MINERVA 2017 E-NEWSLETTER
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Vol. 17/No. 1 Fall 2017
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New initiatives, new sponsors, new post-secondary institution involvement…it’s been a good year for Minerva Canada. More importantly, it means that awareness is rising and health and safety management education is increasing because of our influence on the curriculum of post-secondary institutions to ensure that future business leaders create healthier and safer workplaces. Here are just a few highlights from this past year:
You can get details and find out about more of our activities and resources in these pages. Our many accomplishments are a reflection of the hard work, endless assistance and support from our many volunteers from industry, government, academia and H&S professional associations who make up our Board of Directors and Working Groups. I am also very grateful to our many sponsors whose continued support and financial assistance make our initiatives at Minerva Canada possible. Without this support, Minerva would not exist as an organization. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions by contacting me at minerva@safetymanagementeducation.com. A.E. Pasteris
HIGHLIGHTS NEW INITIATIVE: MINERVA ONLINE ENGINEERING STUDENT CERTIFICATION At the end of the day, it’s getting the health and safety message entrenched in the minds of our future engineers and business leaders that is the imperative. And helping educators deliver that message is what Minerva is all about. To this end, and bolstered by a survey Minerva conducted of post-secondary instructors, Minerva President Tony Pasteris and Dr. Graeme Norval (University of Toronto and a Minerva Director) met with Engineering Deans across Canada in October to discuss a proposed new Minerva initiative: developing an engineering student online certification program in health and safety. The program will be designed to meet Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board H&S requirements and will contain much of the tried and true content from Minerva’s student Teaching Modules. It will comprise four modules and cover eight domains on topics such as Hazard Analysis, Risk Management, Human Factors, Designing for Safety and Safety Leadership. It will be left in the hands of Engineering Faculties to decide how to implement the program, including making it mandatory or treating it as an elective course. Students will be able to register for the four modules sometime during their four years of engineering studies and proceed at their own pace. Plans also include adapting the modules for other programs such as business and health services. Minerva is now seeking interested university and college partners to advance the development, design and implementation of the program. We plan to launch the first module in early 2019. Be sure to check on initiative updates and progress on Minerva’s website.
ENGINEERING STUDENT TEACHING MODULES PROJECT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE AND EXPAND  Teaching Modules cover a wide range of topics, including Mental Health in the Workplace. Since 2004, Minerva Canada has been providing post-secondary educators with the tools and resources they need to teach H&S concepts in the classroom. Perhaps our most ambitious – and continually growing – initiative is our health and safety engineering student teaching modules, developed with support from our key academic and industry partners. Launched in 2011, the multi-phased $310,000 Minerva Canada Engineering Student Health and Safety Teaching Modules Project now boasts 25 modules, available on our website. The wide-ranging topics covered are designed to help future engineers better understand their legal, moral, ethical and societal responsibilities and properly prepare them for the workplace. The modules are also designed to integrate smoothly into existing courses over the four years of undergraduate engineering and assist professors who may lack specific knowledge and confidence when teaching H&S. There is even a voice-over version of the Risk Management presentation, courtesy of the University of Toronto, with more of these in the works. The project was unanimously endorsed by the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science (NCDEAS), and the National Council of Deans of Technology (NCDoT). The modules are also applicable for use by any faculty at colleges and universities. Post-secondary institutions from across Canada – Dalhousie, University of Toronto, Ryerson, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Western University, Laurentian University, University of Waterloo, University of Manitoba, Queen’s University, University of Calgary, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, and Fanshawe College – were involved in the creation of the modules. Teams comprising engineering professors and grad students developed the modules, alongside industry experts from companies including Nova Chemicals, Trimac, Imperial Oil, Bruce Power, BC Hydro, General Motors, and Shell Canada. What’s new?
