VOLUME 5
ISSUE 2
May 2011
FEATURE I 9
WCB & Safety in NS
EDUCATION I 15
Highway Safety in NS
COMMUNITY I 18 Call Before You Dig
LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011 Publications Mail Agreement # 40875508
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LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011
CONTENTS
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: Design Works Publishing Group 41 Glendale Ave Unit 1 Sackville NS B4A 1C6 Tel: (902) 468-3440 Fax: (902) 468-9044 Please contact DWP Group for advertising information. EDITOR Mark Bamford EDITORIAL DIRECTION Vivian Ernst CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mario Zamfir 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
From the Editor
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President’s Letter
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New Members
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WCB is Helping Build a Safety Culture in Nova Scotia
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Registrars Report 10 ESO Report
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AGM 2010
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Call Before You Dig
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STORY IDEAS WELCOME* Leadership in Technology strives to present news, stories and other content in the course of each year that is of particular interest or pertinence to TechNova members. We rely in part on your input to guide and generate articles. This is your publication and you are always encouraged to contribute. NEWS: Your technology career is ever-changing. Let others know about the changes and trends in your particular field, discipline or worksite. PROFILES: Want to share your own story? Leadership in Technology is a great way to demonstrate the ways that members utilize technology in their careers. FEEDBACK: Write to us and share your viewpoints (members and non-members alike). Write to info@technova.ca or send your letter/article to the TechNova office. (*See page12 for more details and prize information)
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EDITOR
From the Editor Once again spring is upon us and none too soon. With spring comes the annual campaign to clean up the yards. A lot of the tools to do this can be dangerous so wear your protective gear it is not worth being hurt to save a few seconds. The summer construction season is starting and along with that the hazards associated with it. We have dedicated this issue to safety with the articles following that theme. If you have any comments about any of the articles or suggestions about future articles please let us know. We appreciate and welcome all of your input. As I mentioned before the construction season is starting and with that comes road work. When you are driving about the province this year keep in mind the road workers, too many times I have heard horror stories about break lock ups and road rage as drivers in a hurry forget to be considerate of others. The flaggers and signs are there for a reason and the people working on our roads like all of you want to go home to families at night. We at TechNova have just finished another AGM which was a success. Thanks to Vivian and the counselors involved in putting it together. One thing that unfortunately is becoming a common theme is a lack of volunteers to help run the day to day activities of TechNova. Our certification and right to carry ourselves as professionals is thanks to those who take the few hours a month required to keep things moving along. To be a counselor is no more than one evening a month which when you consider the professional standing you have in your community is not that much time. It would be great if more of you could step forward and lighten the load the few have to carry. Have a great summer and remember take your time, be aware and considerate of others as they go about their work this year.
Mark Bamford Editor
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DID YOU KNOW?
Q. What is Certification? A. Certification refers to the process of becoming a registered member of TechNova. Membership is restricted to those technology professionals who meet the National Technology Bench Marks in four key areas:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
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academic qualifications work experience
The basic criteria for certification as an engineering or applied science technician or technologist are: •
Hugh Campbell, C.Tech
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PAST PRESIDENT
Q. How do I apply for Certification?
FINANCE CHAIR Don Landry, CET TECHNOVA COUNCILLORS Eric Jury, CET Mark Bamford, CET Sean Piercey, CET Nathaniel Dimock, C.Tech CTAB DIRECTOR Joy Brown, CET ESO/REGISTRAR Joe Simms, CET EDITOR Mark Bamford OFFICE MANAGER Vivian Ernst
professional ethics Certification Criteria
The Certification Board meets every month (with the exception of July and August) to review all applications for membership or upgrading on a caseby-case basis.
PRESIDENT
Louis LeBel, CET
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successful completion of an accredited technology program or its equivalent at least two years of relevant work experience successful completion of the Ethics Exam
A. Seven steps to Certifying Your Success: 1. APPLY: Complete the application form. 2. PROVIDE REFERENCES: In your application be sure to include the names, fax numbers or email addresses of two professional references. The completed questionnaires are sent directly to TechNova for review by the Certification Board. 3. INCLUDE TRANSCRIPTS: You will need to have your college, university or other educational institution send us your transcripts. 4. SUBMIT APPLICATION FEE: For first-time applicants or those wishing to reinstate, you will need to include the $60, non-refundable application fee with your application. 5. TAKE ETHICS EXAM: If the Certification Board approves your application, you then need to complete the Professional Ethics Exam which tests your knowledge of the Code of Ethics. 6. PAY DUES: Pending the successful completion of the Ethics Exam, your certification and membership will take effect upon receipt of the current year’s dues. Your dues will be prorated based on the month in which you’re accepted. 7. GET INVOLVED: In addition to being certified and being permitted to hold yourself out as “certified” technology professional, you will also be eligible to all the other rights and privileges of membership. These include access to group rates on home, auto and life insurance; discounts on first-aid training and car rentals, as well as on flights with CanJet. You can also order the Technology Ring (which is worn by only certified technology professionals) and use a professional stamp customized with your name and designation. In addition you can join a committee, attend networking events, and vote on issues that affect your association and your profession.
