SDS – Safety Design Strategies has evolved to become a full servicing safety firm, offering safety personnel and safety services to construction and industrial sites throughout Ontario.
The company’s safety management team, with more than 30 years’ experience with multi-million/billion dollar construction and industrial projects, works with clients on ICI, tunneling, nuclear, pipeline, power generating stations, automotive, hi-rise and residential projects.
Bill Glover, president and senior safety consultant, says SDS is one of a few safety companies in Canada that specialize in all services including safety consulting, onsite personnel, corporate and site specific safety manuals, safety equipment and supplies, safety training, confined space and high angle rescue teams and most recently, asbestos and mould sampling. “Our clients appreciate that we can support them with any safety concern and look after any issues they may encounter,” he said.
Glover said the requirement for clients to update and adapt to new OHSA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) and regulations and COR guidelines created a need for an experienced safety team to implement and maintain safe work procedures.
“The responsibility to provide a safe working environment while concentrating on project demands is becoming more and more difficult to manage,” he said. “This is where SDS comes in.”
He says SDS works closely with clients with a “safe production” approach, helping provide a safe working environment while staying on time and on budget. The company creates a strong safety culture on site, professionally representing clients. “It is a positive strategy that has proven to be successful for SDS’s industrial, construction and project management clients.”
SDS provides professional site safety inspections and part or full time site safety personnel for ICI, tunneling, nuclear, pipeline, power plants, automotive, residential, hi-rise and roadwork projects. The company is an approved MOL (Ministry of Labour) Working at Heights training partner and offers courses from its Vaughan, Peterborough, London and Barrie locations.
“Courses are also delivered through our mobile training units which provide convenient training to locations across Ontario. Our instructors have direct experience on construction sites, giving course participants “real life” scenarios and allowing effective interactive training methods.”
The Vaughan training facility has been expanded to accommodate the high demand for this Ministry of Labour, CPO (Chief Protection Officer) approved training, which is required by the April 2017 deadline. The facility, he says, provides a construction “working at heights” experience with scaffolding and drop zones where participants can experience the importance of fall protection, fall arrest and rescue plans firsthand. Glover says changes to WHMIS (integrating to GHS), has also made WHMIS 2015 a high demand course for industries across the province.
SDS offers both online and classroom training for many courses, including WHMIS 2015. “SDS provides confined space and high angle rescue teams delivering professional, well laid out rescue plans for construction and industrial projects. We conduct assessments to determine and identify confined spaces, report any site specific hazards and what is required for the conditions.”
The company is also Canadian Red Cross First Aid training partner and TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority) approved Propane in Construction trainer, offering clients flexible schedules and locations for their convenience.
“SDS’s Safety Data Management System conveniently tracks participants’ training and generates professional electronic, wall and wallet card certificates immediately after course completion.”
Glover says clients also have the advantage of using SDS’s system to track employee training records, training expiry date notifications and have the ability to conduct and manage online site orientations and site specific training modules.
Beyond the training and management support, Glover says SDS also provides clients with corporate and site specific safety manuals that are ISN and/or COR Audit approved. “Manuals and procedures are customized for each individual client, with easy to implement programs for their employees and contractors. In order to participate in many bid opportunities, it is required that companies are members of ISN and/or are COR certified which will include having a current and approved corporate safety policy and manual.”
Glover says when companies hire SDS for any safety service, they are provided qualified, trained safety professionals who are passionate about the success of each individual project. He says clients are reassured by knowing that all SDS employees have the backing of the company’s experienced team. “We all work together to provide exceptional customer service and being there for our clients, when and where they need us is our number one priority.”
SDS works closely with a variety of organizations and associations including: The Ministry of Labour through its role as a CPO approved Working at Heights training partner; the Canadian Red Cross through its role as a First Aid training provider and the TSSA as an approved Propane in Construction trainer.