October 20, 2002
The Greater Belleville (Quinte) Safe Community is part of the Safe Community Foundation. It works in partnership with private and public sectors to improve the health and safety of workers and people throughout the community. The Safe Communities is a concept supported by the World Health Organization.
The goal is to eliminate injuries while promoting the culture of safety.
The volunteer partnership includes organizations concerned about the health and safety of the people and businesses in the community, including police, fire department, health unit, hospitals, education, business, insurance, recreational and government service.
It has received funding and assistance from Trenval Business Development Corporation since it was established in 1997.
Gerrit DeBruyn, Trenval BDC, Executive Director, has participated and been an active member of:
- the Advisory Board since inception,
- the Safe Community Incentive Program (SCIP). (The SCIP Committee help small businesses acquire skills to manage an effective health and safety program)
- a facilitator/trainer/mentor of 138 small to mid-sized companies since 1998
Trenval Business Development Corporation has provided:
- loans to participants
- bridge financing to cover lean periods to Greater Belleville Safe Communities
- free use of our Boardroom for training
- free Work Place Inspection Seminar
- furniture for their office
This partnership approach of the professionals in the community helping others in the community is not new, but this process is unique and innovative and there is a growing need for safety awareness.
Our Trenval BDC Letters of Patent says, “we are to act as a catalyst between business and other community organizations, with the intention of development an economic climate in the Trenval area that is conducive to job creation.”
This project makes our local business a safer place to work, live and play. We use this as on economic development plus when we market our area to entice future employers to locate here.
(Gerrit DeBruyn made a presentation to OACFDC conference on this topic in 1998.)
This makes this project relevant and accountable to our goals as per Letters of Patent.
This project was started in 1997 and has a proven records of accomplishment culminating in being rated number 1 for the last 2 years over 18 other communities.
- It has a wide-spread community and sectoral participation
- “Elmer the Safety Elephant” has brought his safety awareness message to 12 primary schools and 2,600 children
- “Risk Watch” safety program implemented in 10 elementary schools and over 3,000 students
- “Heroes” safety awareness program brought to over 3,000 secondary school students
- “Falls Prevention” presented to area nursing homes and public presentations
- Other General Public Initiatives: Transport Safety to truckers; Child care seat safety clinic; Fire safety; Neighbourhood Watch
- 138 small to medium-sized businesses have received a minimum 12 hours of basic Safe Work Place Awareness training plus 9 other Tier Two training seminar opportunities
- Mentors have provided Safe Work Place audits and owners have taken corrective action
It obviously has wide spread community and sectoral participation.
This project is relevant to specific community needs not only from a Safe and Health point of view, but also to the financial competitive and business and community morale to our whole community through our programs that has created a greater safety awareness.
The training program for the businesses have not only made them a safer place to work but also has reduced their accident and related costs.
This project demonstrates measurable, positive economic impact not only to the 138 SCIP businesses who received $273,733.15 in rebates from the Ministry of Labour in 2000, plus $136,077 more in 2001 for their improved safety performance, but also to the over 8,000 students and countless members of the public listed under the above participants.
Our general area has been cited as the number one place to live in the Province of Ontario by the Ontario Social Development Council.
We can now add to that, that we are probably also “the safest place to live, work or play”.
This will continue to be used to promote business to our area and will undoubtedly continue to provide positive economic impact in the future.
1998 – 2002 Activities
Safe Communities Incentive Program (SCIP)
- 138 firms trained in management module (1998-2002) – Safe Workplace Awareness Program
- Mentoring of large community to small-mid sized companies
- Tier-two seminars
- Policy and procedures, 2001
- Workplace inspections, 2001
- Backcare clinic, 2001
- Lock out - tag out procedures, 2001
- Falls Prevention Legislation Interpretation Seminar-construction sector Regulation 145 – September 20, 2000
- Special Investigations Branch Seminar
– Workplace Saftey and Insurance Board - October 19, 2000
- Return to Work – November 17, 1999
- Return to Work November 19, 1998
- Claims Management November 23, 1999
- Claims Management November 25, 1998
- WSIB Fraud Investigation May 12, 1999
- Due Diligence – May 17, 2000
- Assistance Before WSIB Claims Happen & Understanding the Life of a Claim – December 5, 2000
- Workplace Inspection – September 17, 1999
- Backcare Clinic – October 7, 1999
Risk Watch – Elementary Schools 1999-2002
- 10 schools implemented at December 2000 – more than 3,000 students
- 14 awaiting resources
- pilot year (6 schools) 1999-2000, 11.7% increase in injury prevention & safety awareness
Elmer the Saftey Elephant
- bike & pedestrian safety and bus safety
- 2000 – return to Elmer from retirement
- 12 schools – 2,600 primary school children
- QHC-BGH pediatrics & geriatrics
Falls Prevention
- member of Falls Prevention Coalition
- partnership presentation of Risk Factors display – May 2000 at Quinte Mall
- coalition development of brochure
Heroes
- injury reduction and safety awareness program targeted at high school students – 1998
- attendance goals were surpassed by 121.5% > 3,000 secondary school students
- public evening performance > 300 – largest attendance in history of SmartRisk Foundation
Awards for Excellence in mentoring and networking – Helena Nickell Coordinator Oct/98
Safe Communities Designation – March 26, 2998
- continuous designation 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Results: Greater Belleville Safe Community (SCIP) has the top performance in Ontario with $273,733 in rebates in 2000 and an additional $136,077 was presented to the participants in 2001
2002 Participants
Access Centre For Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
Beclawat Manufacturing Inc.
Brossbach N A Inc.
Build-All Contractors
Canadian Tire
Dalloz Fall Protection
Di-Core Engineering
Flying J. Canada Inc.
Glenburnie Farms (Fraser)
Irvin Aerospace Ltd.
Isaiah Tubbs Inn & Resort
K.C. Builders
K.G. Reid Trenching and Construction Ltd.
Leighton Electric
McKeown and Wood Limited
Sam’s Aluminum Sales and Service Limited
Smith’s Quality Fabrication
T Zywot Holdings Ltd.
The Stirling Creamery Limited
Trenton and District Association for Community Living
Tri- County Agromart
Tri County Apple Growers
Universal Fan & Blower Limited
Versa-Care Hallowell House
VON, Hastings, Northumberland & Prince Edward Branch