Project funding to date has been received from Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that provides research grants to universities based on an industry need, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, DuPont Canada, Imperial Oil Limited, General Motors, Bruce Power, Nova Chemicals, Shell Canada, Erco Worldwide, BASF, CF Industries, MIRARCO, Canada Post, Chemtrade Logistics, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, H.L.Blachford, Dow Chemical, Nexen, Glencore, the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals, and the Government of Nova Scotia. The next phase of the project is to develop H&S teaching materials that are deemed appropriate for use by business schools. All modules are free for any professor to download from Minerva’s website and use and most of the modules also have a set of questions to test students’ learning. For more information about the modules and how to support this initiative, contact minerva@safetymanagementeducation.com
One of our flagship programs, our Learning Forum series held in post-secondary institutions across Canada, once again achieved a record reach, attracting over 275 engineering and business professors and over 50 participants from industry, government, academia and health and safety associations. First held in 2004, Minerva’s forums have had close to 1300 engineering and business professors attend. Featuring a wide array of presentations from industry, government and academic representatives, the Forums cover how Safety, Health and Environmental Management (SHE) concepts are being applied in the workplace, and provide an opportunity for participants to hear what industry and government seek from new graduates. This year’s Forums showcased many of Minerva’s new Teaching Modules and facilitated networking between schools to discuss how best to introduce health and safety management into their programs. The Forums also included panel discussions among Minerva’s stakeholders on what is needed to boost H&S in the curricula. They also heard from past graduates on why they see the need for more H&S education. The Forums also provided professor feedback to Minerva on its proposed online engineering student H&S certification program. Cross-Canada Forums: Organizers Share Biggest Value There were five Forums held in 2017 at the University of Regina, Carleton University, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), St. Mary’s University and British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Here are a few comments from those who kindly hosted and helped Minerva organize the events. University of Regina Forum
Reviewing the well-developed and ever increasing library of Minerva Teaching Modules and sharing implementations of these modules allows for easy incorporation into the curriculum. This will benefit graduates and result in a safer workplace in our country and abroad. Participants are looking forward to further collaboration among academia, industry, government and others from the networks established at this event. Minerva provides an easy portal and tools for incorporating safety to provide knowledge and skills to develop a culture of safety.” Carleton University Forum  Carleton University Forum, May 4 “The biggest benefit was meeting people from different schools who were willing to share their experiences implementing Health and Safety into their curricula.” Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Forum
Saint Mary’s University Forum/Workshop  Saint Mary’s University Forum/Workshop, May 18 “Having the Minerva Learning Forum in Halifax was a great opportunity to bring together regulators, industry representatives and academics. The Forum served to increase faculty awareness around issues of occupational health and safety and the need to incorporate OH&S instruction in the business school curriculum.” Note: This workshop also included many professors from Canadian colleges with Occupational Health and Safety Programs who attended the May 15-17 symposium in Halifax organized by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals, one of Minerva’s important sponsors. British Columbia Institute of Technology Forum
involves our graduates. Our faculty ended the day with a toolkit of resources and a desire to play a larger role imparting a safety culture to students before they graduate.” We extend a big word of thanks, in addition to the host universities, to the many Minerva Board and Working Group members who assisted and participated during the Forums and, of course, to Minerva’s generous sponsors who truly make it happen.
ACADEMIC SURVEY: THE RESULTS ARE IN Minerva Canada strives to deliver the best possible programs and materials to post-secondary instructors. To that end, we sent a web survey to 400 educators in universities and colleges across Canada who have attended Minerva Learning Forums, asking them to tell us what they thought about our existing initiatives and how we might improve on them, what their challenges are to advancing the knowledge of health and safety in the classroom, and to provide us with suggestions on how we can help. The survey recipients also included Deans and Chairs of Canadian engineering and professional (business) schools. Ninety-two percent of respondents teach or work with students. Here is a snapshot of some of the results:
There were numerous other suggestions made to Minerva on program content, new Teaching Modules etc. Among suggestions received was to create an industry recognized certification program. (stay tuned… we’re working on it!) We would like to thank those readers who took part in our survey, and Ruth John, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), for compiling the results.
7th Annual Minerva Canada Education Award of Honour Presented
“You are ensuring that generations of engineers, designers and programmers are attuned to the importance of healthy workplaces and the many dividends that result from these workplaces,” Senator Dean said of Minerva in accepting the Award. “And among those engineers and others hearing this message are future owners of enterprises, CEO’s, and chief operating officers – those who can directly influence the priorities and culture of those enterprises. This is enormously important work and it is making a huge difference and will continue to do so. I encourage you – well actually, I implore you, to continue this work, it is vitally important and is making a huge difference. