To contribute your feedback, stories, or photos of your class, email info@passporttosafety.com

NEWS

Sue Boychuk from the Ontario Ministry of Labour Named as Safe Communities Canada Worker Safety Leadership Award Recipient
Toronto, Ontario – Safe Communities Canada announced today, 15 years since the preventable death of Sean Kells, that Sue Boychuk of Ancaster, Ontario, was named as the recipient of its Worker Safety Leadership Award. This Award recognizes an individual that has made a significant contribution to promoting a culture of safety and reducing the risk of injury at the workplace – primarily with younger workers.

Workplace safety is a high priority for Safe Communities Canada. Each year over 325,000 Canadians are injured at the workplace – over 50,000 of them are between 15 and 24. Even sadder, over 1,000 people are killed and as many as 50 of them young people, one of motivators for the introduction of Passport to Safety, an on-line workplace safety awareness tool. Ms. Boychuk, currently on secondment to the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion to lead an after school initiative, was the Ontario Ministry of Labour's Project Manager for Young Worker Safety from 2000 to 2009. Her commitment to workplace safety extends over 29 years, including her experience as a Ministry of Labour industrial safety specialist, safety inspector and beyond.

"For years, Sue Boychuk has committed her intellect, focus and the sheer force of her will to the issue of young worker safety" Safe Communities Canada President Paul Kells said in announcing the award. “Over 300,000 young people have completed Passport to Safety world-wide – originally conceived by one of our local Safe Communities for young workers 15 to 24 years old, then developed on-line and launched as a signature program of Safe Communities Canada in 2004 and now is applicable to workers of any age. Passport to Safety has been used by over 3,700 teachers in over 1,000 Canadian schools and over 350 work places.”

Many influences can be attributed to Ontario's position as the top performing jurisdiction in Canada reducing injuries to young workers in Canada over any other province. "Credit belongs to a number of organizations and individuals in Ontario," says Kells "including WSIB's consistent media campaigns since 1997 to the present day, to union and employer young worker awareness programs in schools, to the Ministry of Labour’s enforcement activities, to Threads of Life and Our Youth At Work, among others".

But among all these influences, Sue's role in furthering workplace safety education for students by supporting teachers with safety resources and leading the content development of Passport to Safety with the support of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, WSIB and Ontario Ministry of Education, has made a significant impact.

In 1999/2000 Sue Boychuk's hard work and leadership helped change the school-to-work landscape in Ontario, and ultimately in many other jurisdictions around the world. The Ministry of Labour, through a project team led by Sue, created and delivered the first in a series of Live Safe! Work Smart! resources for teachers to support teaching health and safety in schools. The Ministries of Education and Labour worked together to integrate health and safety education throughout the Ontario school curriculum in response to a 1995 coroner's inquest jury recommendation following the death of 19 year old Sean Kells in a workplace explosion. The Live Safe! Work Smart! resources were developed to support teachers in delivering that curriculum.

In 2003/4, the Ontario Ministry of Labour provided a portion of her time to support developing and delivering Passport to Safety. Sue led a team of volunteer young worker education specialists from the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Price Edward Island as authours of the content for Passport to Safety. In addition to her planning, writing and development work, Sue Boychuk has spent years traveling thousands of kilometers across Ontario and beyond to personally brief and inspire teachers in schools and teacher associations, school boards, employer groups, prevention organizations, safety professionals and others about young worker health and safety. Her exceptional accomplishments were also recognized several years ago by the Ontario government when they presented her with the Amethyst Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements by Ontario Public Servants.

"Sue gets things done" Kells said. "There's a lot of rhetoric around health and safety. But she understands what it means to lead by example. She is absolutely committed not only to outcomes, meaning the well-being of young people, but also to the excellence of "client service" required to get there. That means she never loses sight of what needs to be done next to help young people learn and teachers and employers to deliver the goods. She doesn't get distracted and she is always focused on the right thing to do."

“I am honoured and humbled to receive this award. The success in injury reduction in Ontario has been a team effort and a long-term commitment that has engaged many talented and dedicated individuals and organizations. We have created tools; educators, safety professionals, workplace leaders and others have taken the tools and found opportunities to deliver important, timely safety education to youth”, Ms Boychuk said when she learned of the award. “Since 1994, we have come a long way, but there is still work to do. I look forward to the day when each and every young person enters the workforce with basic knowledge of job safety, knows their workplace rights and responsibilities, and receives the on-the-job training the law requires. Being injured on the job should become a thing of the past” Ms Boychuk added.

