T H E P U B L I C A T I O N O F C H O I C E F O R T E C H N O L O G Y P R O F E S S I O N A L S I N N O VA S C O T I A
VOLUME 2
ISSUE 2
APRIL 2008
FEATURE: PROVINCIAL PROCLAMATION SIGNED EDUCATION: NSCC DEVELOPS NEW PROGRAM NEWS: ATLANTIC CANADA SKILLS SHORTAGES
Publications Mail Agreement # 40875508
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THE PUBLICATION OF CHOICE FOR TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS IN NOVA SCOTIA
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Leadership in Technology is the official newsletter of TechNova, the Society of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists of Nova Scotia.
Leadership in Technology is published biannually by:
202 Brownlow Avenue Cambridge 1, Suite 308 Dartmouth, NS B3B 1T5 Tel: (902) 463-3236 Fax: (902) 465-7567 Toll Free: 1 866 723-8867 info@technova.ca www.technova.ca Please direct all inquiries, submissions and subscription requests to TechNova at the above address. Leadership in Technology is published in conjunction with:
National Technology Week
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From the Editor
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President’s Letter
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Registrars Report
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EDITOR Ed Lingley, C.Tech
New Members
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EDITORIAL DIRECTION Vivian Ernst
2007 AGM Celebrating 40 Years
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ART DIRECTION Mario Zamfir
NSCC - Energy Sustainability Program
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Atlantic Canada Skills Shortage
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Design Works Publishing Group 1242A Bedford Hwy. Bedford NS B4A 1C6 Tel: (902) 468-3440 Fax: (902) 468-9044 Please contact DWP Group for advertising information.
The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association. TechNova assumes no responsibility or liability for damages arising from any error or omission or from the use of any information or advice printed in this publication. Letters regarding the newsletter should be addressed to the Editor at the Society’s address.
Publications Mail Agreement # 40875508
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Louis LeBel, TechNova President, Premier Rodney MacDonald, John Siggers, TechNova Vice President
National Technology Week This past fall, the President and Vice President of TechNova met with Premier Rodney MacDonald to have the National Technology Week Provincial Proclamation signed. During the meeting, the Premier genuinely wanted to learn about TechNova, and how we benefit the province. This was a successful meeting, and we promised the Premier access to the final report from the Atlantic Canada Technology Roundtable. “National Technology Week is Canada’s national showcase of exciting career choices available in applied science and engineering technology. Held annually during the first week of November, National Technology Week offers a host of activities along with interactive and fun resources to help students, teachers and parents explore technical careers, particularly the 14 different fields in which over 50,000 certified technicians and technologists contribute to Canada’s workforce.” CCTT
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT Louis LeBel, CET VICE PRESIDENT John G. Siggers, CET, PE PAST PRESIDENT John G. Siggers, CET, PE FINANCE CHAIR Don Landry, CET TECHNOVA COUNCILLORS: Anthony Lewis, CET Hugh Campbell, C.Tech Kevin MacInnis, CET Sean Piercey, CET Tim Frankton, CET REGISTRAR: Joe Simms, CET EXECUTIVE STAFF OFFICER: Ed Lingley, C.Tech OFFICE MANAGER: Vivian Ernst
From the Editor: Hello and welcome back after a long hard winter. Hopefully, by the time you receive this newsletter we will be enjoying some fine weather. On March 29, 2008 our 40th AGM was held at the Ramada Inn, Dartmouth and despite the snowstorm the previous evening there was a good attendance by members and invited guests. The attendance for the hospitality was low due to the snow storm and we were very concerned about meeting a quorum for the AGM. However, our members did dig their cars out of the snow banks and joined us at our AGM One of the items on the Agenda was the approval of amendments to our By-Laws. These amendments were sent to all members by email prior to the AGM for review and comment. We had received input from members as to suggestions in improving the language of the By-Laws and adding in some new ideas. All of these suggestions were reviewed by Council Members and the final draft was presented at our AGM. The By-Laws posted on our website have been updated to reflect the approved amendments. To reflect the 40-year theme of the event, a collection of historic items was displayed on our old display board, which has been retired and replaced with a new lightweight display banner. I would like to thank Mr. J. White, CET, and Vice- President of SCETTNS in 1971 and editor of our first newsletter published in 1971, for providing me with most of the historic items that he had in his attic. I would also like to thank Mr. Martin Tonary, CET, the President of SCETTNS 1974-1976 who was on vacation in Nova Scotia last summer and provided some historic background and contact information about past presidents etc. Due to several moves through out the years from occupying space in the office manager’s basement to sharing space with APENS, then moving to office space in Dartmouth in 1985, we have lost a lot of historic background (e.g., newsletters, etc.) information. This is why we are indebted to both Mr. White and Mr. Tonary for their good record keeping. Some of the items, which we do have, are: • • •
Minutes of the “inaugural meeting held at the Nova Scotia Institute of Technology June 17 1967, our first newsletter in the spring of 1971 and a hand drawn coloured pencil sketch of the original SCETTNS logo.
