On Tuesday morning, an event focused on construction safety was held on campus by Gillam Group, the company behind the construction of UW’s Math 4 building. Held in DC near the construction site itself, the event was presented as part of Construction Safety Week. The theme for the UW-specific event was “identifying high energy hazards.”

While the event was open to media and the public, it largely focused on promoting safe practices for those working in construction. Adrian Vugts, site supervisor for the Math 4 construction project, opened up the event by explaining the importance of high energy hazards (which he said some organizations simply call “stuff that could kill you”). He cited examples of these kinds of hazards, which include various types of machinery like forklifts or cranes, electrical power lines, toxic and flammable materials onsite, and working around big heights and falling materials.

As well as being vigilant about safety concerns while working, one way to reduce the risk of injury is by preparing your body beforehand. Tara, another Gillam employee, followed Vugts’ talk by leading the crowd in a simple stretch. “Do this five minutes every day, it reduces your risk of injury by thirty per cent,” she explained.

Craig Lesurf, president of Gillam, ended things off by sharing more about the purpose and importance of Construction Safety Week. Held during the first week of May and recognized by a variety of companies in the US and Canada, the event carries a different overall theme each year. This year’s theme, as Lesurf stated, is “plan, own, commit”: “You want to plan your work, you want to own your actions, and you want to commit to the task at hand.”

Lesurf also spoke about the League of Champions, another organization dedicated to construction workplace safety in Ontario. As one of the founders of the League back in 2016, Lesurf talked about the importance of safety culture as something that each and every worker should be committing to.