“If you are in school, ask questions and inquire about how you can participate in Passport to Safety", Kells stated. "If you are a teacher, include the initiative in your lesson plans. If you are a parent, talk to your kids about their jobs and make sure they know their rights and responsibilities. If you are an employer of young people, ensure you provide exceptional orientation, training and supervision and include Passport to Safety as part of that formal process, as hundreds of employers have also done.”

The award will be presented during a luncheon ceremony to celebrate the significant progress made to date to reduce the injury rates for young workers on Wednesday, January 20, 2010, presented by BMO Financial Group and hosted by Safe Communities Canada and the Canadian Employers Council.

Safe Communities Canada is the country’s foremost community-driven injury prevention charity whose mission is to make our nation the safest place in the world to live, learn, work and play.

- 30 –

For Information:
Rod Kelly
Safe Communities Canada
Phone 416-964-3959
Cell 416-201-1430
rkelly@safecommunities.ca
www.safecommunities.ca

Park View students promote safety in the workplace - by Shawn Lougheed (Nova Scotia)
A group of senior high school students from Park View Education Centre (PVEC) continues to lead the way in promoting youth safety education and practices within their community.

The school's 30 Skilled Trades Exploration Program students, under the guidance of instructor Karen Brazill, recognize the importance of extending their message of youth safety to students through methods that are both interactive and educational.

The students who are enrolled in the program boast a level of safety training that is by necessity above that of the general student population. They are required to take the workplace health and safety 11 course that includes the Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS), St. John Ambulance first aid, occupational health and safety (OHS) and, for the past two years, the Passport to Safety (passporttosafety.com) on-line program.

The Passport to Safety program consists of straightforward, no-fail multiple choice tests that are accessible in two different learning styles. The tests, which are developed by health and safety curriculum experts, provide learners with an opportunity to challenge and expand on their level of safety knowledge in a number of different areas.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded a transcript that recognizes their understanding of a basic level of health and safety.

According to Ms Brazill, "It is an extremely teacher-friendly web site, very well thought out. This year, after our students completed Passport, and we had some discussion about it, they kept saying, 'we are not the only ones who need this. Every kid in the school should have this information.'"

Ms Brazill agreed. With 14 mandatory courses required for a high school diploma, there is little room for electives.

Although the workplace health and safety 11 course is offered throughout the province in high school, very few students have the flexibility in their schedules to consider taking it.

According to Ms Brazill, "At PVEC, only the 30 students in the Skilled Trades Exploration Program take this course, which leaves some 800 other students with little or no safety training in high school. This is a situation that is seen in most high schools in the province."

With this in mind, Ms Brazill and one of her students, who sits as a representative on the PVEC occupational health and safety committee, took the issue to the committee to garner support for making the use of the Passport to Safety program a school-wide initiative, and not just limited to the 30 Skilled Trades Exploration Program students.

"They got excited about it and were very positive," Ms Brazill says. "Sandra Martin, who is in the social studies department and is also a member of our safety committee, picked up on it immediately and saw how to run with it."

Ms Martin has incorporated the Passport to Safety program into the north/south unit of her global history 12 course.

Ms Brazill says, "In subsequent years, we hope to use this or an equivalent resource with all Grade 10 students as a compulsory component of the Grade 10 communications technology course."

Implementation at this level would ensure that every student receives the Passport to Safety program information prior to their graduation from PVEC.

Principal Charles Williamson, who is completely supportive of incorporating the Passport to Safety program into the school's curriculum, says, "A lot of our students work now, and more will certainly be moving into jobs as they leave Park View and pursue post-secondary endeavours, so safety is something that impacts everyone."

Marcus Knickle, 18, from Lunenburg, who is currently enrolled in the PVEC Skilled Trades and Exploration Program with a focus on the welding trade, says, "I think that everyone should definitely know their safety training. I feel more comfortable walking into a job situation with the training I have had, and I know what to look for when I walk into a new job as well."

He adds, "I wouldn't take a job that didn't have proper safety training and procedures. It isn't worth risking your life for."

Curious about the level of awareness that students who are currently enrolled in the regular PVEC school program have with regards to youth workplace safety, the PVEC Skilled Trades and Exploration Program students decided to take the initiative and ask them directly through a survey.

They wanted to find out more information about what employment positions the PVEC students hold, what level and methods of workplace safety training they are receiving, what personal protective equipment is supplied to them, and what knowledge they have of their rights and responsibilities as workers with regards to safety.

