SafeBild News

Lumber prices are surging to their highest levels in three years, buoyed by tight supply and better demand, leading industry executives to project a multiyear cycle that will see wood enjoy a boom experienced by other commodities such as oil, copper and coal.

When you think about staying safe while working at heights, you probably think of wearing your harness and tying off. In other words, you probably think of a fall-arrest system.

Fall arrest certainly is an effective method of protecting you and your workers from falls, but it’s not the only one. In fact, using a fall-arrest system should be your last resort.

As you know, there are several different ways you can protect yourself and your workers from falls. Guardrails, floor-opening covers, travel-restraint systems, and fall-arrest systems are the most common in Ontario construction. Here are some key points to help you choose the best method for your job.

SafeBild Inc attends OHBA Health & Safety Committee Meeting - Guest Speaker John Vanderdoelen

John is currently on secondment as Director of the Occupational Health and Safety System Review Project Secretariat. In this capacity he is responsible for providing policy and operational support to the Expert Advisory Panel appointed by the Minister of Labour to conduct a review of the OH&S System in Ontario.

His home position at the Ministry of Labour is Director of Health and Safety Policy and Program Development Branch. In this capacity he has responsibility for the development of Occupational Health and Safety legislation, regulations and program design as well as Workplace Safety Insurance legislation. He has held this position for the past 10 years.

Prior to joining the Policy Division he worked for 20 years in the Operations Division of the ministry in head office as well as in regional field offices in occupational health and safety and employment standards field enforcement work as well as operational policy development.

The new Adjustable Wall Post allows for installation of temporary guardrails on 2nd floor balconies and mezzanines. It is adjustable for distance from the wall and has adjustable finished height.

SafeBild Inc presents to Ontario Homebuilder Association (OHBA) Health & Safety Committee.

Thank you to the OHBA for the opportunity to present current guardrail solutions to members of the OHBA Health & Safety Committee. In attendance included representatives from WSIB, MOL, IHSA (formerly CSAO) and various homebuilder representatives.

President of SafeBild Inc, Joe Carvalho, had the opportunity to attend a Public Consultation meeting for the appointed Tony Dean - Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health & Safety.

For those who are unaware of this panel. The Minister of Labour appointed Tony Dean to create a panel of experts to review the Health & Safety System in Ontario.

SafeBild Presents Current Guardrail Solutions For Residential Construction At ISCA Luncheon.

BILD partnered with the drywall contractors association (ISCA) to offer a free information session on May 18, 2010 which was designed to educate individuals, contractors and homebuilders about working safely on stilts, which are now permitted on residential job-sites. Thank you to all that wer in attendance.

SafeBild Inc. was given the opportunity to deliver a presentation on current guardrail solutions including our new Stilts Extension Kit. Those in attendance were also given the opportunity to take a tour of the new state of the art ISCA training facility.

Lack of Supervision, Inadequate Training and Broken Equipment Found in Safety Blitz.

The safety blitz that began after four workers fell from scaffolding to their deaths on Christmas Eve reveals the majority of construction sites inspected – 63 per cent – had fall hazards.

Fall-related hazards were found at approximately 2,821 construction projects visited during heightened enforcement following the tragedy, according to a confidential draft report prepared for the Ministry of Labour. A total of 3,912 field visits were made to sites across Ontario from Jan. 18 to April 16, 2010.

More than half – 56 per cent – of violations found during the inspection campaign were due to missing or improper use or maintenance of guardrails, non-suspended scaffolds and fall protection systems, the report concludes.

THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY is the engine that drives Ontario’s economy!

Ontario declined sharply in 2009 from 75,076 in 2008 due to the global recession that hit Ontario hard. However, activity picked up in the last quarter of 2009 as consumer confidence improved and the real estate market led the recovery. Each new home built in Ontario is not only a roof over the head of a family, but it provides thousands

of jobs and generates significant dollars in taxes, fees and levies for all three levels of government.

April starts 201,700 vs forecast of 205,000. March revised slightly higher to 199.2 K

OTTAWA — The value of building permits rose more than expected in March, with gains in both multi-family and industrial activity, Statistics Canada reported Thursday.

Building permits increased 12.2 per cent to $6.3 billion — up 38.9 per cent from the March 2009 level.

