety System
Ontario’s workplace health and safety system recently restructured its programs and services to better assist Ontario businesses in reducing the number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in their workplaces. As a result of these changes, 12 of the province’s health and safety associations have amalgamated to form four new organizations, effective January 1, 2010. Combined, these four organizations serve more than 236,000 Ontario businesses. The four new organizations are: Health and Safety Association for Government Services (HSAGS), Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA), Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario (SWPSO), and Workplace Safety North (WSN).

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For more information, contact:

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