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Dear Members, I wish to start my first message as president by thanking all of the people who have volunteered their time over the past year to help make TechNova viable and especially thank our outgoing president Louis LeBel. We recently held our Annual General Meeting, one of our largest undertakings and it could not have been accomplished without our members and staff going above and beyond in their efforts to make this event happen. Which brings me to my primary message, the strengths and challenges of TechNova. Our greatest strength is that we are a group of volunteers who see the value in our membership, in our certifications and the profession of technology. Our greatest challenge though is that we are volunteers, we are not paid for our efforts, it’s a choice we make to volunteer. And frequently we are faced with the realities that family and work commitments must take precedence. The only way we can deal with these realities is to increase our base of volunteers from our membership. Volunteering at TechNova can come in many ways, with many levels of commitment. From joining council as a voting member, to reviewing programs for CTAB, to presenting awards to students, to writing articles for this newsletter to helping manage our digital footprint. You can dive in headfirst and tackle a large portfolio or start slow and learn as you go, either way your help would be greatly appreciated. And it would be remiss not to discuss the issues facing our national federation (Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists normally referred to as CCTT). CCTT continues to accredit post secondary programs through the Canadian Technology Accreditation Board (CTAB) and apply the National Technology Benchmarks (NTB’s) for those programs. Our trademarks and international agreements are still intact. TechNova will continue to support CCTT along with the other remaining constituent members and work the those other provinces as we work towards their return.
Hugh Campbell, CTech President, TechNova
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MEMBERS
NEW MEMBERS Associate Technician Nabil Bekki Gregory DeLaunay Associate Technologist John Douglas John-Francis Rooney Bruce Barrington Michael Sheppard Basima Rafou-Day Sherene Epifano Michael Gonzales Maria Veenhuis Ian Coolen Certified Engineering Technicians (C.Tech) Clifford Boettcher Larry Smith James Hawboldt Jeffrey Corrick Thad Dunn Michael Salvatore Michael Crocker Andre Comeau George O’Keefe Scott Deveau Certified Engineering Technologists (CET) Jason Arthur Jonathan Alison Joshua Gorman Julie McEvoy Dale Freeman Amanda Richards Allan York
October 2010 – March 2011
Andrew MacInnis K. Greg Partridge Robert Brewer Denis LeBlanc Jeffeth Green Conrad Allison Charline Cormier Peter Allen Stephen Doucet Daviz Varughese Justin MacKinnon Stefan Samson Nicholas Kehoe Robert Agombar Matthew MacNeil Geoff Stewart Esther Shpigel Dillon White David Moulton Bogdan Toma James Chisholm Christopher Power John Plumer Robert Blackmore Joel Richard Timothy Doucette Lloyd Warren Paul Campbell Robert Tompkins Students Shaemus Mullaney Ryan Muggah Tom Adams Tom Parsons Sean Connolly Greg DeCoste
Jason Lindsay Ian Lewis Evan Boutilier Keith Hare Amy Gorman Andy Carew Jacques Doucet Steven Mahaney Roderick Morris Christopher Bond Dustin Amirault Joshua Matthews Clarence Borden Andrew Hilton Edward Spencer David Pace Jennifer Ripley Upgraded from Associate Technician to Certified Engineering Technician Jeffrey Snow Upgraded from Associate Technologist to Certified Engineering Technologist Brandon Hatcher Transfers In Julie McEvoy Robert Condon
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INDUSTRY
Past President’s Report I would like to thank the volunteers that have worked over the past year to ensure that we continue to move forward. This has been a trying year for council. Many of our councilors have moved on or simply become to busy to participate and as such it has been difficult and sometimes impossible to conduct council meetings. I realize that life is busy; However, it has been my experience that if you get involved you will find it to be both interesting and rewarding. Over the past year we have expanded our contact with industry and educated them on the benefits of certification. To that end, most federal, provincial and municipal jobs now require certification. Understanding the importance of having a qualified work force in Canada, the federal government has provided funding for CCTT to evaluate foreign programs. At the February meet of the Credential Recognition Harmonization Project, the HRSDC official indicated that we are leaders in foreign recognition. In Nova Scotia and across the country the International Qualifications Data Base (IQDB) has provided a tool to expedite the certification of new members. The data base has verified that program titles around the world are confusing and misleading. More than ever employers have to recognize that the title of a program is often just a title. Programs in Canada and around the globe do not match our internationally recognized bench marks for certification as Technicians and Technologists. In fact, in some cases even Engineering programs do not qualify at the Technician level. If you are interested, you can see the assessments of international programs on the CCTT.ca website. Thanks to our members support the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) has not only survived, but continues to thrive. The third party review of the CCTT paid for by all technicians and technologist around the country has now been fully implemented and has made the CCTT more focused than ever.