SafeBild Inc launches the first ever GUARDRAIL BUYBACK PROGRAM. Understanding that most builders already have safety guardrail posts but;

Are you entertaining the idea of allowing stilts to be used on your job site(s)?

SafeBild Inc files application for patent in U.S. and Canada for its revolutionary advanced design of the Stilts Extension Kit which is designed to be used in conjunction with existing SafeBild Inc floor mounted post designs to simply, quickly, and effectively create a guardrail that meets all requirements for the newly legislated re-introduction of stilts for use by certain trades in the residential construction industry.

SafeBild Inc completes testing at CSA accredited facility. We bring you the very first commercially available Stilts Extension Kit that works in conjunction with Safebild Floor Mount Systems to bring the standard guardrail height (42") up to 72" to accomodate 30" stilts.

SafeBild Inc is honoured by the Toronto Construction Association (TCA) as a finalist for the TIPTA award 2009 at Construct Canada in Toronto back in December 2009

WorkSafeBC imposed record penalties of nearly $4.5 million against employers last year for violations of workplace health and safety regulations.

Housing starts are expected to rise this year and next; prices will rise ‘modestly' next year.

Starts subsided to 149,081 units last year, with activity picking up in the second half. This year, housing starts are expected to be between 152,000 and 189,300 units. And next year, that will climb to a 156,400-to-205,600 unit range.

A Toronto construction worker and father of two is dead after falling five floors outside a Scarborough apartment building.

The 45-year-old man, who had been repairing a balcony, is the fifth to die within two months in two crashes involving swing stages outside tall buildings.

Despite variations in fatality causes and frequency, falls remain the number one killer in Ontario construction.

Construction workers have fallen off edges of every description. The most common are floors, roofs, and openings in floors and roofs. When an unprotected edge makes you worry about falling, take action. Set up guardrails, install opening covers, or use a fall-arrest system securely tied off.

A number of fatal falls have occurred among small crews doing jobs of low cost and short duration. Contractors evidently thought the jobs were small and quick enough not to warrant fall protection. That was their fatal mistake.

New home prices rise 0.4 per cent in December

OTTAWA — New home prices continued to rise in December, Statistics Canada reported Thursday, as low mortgage rates helped spur purchases.

The federal agency's new housing price index rose 0.4 per cent during the month, matching November's increase.

Click here to check out the rest of the article!

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian housing starts rose by a larger than expected 5.8 percent in January, the fourth straight monthly gain, offering further proof of housing's strength in an otherwise tepid economy.

Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 186,300 units from an upwardly revised 176,100 units in December, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp said on Monday.

The number of starts was above the consensus expectation of analysts for 180,000 units. The December figure was revised up from 174,500 units.

The pace of new home construction remains the strongest since October 2008, and economists warned that the boost in building could push prices lower, especially since mortgage rates are poised to rise later in the year.

The province is amending the Construction Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to allow stilts to be used in residential construction beginning January 1, 2010. Stilts will be permitted for use by workers installing insulation and vapour barriers and finishing drywall.

Workers may use stilts only after they have completed special training and only with specific safety measures in place.

The Ontario government is launching a review into unsafe labour practices following a spate of deaths on construction sites, including those of four men who died on Christmas Eve when scaffolding collapsed at a Toronto apartment building.

The government announced yesterday that an advisory panel will look at a range of issues, including the impact of the underground economy on health and safety, as well as workplace practices, training and existing labour legislation.

Starting mid-January, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) will conduct a ”Heightened Enforcement Campaign on Fall Hazards” with a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance.

MOL inspectors will check for all fall hazards including those from suspended platforms at construction sites. They will also look for appropriate fall-protection equipment and evidence of worker training.

SafeBild presents its winter booking special to all customers from December 1 until February 28. Book now for your up and coming spring projects to save yourself 10% off the cost of your temporary safety railing needs.

SafeBild Inc will be demonstrating at the "Green House Under Contruction" at Construct Canada 2009. Demonstration will be Wednesday Dec 2, and Thurs Dec 3 at 4:15pm, and Friday Dec 4 at 12:30pm.

In this demonstration proper installation procedures, product versatility, environmental and safety benefits will be addressed. Both job safety and environmental concern should be top priority in the industry since the bottom line depends on it. SafeBild - where thinking about the environment and job safety happens. Build Green,Work Safe!

