CCOHS Announces Recipients of Dick Martin Scholarship Award
HAMILTON, ON (May 7, 2004) - The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) announced the three winners of this year’s Dick Martin Scholarship Award during North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. In an ongoing effort helping to foster interest in the field of workplace health and safety, CCOHS makes this annual, national award available to post-secondary students enrolled in occupational health and safety programmes in Canada.
For 2003, CCOHS selected K. Hayes, Port Moody, BC, M. Rouleau, Dorval, Quebec and M. Green of Vancouver, BC to each receive a $1000 scholarship. Although the field of interest of each of the recipients focuses on entirely different aspects of health and safety, they were each drawn to the field by their personal experiences and desire to make a difference.
K. Hayes’ interest in health and safety was borne from a tragic accident that robbed him of his younger brother. His determination to “never be in the situation of not knowing what to do again” ultimately led him to the British Columbia Institute of Technology from which he is graduating from the Occupational Health and Safety Diploma Program. Hayes has over 15 years experience in Industrial First Aid and most recently held the position of Senior First Aid Attendant in a paper mill where his duties included the orientation of new workers about the hazards of their jobs. Hayes’ special interest in young workers has fueled his determination to help prevent the horrors of work related injuries and illnesses that face this vulnerable group of workers.
M. Rouleau just completed his MSc in Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety at the Université de Montréal. After obtaining a BSc in ecology he spent the next few years studying environmental health with a focus on prevention. Rouleau researched the effects of beryllium and is keenly interested in the environmental aspect of health and safety. He believes that environmental health equals human health, and that occupational and environmental health are “intrinsically woven together on a broad scale”. He suggests that taking an environmental approach to workplace health and safety could be beneficial for both workers and the communities. Rouleau hopes to pursue his research of and passion for environmental issues and hinted that a PhD is in his sights, after he enjoys a few years of working and exploring his future prospects.
M. Green characterizes himself as a “safety advocate from the very beginning” in his various tradesperson jobs he held in the marine and fire-prevention industries. Frustrated by a lack of information regarding the chemical hazards associated with the products he and others were using, and upon discovering the industrial hygiene profession, he knew immediately it was the field for him. After earning his BSc in Biology, Green pursued his studies for an MSc in Occupational Hygiene at the University of British Columbia’s School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Green has a summer coop placement with Shell Canada in Alberta – a perfect match for his primary interest in health and safety in heavy industry. He is expecting to graduate in May 2005, and would like to work “hands on” in either consulting or heavy industry.
In the spring of 2002, CCOHS’ Council of Governors established an occupational health and safety scholarship fund in the memory of Dick Martin, a tireless pioneer of workplace health and safety in Canada. As part of the evaluation criteria for the award, applicants submitted essays related to their aspirations in occupational health and safety and were judged on their knowledge of the subject matter, understanding the principles and values of Dick Martin, and understanding the role of CCOHS.