December 6, 2023 – Established in 2010, Electrical Safety Authority’s annual Electrical Safety Awards recognize “exemplary electrical safety leadership” in the Province of Ontario. Congratulations to the following 2023 electrical safety champs:

Worker Safety Award

UTILITIES KINGSTON was recognized for its commitment to educating workers in the Eastern region on electrical safety through its annual two-day Safety Days, which provide safety requirements and information for both employees of Utilities Kingston and contractors working for the City of Kingston on underground and overhead utility infrastructure.

Accepting the award for Utilities Kingston was Scott Robinson, supervisor, Health & Safety, Utilities Kingston (photo). He noted that Safety Days started humbly, with 10 people in a hotel meeting room.

The annual event features a range of training sessions and informative presentations from guest speakers, and serves as a platform for disseminating safety knowledge and best practices. The last Safety Days attracted over 400 workers from about 150 different companies.

Powerline Safety Award

ROXBOROUGH BUS LINES was recognized “for taking a significant step toward ensuring the safety of schoolchildren and its drivers” by conducting specialized training on the dangers of downed powerlines for its drivers. The company has trained over 500 drivers on the risks associated with downed powerlines, and how to protect both themselves and their passengers.

The award was accepted on behalf of Roxborough by Nansy Hanna, P.Eng., senior director, Engineering & Regulations, ESA (photo).

Consumer and Home Safety Award

INNOVATION ELECTRIC INC. was recognized for its contribution toward educating children on electrical safety, and its dedication to bridging language barriers.

Innovation launched a colouring contest for the Chinese-speaking children in a Chinese-language magazine. Through this initiative, Innovation “not only empowered children, but also their families and communities to make informed decisions regarding electrical safety”.

Anjelica Chan accepted the award for Innovation Electric (photo).

Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) Recognition Award

ROBERTS ONSITE INC. was recognized for its “outstanding commitment to creating a safety culture with their employees”.

“We want everyone to go home the same way they showed up to work,” said Todd Milner, electrical manager, who accepted the award for Roberts Onsite (photo).

In addition to its proactive safety measures and industry participation, Roberts embraces the principle of continual improvement, always seeking ways to enhance health & safety practices. This approach promotes regular communication, training, and evaluation within the organization.

Special Recognition Award – Public Safety Officer

Patience Cathcart—ESA’s director, Data Science, and Public Safety Officer—recognized ROB ELLIS, the founder and president of MySafeWork, “for his tireless commitment to improving workplace safety, and his unwavering dedication to protecting workers lives—especially those of young workers”.

Cathcart accepted the award on Ellis’ behalf (photo).

The awards were presented following ESA’s year-in-review. Josie Erzetic, ESA’s president & CEO, announced her organization has completed 90% of the recommendations in the Auditor General’s report “Value‐for‐money audit: Electrical Safety Authority” (December 2020).

Cathcart also announced the publication of ESA’s Ontario Electrical Safety Report (2022). While progress has been made to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries, there has been a shift—even an increase—to the number of non-occupational electrical fatalities.

DOWNLOAD the 2022 Ontario Electrical Safety Report (PDF): ESA-OESR-2022-FULL-FINAL

Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority is responsible for administering specific regulations related to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of electrical contractors and master electricians, electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety.