Putting Safety First

by Beverly Stears
Saint John Times Globe

Before unionizing in 1849, Saint John's longshoremen faced deplorable conditions, not the least of which was safety. Even after unionization, productivity at the port remained a priority, regardless of the human toll. It was not until the Factory Act in 1914 that things began to change, says Brian Duplessis, co-chairperson of the Health and Safety Committee at the Port of Saint John.

"Today, productivity is still a main concern, but not to the detriment of safety," Mr. Duplessis says. "Employers realize that injuries only slow production. Safety today is at the forefront."

Longshoremen unload and load cargo ships at the port and tie up and let go oil vessels and cruise ships. "It's inherently dangerous, working with hundreds of tons of cargo and heavy machinery daily, but we've got a very good safety record," Mr. Duplessis says.

The Health and Safety Committee, which represents ILA Local 273, Local 1039 (ship liners) and Local 1764 (checkers) takes a proactive approach to safety. "We strive to ensure our members follow the safety policies and procedures put in place to protect them. The most common cause for accidents is when people become complacent on the job and begin cutting corners," Mr. Duplessis says.

To combat complacency, the Health and Safety Committee maintains a vigilant eye. Mr. Duplessis himself conducts "porto clinics," on-the-spot checks which test such things as eyes, depth perception and reflexes. "If they don't pass, they can't get on the machines," he says.

The committee is responsible for making mandatory the high-visibility safety vests, and introducing painted yellow walkways limited to pedestrian traffic only. They are currently working on developing a "right to refusal" card, which lists all the pertinent information, like what to do and who to call, when a member exercises their right to refuse dangerous work.

While they have been instrumental in developing several safety policies at the port, the committee has also lobbied against what many consider a standard safety practice - the wearing of a hard hat.

Mr. Duplessis believes that on the waterfront, where tons of cargo are constantly passing overhead, a longshoreman's life depends on keeping his head up. "That's hard to do, with a one-and-a-half pound hard hat on your head," he says, adding that if a container were to fall on someone's head, a hard hat wouldn't help.

These are but a few of the challenges the safety committee must face, but they are challenges which the group is working with a steadfast diligence to overcome. "We are determined to become an accident-free, injury-free workplace," Mr. Duplessis says.