AURORA, Ont. — The votes are in and the winners have emerged. After rigorous screening by members of the judging panel, the search for Canada’s Safest Employers has ended and five companies from Canada’s manufacturing industry have earned the title of Canada’s Safest Employers.

•    Atotech Canada Ltd. (Ontario)

•    CCI Thermal Technologies, Inc. (Ontario)

•    GE Aviation (Quebec)

•    Innovative Automation, Inc. (Ontario)

•    Pratt & Whitney Canada — Halifax (Nova Scotia)

In its inaugural year, the search for Canada’s Safest Employers focused on the manufacturing industry. Over 100 nominations were received from employers across the country. In addition to the nomination forms — where nominees provided details of their health and safety management system — qualified entrants were also asked to complete a safety perception survey. The survey was administered to their employees and the results were provided to our judges for consideration.

The safety perception survey provided a snapshot of how a company’s health and safety programs and policies are viewed by their employees.

“Canadian Occupational Safety is proud to announce the five companies that emerged as the most exemplary in their safety performance and therefore, deserving to be called Canada’s Safest Employers,” says Mari-Len De Guzman, editor of Canadian Occupational Safety magazine, organizer of Canada’s Safest Employers Award.

“The response to Canada’s Safest Employers Award has been impressive. We reviewed over a hundred submissions and commend all these companies for the work that they do in keeping their workers and workplace safe.”

The award will be presented to the winners at a gala dinner on Tuesday, September 27, at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. 

Canada’s Safest Employers Award was launched in December 2010 as a program to recognize outstanding Canadian companies that are making a difference in promoting the health and safety of their workers. The search for the 2012 Canada’s Safest Employers will open this December and will be expanding to other industries beyond manufacturing.

Canada’s Safest Employers Award was launched in December 2010, with the support of title sponsor Acklands-Grainger, as a program to recognize outstanding Canadian companies that are making a difference in promoting the health and safety of their workers.

“As Canada’s largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products, we understand the importance of building a strong safety-oriented culture and are energized at the opportunity to recognize those companies who are setting a positive example in their industry,” says Sean O’Brien, president of Acklands-Grainger. “We congratulate each of the deserving companies on their safety achievements and wish them continued safety success.”

Founded in 1889, Acklands-Grainger is Canada’s largest distributor of industrial, safety, and fastener products, with over 120,000 in-stock products available from 170 branches and six distribution centres coast to coast. 

Pick up a copy of the August/September 2011 issue of Canadian Occupational Safety magazine to learn more about this year’s Canada’s Safest Employers Award recipients.

Nominations for the 2012 Canada’s Safest Employers Award will open this December.

Canadian Occupational Safety is Canada’s premier information source for health and safety professionals, published six times a year by Aurora, Ont.-based Annex Publishing and Printing, Inc.

Canada’s Safest Employers Award is sponsored by Acklands-Grainger Inc. (title sponsor); MSA (silver sponsor); Toyota Industrial, SBH Management Lawyers, Compass Health and Safety Ltd , Danatec and 3M. For more information about Canada’s Safest Employers Award, visit the website at www.safestemployers.com.