My intention over the next few months is to assemble a display case in the office listing past presidents flanked by some of the historic items. Although I have the names of the past presidents I am not sure of the dates served. It would be greatly appreciated if any of our members can help out by providing any information about the history of our association. Ed Lingley, C.Tech Editor
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Registrars Report This letter is to inform members of the utmost importance of maintaining their certification. Today’s industry is in need of skilled workers and industry leaders, as it strives to compete in the world’s market place. More and more we see industry especially in the technical fields requiring its potential employees to be certified. Certification proves to the employer that the candidates have met all educational and technical training in their field of expertise. It is a medium whereby a potential employer in one part of the country can ascertain the technical education and training a person has acquired in other provinces or even countries. Recently, I have had the task of responding to former applicants and persons who have never previously applied for certification, informing them that they no longer meet the
requirements of the National Technology Benchmarks for certification. These persons may have graduated from a technology accredited program and failing to maintain their certification, or have never applied for certification since graduation. They now find themselves in the very unfortunate position of not meeting today’s standards for certification as a Technologist. Without proof of educational upgrading they may not qualify for Technician or even Technician Candidate status. This in fact may seem unfair but to put it in a perspective, you must consider the program course outline of an accredited program of twenty or even ten years ago compared to today’s courses. A potential applicant wishing to be certified today after graduation ten years ago would have to complete additional educational credits in order to meet today’s benchmarks. In several recent cases I have had to inform applicants,
who have found that their employment is being terminated, because they are not certified, that they no longer qualify for certification. These persons now find themselves having to re-enter the job market and the importance of certification is now more than ever, very important. January 1, 2008, saw the introduction of the National Technology Benchmarks. The new Technician Benchmarks are slated for release on April 1, 2008. These new benchmarks for technologists will hopefully see more courses in the province being accredited. The importance of certification is obvious when we consider that today there are 4.5 million Technologists and technology workers in Canada – by far the largest component of our workforce. They are expanding in number, increasing in value, and contributing as a vital component to Canada’s economy. Joe Simms, CET Registrar
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Dear Supporter of the Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair, On behalf of the teachers and students of Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair, I would like to sincerely thank TechNova for their contribution to the Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair. The annual Science Fair provides an opportunity for hundreds of students from all levels to challenge themselves and to demonstrate their skills and abilities. Your financial support to the Science Fair will help ensure its continued success. Thank you again for your kind contribution. Sincerely, Sheila Munro Programs Consultant
Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair The Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair awards ceremony was held Friday, evening April 4, 2008 at the Avon View High School. Mr. Conrad LeLievre, P.Eng. C.R.S.P. President of Engineers Nova Scotia kindly presented the TechNova Award on behalf of TechNova President Louis LeBel, CET, to Nadara McIntyre of Central Kings High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia for her project “How Electric Motors Work”. Mr LeLievre said, “She made a working model of an electric motor that ran on dry cell batteries. Her explanation of how it worked was very good.”
