Edmonton, Alberta, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 55 per cent of all Workers Compensation Board (WCB) claims in Alberta's construction industry are injuries to first-year workers, and more than two-thirds of the construction workforce are concerned about their psychological health and safety. The Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) is responding to these challenges with its sold-out 2024 Conference, Safety Foundations: Constructing a Culture of Excellence, on November 6 and 7 at the River Cree Resort in Edmonton.
"Our annual conference is about equipping our members with practical strategies and tools to address safety and industry concerns head-on," says ACSA Chief Executive Officer Mark Hoosein. "In this first year delivering our Five-Year Strategic Plan, we are focusing on the foundations of safety, helping create a culture of excellence and a more resilient workforce that can meet the demands of our changing industry."
Member and industry solutions for pressing industry challenges
The industry is also facing a significant labour shortage. BuildForce Canada forecasts Alberta will need to replace almost a quarter, 42,500 of its 2023 workforce by 2033. According to Statistics Canada, the construction job vacancy rate jumped to 6.7 per cent in 2023. Historically, it has never exceeded 3.5 per cent.
While the province's younger population seems promising in closing the gap, encouraging them to enter a career in trades is directly tied to their perception of the elevated risk associated with construction. There are also challenges for small employers or owners/operators. They have minimal resources and multiple responsibilities—from safety to project management and day-to-day operations.
"Safety is foundational to everything we build," says Hoosein. "We help our members foster a culture beyond compliance and drive safety and business excellence together."
Industry-leading speakers and sessions
The conference features Randy Spracklin, star of HGTV's Rock Solid Builds, who will share his experience as a business owner navigating the challenges of construction safety and project management. Plus, keynote speaker Kevin Rempel, a Canadian Paralympian and mental health advocate, will speak from personal experience on the importance of collective efforts in overcoming workplace injuries.
The conference offers breakout sessions on improving safety performance and business success, including effective subcontractor management, proactive safety leadership, workplace violence prevention, and turning penalties and court rulings into opportunities for improvement. These sessions can benefit construction workers, companies and the industry.
"In many organizations, incident reports can feel like an administrative burden, but our experts will show how these reports can prevent future incidents, strengthen your company's safety culture, and prepare you in the event of an investigation," says Hoosein. "Our goal is simple: we want every attendee to leave this conference with tools they can action to strengthen their safety programs and ensure the long-term success of their businesses."
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Media inquiries and opportunities to connect
ACSA invites the media to attend its 2024 Conference to engage with industry leaders and safety experts. Interviews with ACSA CEO Mark Hoosein, keynote speakers and session presenters are available upon request. Mark is also available for pre-conference interviews on November 5.
View the ACSA 2024 Conference media kit here: youracsa.ca/acsa-conference/acsa-2024-conference-media-kit/.
About ACSA
With over 56,000 member companies, the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA), a member-focused, industry-funded not-for-profit organization, is Alberta's largest certifying partner. Recognizing that safety is a collective effort, ACSA works with members and industry experts to foster safety and business excellence.
In 2023, ACSA provided training to over 21,500 workers, giving them the skills and knowledge to reduce incidents and improve the safety culture in their organizations. ACSA is a certifying partner for the Certificate of Recognition (COR), which helps companies reduce injury claims, with COR-certified companies, on average, seeing a 14 per cent decrease in lost-time claims (AB COR Research, Partnership for Work Health and Safety).
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