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Our friends in Quebec have made history in gaining Professional recognition. I have asked that the CEO of CCTT formally invite them back as full members to the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists. Highlights of 2010: • Nova Scotia has seen our second teacher awarded the Technology Champion Award; Cal Jakeman, Millwood High School, Lower Sackville. • We have been asked to produce more issues of our Leadership in Technology magazine. • We have been active in participating with our CTAB Accreditation Committee, CCTT, COR, ESO, etc. • As Chair of the National Technology Benchmark Steering Committee, I am pleased to report that they have been successfully used to accredit hundreds of programs across the country. • We have been diligently monitoring and protecting our Association’s legal name and profession. • TD Meloche Monnex continues to provide excellent support for our Association and offers many benefits to our membership. • We supported National Technology Week with visits to schools. • We continue to emphasize the importance of women in technology fields by attending events, and supporting the GO Tech Girl campaign. I look forward to passing the gavel to our new president, MR. Hugh Campbell, C.Tech, and I will continue to support the council and ensure that Nova Scotia has a voice on the CCTT as your CCTT National Director. Louis LeBel, CET Past President, TechNova
FEATURE ARTICLE
WCB is Helping Build a Safety Culture in Nova Scotia For many years, Nova Scotia was rightly seen as a dangerous place to work. The province had high rates of workplace injuries and deaths. But now, thanks to the efforts of many organizations and many people, we may be turning the corner when it comes to workplace safety. Today, Nova Scotia is becoming a safer place to work. “Since 2005, we’ve seen an average five per cent reduction in time loss injuries each year,” says Nancy MacCready-Williams, CEO of the Workers’ Compensation Board. “That’s good news and we are heading in the right direction as a province. However, we must be clear: there is no acceptable number of workplace injuries. We need to keep at it until workplace injuries are eliminated in Nova Scotia.” Funded entirely by employers, the Workers’ Compensation Board provides workplace injury insurance for more than 18,000 employers, representing about 300,000 workers across the province. The WCB works with partners to create safer workplaces, but if an injury occurs, it helps injured workers return to work in a timely, safe and healthy way. Workplace injury has been consistently declining in Nova Scotia for several years. It’s a result that speaks to the hard work of like-minded individuals in the safety community who see a safer tomorrow. The Workers’ Compensation Board and its partners in safety have been working to foster a safety culture in Nova Scotia. Creating that safety culture is vital – everyone has a role to play. “Safety culture isn’t something that can be mandated or legislated,” says MacCready Williams. “We establish a true safety culture when we consciously think about safety – when we don’t take dangerous shortcuts, when we clean up spills quickly and when we lift heavy objects properly. Safety becomes ingrained in our operations. It becomes a way of life.” Workplace safety is a team effort. The reduction in workplace injuries is the result of the efforts of many groups and individuals including employers, workers, safety associations, the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Department of Labour and Advanced Education, and groups like TechNova. The emerging safety culture is also reflected in the attitudes of Nova Scotians. For several years the Workers’ Compensation Board has asked Nova Scotians whether they believe workplace injuries are an inevitable part of life. The number of people who agree with this is steadily declining. Now it’s 43 per cent, down from over 60 per cent a few years ago. “We think this means that Nova Scotians recognize that workplace injuries can be prevented,” says the WCB’s MacCready-Williams. “But it remains disturbing to know that two out of every five Nova Scotians still think getting hurt is part of the job.” In addition to working with partners to prevent workplace injuries, the Workers’ Compensation Board helps injured workers return to their old jobs in a safe but timely manner. Some 95 per cent of workers return to the job at their full pre-injury earnings, and days lost to injury, overall, continue to decline. “The longer a worker stays off the job due to an injury, the more likely it is that they won’t ever return,” says MacCready-Williams. “Helping injured workers get back on the job lets them get back to their regular lives more quickly. It is also important for Nova Scotia’s economy because it helps reduce the productivity losses that can result from needing to replace an experienced worker.” While MacCready-Williams is encouraged by Nova Scotia’s improving safety performance, she cautions against easing up on the drive for a true safety culture. “We are marking progress, but we can’t be satisfied until workplace injuries are eliminated entirely. We still have a lot work to do.” For more information on the Workers’ Compensation Board, including resources on how to help create a safety culture, visit wcb.ns.ca or worksafeforlife.ca.
