WCB Participates in Provincial Skills Canada Competition - March 2004

The Workers Compensation Board is participating in the 7th Annual Provincial Skills Competition, hosted by Skills Canada P.E.I. at this year’s Provincial Home Show. The competition takes place on March 5-7, 2004 and involves young people from across the province looking to capture the provincial title in trade and technical fields. This year, for the first time ever on P.E.I., workplace health and safety will be featured as a skill area in the competition.

George Stewart, Director of Occupational Health and Safety for the Workers Compensation Board, said he is pleased that “a workplace health and safety component is included in this year’s competition. There are many young people entering the workforce and it is essential that they are aware of the dangers in the workplace.”

Stewart explained that “students who compete will write a general knowledge health and safety examination, inspect a mock workplace to identify hazards and deliver a short presentation on a health and safety topic.”

The Chair of the Workers Compensation Board, Jim Lee, said “the workplace health and safety component is an excellent addition to this year’s Skills Canada competition. It is important that we focus on young worker safety as on average, five young workers are injured every week on Prince Edward Island. Through education and awareness we can help prevent young workers from being injured or killed on the job.”

For more information contact Mark Barrett:

Tel: (902) 894-0362
Email: mabarrett@wcb.pe.ca