SafeBild Inc. places 3rd for the prestigious Toronto Construction Association (TCA) Innovative Product & Technology Award (TIPTA). Recognition will be given as one of the finalists at Construct Canada 2009 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This will take place during the 67th annual TCA Christmas Luncheon on Friday November 24, 2009 starting at 11:30am at the MTCC - South Building, Exhibit halls F & G.

SafeBild Inc sponsored the 17th annual charity BBQ for Habitat for Humanity held by BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association - Gta Homebuilders Association). More than 300 attended the function and collectively raised more than $24,000.

The BBQ proceeds will go towards BILD's annual commitment to Habitat for Humanity Toronto as a title home donor. Funds raised this year will be applied to their sixth Habitat home and family, however this year's BBQ featured a very special moment when they were able to present the keys to their fifth home and family at the barbecue rather than in the more formal dedication ceremony.

BUILD GREEN, WORK SAFE!


SAFEBILD BUYBACK PROGRAM	SafeBild News Come here regularly to find the most up to date news on what's happening in: Construction, Job Safety and of course SafeBild activities. August 18, 2010 By: The Globe and Mail Lumber prices at highest in three years! Lumber prices are surging to their highest levels in three years, buoyed by tight supply and better demand, leading industry executives to project a multiyear cycle that will see wood enjoy a boom experienced by other commodities such as oil, copper and coal. Click here to check out the rest of this article! August 16, 2010 IHSA Construction Industry Health & Safety News August 2010 Fall protection: What to use when When you think about staying safe while working at heights, you probably think of wearing your harness and tying off. In other words, you probably think of a fall-arrest system. Fall arrest certainly is an effective method of protecting you and your workers from falls, but it’s not the only one. In fact, using a fall-arrest system should be your last resort. As you know, there are several different ways you can protect yourself and your workers from falls. Guardrails, floor-opening covers, travel-restraint systems, and fall-arrest systems are the most common in Ontario construction. Here are some key points to help you choose the best method for your job. Click here to check out the rest of this article! August 13, 2010 SafeBild Inc attends OHBA Health & Safety Committee Meeting - Guest Speaker John Vanderdoelen John is currently on secondment as Director of the Occupational Health and Safety System Review Project Secretariat. In this capacity he is responsible for providing policy and operational support to the Expert Advisory Panel appointed by the Minister of Labour to conduct a review of the OH&S System in Ontario. His home position at the Ministry of Labour is Director of Health and Safety Policy and Program Development Branch. In this capacity he has responsibility for the development of Occupational Health and Safety legislation, regulations and program design as well as Workplace Safety Insurance legislation. He has held this position for the past 10 years. Prior to joining the Policy Division he worked for 20 years in the Operations Division of the ministry in head office as well as in regional field offices in occupational health and safety and employment standards field enforcement work as well as operational policy development. July 28, 2010 SafeBild introduces its newest product, the Adjustable Wall Post. The new Adjustable Wall Post allows for installation of temporary guardrails on 2nd floor balconies and mezzanines. It is adjustable for distance from the wall and has adjustable finished height. Check out the Products section for more details! June 7, 2010 SafeBild Inc presents to Ontario Homebuilder Association (OHBA) Health & Safety Committee. Thank you to the OHBA for the opportunity to present current guardrail solutions to members of the OHBA Health & Safety Committee. In attendance included representatives from WSIB, MOL, IHSA (formerly CSAO) and various homebuilder representatives. May 31, 2010 President of SafeBild Inc, Joe Carvalho, had the opportunity to attend a Public Consultation meeting for the appointed Tony Dean - Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health & Safety. For those who are unaware of this panel. The Minister of Labour appointed Tony Dean to create a panel of experts to review the Health & Safety System in Ontario. Click here for more information on the Expert Advisory Panel May 19, 2010 SafeBild Presents Current Guardrail Solutions For Residential Construction At ISCA Luncheon. BILD partnered with the drywall contractors association (ISCA) to offer a free information session on May 18, 2010 which was designed to educate individuals, contractors and homebuilders about working safely on stilts, which are now permitted on residential job-sites. Thank you to all that wer in attendance. SafeBild Inc. was given the opportunity to deliver a presentation on current guardrail solutions including our new Stilts Extension Kit. Those in attendance were also given the opportunity to take a tour of the new state of the art ISCA training facility. May 14, 2010 By: TheStar.com