DUFFERIN AGGREGATES FLAMBORO QUARRY WINS 2021 SAFETY INNOVATION AWARD FROM OSSGA

OSSGA’s 2021 Innovation Award

In 2020, OSSGA introduced the Safety Innovation Award, which recognizes innovative practices, programs and projects in Ontario’s aggregate industry. The award honours innovations that improve the health and safety of employees, subcontractors and the public in the areas of OHS management systems, health and safety training, wellness programs and culture.

2021 Winner

CRH Canada Group Inc. - Dufferin Aggregates Flamboro Quarry

Project Name: Headbox Modification

Project Team: Joint Health and Safety Committee, Amar Khan, Dale Arnold, Paul Sardella, Odette Palis, Neil Woodcock

The innovation came about when the JHSC team discussed concerns regarding clearing material jams from the headbox. The usual procedure involved climbing onto the belt to access the headbox. The team at the Flamboro Quarry worked with Sovereign Fusion to engineer a solution that allowed workers to access the jam in the headbox safely by adding a lockable gate. Through Safe Work Procedure review and collaboration with the JHSC, a common Working at Heights risk was eliminated while ultimately improving plant performance and efficiencies.

Dufferin Aggregates was awarded the 2021 Safety Innovation Award at OSSGA’s 2022 Annual Conference in Toronto.

Honourable Mentions:

1. CRH Canada Group Inc.  Dufferin Aggregates - Flamboro Quarry Project: Installation of additional platforms with guardrails to the fines screen platform to eliminate working at heights risk.
2. CRH Canada Group Inc. Dufferin Aggregates - Millcreek Pit Project: Implementation of an electric belt cutter as a safer replacement for knives for cutting/splicing conveyor belts and rubber skirting.
3. CRH Canada Group Inc. Dufferin Aggregates - Teedon Pit Project: Installation of a hand railing to allow employees to access the flume chute safely, avoiding working at heights.
4. CRH Canada Group Inc. Dufferin Aggregates - Teedon Pit Project: Improved traffic flow and avoiding truck lineups by relocating overload area, creating a dedicated tarping area, and relocating parking area to prevent pedestrians from walking into traffic.

For more information on OSSGA’s Industry Recognition Awards Program, please visit ossga.com/awards. For a growing list of past winners, please visit GravelFacts.ca/community

OSSGA Industry Recognition Awards Program

The OSSGA Industry Recognition Awards Program recognizes a wide range of activities that contribute to a progressive image of our member aggregate producers and the aggregate industry as a whole. A key goal is to raise the bar in the industry by highlighting operations that go above and beyond what is required by legislation.

“We encourage each member to strive for excellence in their operations, to be sound stewards of the lands on which they operate, and to be engaged and valued members of their community,” said Norm Cheesman, Executive Director of OSSGA. “All of OSSGA’s 2021 Industry Recognition Award winners have gone far above our expectations.”

ABOUT OSSGA

The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) is a non-profit industry association representing over 280 sand, gravel and crushed stone producers and suppliers of valuable industry products and services. Collectively, our members produce a large majority of the approximately 164 million tonnes of aggregate consumed annually on average in the province to build and maintain Ontario’s infrastructure needs. OSSGA works in partnership with government and the public to promote a safe and competitive aggregate industry contributing to the creation of strong communities in the province.

For more information, please contact:

Richard Hillier, Manager, Communications
Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association
Office: 905.507.0711 ext. 206
rhillier@ossga.com