The survey consists of 10 basic workplace-related safety knowledge multiple choice questions, as well as a section for additional comments where the students are asked to describe what they have perceived as workplace situations where they have felt unsafe.

The open-ended question on the survey is worded, "Was there ever a time when you felt unsafe at work? Explain."

The responses include comments such as, "All the time. I work alone and we're not trained for an emergency or a robbery," and, "Yes, when I was carrying heavy objects down the stairs and fell," as well as, "Yes, lifting the deep fryer or going across the room-slippery floors," and "I was threatened."

Of the 869 Grade 10 to 12 PVEC students polled, 454 students completed the survey. Of that number, 250 students are presently employed on a part-time basis in Lunenburg County.

The highest percentages of PVEC youth employment positions are currently held in retail (24 per cent), restaurant (18 per cent), the grocery sector (14 per cent) and fast food (11 per cent).

As well, collectively, 10 per cent of those polled work in occupations that have been identified by the National Consumer League (NCL) in a 2005 American study as belonging to the category of the five most dangerous jobs for teens.

These include agriculture, construction (work at heights), landscaping and lawns, forklift/tractor drivers and travelling youth crews, according to the summary of the survey.

The students were also asked what forms their workplace safety training takes, citing possible examples such as WHMIS, job-specific, food handler's, first aid, forklift, ladder/height, OHS and none.

Ms Brazill and her class discovered, through the respondent replies, that students have a very limited understanding of their workplace rights and responsibilities, that the training that is available to them is not often tracked, that a high percentage of students are working in "dangerous" sectors with no training, that most students "don't know what they don't know" and that a half-hour WHMIS video is the most common form of safety training.

Currently, Ms Brazill is in the process of forming a PVEC student focus group on the topic of youth workplace safety. She is looking to convene a forum of local employers to explore what more can be done with regards to youth workplace safety from their end, and she will be asking employers to give preference to students who have completed the Passport to Safety program, or an equivalent program, when they are hiring students.

"Park View is definitely recognizing their role in youth workplace safety," she says. "They are looking for ways to support kids as never before and I think that is very significant and important."

The South Shore Safer Communities workplace safety committee continues to support these efforts.

The committee recently recognized the class and school for their commitment and leadership in promoting youth safety in the workplace. They will be working with the students to share their message with local employers.

"Youth workers run a greater risk of being injured on the job than workers in any other age group. They have very little direct work experience, knowledge of their rights, safety training or job security. Many youth start with jobs that are low paying, difficult and may be dangerous," says workplace safety committee chairman Larry Rosborough.

"Local employers need to know and understand what youth are saying about their workplaces. Our goal is to generate more interest, discussion and action on this important issue."

Over the past several years, the workplace safety committee has been working to improve the safety of youth in the workplace by raising awareness about the issues, involving youth in meaningful ways to help make their workplaces safer, and increasing employer, youth, parent and community awareness and use of existing resources that are effective in reducing youth workplace injury, including the Passport to Safety program.

The workplace safety committee is one of several that are working on behalf of the South Shore Safe Communities initiative to improve the health and safety of our community.

NEW - Passport to Safety 101 for alternative learning needs

Passport to Safety is pleased to announce its new test aimed at students with alternative learning needs.

Based on the original Passport to Safety test and the Live Safe! Work Smart! resources for teachers of students with special learning needs, the new test complements existing resources and is an important component of lessons for students with alternative needs.

It is up to the discretion and professional judgment of the teachers to make informed decisions as to which test will best challenge each student. It will depend on the student’s learning style and reading comprehension level. Teachers will be able to personalize the testing approach depending on the student.

The test is comprehensive but very basic, using images as often as possible, as well as simple wording to reinforce concepts. Students are able to advance at their own pace, engaging in independent, continuous and process-oriented learning.

The Passport to Safety 101 test is an integral part in ensuring that students with alternative learning needs are aware of their rights and know how to stay safe at work.

Registration is available now! Check the website for ordering details.

Students start on safe foot - By Stephanie MacLellan - The Chronicle-Journal - April 11, 2005

The first time Hollie Porter saw an overstuffed box of discarded needles during her high school co-op placement at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, she knew what to do.

“I asked my supervisor the best way to throw it out,” said Porter, a Grade 12 student at Westgate. “I knew I couldn’t take it and throw it in the garbage, because I knew it would stick somebody.”

