New Safety Boss Meets with CLAC

DATE: January 27, 2012

Cambridge, ON—George Gritziotis, Ontario’s first chief prevention officer (CPO), met with CLAC’s Ontario provincial construction health and safety committee recently.

The CPO role is one of the recommendations arising from an in-depth study into the state of health and safety in Ontario’s construction industry following the tragic swing stage collapse in Toronto on Christmas Eve 2009.

Although his office doesn’t officially open until April 1, Gritziotis is eager to hit the road running and is getting as much feedback as possible from the construction industry. At the meeting, he outlined some initial endeavours conducted by the office of the CPO, including a health and safety survey. He said that vulnerable workers would be protected and gave assurances that workers reporting safety infractions would not face reprisals.

The committee meets monthly and is represented by CLAC representatives and signatory contractors, the Progressive Contractors Association, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, numerous guests and advisors, and a safety consultant assigned by the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, the committee’s sponsor.
 

Andrew Regnerus (CLAC Ontario Construction Coordinator), George Gritziotis, and Sean Reid (Ontario Director, Progressive Contractors Association)