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REGISTRAR’S REPORT
Registrar’s Report 2010 The year 2010 was again a very active year for the Certification board. The Board chaired by Doug Bach, CET, P.Eng., and consisting of Dave MacMillan, CET, Dawn Ryan, CET, Don Jardine, P. Eng., Mike Ruston, CET, David Page, CET, Ian Mitchell, CET , Patricia Power, CET, Scott Parsons, CET, and J.R Brown, CET. We saw a total of 162 files processed. This reflects an increase of 33 files from the previous year. Of the 162 files processed, 107 new members were added to the register. Over the past year 9 foreign applicants were certified,12 members were transferred into Nova Scotia while14 were transferred out of the province. Our present membership stands at 1705, up from 1647 in 2009. In 2010, we saw 76 members being struck from the register for non-payment of dues. This number has been pretty much constant over the past few years and represents an ongoing problem. We also saw potential members who were approved for certification, but did not become full members. This, I imagine, would be for job opportunities wherein an applicant must prove eligibility for certification before being employed. This would be another reason to reach out to employers to demonstrate to them, the advantages of having professionals who meet the standards. Our goal in 2011 is to show growth in our membership by carrying out class presentations to students of accredited programs, and educating employers to the many benefits of having qualified and certified Technicians and Technologists as part of their companies. I also believe that much of our future growth must come from immigration, and we will cooperate fully with immigration agencies such as ISIS (Immigration Settlement & Integration Services) and meet regularly to discuss the many benefits of certification. In closing, I would like to thank Vivian Ernst, our Office Manager for her utmost support and cooperation. I would also like to thank the certification Board for their hard work and professionalism in processing what were at times very difficult files.
Joseph Simms, CET Registrar, Technova
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REGISTRAR’S REPORT
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NEWS
TECHNOVA STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS NSCC-IT Electronic Engineering Technician Pat Fordyce Electronic Engineering Technology John Kerr Electrical Engineering Technology John Douglas Mechanical Engineering Technology Kyle Paulsen NSCC Pictou Electronics Engineering Technician Chris Gregory NSCC Kingstec Electronics Engineering Technician Colin MacKay NSCC Marconi Electronic Engineering Technician Chris Phillipo NSCC COGS Survey Technician Cody Leopold Geomatics Engineering Technology Jordan McGrath NSCC Waterfront Architectural Engineering Technology Becky Parker Environmental Engineering Technology Madeline Kircher Ray Fiske Scholarship Award This award has been awarded to Shawn McCulloch in the amount of $500.00 Meloche Monnex Continuing Education Bursary This award has been awarded to Shawn McCulloch in the amount of $1000.00
STORY IDEAS WELCOME
ACT ENFORCEMENT
Leadership in Technology strives to present news, stories and other content in the course of each year that is of particular interest or pertinence to TechNova members. We rely in part on your input to guide and generate articles. This is your publication and you are always encouraged to contribuite.
The Act Enforcement Committee is responsible for dealing with complaints registered against our membership and ensuring that the integrity of our designations is defended.
NEWS: Your technology career is ever-changing. Let others know about the changes and trends in your particular field, discipline or worksite.
In 2010, we recorded zero infraction upon our designation through passive and active enforcement and zero complaints against our membership.