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NEW MEMBERS September 2007 February 2008 The Council has approved the following Certification Board recommendations for membership in TechNova. Associate Technicians Parsons, Sarah Deveaux, Zackery MacDonald, William Stephen Hodges, Kathryn Associate Technologists Hill, Amanda Jones, Deanna Deagle, Michael Pyke, Matthew Duncan, Phillip Certified Engineering Technicians (C.Tech) Harrison, Kent Roy, Yvan Raynard, Michael Brewer, Timothy Glass, Douglas van de Ven, Peter Baker, Barry Berglund, Wade Kelly, Brian Ibarra, Ojaye
Thomas, Steve Matwyshyn, Matthew DeCoste, Jody Rhodenizer, Michael Wood, Anthony Parris, Ken David Wayne Knox, Thomas Certified Engineering Technologists (CET) Rankin, William Fagan, Brian King, Rodney Doucette, Gilles Sharara, Nader Saulnier, Adam Dyker, Robert MacKenzie, Norman MacIsaac, J. Steve Shaw, Robert McMullin, Barry Jean, Mark Dupuis, Martin Young, Bradley MacNeil, Mark Reid, Mark Hotton, Laurie Healey, Glen Currie, Shawn Winchester, Gregory Scott, Shane Lopez, Marc Smith, Mark
Upgraded from Associate Technician to Certified Engineering Technician (C.Tech) Sweeney, Jeannine Transfers Penney, Eric Students Purcell, Tim Pickett, Daniel Butt, Peter Murphy, Marvin Briere, Erik Reid, Aaron McCartney, Colin Veenhuis, Maria Steeves, Justin Anderson, Craig Murphy, Thomas Hecimovich, amber-Lea Sheehan, Daniel Boertjes, Jeffrey Tucker, Michael Brannen, Heather Bozin, Chris Dunn, Thad Reid, Stephen Lukerman, Jamie Mullan, Robert Frampton, Michael Crouse, Jeffrey Corkum, Adam Handspiker, Nicholas Bolivar, Brett
Carroll, Martha Cheeseman, Kristopher Garvie, Devin Craig, Adam DeCoste, Jake McInnis, Eli Robbin, Ronnie Rushton, Devan Lefler, Daniel Vander Baaren, Nickolaas Fallon, Mark Savoie, Karine O’Brien, John MacDonald, Eric Issa, Mohamed Rhillips, J. Mitchell Edgett, Curtis, MacNeil, Corey Pellerin, Kevin Lane, Byron Beaupre, Patrick Beshir, Mensur Cochrane, Ryan Hubley, Peter Bouutilier, Trevor Lafortune, Patrick Doyle, Mark Reddick, Scott Cawthra, David LaLanne, Glen MacDonald, Thomas Brefo, Kwasi Hatcher, Branton Fullarton, Stephen (continued on page 11)
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New Members September 2007 February 2008 Keating, Andrew Tanner, Doug Hamilton, Nigel Campbell, Honathan Mooney, Christopher Lemceyk, Tom Lusk, Katie Sanford, Scott Brown, Robert Pouch, Thomas Wilde, Keith McCarthy, George Evans, Jeffrey Thibault, Rick Marshall, Matthew Young, Colin Perry, Jon Mogollon, Oscar Snow, Jeff Rawding, Cody Savoie, Michel Fecteau, Brian Nott, Chris Non-Active Status Thomas Tober Retired Status Wayne Bhola
REMINDER
General Membership Several weeks ago, we notified you about the 2008 National Survey of Engineers and Engineering Technicians and Technologists. The response from Nova Scotia has been very strong so far. Your assistance in helping us improve our understanding of our profession is much appreciated. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes and go to: http://www.engineeringemployeesurvey.com The survey will provide important information on trends that affect you and your profession, so your participation in this survey is important! Your confidentiality is absolutely assured. Individual respondents cannot be identified through the survey. The National Survey is co-sponsored by the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists and Engineers Canada. The survey is a key component of a larger National Engineering and Technology Labour Market Study. For further information about the national study, please visit the project website at http://www.engineerscanada.ca/etlms/ index.cfm.
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AGM pictures: Kaleigh LeBel
2007 AGM Celebrating 40 Years On March 29 2008 our 40th AGM was held at the Ramada Inn and despite the snowstorm the previous evening there was a good attendance by members and invited Guests. The theme of the event was “Celebrating 40 years of Certifying Technology Professionals.� Life Member Award Mike Rushden and Doug Bach (not pictured)
To reflect the theme of the event a collection of historic items was displayed around the room. The display included the Minutes of the inaugural meeting held on June 17, 1967at the Nova Scotia Institute of Technology, our first newsletter published spring 1971 and a hand drawn coloured pencil sketch of the original SCETTNS logo. One of the major items on the Business Agenda was the approval of amendments to the By-Laws. These amendments have been posted on the TechNova website. During the Awards ceremony, Life Membership certificates were presented to Mike Rushton, CET, and Doug Bach, CET, P.Eng., for exceptional and meritorious service to the Society. Mike Rushton has been a member of TechNova (SCETTNS) since 1979 and has served continuously on both the Certification and Accreditation Boards since 1986. Mike has served as a CTAB Chairman for numerous National Accreditations.