Porter got on-the-job safety training when she started her placement as an emergency room support assistant, but it was the Passport to Safety online safety program that got her started on the right foot.

It’s now available to high school students across the Lakehead District School Board.

Passport to Safety gives students information drawn from recognized health and safety training courses, and tests them on what they’ve learned.

But instead of getting a mark, students who get an answer wrong are given information about the subject. Then they get tested on the material in that section again, with the questions phrased differently, until they get all 36 answers correct.

“I like it because it’s really easy to use, and you can work at your own pace,” Porter said.

Students receive a certificate after they finish, which can be printed out and attached to resumes when they’re applying for a job.

It doesn’t replace workplace training, but it gives students a solid grounding in safety measures, and shows prospective employers that they’ve already been introduced to those principles.

The program launched at Westgate this February, and the board wants all its schools to join in.

“Students are getting their volunteer hours, and we have no control over where they go for their volunteer hours,” said Rick Molloy, the board’s health and safety officer.

Passport to Safety gives the board a way to make sure its students have some basic safety training before they head out, he said.

Randi Monteith, a customer service representative for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, said she was thrilled when she heard the school board was bringing in the program.

“I knew this would support the message we’re trying to get out, and instill in students the ability to make decisions on their own safely,” she said.

Amy Carr, a human resources consultant at the hospital, said Porter’s Passport to Safety certification helped her land the co-op position.

“As an employer, it’s extremely reassuring to know that a student has taken the initiative,” she said. “I’d like it to be something we can ask for, so if the students didn’t have it before, we can point them to where they can get it.”

FEEDBACK

STUDENT FEEDBACK

To contribute your feedback, stories, or photos of your class, email info@passporttosafety.com

It is essential...
It is essential for any new employee to know about the safety work practices prior to start his job. This program to me is a very good way of teaching to employee about the basic safety standards and practices.

Student, Adult Learning Centre

I have found your course to be extremely useful and knowledgable. Thank you for giving young workers an upportunity to learn about the importance of safety in a workplace. Thanks again

It's a great program!
I just wanted to let you know that I think Passport To Safety is a really great program. I have been fortunate enough not to be injured at work or have a family member severly injured. I have 2 places of work. I recieve a lot of safety training that I use on a daily basis without realizing. I also believe that the first aid course is something everyone in the workplace should participate in so you can better understand all the safety precautions. I have been WHIMIS trained and recived my first aid. I also have been trained to use all the PPE in my workplace and know the hazards. Thanks you for giving me more knowledge about my safety and how to handle situations if I or someone gets injured on the job. Student, age 17 (excerpted)

i found it very informative. i was surprised to learn that i didn't know as much as i thought i did. - Student, District School Board of Niagara

It was a good test. I had thought that I would get all the questions right because of my WHIMS and saftey traing at work, but I did infact get some wrong, and learnt some new tips! Thanks - Student, Avon Maitland District School Board

I think the test was good it would really make students and other workers aware of where they are working and what they should look for and know about their safety and rights. Good Test don't change it! - Durham District School Board

I think that the safety test is an excellent way to test and improve my knowledge about safety at work. - Student, Sault Ste. Marie

It is very intersting to see how much I actually knew about work safety and how I didn't have to do a lot of corrections. - Durham District School Board

it was a very useful test! i learned some important facts that i did not know before, also i have a health and safety test tomorrow..i feel that by doing this test its helped me prepare a little for the test tomorrow - Student, Toronto District School Board

I felt that that test was very educational and I learned alot of new things. I think i will benefit from it in the workforce. - Student, Job Connect

this test was good. I liked how some of the questions were difficult so you would get them wrong and you could learn about them. - Student, Lakehead District School Board

Each section of the test was very thorough and provided me with important information. Completion of the course helped me gain knowledge of WHMIS, MSDSs, and my rights as a worker. I feel confident in my ability to handle any potential hazards I may encounter in the workplace. Thank you. - Student, Concord

The option to complete this test online is great.
It gave me a chance to test what I "thought" was true, and correct some false information I may have had in the past without being penalized. It's great to be able to look over my mistakes and learn from them. I highly recommend this test to others!! – Student, Ottawa

TEACHER FEEDBACK

To contribute your feedback, stories, or photos of your class, email info@passporttosafety.com

Thank you for your great work with Passport!
My students always enjoy the test day when they can demonstrate their safety knowledge to themselves immediately. And I feel much more confident that they are well prepared for a safe co-op experience when they have that certificate in hand!

