Facilitating Emergency Preparedness in Our Communities – One Italian Beef Sandwich at a Time

Submitted by Keith Kuhlmann, Regional Safety and Environment Coordinator (Columbus, OH)

Tampa's Fire Rescue team evaluates our
historic office for evacuation routes

In honor of North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week this week, our Health, Safety and Environmental group (HSE) recognizes our Tampa, Florida staff for their unique partnering arrangement with Tampa Fire Rescue Station 4. Neighbors in the historic Ybor City area of Tampa, they have forged a friendship that combines mutual training opportunities with food, fun, and fellowship.

A former cigar factory, our Tampa office dates to circa 1895 and the three-story structure presents unique brick, masonry, and heavy timber construction and a basement, not commonly found in this area of Florida. Noting the special challenges for emergency responders that our building could present, the Tampa Fire Rescue team asked for the opportunity to bring crews to tour the building and develop a specialized response plan in case of an alarm.  At the same time, Stantec was seeking an outside vendor to conduct fire extinguisher training for our staff.  Thus, a partnership was struck. And since 2006,  Stantec hosts an annual walkthrough of our building and a gourmet lunch, followed by Station 4 hosting fire extinguisher training and a delicious buffet prepared by the firefighters in the station kitchen. As our administrative manager and one of our two office safety coordinators Mary Beth McGill likes to say, “We do like to eat here in Tampa!” (And many thanks to Mary Beth for all of her hard work coordinating our safety activities.)

Our latest training and lunch exchange coincided closely with NAOSH week. Recently, several of our Emergency Responders and Focused Site Safety Committee members attended fire extinguisher training at the station, followed by a lunch of traditional homemade Spanish bean soup, which is a signature dish for the historic district.  Stantec then returned the favor, this time welcoming firefighters from Stations 1 and 10 in addition to those from Station 4.  After walking the building and providing several helpful recommendations, the fire crews enjoyed a true epicurean feast, which included Italian beef sandwiches, roasted pork, salads, sides, and desserts.

Keith Kuhlmann

Based on the input received after the walkthrough, several modifications to our Emergency Response Plan were made, including adding keys to the generator enclosure to our Knox lockbox, which is accessible to emergency responders. We will also be adding some signage to our generator to more clearly indicate the power shut off location, as well as relocating our evacuation gathering area.

NAOSH Week is a great time to reevaluate these kinds of safety practices and precautions. But add in delicious home cooking and you’ll get people there any time of year!

Happy Health and Safety Week!

Submitted by Landon Tait, Health, Safety and Environment Coordinator (Markham, ON)

The Steps for Life walk helps support 
families affected by a workplace tragedy

It’s North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, and many Stantec offices will be hosting activities and events to help promote occupational health and safety.

To give a bit of a history, the inaugural “NAOSH Week” was held in 1997. For a decade before this the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering had observed Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Week (CSSE). After many discussions and meetings during the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks, government labor department representatives from Canada, the United States and Mexico agreed to a proposal to expand the Canadian format into a formalized North American concept. Since 1997, the management and promotion of NAOSH Week has remained under the leadership and guidance of the CSSE with involvement from its many partners.

Some of the partners supporting
NAOSH Week in Canada

The statistics related to workplace fatalities are almost unbelievable. In 2011, 919 workplace fatalities were recorded in Canada, which represents approximately 2.6 deaths every single day. Between 2000 and 2010, 11,662 people needlessly lost their lives due to a work-related incident. On average, this is 1,060 deaths per year, or 3 deaths every single day. To say this is concerning is an understatement. Even one workplace fatality is too many.

The loss of each one of these workers greatly impacts family members, friends and co-workers. Many of these grieving family members are in need of support either through grief counseling, crisis intervention support, coping skills, financial compensation, or a simple shoulder to lean on. Threads of Life was the first organization in the world to offer these services to affected family members. As they explain their purpose, Threads of Life is a national charity that is “dedicated to helping Canadian families along their journey of healing who have been affected by a workplace tragedy, life-altering injury or occupational disease.”

One of the safety displays
in Stantec's Markham office

Threads of Life is now one of the official partners of NAOSH Week. To support them and participate in the week’s festivities this year, Stantec’s Markham, Ontario office has organized a “Steps for Life” walk. Losing a colleague, friend, or family member due to a workplace incident is something that we hope we never have to experience. This national charity really draws the connection between how incidents at work can affect us and our friends and family at home.

It was important for me to help in the organization of this event in the hopes to touch people on a more personal level and encourage them to commit to safety both at work and at home. Many Stantec offices have great events planned for NAOSH week. I challenge both my Stantec colleagues and those across our industry to get involved in the events planned in your office or region. Some sources are listed here.


Sources:
http://www.awcbc.org/en/statistics.asp
http://www.naosh.ca
http://www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning/
http://threadsoflife.ca/

50 Years of Architecture in the City of Boston: A Salute

Submitted by Joel Nordberg, senior associate/architect (Boston, MA), originally as a toast at Tad’s retirement celebration.

Architect Tad Stahl, who retired this spring

Tad Stahl, an architect based here in Boston for over 50 years, retired last month. His work has left an indelible mark on the city and certainly on the careers of scores of architects whose paths he crossed, including mine.

I first met Tad in 1982 or ‘83 – 30 years ago. I started working alongside him in his Stahl Associates offices at 73 Tremont Street, often joint venturing. I became a Stahl Associates employee in 1987. We then joined Burt Hill in 2000, which joined Stantec in 2010, working together all the while. And with this distinction of working for, with, and alongside Tad for the longest of any other at Stantec, I wanted to say a few words to celebrate him and his career.

We should have had a parade, fireworks at least.

Tad’s work has made a profound imprint on Boston and New England. We can look out the window of our office and see it. You can’t drive a mile, or even blocks in some areas, without passing a building (or maybe two) built by or saved by Tad's perseverance and determination.

Boston University's Talbot Building

His own portfolio includes Faneuil Hall Markets, the Old South Meeting House, the Talbot Building at Boston University, State Street Bank, and dozens of libraries across the state. He has also always been very active—and still is—in civic organizations like the Beacon Hill Civic Association, Boston Architectural College, and Historic New England, where he helps blend historic preservation with modernism. His reach across this city and region is almost immeasurable.

I wish it were possible to pull together all the professionals, collaborators, and interns that have worked with Tad over the years. Then, if we were to look out at the skyline (the region) and multiply all the projects that have passed across Tad's desk (directly) by the hundreds of our own projects that were touched (indirectly) by his guidance, inspiration and opportunities, that would be an impressive assembly. A legacy in the truest sense.

Speaking for all of us who have had the honor to work with Tad, we wish you well in all new endeavors. But, most of all, we thank you for the opportunities, inspiration, and encouragement you have given to us and our careers.

Saluté!