Honorary CET Don Jardine
Gift for outgoing President
Ray Fiske Education Award - presented to Cheryl Lynn Hill Student Member, Electronic Engineering Technology NSCC
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The Ray Fiske Education Award was presented to Cheryl Lynn Hill a student enrolled in Electronic Engineering Technology at NSCC IT Campus. Gifts of Macaskill prints were presented to outgoing President John G. Siggers, CET, PE, and CCTT Director Steven Shaw, CET, by President Louis LeBel, CET. After lunch Members and guests enjoyed a slide presentation on the Minas Basin Tidal Power Project presented by Margaret Murphy, Manager of Public Affairs with Nova Scotia Power Corporation. President Louis LeBel, CET, thanked our sponsors Meloche Monnex, Manulife Financial, NSCC and Engineers Nova Scotia (APENS) for their continued support.
Meloche Monnex Continuing Education Bursary presented by Scott Grant, Meloche Monnex
Louis LeBel TechNova President
Johannes DeRozan, CET
Louis LeBel & CCTT President Steven Gould
Glen Buchanan, NSCC
Cutting of the 40th Anniversary Cake
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Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology NSCC develops
Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology program
More and more employers are looking to transform energy use within our existing built environment. As a result, there is a new breed of graduate in high demand – it is the postsecondary grad that possesses leading-edge knowledge and leadership in the field of energy and environmental sustainability. That’s why Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) is developing a new two-year program which will broaden its range of energy and environmental technology programming. Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology (ESET) will be offered at NSCC’s Annapolis Valley Campus (AVC) in Middleton. The campus is an ideal location for connecting students to applied research projects which include alternate energy forms; it also happens
to be a campus leading the way toward becoming energy sustainable in its own practices. “The demand for these graduates is high,” said Ron Farrell, Dean, NSCC School of Trades and Technology. “We’ve consulted with government, alternate energy companies, architects and contractors among others; all of whom agreed that demand will increase over the next five years. They characterize the potential growth in this area as huge.” To understand the reason behind the demand, one only need look at the current state of Canada’s buildings. Approximately 66 per cent of Canada’s 380,000 existing commercial buildings were constructed more than 40 years ago. The result is an infrastructure that is coming of age. Compare this to Canada’s “Eco-efficiency” vision statement calling for a 50 per cent reduction in energy intensity by 2030. It is clear business and government need to find solutions in the face of rising energy costs and a growing pressure to lessen the impact of climate change. “Graduates of the ESET
program will become a key part of the teamwork involved in the emerging field of ‘greening’ buildings,” says Farrell. “They will provide technical communication, design, assessment, commissioning, operational and evaluation services to engineers, architects, contractors, project managers, and facility owners.” An Energy Sustainability Engineering Technologist will apply numerous technology applications in a variety of settings, through the expanding field of alternate energy, sustainability and energy systems management. Their work will involve energy auditing and modeling of existing conventional heating and lighting systems, as well as specifying energy efficiency improvements for residential and commercial buildings. Furthermore, ESET graduates will be able to provide advice on renewable energy alternatives, improved building design or renovations and heating or cooling system alternatives in order to improve energy efficiency. The ESET grad will be trained in the sizing, specification and commissioning of solar photovoltaic, solar
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thermal, wind, biomass, geothermal, tidal and other sustainable energy systems. The proposed ESET program will align with the Nova Scotia Government’s Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act. The province anticipates about 170 job openings annually in technologist and technician occupations - but expects employment in these fields will grow significantly between now and 2012. To support the development of the new ESET program, NSCC’s School of Trades and Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TechNova. “This is another example of how we can work together,” says Ed Lingley, Executive Staff Officer, TechNova. “The MOU with NSCC will allow us to further promote the benefits and values of technology by the development of training activities that will advance the standing of Technicians and Technologists in Nova Scotia and advance the province’s economic prosperity. The provision of Energy Sustainability Engineering Technologists will strengthen the
industry in both technological and managerial capability.” There will be several “pathways” from which students may enrol in the ESET program. For example, those with trade-level NSCC credentials can enter at the beginning of the program; those with Technician and Technology diplomas can enter at the beginning of the second year. Others will be able to access the program through Recognized Prior Learning (RPL) available at NSCC. In addition, the college is investigating several alternate delivery models for the ESET program to ensure accessibility to the many different types of students who may be interested. “We recognize today’s postsecondary students are looking for that blend of their academic, personal, working and social lives,” says Ron Farrell. “We would like to deliver the ESET program in a way that includes a combination of classroom learning, workshops, shop time, project-based learning and workplace learning with options for individualized student timetabling, including online delivery
where possible.” Full-time students entering the Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology program will have an opportunity for a Cooperative work term between first and second year. As the program develops, the goal will be to connect with other institutions through articulation agreements and cooperative program development, particularly in the area of sustainability. The launch of this program compliments a move NSCC made last year, when the college enrolled in national Avativut network, joining seven other Community Colleges throughout Canada, including Seneca College, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Nunavut College, Douglas College and College de Rosemont. Avativut is an Inuktitut word meaning “balanced use”, and it forms the guiding principle of the network, which is to explore, research and implement sustainable solutions for the built environment through applied restoration.
