Construction Safety Nova Scotia opens new Sydney office to meet demand across Cape Breton

Left to right: Rob Rowe, Director of Safety Services; Warren MacKinnon, OHS Advisor, Cape Breton; MJ MacDonald, CEO

May 25, 2023

New OHS advisor hired for training, mentorship, and help with COR® certification

SYDNEY, NS — Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) has opened a new office at the firehall at 850 Grand Lake Road in Sydney to meet the needs of construction employers across Cape Breton.

“We are seeing a flurry of construction activity across Cape Breton and we knew we needed to do a better job at supporting our members in this area. Now, we are well positioned to assist Cape Breton employers with training, certification, and consulting on all aspects of their safety program with this new office and a dedicated OHS advisor,” said MJ MacDonald, CEO of Construction Safety Nova Scotia.

Warren MacKinnon is the dedicated OHS Advisor for the region and he is immediately available for private training courses at an employer’s site. Additionally, the following courses are upcoming at the 850 Grand Lake Road location, with more being added shortly:

  • Fall Protection Basic- June 7th, 2023
  • Basic First Aid June 8th, 2023
  • Confined Space Generic June 13th, 2023
  • JOHSC June 27th, 2023

Companies can register their workers here: https://constructionsafetyns.ca/course-registration/ or by calling 1-800-971-3888.

MacKinnon’s previous experience includes working as a safety advisor assisting with on-site safety programs, and he is a trained confined space rescue technician. He is born and raised in New Waterford where he currently resides with his wife and baby girl on the way. In his space time, he competes in harness racing and he can often be found on the golf course!

“I am proud to see so much construction activity in my hometown and I want to make sure workers are properly trained to do these jobs safely,” said MacKinnon. “I look forward to getting to know our members in the region and working with them to further improve their safety performance.”

Members of Construction Safety Nova Scotia are any firms registered with the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia under the construction industry classification codes 4011-4499 & 3551. They receive most training courses at a 60 percent discount. Non-industry employers can also receive training from CSNS — including the popular JOHS Committee/Rep course — at an additional cost.

ABOUT CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NOVA SCOTIA

Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) is an industry funded not-for-profit association focused on improving occupational health and safety in the construction sector. CSNS is a highly regarded leader in OHS services with over 300,000 students trained in health and safety and over 1,150 firms attaining the association’s Certificate of Recognition (COR®) safety certification. The board of directors, OHS advisors, and CSNS staff work towards a safer construction industry by engaging with its membership to reduce injuries and improve safety culture. The association is passionate about saving lives and reducing injuries through industry-tailored instruction and advice. ­https://constructionsafetyns.ca/.