ICBA’s Jordan Bateman and TheOrca.ca’s Maclean Kay talk about a couple of court cases, a leader on his last legs, and who will win the BC Liberal leadership Saturday.
Month: February 2022
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #34: Respect + Communication = Safer Workplaces
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
We’re on to month 8 of our ICBA Wellness program, and the focus is on Respectful Workplaces. In construction, respect for one another is a huge part of maintaining a safe worksite – our top industry priority.
Our Toolbox Talk this week puts it this way:
“Respect and good communication go hand in hand. When employees feel comfortable going up to a coworker or bringing a problem to a supervisor, safety issues can be addressed quickly… Employees who respect and trust one another can more easily focus on their work. When there is a lack of trust or respect, just seeing a coworker that you view negatively can send your mind racing. Workplaces [like that] can be compromised in safety as well as productivity.”
It’s a link we need to talk about more with our teams. How respect and communication improve both mental health and physical safety.
It’s like a football team. The quarterback – usually the highest paid, biggest star – has to trust his offensive line – usually the most overlooked team members – to do their jobs effectively. The linemen have to talk with one another and respect each other’s abilities; otherwise the quarterback will get crushed and the team will lose. The QB’s safety depends on the offensive line’s ability to work together.
The math is simple: Respect + Communication = Safer Workplaces.
ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 50 companies, and thousands of construction professionals, better understand mental health. The program is free for ICBA members — see icba.ca/wellness.
TRAINING THURSDAY: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) for the Construction Industry (Webinar)
Kerry and Jordan discuss ICBA Training’s latest featured course — and some podcast/TV suggestions!
Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) for the Construction Industry (Webinar)
Wednesday, Feb. 23; Noon-1PM
https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/10570/index.php?m=eventSummary
Missed it? All courses at icba.ca/courses
Many new RFQs now contain some references or requirements about environmental, social, or governance practices. Why should you care?
- You need to know what ESG is so you can help your clients meet their RFQ requirements
- You can attract clients who are concerned about ESG
- You can be a better citizen and contribute to the better health and good of society
So, what is ESG? ESG refers to three key non-financial categories in evaluating a company’s risk profile and performance – environment, social, and governance. With so many international regulatory acronyms and rating systems, navigating the world of ESG can seem confusing.
ESG is also evolving, with disclosure and rating criteria that can vary based on various factors. That’s why ESG is unique to each company, with different starting points and different opportunities. Most companies already have some ESG practices in place, so no company ever starts from scratch.
ESG concerns will have a growing influence on the construction sector in the coming years. The construction industry is keen to act on ESG issues, but more transparency and consistent reporting will be required to maintain this progress.
Join the webinar to learn:
- What is ESG?
- The most critical facets of ESG for construction?
- Who does ESG apply to?
- Examples of failed ESG
- Examples of successful ESG
- Debunking common ESG myths
Presenter: Isobel O’Connell, Senior ESG Consultant
Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) for the Construction Industry (Webinar)
Wednesday, Feb. 23; Noon-1PM
https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/10570/index.php?m=eventSummary
Missed it? All courses at icba.ca/courses
ICBA Finalist for BC Business Magazine’s Business of Good Award
We’re ecstatic to learn that ICBA is one of 17 finalists for 6 BCBusiness The Business of Good Awards. Our ICBA Wellness program is nominated in the Workplace Wellness category.
Fingers crossed for some more awards hardware for our office!
And if you’re an ICBA member who hasn’t signed on for our free Wellness program, what are you waiting for??? icba.ca/wellness
#BCPOLI HOTSTOVE LIVE: Recapping Kevin Falcon’s Big Night
Our Jordan Bateman and TheOrca.ca‘s Maclean Kay hosted a live Twitter Space, moments after Kevin Falcon won the BC Liberal leadership Feb. 5.
#BCPOLI HOTSTOVE: Falcon Takes Over
Our Jordan Bateman and TheOrca.ca‘s Maclean Kay recap the first few days of the Kevin Falcon era, wonder what the NDP have up their sleeve for this legislative session, and chat about the future of some BC mayors.
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #35: Making Workplaces Better Starts With Us
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
As we work through our Respectful Workplaces curriculum this month, it’s clear that every individual at a worksite has the ability – and a responsibility – to make their workplace better.
At my kids’ elementary school, they often use the simple analogy of being a bucket filler, or a bucket dipper. Think of a bucket, full of good feelings like cooperation, communication, trust and collegiality. Are we helping to fill that bucket with kindness, encouragement, and our best efforts – or are we emptying it with our bad attitudes or selfishness?
