Employees celebrating achievement and commitment to healthy, safe workplaces
Cyclist Safety Strategy also launched to support ongoing efforts
TORONTO, May 11, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Lafarge Canada Inc. today launched it's annual Health and Safety Month. During the month of May, Lafarge plants and facilities across Canada will celebrate and acknowledge their achievements towards building health and safety awareness through a variety of programs and demonstrations, access to on-site health and wellness professionals, field days, and community events that promote health and safety beyond the workplace.
This year's theme for Health and Safety month is "Committed, Open and Uncompromising". Committed refers to Lafarge's commitment to personal engagement around safety, always being aware, and care for others. Open refers to Lafarge's commitment to giving and receiving feedback in the area of health and safety, along with the principles of sharing and exchanging of best practices. Uncompromising refers to Lafarge's commitment of zero tolerance for serious incidents, taking personal responsibility, and always following up on these issues.
"Health and safety is our top business priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to this ideal," said Bruno Roux, President and CEO for Lafarge in Eastern Canada. "Health & Safety Month is our annual opportunity to celebrate successes and to review safety protocols such as regular safety training for new and seasoned employees alike and field-level risk assessments to ensure that best practices are consistently applied throughout our operations," added Roux.
In support of Health and Safety month, the Eastern Canada division of Lafarge is launching its Cyclist Safety Strategy. This strategy is designed to support the safety of cyclists on our roadways, and has five pillars: Health Promotion, Infrastructure, Vehicle Safety, Driver Education, and Cyclist Education.
"At Lafarge, we support efforts to encourage more Canadians to adopt cycling, both as a means of transportation and to promote a healthy and active lifestyle," said Dion Markettos, Director – Health and Safety for Lafarge in Eastern Canada. "Our mission is to actively participate in building better cities and communities. Such communities that are built to accommodate and encourage cycling are better places to live as they are more accessible, more inclusive and more productive. They are communities that are healthier, safer and more vibrant," added Markettos.
Cycling provides excellent opportunities for exercise whether undertaken recreationally, or as a means to get to school, to work, or to run errands especially for distances less than five kilometers. For many Canadians living in urban centres, cycling presents a viable and sustainable alternative mode of transportation.
Recent research has acknowledged, however, that safety concerns represent the greatest barrier for Canadians to adopt cycling. To encourage more people to lead active lifestyles, Lafarge is committed to play a leading role in providing solutions to ensure safe cycling for all Canadians.
Lafarge is also supporting this strategy through the upgrading of it's vehicle fleet to include cyclist warning signs, tri-pod mirror brackets, auxiliary right turn signals, and under-run protection brackets. Each of these measures should reduce the risks to cyclists when sharing the road with Lafarge vehicles. The company will also be providing additional training to its drivers as well as community engagement events to educate the public on the best ways to mitigate risks
About Lafarge Canada Inc.
Lafarge is Canada's largest provider of solutions to the construction and development industry. With more than 6000 employees across Canada, our mission is to provide construction solutions that build better cities and communities. The cities where we live, work, and raise our families along with the infrastructure that supports our communities such as roads, bridges, transportation links, water, and waste management benefit from the solutions provided by Lafarge.
Through our Sustainability Ambitions for 2020, Lafarge is committed to providing solutions using sustainable manufacturing practices and improving the environment in and around our operations. At locations across Canada, we have worked to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, restore wetlands for native plants and animals, and identify waste materials that can be recycled and used at our operations.
SOURCE Lafarge Canada Inc.
Karine Cousineau, Manager, Communications and Public Affairs (Quebec), Lafarge Canada Inc., 514-706-4884 (mobile), 514-428-7290 (direct), [email protected]; or Regan Watts, Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Lafarge Canada Inc., 416-528-2901 (mobile), [email protected]
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