PROFILES: Want to share your own story? Leadership in Technology is a great way to demonstrate the ways that members utilize technology in their careers. FEEDBACK: Write to us and share your viewpoints (members and non-members alike). Write to info@technova.ca or send your letter/article to the TechNova office. STORY PRIZES: If your article/story is published in our newsletter we will send you one of the following gifts valued at $50.00: 1. Executive Laptop Case (or) 2. Executive Travel Mug Set Each article submitted must be accompanied by good quality photography if available. Articles not published will be archived for future use. Forward all articles to the editor at info@technova.ca
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Our designation is an important sign of our professionalism and it is our duty to ensure that all those who hold themselves out to be certified truly are. Hugh Campbell, C.Tech Vice President, Technova
ESO REPORT
The processing of foreign applications is both time consuming and expensive. We have on numerous occasions had to employ outside services to substantiate foreign credentials. Based on this, the fee for foreign applications was increased from $60.00 to $150.00. •
I have also had several meetings with ISIS (Immigration Settlement & Integration Services). We are working with this organization in an effort to integrate foreign professionals into the workforce, and at the same time we are hopeful to gain additional membership.
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The IQDB (International Qualification Data Base) has shown a steady increase, and presently it stands at 5822 programs from 1871 Institutions worldwide. In the past three months 1100 programs were added. It is interesting to note that the potential is 110,000 programs, so basically we have tapped into only 10% of the programs.
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Over the past year we were disturbed when four members of CCTT decided to leave the CCTT family. These four members accounted for 80% of the members. Consequently, CCTT had to undergo a complete restructuring. That being said, CCTT is committed to remain an incorporated entity and continues to serve as the voice of technicians and technologists in Canada. We have strong ties and good relationships with the federal government and continue to promote the profession at that level. Indeed, those provincial associations who remain members are determined to ensure that CCTT remains a vital and on-going concern and they are expressing that determination with concrete funding support. In October of 2010 CCTT approached the remaining funding increase and received 100 % support, we saw our CCTT levy portion of members dues increase from $16.25 to $21.00 per year.
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Council has decided that the CCTT levy increase can be carried for the present year 2011, but if the increase should extend beyond 2011 we are prepared to look into a membership fee increase to offset the CCTT levy portion. To this effect I sent out with the
ESO Report It has been my pleasure to represent you, the members of TechNova, as your ESO for 2010. This has been my first year as ESO, and my first annual report. The year has been very busy, both nationally and locally. •
I have continued to work with Council and with the Certification Board, as we strive to increase our numbers. This has, indeed proved to be a difficult task, especially in these times of economic restraint.
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Last summer we employed a summer student to help in our promotion of TechNova to Industry. We can look to a slight increase in numbers as a result of the promoting carried out by the temporary summer staffing. I am now in the process of applying to LaMPSS Operations Support for funding, to again employ a summer student. This student will help with office duties and carry out promoting TechNova to the industry.
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We have also noticed an increase in foreign applications. In February I attended a program through CCTT, with funding from the Federal Government, entitled “Credential Recognition Harmonization.” This program focused on Canada’s ability to attract the best and brightest from around the world, to address the current and future skills shortages. Foreign qualification recognition is the process of verifying that the knowledge, skills, work experience and education obtained in another country is comparable to the standard’s established in Canada. To this effect, I approached Council for an increase in the foreign application fee.
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ESO REPORT
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2010 annual renewal a notice for members input to a potential increase in 2012. To date, I have only received several responses.
Finance Report
In 2010 we again saw approximately 70 members removed from the register for nonpayment of dues. Many people tend to view the $150.00 membership fee as money better spent on something else. It is in times like these that your professional association is more important than ever and your designation adds strength and credibility to your resume. For those members who are temporarily unemployed we urge you to take advantage of our CTEN (Canadian Technical Employment Network) employment service and the TechNova Career postings, to further your search for employerment opportunities.
We ended another successful year. Our financial statements were audited by a chartered accounting firm, and the results were found in accordance with Canadian accepted accounting principles.
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There is presently a movement to integrate CTIN (Canadian Technology Immigration Network) and CTEN.
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For members not active in their Technical field we offer non-active status with reduced fees, normally 50% of the regular membership fee.
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In light of the CCTT’s tightening budgets, most meetings are now conducted by conference call. We are scheduled to meet again face to face at the CCTT AGM in St. John’s NL.
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We will continue to support and sponsor skills Canada competitions, High School Science Fairs, joint NSCC and High School Projects.