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Atlantic Canada Skills Shortages Addressed in Charlottetown Charlottetown, PE – October 23, 2007 – With a looming technical skills shortage in Atlantic Canada, the Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologist of Prince Edward Island (ACETTPEI) hosted a roundtable of key players from around the Atlantic region today to discuss the potential causes and solutions. “We are facing a critical shortage in Atlantic Canada’s skilled workforce that will have significant economic consequences, if not addressed. Thousands of technical positions will remain unfilled in industries such as biotechnology, construction, oil, gas, mining, and in our IT sector,” said Brian McLellan, Past President of ACETTPEI. “In our region, enrolments at technology programs at our local colleges are declining, and technicians and technologists who are trained locally are increasingly attracted to opportunities in Western Canada.” Participants from industry, industry associations, government, colleges, and multicultural associations discussed specific technical skills shortages and potential solutions during the one-day forum. The event included a broad range of participants; a focus on
regional industrial priorities, economic opportunities and
challenges; and a new vision for development strategies and local requirements. “The Government of Canada recognizes the need to address emerging technical skills shortages in Canada. Today’s forum was an important step in discussing this important issue and identifying potential solutions for Atlantic Canada,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “We understand that a strong and competitive economy is founded on cooperation, partnerships and innovation.” The keynote speaker for the event was Mr. Max Ruelokke, Chairman and CEO, CanadaNewfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum. “Atlantic Canada is poised for a construction boom in the near future,” said Ruelokke. “To attract the necessary skilled workers, innovation and competitive employment strategies are vital with a mix of monetary and quality of life incentives.” CCTT AGM News We are proud to say that 2007 has been a banner year for ACETTPEI, we have received much recognition of
our association and of several members. The CCTT Annual
General Meeting was held in Charlottetown, October 25-27. It had been about 10 years since PEI last hosted the AGM. The ACETTPEI council and CCTT AGM Planning Committee put a lot of energy into planning a truly “Island” event. The AGM was a great success, and enjoyed by all. I would like to thank all those volunteers who helped with the planning and attended the events. CONGRATULATIONS We would like to send congratulations to the following members of ACETTPEI. Mr. Stephen Gould, CET, has stepped into the role of President of the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT). We wish him luck for his two year term and have confidence that he will be a great asset in this position. Stephen works for the Food Technology Center. Mr. Brian McLellan, CET, has been named the CCTT Volunteer of the Year for 2007. This award goes to a member of the host association whom exemplifies what it means to be a certified engineering technician or technologist. Brian is currently our Executive Staff Officer and Past-President, and works for William Chandler Architects. He has been volunteering with ACETTPEI on council for 11
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Max Ruelokke, P. Eng, Chairman and CEO, Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum
years and has ushered us through many improvements. He has worked hard on improving the image of ACETTPEI, and encouraging industry to recognize the importance of certification. Our thanks go to Brian for all of his effort. Mr. Tom MacDonald, CET, has been awarded the CCTT National Achievement Award for his work with Sensor Wireless Inc., SWI. This award is to
recognize a member of one of the provincial associations (CM) for their achievement in one of the disciplines of certification recognized by CCTT. Each CM nominates a member and the winner is chosen from the nominees. Tom is currently Director of Production and Research and Development. SWI developed the Smart Spud, containing electronics used to record impact to the potatoes as they move through the
harvester. With this information the harvesting process can be improved to minimize product damage. He has also overseen and assisted in the development of the Crackless Egg, Smart Bottle/ Agent QC, and the development of Active Wireless Sensor Technology (AWS) to monitor various parameters of storage and shipment of products. Tom is currently the registrar for ACETTPEI. Â
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From left to right in the picture is: Dan Bolivar, Chris Mooney and Rob Agombar.
