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REGINA – The Saskatchewan �鶹��ýӳ�� community gathered in Regina recently with the goal of advancing the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs).

The event, which was hosted by the Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA), featured a workshop and keynote dinner with energy-based safety expert Dr. Steven Ayer, an educator in �鶹��ýӳ�� safety and management at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Serious injury rates in Saskatchewan �鶹��ýӳ�� have fallen consistently over the last decade, relative to recent peaks and long-term averages, explains a release.

“The decline is significant and reflects the sustained efforts of employers, workers and industry partners to strengthen injury prevention, including the growing adoption of formal safety management systems through the program,” it reads.

“Despite this progress, serious injuries continue to account for a disproportionate share of injury-related costs and have historically proven more resistant to traditional prevention efforts. The further reduction of serious injuries and fatalities is one of the most important remaining challenges for Saskatchewan’s �鶹��ýӳ�� industry.”

The event examined energy-based safety, which looks at �鶹��ýӳ�� sites through a consistent and scientific approach to identify all sources of energy that can potentially harm workers. Ayer says it helps people identify hazards that are often missed through traditional safety planning efforts.

His work on High Energy Control Assessments is transforming how high-energy hazards are identified and controlled in the field.

“High energy is often required for work to be accomplished. While eliminating high-energy hazards would be ideal, it’s not often practical. We need to identify those hazards and prioritize controlling them to keep workers safe,” shared Ayer in a statement. “We all make mistakes. The question is not ‘if’ it is ‘when’ these mistakes will occur. If high-energy hazards miss controls to prevent or hinder this transfer of energy to workers, when mistakes happen, the impacts are likely to be far more severe.”