Construction Sites Rife With Safety Hazards! Lack of Supervision, Inadequate Training and Broken Equipment Found in Safety Blitz. The safety blitz that began after four workers fell from scaffolding to their deaths on Christmas Eve reveals the majority of construction sites inspected – 63 per cent – had fall hazards. Fall-related hazards were found at approximately 2,821 construction projects visited during heightened enforcement following the tragedy, according to a confidential draft report prepared for the Ministry of Labour. A total of 3,912 field visits were made to sites across Ontario from Jan. 18 to April 16, 2010. More than half – 56 per cent – of violations found during the inspection campaign were due to missing or improper use or maintenance of guardrails, non-suspended scaffolds and fall protection systems, the report concludes. Click here to check out the rest of this article! May 12, 2010 By: OHBA THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY is the engine that drives Ontario’s economy! 50,370 Housing Starts Housing starts in Ontario declined sharply in 2009 from 75,076 in 2008 due to the global recession that hit Ontario hard. However, activity picked up in the last quarter of 2009 as consumer confidence improved and the real estate market led the recovery. Each new home built in Ontario is not only a roof over the head of a family, but it provides thousands of jobs and generates significant dollars in taxes, fees and levies for all three levels of government. Click here to check out the rest of this article! May 10, 2010 By: Reuters UPDATE 2 - Canada April Housing Starts to Edge Up, Condos Strong April starts 201,700 vs forecast of 205,000. March revised slightly higher to 199.2 K Multiples soar 27.2%, single homes down 12.7% Click here to check out the rest of this article! May 6, 2010 By: The Vancouver Sun Canadian Building Permits Surge in March OTTAWA — The value of building permits rose more than expected in March, with gains in both multi-family and industrial activity, Statistics Canada reported Thursday. Building permits increased 12.2 per cent to $6.3 billion — up 38.9 per cent from the March 2009 level. Click here to check out the rest of this article! April 28, 2010 SafeBild Inc launches the first ever GUARDRAIL BUYBACK PROGRAM. Understanding that most builders already have safety guardrail posts but; Are your guardrail post at the end of their lives? Do they meet the NEW requirements for guardrail safety? Do you have supporting engineering documents on site? Are you entertaining the idea of allowing stilts to be used on your job site(s)? Would you like to not have to fasten into a floor joist anymore? If answering these questions peaks your interest click here. April 28, 2010 SafeBild Inc files application for patent in U.S. and Canada for its revolutionary advanced design of the Stilts Extension Kit which is designed to be used in conjunction with existing SafeBild Inc floor mounted post designs to simply, quickly, and effectively create a guardrail that meets all requirements for the newly legislated re-introduction of stilts for use by certain trades in the residential construction industry. April 23, 2010 SafeBild Inc completes testing at CSA accredited facility. We bring you the very first commercially available Stilts Extension Kit that works in conjunction with Safebild Floor Mount Systems to bring the standard guardrail height (42") up to 72" to accomodate 30" stilts. March 16, 2010 SafeBild Inc is honoured by the Toronto Construction Association (TCA) as a finalist for the TIPTA award 2009 at Construct Canada in Toronto back in December 2009 March 15, 2010 By: Vancouver Sun Almost 60 per cent of WorkSafeBC penalties were in construction WorkSafeBC imposed record penalties of nearly $4.5 million against employers last year for violations of workplace health and safety regulations. Click here to check out the rest of this article! March 2, 2010 By: The Globe and Mail Home building to pick up speed: CMHC Housing starts are expected to rise this year and next; prices will rise ‘modestly' next year. Starts subsided to 149,081 units last year, with activity picking up in the second half. This year, housing starts are expected to be between 152,000 and 189,300 units. And next year, that will climb to a 156,400-to-205,600 unit range. Click here to check out the rest of this article! February 19, 2010 By: Toronto Sun Construction worker dies after five-storey fall A Toronto construction worker and father of two is dead after falling five floors outside a Scarborough apartment building. The 45-year-old man, who had been repairing a balcony, is the fifth to die within two months in two crashes involving swing stages outside tall buildings. Click here to check out the rest of this article! February 18, 2010 By: CSAO Falls the number 1 cause of construction deaths. Get the edge on falls Despite variations in fatality causes and frequency, falls remain the number one killer in Ontario construction. Construction workers have fallen off edges of every description. The most common are floors, roofs, and openings in floors and roofs. When an unprotected edge makes you worry about falling, take action. Set up guardrails, install opening covers, or use a fall-arrest system securely tied off. A number of fatal falls have