Contributing to a respectful workplace doesn’t take a lot, it’s just being a decent person:
- Be open to and accept different points of view
- Don’t threaten or name call others
- Speak with someone directly to resolve conflict
- Walk away and cool off if there is risk of the conflict escalating
- Welcome people to activities and conversations
- Support co-workers who are being harassed, discriminated against or treated disrespectfully
- Try and make connections with coworkers who are different from you
- Educate yourself about diversity
- Look out for others’ safety
Let’s be bucket fillers!
ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 50 companies, and thousands of construction professionals, better understand mental health. The program is free for ICBA members — see icba.ca/wellness.
IN THE NEWS: BIV Calls on BC Government to Do More on Trades
The following editorial, written by the Business in Vancouver editorial board, first appeared in BIV on Feb. 8, 2022.
BC’s implementation of a skilled trades certification system promises to ensure consistent quality and safety on the province’s job sites. But the compulsory trades credentialling system being instituted for the first time in 19 years in the province also promises to erect more barriers to entry into a construction industry facing another year in which a building boom will be hobbled by labour shortages.
The extent of those shortages is documented in a recently released survey of Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) member companies. It found that while 96% of ICBA construction companies expect 2022 to be as busy or busier than 2021, 75% of survey respondents said they don’t have enough workers. That’s the case even though the average wage for trades is projected to jump 5.4% in 2022 compared with 2021.
The labour shortage’s short-term impact will be project completion delays and lost business.
Longer-term impacts include higher costs for customers and consumers, lost revenue for companies and a shallower tax pool for governments.
According to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, feedback to the province’s consultation process to implement its compulsory skilled trades certification program has raised a number of issues ranging from improving services and support for certification to “celebrating diversity in the workforce.”
Missing from the ministry’s cheerleading consultation progress dispatch is any discussion about lengthy wait times for trades candidates to enrol in classes to begin training and the need to expand the range of locations where that training is offered and improve the flexibility of how it is delivered.
The province’s public education system also needs to provide more information earlier to secondary school students about the career opportunities in construction and other trades.
Higher education means different things to different people, and not everyone’s career benefits from investing time and resources in pursuing a university degree.
Neither do many sectors in the job market benefit from that pursuit.
TRAINING THURSDAY: Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Highway and Municipal Pavements (Webinar)
Kerry and Jordan discuss the latest ICBA Training Featured Course.
Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Highway and Municipal Pavements (Webinar)
Friday, February 25th, 2022 | 1PM – 2:30PM
https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/10820/index.php?m=eventSummary
Missed this one? See all our courses at icba.ca/courses
This webinar begins with a background on pavement condition evaluation, examples of typical pavement distresses, overview of the life cycle of pavement assets and methods to establish maintenance and rehabilitation needs.
Details on common flexible and rigid pavement maintenance techniques are provided along with program implementation steps.
The life-cycle benefits of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation are discussed and finally key steps to ensure the success of program.
Webinar Benefits
- Understand the timing and implementation of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation techniques.
- Introduction to effective pavement preservation procedures and processes.
- Ability to evaluate the life-cycle benefits of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation.
- Understand the costs and benefits of timely preventive maintenance.
Instructor: David K. Hein, P.Eng.
David Hein is a consulting Civil Engineer with over 35 years of experience in the design, evaluation and management of pavement infrastructure. He recently retired from Applied Research Associates, Inc. of Toronto, Ontario. He is the past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation and Development Institute, long term member of the Transportation Association of Canada and has represented Canada on the World Road Association pavements and asset management committees since 2002. He has been involved in numerous national and international projects including many of the public/private/ partnership highway construction projects across Canada and the United States. Mr. Hein has completed numerous pavement design, evaluation and management projects throughout British Columbia including both design and management of the Sea to Sky Highway and is a regular instructor completing specialty design, construction and maintenance courses for the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation.
Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Highway and Municipal Pavements (Webinar)
Friday, February 25th, 2022 | 1PM – 2:30PM
https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/10820/index.php?m=eventSummary
Missed this one? See all our courses at icba.ca/courses
ICBA SAFETY MERITS AWARD WINNER #4: James Epp of M&L Painting Ltd.
Previously, we announced our first three winners:
- Simran Bhabra of Division 15 Mechanical
- Sherry Bailor of Knappett Projects Inc.
- Fiona Pryce of Brighter Mechanical Ltd.
About ICBA Safety Merits
Entrants must be employed below the superintendent level (office staff are not eligible) and must have worked a minimum of 2,500 hours without any time lost due to an accident. Four winners were drawn at random.