In closing, I have enjoyed my year as ESO and Registrar, and working with Vivian Ernst and Council and look forward to another successful year for TechNova. Joseph Simms, CET Executive Staff Officer
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I would like to thank our Office Manager, Vivian Ernst for helping me every month with the financial report, also for preparing all the documents needed to complete our audit that was held in February of this year. A copy of the Audited Financial Statement is also available for review to all members. Don Landry, CET Treasurer - Technova
EDUCATION
HIGHWAY SAFETY IN NOVA SCOTIA The Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) has put together one of the best traffic control and highway safety programs in the country, pertaining to road construction, maintenance or utilities. All work taking place on Nova Scotia roads must use temporary traffic control to ensure the safe passage of motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians through the workplace, as well as to protect the workers in the workplace. The traffic control devices (signs, pylons etc.) must be placed by, or under, the instruction of a certified Temporary Workplace Signer, following the guidelines set in the N.S. Temporary Workplace Traffic Control Manual. Certification involves a training course and after passing an exam, licensing from the province. The manual is published by TIR and sets the minimum standard for traffic control on a work site. The manual uses highway type, travel speed, traffic volume and work duration to determine the safest traffic control application for the work area. It gives exact details for signage and devices used, dictates the distance that signs and devices must be spaced, and gives the safe work practices for laying out and picking up the traffic control equipment. This practice creates consistency and clarity for the traveling public as they navigate the temporary workplace. The N.S. Department of Labour and Workplace Development enforce the rules and regulations set by TIR and ensure that all temporary workplaces meet the requirements as specified in the Traffic Control Manual. Deviation from these rules can lead to fines to employees as well as employers and also, stop work orders. On Guard Traffic Control by Sojourn is a major supplier of traffic control services and supplies in Nova Scotia. We hold our commitment to safety and service in the highest regard and strongly support and conform to the rules and regulations implemented by the province. With over twenty years of experience in traffic control, we have grown and changed with the industry. Working along side our contractors and the Nova Scotia government, we have taken a key role in molding our industry into the safest it has ever been. With the highest level of professionalism, service and safety, On Guard Traffic Control by Sojourn has set industry standards and pushed the competition to meet the bar that our dedication has set so high. Our management team has put an emphasis on training and education by taking a mentorship approach. On Guard’s Trainers coach and guide their Traffic Control Personnel, teaching them how to use the Temporary Workplace Traffic Control Manual and the tools it provides to give our customers and the public the highest level of quality, safe, traffic control. Our proactive approach to safety and quality has given us an unrivaled reputation in the community and our efforts to meet and exceed the expectations of our contractors, governing bodies and the traveling public have helped keep us all a little safer. By Phil Pruneau On Guard Traffic Control by Sojourn
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CELEBRATING 43 YEARS On March 26, 2011 TechNova held our 43rd Annual General at the Ramada Plaza Hotel following a Meet and Greet the night before hosted by our President Louis LeBel, CET. It was a great success thanks in particular to the efforts of our volunteers and staff, and most importantly by the members who chose to attend. The following guests brought greetings from their respective associations: Edward F. Leslie, CAE, PTech, ESO, NBSCETT, Will Miller, BSc., CET, CTAB Chair, Past President, CTTAM, and Len White, P.Eng., Engineers Nova Scotia. Ray Fiske Award & Meloche Monnex Continuing Education Bursary were each presented to Shawn McCulloch, a student attending NSCC.
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AGM 2O10
Louis LeBel, CET, presenting Shawn McCulloch with the 2010 Ray Fiske Scholarship Award.
Louis LeBel, CET awarding Don Jardine, P.Eng. with an award for his hard work on the Certification Board in 2010.
Louis LeBel, CET presenting Janice Kidson, C.Tech with the 2010 Award for the Triennial Review.
Don Landry, CET, receiving a door prize.
Sheldon Doyle, NSCC receiving a door prize.
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inspection program to ensure the ongoing good condition of the pipe over the life of the system. However, one of the most significant ongoing risks to the pipeline system is the potential for third party damages by contractors or landowners excavating or working near natural gas lines without following proper procedures.