occurred among small crews doing jobs of low cost and short duration. Contractors evidently thought the jobs were small and quick enough not to warrant fall protection. That was their fatal mistake. Click here to check out the rest of the article! February 17, 2010 By: The Gazzette New home prices rise 0.4 per cent in December OTTAWA — New home prices continued to rise in December, Statistics Canada reported Thursday, as low mortgage rates helped spur purchases. The federal agency's new housing price index rose 0.4 per cent during the month, matching November's increase. Click here to check out the rest of the article! February 8, 2010 By: Reuters Canadas Housing starts rise 5.8% in January TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian housing starts rose by a larger than expected 5.8 percent in January, the fourth straight monthly gain, offering further proof of housing's strength in an otherwise tepid economy. Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 186,300 units from an upwardly revised 176,100 units in December, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp said on Monday. The number of starts was above the consensus expectation of analysts for 180,000 units. The December figure was revised up from 174,500 units. The pace of new home construction remains the strongest since October 2008, and economists warned that the boost in building could push prices lower, especially since mortgage rates are poised to rise later in the year. Click here to check out the rest of the article! February 1, 2010 The province is amending the Construction Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to allow stilts to be used in residential construction beginning January 1, 2010. Stilts will be permitted for use by workers installing insulation and vapour barriers and finishing drywall. Workers may use stilts only after they have completed special training and only with specific safety measures in place. Click here to view the complete ammended regulation! January 28, 2010 Posted today in: Globe and Mail National The Ontario government is launching a review into unsafe labour practices following a spate of deaths on construction sites, including those of four men who died on Christmas Eve when scaffolding collapsed at a Toronto apartment building. The government announced yesterday that an advisory panel will look at a range of issues, including the impact of the underground economy on health and safety, as well as workplace practices, training and existing labour legislation. Click here to check out the rest of this article! January 1, 2010 MOL Campaign: Fall Hazards Starting mid-January, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) will conduct a ”Heightened Enforcement Campaign on Fall Hazards” with a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance. MOL inspectors will check for all fall hazards including those from suspended platforms at construction sites. They will also look for appropriate fall-protection equipment and evidence of worker training. December 5, 2009 SafeBild would like to thank everyone for helping to make this years Construct Canada - Homebuilder & Renovator Expo 2009 a great success. We look forward to seeing all of you again in the coming year. Don't forget about us. We definetely won't forget you! December 1, 2009 SafeBild presents its winter booking special to all customers from December 1 until February 28. Book now for your up and coming spring projects to save yourself 10% off the cost of your temporary safety railing needs. November 14, 2009 SafeBild Inc will be demonstrating at the "Green House Under Contruction" at Construct Canada 2009. Demonstration will be Wednesday Dec 2, and Thurs Dec 3 at 4:15pm, and Friday Dec 4 at 12:30pm. Discussing: New Advances in Temporary Safety Railing Design In this demonstration proper installation procedures, product versatility, environmental and safety benefits will be addressed. Both job safety and environmental concern should be top priority in the industry since the bottom line depends on it. SafeBild - where thinking about the environment and job safety happens. Build Green,Work Safe! Joe Carvalho, President SafeBild Inc. Booth# 336 November 12, 2009 SafeBild Inc. places 3rd for the prestigious Toronto Construction Association (TCA) Innovative Product & Technology Award (TIPTA). Recognition will be given as one of the finalists at Construct Canada 2009 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This will take place during the 67th annual TCA Christmas Luncheon on Friday November 24, 2009 starting at 11:30am at the MTCC - South Building, Exhibit halls F & G. July 8, 2009 SafeBild Inc sponsored the 17th annual charity BBQ for Habitat for Humanity held by BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association - Gta Homebuilders Association). More than 300 attended the function and collectively raised more than $24,000. The BBQ proceeds will go towards BILD's annual commitment to Habitat for Humanity Toronto as a title home donor. Funds raised this year will be applied to their sixth Habitat home and family, however this year's BBQ featured a very special moment when they were able to present the keys to their fifth home and family at the barbecue rather than in the more formal dedication ceremony.
	Copyright © 2009 SafeBild Inc.