“We are very proud to receive this award once again, which shows our commitment to the safety of our employees,” said Fernando Villarroel, Mainstream Canada’s managing director. “We create a culture of safety awareness and consciousness, as well as continuous improvement.”
Thanks to the company’s commitment to meeting and exceeding safety standards for all employees, Lorne Gosick from the FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC visited the Campbell River office this month to present the Occupational Safety Standard of Excellence (OSSE) award in person.
Gosick complimented Mainstream on the company’s occupational health and safety management systems as well as the return to work program developed by the human resources department. He presented the OSSE award to Villarroel, financial controller Peter Harper, human resources officer Ross Campbell, occupational health and safety officer Dave Samson and communications and corporate sustainability manager Laurie Jensen.
The OSSE accreditation program (formerly the Certificate of Recognition Program) recognizes and rewards employers who go beyond the legal requirements of the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety regulations by achieving a standard of excellence through an audit process.
“The reduction in compensation costs, reduction in first aid and medical aid visits, reduction in duration and number of time loss claims can be measured,” says the FIOSA-MIOSA’s web page describing the award criteria. “But equally important are the intangible costs of improved morale, stronger relationships between superiors and workers, supervisors and management, all of which have been shown to decrease employee absences and reduce the cost of health care benefits.”
Mainstream Canada is one of only a handful of large companies in BC, and the only salmon farming company, which has achieved this award.
The award program is administered by FIOSA-MIOSA, a safety-oriented industry association representing the food and manufacturing sector in BC.
