This release was issued under a previous government.
Occupational Health and Safety officers targeted the 28 employers who operate Alberta ski hills in an inspection campaign that ran from the pre-season in October, through the peak season at the end of January.
A total of 40 inspections were carried out, focusing on industry hazards, worker training, supervision and equipment maintenance.
The results of the inspection show a significant drop in the number of infractions, down 59% from a similar inspection campaign in the 2012 / 2013 ski season.
“Albertans love to work and play at our amazing ski resorts and it’s encouraging to see operators make this kind of progress.”
One of the ways OHS worked with industry after the 2013 season was to host a new educational seminar for the Canada West Ski Areas Association, which showed multiple employers the economic and social benefits of investing in health and safety.
“Budget 2014 provides us with the resources to continue this kind of support. Ski hill operators have set the bar high when it comes to health and safety, and employers in other high risk industries should take notice. We’re coming to visit them next.”
The next targeted inspection campaign for 2014 will focus on residential construction, framing and roofing.