Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Major projects, retirements make apprenticeships key

Change is needed in societal attitudes to blue-collar jobs if trades are to attract today’s youth, experts say


Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Major+projects+retirements+make+apprenticeships/7967105/story.html#ixzz2LNHb8IQA

Major projects, retirements make apprenticeships key

Iain Adams (left) and Graeme Herman (right) work in the carpentry program, Jan. 16, at Burnaby’s BCIT campus. Trades need apprentices as the baby boomers and economic boom in northern BC is creating a shortage.

 

Photograph by: Ward Perrin , PROVINCE

 

Rod Goy remembers a time when it seemed like there were always more apprentices looking for work in the trades in B.C. than there were jobs. And that had been the case for years and years. It is no longer the case, says Goy, dean of the School of Construction and Environment at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. And the trend worries him a little.

“There’s going to be continued growth in the Vancouver area, but there’s going to be huge growth in northern British Columbia,” he said.“That’s where the jobs are.”

The boom from projects such as liquefied natural gas plants, pipelines, shipbuilding, and a flourishing mining industry are driving that demand for labour. From the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline in Kitimat, to the development of liquid natural gas export facilities, to the construction of the Site C Dam on the Peace River, the opportunities for construction workers, welders, industrial mechanics and electricians in B.C. seem endless.

Until recently, the apprenticeship model in B.C. seemed to be meeting industry’s needs for workers, said Goy. But he says a huge labour shortage is expected as early as 2015. The government projects that of one million job openings expected by 2020, 43 per cent will require skilled workers.

“Even if all our young people go into trades training today — they all want to become construction workers, which isn’t likely — we’re still going to need 20,000 more in order to get the projects built that are on the books today,” said Abigail Fulton, vice-president of the BC Construction Association.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Major+projects+retirements+make+apprenticeships/7967105/story.html#ixzz2LNHsCVOO

Some Apprenticeships in the West


Job # Trade
City 
# level
12628 Hoisting Engineer in Hamilton x 1 1yr
12625 Heavy Duty Equipment Technician in Hamilton x 1 1yr
12621 Automotive Service Technician in Harriston x 1 0yr
12617 General Carpenter in Freelton x 1 0yr
12612 Electrician in Guelph x 1 3yr
12611 Electrician in Guelph x 1 0yr
12610 Sheet Metal Worker in Stoney Creek x 1 0yr
12596 Sheet Metal Worker in Hamilton x 4 4yr
12578 Tool & Die Maker in Cambridge x 2 3yr
12572 Horticultural Technician in Stoney Creek x 1 0yr
12562 Plumber in Arthur x 1 2yr
12561 Automotive Service Technician in Hamilton x 2 2yr
12560 Agricultural Equipment Technician in Chepstow x 1 1yr
12547 Tool & Die Maker in Cambridge x 1 1yr
12530 Automotive Service Technician in Hamilton x 1 1yr
12497 Welder in Stratford x 2 1yr
12496 Industrial Mechanic Millwright in Stratford x 2 1st-4th
12488 Plumber in Stoney Creek x 1 1yr
12479 Electrician in Hamilton x 2 4yr
12457 Automotive Service Technician in Hamilton x 1 4yr
12399 Industrial Electrician in Listowel x 4 1yr
12348 Truck & Trailer Service Technician in St. Agatha x 1 4yr
12332 Construction Millwright in Newton x 2 3yr

to apply to these Apprenticeships and more register and or login into your account at apprenticesearch.com

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Safety: COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION

In the construction trades, workers and supervisors must constantly act and react to their changing environment. In doing so, they exchange facts, plans, and proposals. The one essential ingredient in all of these activities is communication.

Think for a moment of the types of communication common to worksites in construction:

• contracts
• blueprints
• safety talks
• health and safety committee minutes
• hand signals for hoisting and traffic control
• radio transmissions
• training sessions
• accident reports
• WSIB forms
• instructions to new workers
• specifications
• WHMIS labels and material safety data sheets
• regulations
• operating manuals.

All of these communications involve messages of different types being sent to and from senders and receivers.

These are the elements in the communications cycle, which consists of a sequence of steps. If any step is interfered with, blocked, or left incomplete the result will be miscommunication or no communication at all.

Step 1
Using his or her knowledge and experience, a "sender" creates a message in his or her mind.

Step 2
The message is "encoded." This means the message is put into speech for oral communication; into writing for written communication; or into signals or images for visual communication.

Step 3
After encoding the message, the sender sends or "transmits" it. In verbal communication, the message is transmitted by speech.Written communications are delivered by hand, mail, FAX, or over a computer network. In visual communication, a signal is transmitted by hand, flag, pictures, or images.

Step 4
The "receiver" receives, that is, hears, reads, or sees the message.

Step 5
Using his or her own unique knowledge and experience, the receiver interprets the message.

To read more about Communication download PDF here

Monday, February 4, 2013

Safety: HAND/SKIN PROTECTION

HAND/SKIN PROTECTION

In construction, exposed hands and skin are susceptible to physical, chemical, and radiation hazards. Personal hand/skin protection is often the only practical means of preventing injury from:
 • physical hazards—sharp or jagged edges on materials and tools; heat; vibration
• corrosive or toxic chemicals
• ultraviolet radiation.

Physical Hazards
For physical hazards such as sharp edges, splinters, and heat, leather gloves are the preferred protection. Cotton or other materials do not stand up well and are recommended only for light-duty jobs.

Vibration transferred from tools and equipment can affect hands and arms. One result may be hand/arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). This disease causes the following changes in fingers and hands:
• circulation problems such as whitening or bluish discoloration, especially after exposure to cold
• sensory problems such as numbness and tingling
• musculoskeletal problems such as difficulty with fine motor movements—for instance, picking up small objects.

Workers who use vibrating tools such as jackhammers, grinders, riveters, and compactors on a daily basis may develop HAVS. Preventing this disease requires cooperation between employers and workers.

Employers
• Provide power tools with built-in vibration-reducing components.
• Review exposure times and allow rest breaks away from vibrating tools.
• Ensure proper tool maintenance (worn grinding wheels or tool bearings can lead to higher vibration levels).
• Train exposed workers in prevention techniques.
• Provide anti-vibration gloves.

Workers
• Wear appropriate clothing in cooler weather to maintain core body temperature.
• Wear gloves whenever possible.
• Wear anti-vibration gloves when using power tools and equipment.
• Avoid smoking (smoking contributes to circulatoryproblems).
• Report any poorly functioning tools immediately.

to download and read more of this PDF click here