Call Before You Dig Heritage Gas / Pipeline Info Heritage Gas operates the only natural gas distribution system in the province, which provides service to over 3,000 customers in Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Enfield and Amherst. Natural gas is moved through an extensive network of underground pipelines from the transmission pipeline, right up to the customer homes, commercial and industrial buildings. Natural gas is a local energy source, coming from the Sable Offshore production facility, which comes onshore near Goldboro, Nova Scotia. Maritimes & Northeast Pipelines, the local Transmission Company, moves large volumes of gas at high pressures from this point through the province and into New Brunswick, delivering the gas to companies like Heritage Gas for local distribution. Like all natural gas utilities, Heritage Gas has an extensive system maintenance and
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In Nova Scotia in 2010, there were five instances where a natural gas line was damaged by third parties. In some cases these resulted only in minor damage that was repaired or replaced with little impact to the system. Unfortunately, in some other cases the damage resulted in an uncontrolled release of natural gas to the atmosphere, creating potentially hazardous situations for the workers on site and public in the area. Following proper Call Before You Dig procedures helps to ensure that these situations do not occur. These procedures are a legal requirement for anyone doing excavation work in the province, and are in place to ensure the safety of the general public and employees. The remaining sections of this article provide an overview of the Heritage Gas Call Before You Dig program, and the requirements for working near gas pipelines. Provincial Legislation In Nova Scotia, the Occupational Health and Safety regulations require anyone performing underground work to contact all local utilities for clearance before their work begins. This regulation applies to more than just buried pipelines, but also to
LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011
the many other buried utilities such as power, communications, water and sewer lines. Companies who damage underground utilities without having had them properly located are considered liable for the cost of repair to the utility, as well as other potentially more significant costs associated with a utility damage. They could also be fined under the Occupational Health and Safety Act if it is deemed that the damage resulted from employees not following proper utility locate procedures. Department of Labor Inspectors have the authority to write orders against anyone found digging without locates, and administrative penalties can also be issued. Currently in the province of Nova Scotia, it is up to the excavator themselves to contact each individual utility for clearance, but hopefully over time a similar organization will develop in our province. Heritage Gas Call Before You Dig In order to protect the natural gas pipeline system from third party damages, companies like Heritage Gas and Maritimes & Northeast Pipelines provide line locating service and assistance on site during excavation freeof-charge. Within 48 hours of a phone call into the Heritage Gas Call Before You Dig number (1-866-313-3030), the caller will receive information back on whether there are gas lines in the area, and if necessary the lines will be marked out in the field using yellow paint, pin flags, or wooden stakes. In some cases
COMMUNITY
where there are no gas lines in the area, the caller will receive clearance to dig directly over the phone, and the work can proceed immediately. In all cases, the caller will receive some paperwork back from Heritage Gas to confirm in writing the information that they have been given. This paperwork may provide immediate Clearance to Dig from Heritage Gas, or may indicate that there are gas lines in the area and provide additional information on where the lines are located and how to work safely around them. Working Near Natural Gas Lines In some cases, a contractor’s work will require them to work very closely to a natural gas pipeline – this is not uncommon, and can be done very safely. Although it does require some additional planning and precautions, there are a few basic steps that contractors can take to ensure the safety of their employees. Step 1: Hand Expose the Gas Line If a natural gas pipeline needs to be exposed during your excavation activity, a Heritage Gas Technician will be on-site, and will provide instructions to those onsite on working around the live gas lines. Before working within 1 metre of the locate markings with mechanical equipment, the line must first be exposed by hand digging for visual confirmation of the line location. Once the line is exposed, mechanical equipment can be used to within 30 centimetres of the pipe.
Step 2: Digging Carefully and Safely Even once a line has been exposed by hand, there are still instances where the line is damaged by mechanical equipment during the course of the excavation. To avoid hitting the gas line, contractors should have a spotter present to ensure the operator is aware of how close to the line they are working. Workers should also be cautious of changes in pipeline direction, and of pipeline fittings that may extend above the line, or stick out from the line. Most importantly, contractors should work only in the areas indicated on the line locate forms – there may be other gas lines nearby that were not considered part of the work area and therefore were not marked out with yellow paint.
Summary Natural gas pipelines have been operating in the province of Nova Scotia for over ten years, moving energy throughout the province to homes and businesses. While these pipelines are a safe and reliable way to move natural gas, it is important for all contractors and homeowners to understand their responsibilities when working in areas where gas lines are located. Working together, we can ensure the safety of employees and the public in Nova Scotia. If you have any questions about natural gas pipelines or the Call Before You Dig program, please contact Heritage Gas at 1-866313-3030.
Step 3: Backfilling Around Pipelines Once the work around the pipeline has been completed care must still be taken to ensure that there is no damage to the lines when backfilling. The pipeline must be supported underneath using clean, compacted fill, free of rocks or sharp objects. Directly around the pipeline there should be 30 centimetres of sand padding placed to further protect the pipe. The contractor must always ensure that the white tracer wire is not damaged, and that backfill material is not dumped directly on the line during backfilling. In the event that there is damage to the line or tracer wire, regardless of how minor it appears, the contractor must notify Heritage Gas to inspect or repair the line.
