DARTMOUTH, N. S. –The Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association (NSTSA) celebrated 10 years promoting safety excellence in the trucking industry at the group’s annual general meeting this spring. The event, held at the Holiday Inn in Dartmouth, was attended by the NSTSA board of directors, resource members, the association’s membership, partners and invited guests.

Linda Corkum, executive director of the NSTSA, said the event was a chance to reflect on the group’s accomplishments over the past decade.

“Our safety programs are industry- specific and are kept up to date as the changes in legislation and regulations are made. Companies outside our membership, outside our province and outside our country are hearing about our programs and want to learn more about them,” Corkum told Truck News.

“Each year we see in increase in our membership’s participation in our safety programs. We have become a central resource centre to our members when seeking information relating to safety. The safety audits we conduct now compared to years ago clearly demonstrate that those who participate have ensured safety is a priority in their workplace. Fewer and fewer weaknesses are identified in the safety audits we conduct of firms who have had previous safety audits.”

In addition to these successes, the NSTSA kicked off 2009 by achieving ISO9001:2008 certification for its safety programs.

“This is a huge accomplishment for us as a trucking industry association,” said Corkum. In January, they were also recognized by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia as one of the six approved providers of the Certificate of Recognition program.

Corkum said that much of the success of the NSTSA is due to the partnerships it has developed with its members, other associations, private businesses and government departments.

“We are all striving for a common goal, which is to ensure everyone who goes to work at the start of their shift comes home at the end of their shift to their family and friends,” she said.

And where does Corkum see the NSTSA by the time of its 20th anniversary?

“In 10 years time, every company in our industry and every company we do business with will have an effective safety management system in place which will be demonstrated through the Certificate of Recognition program. This will be the standard,” she said.

“By listening to our members, encouraging partnerships and building on what we have already established, we will see that the trucking industry in Nova Scotia is the safest in the country. We will have the best industry managed loss control program.”

The NSTSA 10th anniversary celebration was also a chance to recognize safety champions in the industry through its second annual Safety Excellence Awards.

The 2009 Safety Excellence Award recipients were as follows:

10 Year -Resource Recognition Award: Matt Tingley, HRSDC, Labour Program;

10 Year -Safety Pioneer Award: Garry Alderdice, Aldercomp Health &Safety Associates;

Progress Achievement Award: Atlantic Tiltload Limited of Dartmouth, N. S.;

Occupational Health and Safety Committee: Premiere Van Lines of Dartmouth, N. S. (OHS committee members include David Chaisson, Greg Fillier, Neil West, Reg Harris, and Clint Giffin);

Large Company: Hillman’s Transfer Limited of Sydney, N. S.;

Small Company: Donald Whynot Trucking Ltd. of Danesville, N. S.;

Partner Recognition: CBI-Health Group (Scott Bower, Joe Shanahan, and Mark Williams).