Safety
Employees undergo extensive internal training programs in crucial areas such as Work at Heights (WAH), Elevated Work Platforms (EWP), Confined Spaces, Traffic Control, WHMIS 2015, and Fall Rescue & Retrieval. These programs are meticulously designed to empower employees with the skills necessary to meet the demands of their tasks while minimizing risks. By staying aligned with industry best practices, Bellai Alliance ensures its workforce is well-prepared to handle any safety challenge on the job site.
Onboarding new employees
New hires receive specialized training that covers not only company policies and operational procedures, but also specific safety measures tied to their roles. Bellai Alliance recognizes the importance of starting every employee’s journey on the right foot, helping them integrate seamlessly while upholding the company’s strict safety standards. This commitment to training during onboarding reinforces a consistent safety culture throughout the organization, ensuring that employees at all levels prioritize safety from day one.
In collaboration with the City of Ottawa’s High Angle Rescue team, Bellai Alliance takes an innovative approach to emergency preparedness through joint external training exercises. These drills simulate real-life, high-risk scenarios, allowing ERT teams to practice rescue techniques in realistic settings. The collaboration with the city’s emergency responders is particularly valuable, as it ensures that in the event of a crisis, Bellai employees can work seamlessly with city professionals. This proactive training approach ensures that the ERT and Bellai teams remain not only competent but also confident in handling high-stakes rescue operations
At Bellai Alliance, safety is an ongoing, evolving conversation.
The company holds monthly safety meetings that bring together a variety of stakeholders, including safety representatives, foremen, and supervisors.
A standout feature of Bellai Alliance’s safety initiatives is the “Safety League” program, which was created to promote and reward exceptional safety performance. This program recognizes employees who consistently follow safety protocols and demonstrate leadership in safety practices. By offering both individual and team incentives, the Safety League fosters healthy competition and encourages a culture where safety is a top priority. This program not only raises awareness but also motivates employees to take proactive steps in maintaining a safe work environment, further solidifying Bellai’s commitment to high safety standards.
To further encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration among employees, Bellai Alliance launched the “I Told You So” program. This initiative is particularly focused on promoting health and safety discussions between newer, less experienced workers and their more seasoned counterparts. Employees are identified by color-coded stickers—green for new workers and gold for experienced workers—to facilitate easy recognition and collaboration. By promoting dialogue and mentoring, this program bridges the experience gap, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their tenure, has access to valuable safety knowledge
This integration of technology into daily operations not only increases transparency and accountability but also ensures that important safety documentation and certifications are always up to date and accessible.
In conclusion, Bellai Alliance’s safety program is a multifaceted, proactive initiative that blends training, technology, and recognition to ensure the well-being of its workforce. From extensive internal training programs to innovative incentive schemes like the Safety League and “I Told You So,” Bellai Alliance is committed to fostering a culture of safety. This culture is further reinforced through ongoing education, collaboration with external partners, and the use of advanced tools like Corfix, making Bellai a leader in safety in the construction industry.
Corfix:
Corfix was designed for the complexities and realities of managing the construction site. Software which easily keep track of labour, tasks, certifications, and safety forms all in one place.
Green Hand & Gold Hand:
Bellai Alliance's "Green Hand & Gold Hand" program fosters health and safety discussions between new or inexperienced workers. These workers are identified by color-coded stickers—green for new workers and gold for experienced ones—to promote easy recognition. By bridging the experience gap, the program emphasizes knowledge sharing and collaboration to ensure a safer work environment for all.
Safety League:
The Safety League program at Bellai Alliance is designed to foster a culture of safety by rewarding exceptional safety performance across the organization. It recognizes employees who demonstrate consistent safety practices and initiatives, providing both individual and team incentives. The program promotes awareness, encourages proactive measures, and highlights the importance of a safe working environment. Through recognition and rewards, Safety League reinforces our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards.
Training and Education:
Bellai Alliance places a strong emphasis on the training and education of its workforce to ensure the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency. Our internal training programs cover essential areas such as Work at Heights (WAH), Elevated Work Platforms (EWP), Confined Spaces, Traffic Control, WHMIS 2015, and Fall Rescue & Retrieval. These programs are designed to equip employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to handle the demands of their work safely and effectively. By adhering to industry best practices, we ensure that our team remains prepared for the challenges of each job site.
Additionally, Bellai Alliance places great importance on onboarding new employees. Our orientation process includes in-depth training that familiarizes them with our company policies, safety procedures, and the specific requirements of their roles. We believe that providing this strong foundation is critical to helping new hires integrate smoothly into our operations while maintaining a consistent safety culture across the organization.
In collaboration with the City of Ottawa’s High Angle Rescue team, Bellai Alliance also conducts external training exercises that simulate real-life scenarios. These joint training sessions are invaluable in ensuring that our teams are prepared for emergency situations and can work seamlessly with city emergency responders when needed. By practicing rescue operations in realistic conditions, we ensure that our staff remains proficient in high-stakes, high-angle rescue techniques.
Our commitment to safety is further reinforced through monthly safety meetings. These gatherings bring together various groups, including safety representatives, foremen, and supervisors, to review current safety practices, address potential hazards, and develop strategies for continuous improvement. By fostering open communication and ongoing safety education, Bellai Alliance ensures that safety remains a top priority at all levels of the organization.
Creating better awareness
The idea is to engage all new and/or inexperienced workers (Green Hands) in safety-related conversations with experienced workers (Gold Hands), who have proven knowledge and experience with the Bellai Alliance’s Safety Program. The more awareness and interactions about Workplace Health and Safety, the greater the odds of avoiding accidents/incidents and injuries while creating a culture of safety on the job site.
New or inexperienced workers are given Green Hand Stickers to wear on their hard hats, making them immediately recognizable as possibly in need of extra assistance and/or guidance to work safely on the site. Experienced workers, who agree to participate, are given Gold Hand Stickers to wear on their hard hats, making them immediately recognizable as individuals to whom Green Hands can turn to for assistance and/or guidance.
*NOTE: The Gold Hand is a voluntary title and should not be assigned to a worker who isn’t comfortable in a mentorship role.
The GREEN Hand means:
- I am new to my job or this job site
- I am not familiar with Bellai Alliance’s Safety Policies and Procedures
- I may have many questions about Safety
- I may need your help at some point, so please introduce yourself, offer advice and be patient with me as I learn
The GOLD Hand means:
- I am an experienced construction worker
- I am very familiar with Bellai Alliance’s Safety Policies and Procedures
- I have agreed to be a Safety Mentor. If you have any questions ask me, I will be happy to answer them
- I value Safety and will approach you to offer my assistance if I see you doing something that may be deemed unsafe