SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - Melanie Rodger, a graduating Three Oaks Senior High School student in Summerside, is busy creating safe spaces at her school, work and volunteer settings.
To honour the Grade 12 student for showing excellence in the demonstration and understanding of occupational health and safety (OCH) principals, the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) presented Rodger with the Safety Matters Award during their annual public meeting on Friday, June 22.
“One of the ways to build safer workplaces is to focus on our future workforce,” commented Stuart Affleck, chairman for the Workers Compensation Board. “The WCB places great importance on fostering safety champions in our next generation of workers and employers.”
Melanie participated in the OHS Leadership Program over the past year, where she worked with a partner to plan and host events designed to raise student awareness around safety in the workplace.
In the summer of 2017, she worked in a laboratory setting at University of Prince Edward Island, where she gained a valuable awareness and appreciation for safety training, and the need for personal protective equipment in certain workplace settings.
She participated in a training course at an aerospace company where workers were provided with an orientation to a new 3-D printer; she observed with interest and insight how the training was delivered, how the workers participated in the training, and how information around hazards and safety precautions were effectively communicated.
Rodger volunteers at the Prince County Hospital, in addition she serves as president of a volunteer youth board at the hospital. She has taken a leadership role in sharing knowledge about OHS with her co-workers, and plans to study bioengineering at McGill University in Montreal this fall.
“We applaud Melanie and the many other students who take an interest in health and safety in the workplace,” said Luanne Gallant, CEO for the Workers Compensation Board. “Any effort to educate and engage others in discussions around safety will help benefit everyone.”
To learn more about educating young workers about workplace safety, visit the Workers Compensation Board website at http://www.wcb.pe.ca/Workplace/YoungWorkers or call the WCB office at 902‐368‐5680 or 1‐800‐237‐5049.
