First Nation Centered Workplace Safety Association Founded in Saskatchewan – QHSE

Launched in early July, the new Saskatchewan First Nation Safety Association aims to develop and implement strategies to support First Nations workers, communities and businesses achieve the highest standard of QHSE and occupational health and safety. Founded with the central mission of empowering First Nation communities with the resources and training to work safely and injury-free, the SFNSA’s priority is …

Alberta Worksites Prepare For Safety Blitz

Alberta’s construction companies have been warned to prepare themselves for surprise safety inspections this summer. These safety inspections are part of the province’s plan to improve Alberta’s worksite culture and QHSE, by making sure employers and workers avoid taking shortcuts when it comes to health and safety. Occupation Health and Safety officers will be out in force, and the inspections …

Microsoft Cloud Is Picking Up Steam

During the Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto, Microsoft announced the opening of their new Azure datacenters in Toronto and Quebec, making their Dynamics CRM Online available through the Microsoft Cloud in Canada. The two data centers are set to come online next year, supporting Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics CRM online. With the availability of Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM Online and …

ISO/TS 15066: New and Improved Safety Specifications for Collaborative Robots

Published earlier this year, ISO/TS 15066 are a set of technical specifications and QHSE requirements designed to mitigate risk by providing clear guidelines on how collaborative robots are to be used safely. The more detailed and clearly outlined specifications in ISO/TS 15066 will allow manufacturers to better determine if they have achieved the intent of these safety specifications, and perform …

Changing Canadian Health and Safety regulations hint at greater universal standardization

Recently, the Government of Canada has announced new Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations as part of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). These new regulations will help protect Canadian workers who use, handle and store hazardous products in the workplace by ensuring QHSE standards and regulations are consistent both across Canada and internationally. The …

Day Two – ASSE – The Mentality of Safety

Day two of the ASSE show and I am happy to report it has been incredibly insightful, with the resonating theme of how companies view safety in their organization. Most people spend significant amounts of time thinking through the technology that their QHSE processes require without actually thinking through the processes involved or the people behind those processes. Here are …

Day One – ASSE Professional Development Conference – Atlanta, Georgia

As the Business Development Manager for NeoSystems Inc., a Calgary-based Health and Safety ISV company, shows like the ASSE Professional Development Conference are criticalto understanding the evolving HSE space. It’s exciting to speak to likeminded individuals and companies like my own that represent the tide of change in the once stagnant moving industry and see where the industry is moving. …

5 Observations I've Made Since Returning to the QHSE Software Market

As I quickly approach my one-year anniversary at NeoSystems and with my recent return to the Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental (QHSE) software market, I’ve noticed a few trends in the companies and in the markets that I am serving: Penalties are real. It’s been over 10 years since the major over-haul to Canadian safety laws through the introduction of …

Alberta enters the technology business. Stranger in a Strange Land… no more?

As a software entrepreneur in Calgary for the last 25 years the domination of Oil & Gas industry has often had me feel like the character from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”. Having spent time in my career in software cities like Vancouver, Toronto, Boston and San Francisco, running a software company in YYC feels, well – …

Death spiral, Mr. Laut? Not if we make these choices.

A few weeks ago, Steve Laut, President of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL), one of Canada’s largest oil and gas producers, delivered a direct messageto the energy services businesses in a Fort McMurrary Chamber of Commerce meeting. His comments suggested to the muted audience that costs have gotten out of control before challenging the Canadian Energy Sector to become more efficient …