NSCC Incubator Project
and Rob Agombar with faculty advisor Dan Bolivar, is confident that they are close to producing a marketable solution.
Mechanical Engineering Technology students at the Nova Scotia Community College’s Institute of Technology campus are privileged to have the opportunity to partner with industry in hands-on research to gain experience with real-world product development as a component of their training. One such example of collaborative innovation is the development of a neonatal incubator for use in the IWK Health Center’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner. This has been an ongoing project for the college and this year’s design team, consisting of senior Mechanical Engineering Technology students Chris Mooney
Background The challenge to build an MRIcompatible neonatal incubator was initially presented to the college in 2005. Dr Mattias Schmidt, former head of diagnostic imaging for the IWK, explained that the hospital occasionally has to perform MRI scans of newborn babies, particularly those born prematurely or with low birth weights. These newborn infants, known as neonates, are especially vulnerable to hypothermia because of their low body mass and cannot maintain a safe body temperature for the duration of a MRI scan. The hospital’s current practice of wrapping the neonates in warm blankets and plastic helps to mitigate body heat loss,
but is neither ideal nor, in some cases, adequate; consequently, some scans must be aborted due to the risk of imminent hypothermia. Although at least two MRI-compatible incubators are commercially available, they are cost-prohibitive and an alternative is clearly needed. Design Considerations Designing for the MRI environment is a challenge; physical safety considerations and image quality are of utmost importance. Materials must be non-magnetic and must not cause degradation of the scanned images. Space constraints limit the sizes and shapes available to the designers, and all electronic control systems must be remotely located to prevent interference to and from the magnetic field of the scanner. The temperature within the incubator must be
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maintained within 1.5 degrees of the target temperature and must be monitored and adjusted accordingly. The neonate must remain easily accessible to hospital staff for prompt removal from the MRI suite in case of medical emergency, and the incubator must be highly stable. Furthermore, the incubator cannot interfere with the normal use of the scanner and physical modifications to the scanner are not permissible. The design proposed by Mooney & Agombar appears to satisfy the requirements. It is elegant in its simplicity, with a minimum of moving parts and careful attention to reducing the tooling and fabrication costs involved in production. Despite the public perception that engineering is often synonymous with complication, mechanical engineering technologists take the view that the
simplest approach to effectively satisfying the design requirements is likely the best solution. In this case, simplicity means not only that the incubator will be relatively inexpensive, but also that the infant is entirely isolated from contact with any reactive materials, liquids, electric circuits, and moving parts, by virtue of the design philosophy adopted by the students. Next Steps The process has not been without difficulties. Since September 2007, several distinct concepts have been considered and eventually rejected. As an example of the challenges of real-world engineering, one promising design was rendered obsolete by the IWK’s acquisition of a new and improved MRI coil. This alteration radically changed the approach to designing the incubator but
promises to yield excellent image quality. In addition, the larger incubator size may ultimately increase its versatility, facilitating its use in a wider range of MRI scanners worldwide. The latest iteration has been redesigned yet again for ease of assembly and to take advantage of readily available stock materials. It is anticipated that the prototype will be built and testing will begin over the next few months. This example of NSCC’s commitment to partnerships with industry has proven to be a valuable experience for the students and a meaningful contribution to the IWK’s advancement of health care technology.