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this. And thank you for this award. I will treasure it.” “There were many of us from Minerva who were truly moved and energized (again!) with these comments that Minerva is making a difference in developing our future leaders,” said Tony Pasteris, President of Minerva Canada, who presented the award at a dinner following the Minerva Learning Forum at Carleton University on May 4. “It was great to listen to Senator Dean speak,” added Graeme Norval, Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto. “A key message was that keeping people safe at work is a fundamental public good, and that is the key role of government. Further, as he looks across the country, he recognizes that we need to find ways to share best practices and to work together better.” Senator Dean has advised governments and international organizations on public service reform and building capacity for policy-making and delivery and has chaired several expert advisory panels. In 2010, he chaired an Expert Panel examining workplace health and safety in Ontario. His report, presented to the Minister of Labour in December 2010, has been described as a road map to safer work sites in Ontario. It led to the creation of Bill 160 and the creation of the Ontario Prevention Council, led by the Chief Prevention Officer. The Expert Panel provided 45 recommendations on a list of various issues to enhance health and safety in the workplace, including recommendations on advancing education and training in post-secondary and vocational trades programs. Minerva was recognized in the recommendations as a premier organization that should continue its work in post-secondary institutions. “In commenting on the importance of educating the next generation of leaders coming out of Engineering and Business schools, Senator Dean recognized the important work that the volunteer Board of Directors at Minerva Canada undertakes to make this happen,” remarked Vic Pakalnis, MIRARCO Mining Innovation, Laurentian University. “Canadian universities should be role models for the world in health and safety in our workplaces …and Minerva Canada is giving them the tools to be that.” Senator Dean is also a recipient of the Order of Ontario. Bridging the Small Business Gap: James Ham Safe Design Engineering Student Award  Left to right, back row: Professor Grant Allen (U of T ChemE); Larry Masotti, WSPS and Minerva Canada Board Member; Lynn Brownell, President & CEO, WSPS; Prof. Graeme Norval (U of T ChemE), Minerva Canada Board Member; Tony Pasteris, President, Minerva Canada. Front row: Kayla Musalem, Katie Dritsas and Andrew Kostruba of the University of Toronto, the 2017 winners of the Minerva Canada James Ham Safe Design competition. Absent: Kenny Wei Four University of Toronto Engineering students who developed a new tool to help small businesses, often lacking in resources and expertise, meet process safety management system standards defined by CSA Z767 standards, are this year’s winners of the James Ham Safe Design Engineering Student Awards. Congratulations go to the team of Andrew Kostruba, Katie Dritsas, Kayla Musalem and Kenny Wei.
The winning team was awarded $3,500 while the runner-up winner received $1,500. “I’m pleased to say that we received a record number of submissions this year,” said Minerva President Tony Pasteris. “And this is the fifth year in a row that the U of T has won one of the first two Minerva prizes and the second year in a row a U of R team from the Engineering Faculty has received one of the top two prizes. The gauntlet has clearly been thrown down to students from other universities!” Students interested in entering the 2018 competition should visit www.safetymanagementeducation.com for rules, entry form and important dates. Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (ICBC) 2017: Cross-Canada Winners
The highly popular Human Resources Venue presentations were judged by Minerva Board Members Lynn Smith, Nina Mankovitz, Vic Pakalnis, Peter Sturm, and Tony Pasteris. Brock University’s Deborah McPhee, a Minerva Board member, as well as University of Windsor grad student Stephanie Shaw prepared the case studies for both the Preliminaries and Finals of the competition. The 2016-2017 ICBC case studies sponsored by Minerva Canada are on our website. Recognition for One of Our Own
“On behalf of all of us at Minerva Canada, congratulations, Vic, for your PEO nomination and for receiving the Ontario Volunteer Service Award,” said Minerva President Tony Pasteris. “It truly recognizes the value that you have brought on so many occasions as an individual volunteering your many skills to worthwhile Ontario organizations. We are truly fortunate to have you as part of our Minerva family.” Vic received his well-deserved award at a ceremony in Sudbury in March. According to him: “Awards are not the reason that people volunteer, but boy the ceremony is sweet, especially when you share the evening with your son!” Minerva-CIAC Responsible Care Case Study Competition – A New Venue The case study for Minerva’s second Minerva-CIAC Responsible care award was completed this summer by Waterloo University and was hosted by a Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) member firm. A new venue has been selected for this competition. Finalists will present their solutions during one of the sessions at the May 2018 WSPS Partners in Prevention Conference, in Mississauga, Ontario. “Competitions like this one, especially when in association with a respected industry association like the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, really help raise awareness among tomorrow’s leaders about the importance of health and safety,” commented Minerva President Tony Pasteris. The new case study for the Minerva- CIAC Responsible Care competition, along with the competition guidelines, will be sent to all Canadian Engineering Schools in January 2018. Workplace Safety & Prevention Services: 100 Years of Keeping Ontario Safe WSPS, the organization that supports the workplace health and safety needs of over 165,000 businesses that employ more than four million Ontarians, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. And Minerva Canada would like to celebrate right along with it. Our two organizations enjoy a long and fruitful history together; the WSPS has supported Minerva Canada almost from the very beginning, partnering with it in 1991, back when WSPS was still the Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA). “I’m not sure that Minerva Canada would be the organization it is today without the WSPS,” explains Tony Pasteris, President, who has been involved with Minerva Canada since 2001 while with Imperial Oil. “While WSPS provides administrative support and many other important activities to us without cost, that’s just the tip of the iceberg and does not reflect the fundamental nurturing of our organization from which we’ve benefited over the years. It is a very important pillar that Minerva stands on. We are extremely grateful to the outstanding support that we have and continue to receive from so many of its personnel, starting with their President and CEO, Lynn Brownell.” Visit www.wsps.ca/About-Us/Safety-100.aspx to learn more about the history of the WSPS.