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TECHNOLOGY
Established in February 1994, the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association (NSCSA) is a not-for-profit association funded by and responsible to the construction industry. The association is governed by a board of directors, that includes representatives of the building trades, the provincial government, and employer associations. The NSCSA delivers safety education and other safety oriented services in every region of Nova Scotia. These services acknowledge the growing awareness of the direct relationship between effective safety programs and bottom line profits. The effectiveness of safety programs is measured by decreases in injuries to our fellow workers, decreases in financial loss in equipment and property damage, decreases in compensation and liability cost, and improved competitiveness and profits for the industry. Our OH&S Services division provides detailed advice and assistance to help employers finalize their requirements and put a safety program in place. OH&S Service’s assistance can be a visit, phone consultation or extensive on-site consultation. Member services can also take the form of group or association information/ consulting sessions. The NSCSA also offers training across Nova Scotia to help companies and individuals comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, develop a safety program and promote a culture of safety within their workplace. The NSCSA offers over 40 classroom, practical and interactive training courses. An NSCSA instructor teaches Fall Protection Over the past 17 years, following our formation, the number of lost time claims experienced by our industry has dropped from a ratio of 3.01 (1994) claims per million dollars of assessable payroll in to 0.78 lost time claims per million dollars of assessable payroll (2010 – most recent year available). Although it is motivating to celebrate our successes and recognize how far we have come, we are not satisfied yet and there is much work to be done as we continue down the road to zero accidents. This year is shaping up to be another busy year at the NSCSA. In 2011, we have focused on projects that we expect will help us to continue to improve and to position our Association to succeed in the future. Ultimately, the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association will be successful when the Nova Scotia construction industry is the occupational health and safety benchmark for all industry in Atlantic Canada.
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LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011
Canadian Technology Accreditation Board (CTAB) Director’s Report As seems to be the norm, CTAB was very busy again in 2010 with the Triennial Reviews (TR) and new accreditations. As indicated in the chart below, there are now 230 nationally accredited programs. (see charts on page 21) In 2010, I served as chair of a verification visit at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and a new accreditation at Humber College in addition to reviewing several TR submissions. In spite of the current CCTT, accreditations continue in all provinces except Quebec. CTAB wants to ensure that the programs and students are not negatively impacted and the National Council of Deans of Technology has indicated their support of CTAB as their recognized accrediting body. It has not been without its challenges, however. Because of the reduced budget, the Accreditation Coordinator position was cut and the spring meeting has been changed to a teleconference format. We held two semi-annual meetings in 2010, Ottawa in March and Winnipeg in October. Throughout the year, review and endorsement of the accreditation reports takes place electronically.
TECHNOLOGY
Many thanks to our volunteers from Nova Scotia who have chaired review committees and participated in site visits and TR audits. Without their contribution of time and talent, the accreditation process would not be able to proceed. As always, I encourage members who are interested in helping out with accreditations to contact either myself or the council. As you can see from the workload, CTAB needs to increase its capacity of auditors. I would like to thank you, the members of TechNova, for your continued confidence in me and for providing me with the opportunity to serve as your CTAB representative. I treasure this learning opportunity.
Joy E. Brown CTAB Director
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ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING GUIDELINES 2010-2011 advertising rates
digital ad requirements Digital File & Contract Proof: Must be clearly indicated as to Issue, Publication and Advertiser. preferred file format Current file formats supported by DWP Group are TIFF or press-ready PDF. We will NOT accept any native application files such as Quark, Photoshop, or Illustrator. Materials should be supplied on a Macintosh-formatted CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. Materials should comply with SWOP standards. preferred color guidance Please provide Kodak Approval, CREO Spectrum, or iris digital proofs for color guidance on press. The supplied color guidance must meet all SWOP specifications and must include a 6mm 5%, 25%, 75% and 100% CMYK patch strip for quality control. All proofs are to be pulled on publication grade stock. A set of two laser proofs (paginated) including the crop marks must be sent with materials. On bleed ads and undersized non-bleed ads, provide separate ruled position proof showing trim.
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file storage Digital files will be stored for a period of 3 months, after which they will be destroyed unless written instructions are received to return them. production contact / materials All advertising materials, questions regarding materials and extensions, and related matters should be directed to: Mario Zamfir Leadership in Technology / Advertising 100-163, 1600 Bedford Hwy Bedford NS B4A 1E8 mzamfir@designmarketing.net Questions? Call 902 468-3440
LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011
LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011
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call now to join. 902 463-3236 TechNova, the Society of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists of Nova Scotia.
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LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY Spring 2011