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My Mistake! Proffesional Liability, Insurance & Employment Your professional association, ASET, and its national counterpart, CCTT, put a lot of effort into developing and providing the best available professional liability insurance coverage for our members. ASET makes no profit at all through the provision of this benefit – so why do we do it? Put simply, because all of us can expect to make mistakes in the course of our professional lives, and none of us wants to be liable for the cost of a serious mistake, to lose everything simply because we made one error in an otherwise blameless practice life. Professional liability insurance protects you against claims from parties who allege that you were negligent in providing professional services. That negligence can be described as failing to adhere to a reasonable standard of care expected of the profession under similar circumstances. When someone claims to have been wronged by negligence, they will typically sue everyone who had anything to do with the situation…. And litigation in a case of professional negligence
is often lengthy and complex, and the costs to defend (not to mention the costs of damages if you lose) can be truly significant. Related to it, there may be disciplinary proceedings as well – always a serious situation. In either case, legal counsel should be retained. (The policy should provide for legal counsel not just for the damages action, but for any related disciplinary action). How can you protect yourself? Not having adequate insurance protection can be a financial and personal nightmare. If you are an employee, you should review your employer’s liability policy to ensure that it provides you with adequate protection. Does it cover you on and off duty? Does it provide for notice to you, the employee, if the policy is lapsing? Does it include a right of subrogation, allowing the insurer to go after you personally for any negligence? (To indemnify the employer for the cost of your mistake) Does it provide coverage for disciplinary proceedings by your professional association? Do you have to cover a deductible against any award of damages? Does it protect you from your own employer if your employer “blames it on you”? Remember – you need to protect yourself against all eventualities.
For most of us, a sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach may be one of the first indicators of a mistake at work – a big mistake. We know that we all make mistakes, despite our intentions and our best efforts to avoid them. Most employees believe that although the mistake was his or her fault, since it happened at work the employer will provide indemnification for damages incurred as a result… the employer will “cover it”. That sinking feeling would likely get a lot worse if the technologist or technician realized that an employer may have no legal duty to “cover them”, or indemnify them, and that in fact the employer may actually have a right to require indemnification from the employee for the consequences of the mistake! While most employers, for obvious practical motives, do “save their employees harmless” and do not sue them for mistakes which cost the employer money, that employer’s insurer may not feel the same way, and may very well have the subrogated right to sue you for what it has to pay out, notwithstanding all the goodwill of your employer. Under Canadian law, employers do not have an absolute legal duty to indemnify their employees. Generally, the law provides
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that an employer only has a legal duty to indemnify an employee if the employee was acting within the scope of employment, if the employee was blameless in the matter, or if it occurred at the direction of the employer. If it arose as a result of the employee’s own misconduct or negligence, then the employer has no duty to indemnify. And yes, if an employee has performed a negligent or other blameworthy act giving rise to liability, that employee may be personally liable without any expectation of indemnity from, or recourse to, the employer. It is not to be recommended that even if you’re covered under an employer’s package you simply rely on that. ASET urges that you give some thought to the points raised here, and look out for yourself and your interests. ASET and CCTT are here to help, by providing you with reasonable access to good insurance to shield you. The rates are more than reasonable (ask other professionals what their coverage costs them!) The value of that protection is almost beyond price. Applications will be coming out soon with membership renewals and applications. The onus is on you to make sure you’re protected.
Reprinted with permission of Barry Cavanaugh, Executive Director ASET. Note: Liability insurance is available to TechNova Members through LMS ProLink. For more details, please go to www.technova.ca
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Business Card $ 100.00 Cover 2 & 3 $ 1250.00
All prices listed are per issue. Prices are subject to change. All advertisements are printed in full color. Leadership In Technology is printed biannually. All submitted material is subject to suitability and space availability. CIRCULATION All Certified, Associate and Student members in Nova Scotia. A variety of government, industry and private sector. Copies are also mailed to the offices of the other nine provincial constituent members as well as the Council of Certified Technicians and Technologists in Ottawa, Ontario. We can print from many popular publishing and graphics programs. The list of accepted file formats are on the right. Questions? Call toll free 888 339-1848 or review the details below. Accepted File Formats : PDF Files are our preferred format. The reason we prefer this file is that the file is totally self contained. All text, graphics and fonts are part of the single PDF file making it the fastest to proof and print. It also compresses the file for easier uploading or emailing. Please save all PDF files at 300 dpi and embed all fonts. Any fonts that are being used for areas that will have our Variable Input Technology must be included separately with your file. No artwork marks, crop marks or color bars are needed, so make sure to shut them off.
Submit artwork to Design Works Publishing Group
E-mail: bdt@dw-publishing.com
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TECHNOVA 202 Brownlow Avenue Cambridge 1, Suite 308 Dartmouth, NS B3B 1T5 Tel: (902) 463-3236 Fax: (902) 465-7567 Toll Free: 1 866 723-8867 info@technova.ca www.technova.ca THE PUBLICATION OF CHOICE FOR TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS IN NOVA SCOTIA
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