XXI World Congress on Safety & Health at Work 2017
Minerva Canada made a big splash on the world stage earlier this year at the World Congress on Safety & Health at Work, held in Singapore in September. The Congress is held every three years in a different host country. It offers a platform for the exchange of information and views to experts in occupational safety and health, representatives of enterprises and workers (the social partners), decision-makers in governments and public authorities, and anyone else active in the area of occupational safety and health. Minerva was asked to be a signatory to the Singapore Accord, a commitment to improving OH&S professional and practitioner capabilities so they may more effectively guide and lead the creation of healthier and safer workplaces. Minerva Board members Anis Haque and Vic Pakalnis were there to represent Minerva for signing ceremonies of the Accord. In addition, Minerva enjoyed great visibility in a variety of presentations, including one by Anis and a joint paper presented by past IAPA President Maureen Shaw and Lisa McGuire, CEO, BC Manufacturing Safety Alliance. The joint paper, Innovative Strategies to Engaging Senior Leadership in Canada, was prepared by Maureen, Minerva’s Tony Pasteris, BC Safety Alliance and the University of Regina’s Sean Tucker. Other Places We’ve Been This Past Year  Minerva Board Members Lynn Smith, GM Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and Larry Masotti, WSPS (centre, standing) and colleagues at the GoodLife Leadership Symposium
MEET OUR 2017-2018 MINERVA NATIONAL BOARD President & Chair: A.E. (TONY) PASTERIS Vice President: PETER STURM Secretary/Treasurer: LARRY MASOTTI Meeting Coordinator: PRIYA KHABRE JULES ARTNZ-GRAY DR. SUE BRUNING ANDREW COOPER DR. ANIS HAQUE NINA MANKOVITZ IAIN MCNAB DR. DEBORAH MCPHEE DR. GRAEME NORVAL VIC PAKALNIS DR. RON PELOT DR. DON PETKAU SANDRO PERRUZZA MARCEL E. POULIOT DR. MARC ROSEN FRANK SAUNDERS DR. ROBERT SCHULZ LYNN SMITH WENDY TOBIN KATHY TULL DAVE TURNER TROY WINTERS Minerva welcomes Dr. Sue Bruning, Professor, Department of Business Administration, I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Dr. Ron Pelot, Assistant Dean – COOP, Professor- Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University, and Dr. Don Petkau, Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba. We look forward to their contributions that will further strengthen Minerva Canada. We also welcome back Priya Khabre, Executive Assistant to the WSPS President and CEO, as Minerva’s Meeting Coordinator. We extend a heartfelt thank you to outgoing Board Members Doug Ruth, Associate Dean, Design Education, Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba, Renzo Dalla Via, President, R. Dalla Via Environmental Health and Safety Consulting Ltd and to our Meeting Coordinator Joyce Carrington. “I am very pleased that Doug and Renzo have agreed to remain as part of our Working Group Committee. Both have been strong supporters and, more importantly, ambassadors for Minerva wherever they were. Since coming to Minerva, I always knew I could count on both of them for very sound advice on so many of Minerva’s programs and activities. I also thank Joyce for doing so much of the ‘behind the scenes’ work for Minerva and wish her a happy retirement,” says Tony Pasteris. “Renzo is a true champion of health and safety who started in workplaces when attention to worker safety was not a priority,” explains Board Member Graeme Norval, University of Toronto. “Over the years, he worked with numerous companies to help them manage safety better. And, he continues to be active in framing the safety issues related to nanotechnology, another valuable contribution.” “It is my pleasure to have worked with Renzo initially at the IAPA and through the transition to WSPS,” echoes Board Member Larry Masotti, WSPS. “In our many conversations, he has exemplified professionalism, occupational health and safety expertise and, in particular, a passion for the academic world.”
Minerva Canada’s sponsors from industry, academia, government and health and safety associations include a growing list of organizations committed to principles that combine efficiency and productivity within an effective Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) management culture. Minerva Canada was initiated in the mid ‘80’s from Project Minerva, first started in the USA by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). We extend a special note of appreciation to the five founding sponsor organizations of Minerva Canada, with which we continue to enjoy a fruitful relationship.
And it is with deep gratitude that we acknowledge all our sponsors and close-working partners:
University and college financial and/or in-kind supporters of Learning Forums:
Minerva Website Completely revamped in 2016, our website at www.safetymanagementeducation.com continues to feature useful information and a host of new resources to assist with teaching health and safety in colleges and universities. Features include:
We appreciate your feedback. Tell us what you think at minerva@safetymanagementeducation.com.
Minerva Canada Safety Management Education Inc. Chairman & President: A.E (Tony) Pasteris Editor: Susan Baka and Allyson Warden Minerva Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Prevention Services for the design and printing of this Annual Review. |
