CSSE e-Lert:
Member Update from President of the Board
April 21, 2022
The importance of CSSE members like you
As we approach our 75th anniversary in 2024, the Canadian Society for Safety Engineering (CSSE) has renewed our focus on you: our members. Our priority has been on supporting and connecting with you; reaching out to grow our network with new members; enhancing networking, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities; and advancing professional growth through a wide range of courses and professional development opportunities.
Our members and the 37 chapters across the country are the heartbeat of CSSE. Chapters are entirely volunteer-based and composed of passionate health and safety thought leaders who are the voice of health and safety in Canada.
The role that our membership plays is hard to overstate. Each of you brings awareness and energy to advance our profession. CSSE is focused on moving forward with the issues that are most important to you, your employers, and your communities. We are working to bring together stakeholders to bring health and safety advocacy to social issues and industry concerns.
Over the last two years, as we weathered the pandemic storm, we’ve also witnessed a renewed global emphasis on health, safety, and the environment, drawing into the limelight associations around the world that support health and safety practitioners and professionals.
Together with our members, we will collaborate to build on our rich history and forge a new path forward: reinvigorating our chapters, recruiting new members, and forging stronger ties with the broader health and safety community.
Current priorities
In the near term, our effort is focused on making a tangible impact that matters to you as our members. In January, we reached out to hear from you. Thank you to all those that took the time to participate. This month, we are reconnecting with past members to make that same connection. This new e-Lert, part of an ongoing series, is just one example of our concrete plans to respond to your feedback. To grow the thought leadership presence of CSSE and our members, we are working hard to update website for transparent and current news, building our social media channels to grow our outreach, and seeking presentation and speaking opportunities—all while not losing our line of sight on the service with operational foundations, including improvements at the Help Desk, for example.
It’s through these types of outcome-based efforts, together with your participation and voice, that we will shape the future of CSSE to drive our common goal: ensuring our colleagues make it home safe at the end of the workday.
In the coming weeks, we will keep you informed on our progress through these e-Lerts and in other engagements.
Update from the Annual General Meeting
CSSE’s Annual General Meeting, held in December 2021, focused on celebrating the involvement and dedication of its members. The Board, chapter members, and the CSSE management team called on our membership to increase both their involvement and to recruit new members. More than 100 members from 20 chapters attended the virtual meeting.
Board members and participants celebrated the dedication and efforts of a wide array of CSSE members and volunteers. They also welcomed a new slate of Board members and thanked outgoing members for their hard work and dedication to the organization.
The new National Board of Directors was officially acclaimed:
- Raeleigne Van Patten, Vice President, Governance & HR
- Barry Bynoe, Vice President, Regional Affairs
- Paul Carolan, Director at Large
- Andy Smith, Director at Large
- Dave Turner, Director at Large
The Regional Council will be served by members:
- Aimee Arsenault – Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Christian Fournier - Atlantic Canada
- Michelle Ruest - Ontario and Quebec
- Alex Ethier - Saskatchewan and Manitoba
- Bruce Jackson - British Columbia and Yukon
Barry Bynoe also served as CSSE’s Awards Task Force Chair. The Task Force recognizes excellence in the health and safety field. CSSE’s 2020/2021 Outstanding Service Award was given to Christian Fournier, New Brunswick Chapter, and its Outstanding Achievement Award was won by Michelle Petrusevich, from BC Lower Mainland Chapter.
Congratulations to both of these winners, and to all of our dedicated volunteers.
How to get involved
In the coming months, we’ll be putting a spotlight on our members and volunteers, who are the pulse of this organization.
There are a number of leadership opportunities you can get involved in today, depending on your goals and interests. Refer CSSE to a colleague and help us grow the network, join a working group, or upskill by registering with an upcoming spring/summer CSSE course.
Safety and Health Week is just around the corner!
This year marks the 26th annual Safety and Health Week, which will be held from May 1 to 7. Safety and Health Week is a call to action for partnership between employers, employees, industry, and the public to reach the goal of safe workplaces and communities. The week is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the success of these relationships.
Events and activities are coordinated by local, provincial, and/or regional workplaces and communities across the country, including many CSSE chapters. See the Safety and Health Week website for more information. I will be participating in Steps for Life with my chapter in Edmonton.
Spring/Summer course catalogue now online!
Registration for CSSE’s spring/summer courses is now open. This year, we’re offering nine virtual two-day courses, which run from the beginning of May until the end of August. Courses cover topics ranging from assessing OHSE training needs/options, to project management for OHS professionals, to the essentials of risk management, and more.
To register and see the full list of courses, go to https://www.csse.org/site/career-development/course-descriptions
Sincerely,
Christl Aggus
President of the Board
CSSE