Teacher
St. John Catholic High School
Perth, Ontario
(home of one of the original Passport pilot projects!)

We use Passport to Safety in our Co-op classes here at BDSS.
When we get to the printing of the certificate for passing their test we encourage students to print two copies. One so the teacher can see that the student has successfully completed the safety awareness quiz and the other copy we encourage students to put in their portfolio. They would use their portfolio to take to a possible employer when applying for a job. It is impressive to see the students achievements and accomplishments. The Passport to Safety Certificate lets the employer know that the student has some awareness of safety.
Susan Gordon
Cooperative Education
Beamsville D. S.S.

Passport to Safety is also used by many employers
in our region as a qualifier for part-time amd student summer jobs.
It has merit with the employers.
Keep up the good work.
Thomas Ulvstal

Thanks for recognizing our efforts and thanks to you, for providing such important and vital information to our students!
Tina Magnanelli-Diana

I wanted to let you know how great and useful the tests were. It was a great series to "tie up loose ends". They were much appreciated.
Teacher, Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School

Not only have the students taken the Passport to Safety Test, we use it for all of our experiential learning programs, students at risk, and our grade 10 careers course. For the Cooperative Education Program, we have the students take the test during pre-placement and also an update at the end of the placement. It is a most effective tool for introductory safety to all levels in high school. The students are quite impressed with their certificate which is available in both French and English. Thank you for making this extremely valid tool available to our students.
Teacher, CSDECSO

Just to let you know I use the Passport to Safety site each semester ...
and the students really enjoy the information and the challenge.
Teacher, York Region District School Board

I just wanted to thank you for the neat program - Passport to Safety.
All my computer students did it this semester and it was well received and worth while. I know the students learned from it. Thank you. Count me in again next year in the fall when I do Co-op again.
Terry Walker, teacher, Avon Maitland District School Board

I recently had the pleasure of meeting both Candace Carnahan and Paul Kells
after Candace spoke to the E.C.E class. As the coordinator for Coop education at Moira Secondary School (Belleville), myself and about 15 students were invited to this presentation. For the second straight semester, all cooperative education students are required to successfully complete the Passport To Safety Test and to include a copy of their certificate for their portfolio. The test has been very beneficial as an introduction to basic Workplace Health and Safety issues that a number of students , new to the workforce would otherwise not be aware of. I spoke briefly with Paul Kells at the conclusion of the talk by Candace and expounded on the positives of the program for Cooperative education students relatively new to the workforce. Also indicated that a number of area employers are now asking students during their interviews whether they have attained their Passport To Safety Certificates. My students were able to present these certificates on the spot. In cases where the employers did not inquire, students were able to present the certificate and explain the merits of the program. A number of area employers hiring summer students are now asking that Certification is mandatory, and will be beneficial in being a successful applicant for the part-time position. - J Boultbee, Moira Secondary School

My co-op students have taken the
This test replaces the in class test. All the students get 100% and a certificate to put in their portfolios. They "do not complain"! – Maria Erb, St. Thomas Aquinas S. S

We've used the program now for the year
and truly like it because it does provide a certificate / transcipt for each student to show employers. Our COPE program - a recovery credit program with co-op, uses the program as a last part of their safety training. They do the scavenger hunt, 7 things you need to know quizzes and other WHMIS testing before they do the passport to safety. Since most of these students are already working in the community - they are being made aware of the importance of safety - both now and for their future.

– Maxine Keske, Central Huron Secondary School

Thank you for all your support
It is a great program and I will continue to use it with my cooperative education students in the fall.

– Marcy Cooper, St. Mark High School

The program is fabulous
I love the ability to access student profiles and for students to be able to print certificates. It fits very well with my in-class curriculum. Also, I've encouraged students to include this in a portfolio and on their resumes.

– Gail Cipriani, Healthcare Support Services Program Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

Here at St. Catharines Collegiate in St. Catharines, ON we appreciate the program Passport to Safety.
I used the program both semesters this year in our Co-Operative Education program. As safety is an important element in our ten day in-school session. I will make the passport to safety test mandatory for all co-operative education students before going out to their co-op placements next year.
- Dianne Marshall, St. Catharines Collegiate

It is an excellent resource
and addition to the safety component that we do for our pre-employment in Co-op. - Teacher, Niagara Catholic District School Board

Successfully completed a pre-employment session with my co-op students - Teacher, Grand Erie District School Board
What a great website with educational and informative information.

To contribute your feedback, stories, or photos of your class, email info@passporttosafety.com