News and Noteworthy

Global Harmonization Brings New Changes to Chemical Container Labels

We work with chemicals every day--from the gasoline that we put in our cars to the materials that we work with on the job. Since 1988, the Workplace Hazard Material System has been the basis for providing information for workers who use chemicals on the job. If you are a safety professional, you have probably trained thousands of people on this topic, and you know that container labels are the first thing that every worker needs to look at to determine the hazards of the product. With the globalized supply chain for chemical products there are changes taking place that will effect what we see on the label

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$750,000 will be used to train workers

Quinte-area manufacturers now have resources to ensure their employees’ skills are up to par thanks to a funding injection of $750,000 by the provincial government.

The Quinte Economic Development Commission is creating a manufacturers’ resource centre in Belleville after the funding announcement was made Monday. The funds will be used to train workers, preserve jobs and develop new economic opportunities in the region.

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SafeStart is Now an Alberta Education Authorized Resource for All Areas of Career and Technology Studies

APRIL 2009 – BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO – Alberta teachers in Career and Technology Studies (CTS) can now access one of the world's leading resources for safety awareness and skills training. . .continued

Electrolab featured in the
Belleville Intelligencer

This article appeared in the March 31st, 2009 special section Proud Past Progressive Future.

"Training for a skilled and safe workforce is our passion. We're excited with the prospect of expanding our product lines and programs worldwide." says Norm Wilson, founder of Electrolab Training Systems.

Read the entire article here

$50,000 Grant Available to Ontario Manufacturing Sector

In partnership with the Ontario Government, the Yves Landry Foundation is making available up to $50,000 per project in the form of a grant to foster training that will lead to advancements in innovation within the manufacturing sector in Ontario.

Full details are available at http://www.yveslandryfoundation.com/Programs.shtm

Recent economic times dictate that Canada’s manufacturing sector must strive to be more competitive and to this end the Ontario Government has partnered with the Yves Landry Foundation to make funds available for that purpose.

Funding is open to all manufacturing companies in Ontario in all segments. It supports the implementation of new technologies and processes and the training of employees with 100% of direct costs and 50% of indirect costs eligible for this funding.

Implementing an innovation such as SafeStart or ClarityNet (our elearning solution for safety and industrial skills upgrading) will make your manufacturing process safer and more robust. Our DVD resources for safety and technical skills are also eligible costs for 100% reimbursement, as part of your overall training project, and Electrolab also offers skills based training hardware and curriculum for operator training, maintenance and industry certification, such as NIMS CNC Operator certification

Electrolab Announces Multi-Year Expansion Project

On February 13, a press conference was held at Electrolab Training Systems in Belleville Ontario to announce a large multi-year expansion project. The Ontario government under the Eastern Ontario Development Fund will be investing $178,000 to assist with this estimated $2 million expansion, which will create 25 full-time jobs.

"Electrolab Training Systems is a success story that demonstrates eastern Ontario's capacity to contribute to the provincial economy and attract international attention," said Leona Dombrowsky, MPP for Prince Edward-Hastings. "The expansion will help to create jobs and support two communities."

Canadian Manufacturers Revamping Production Lines To Benefit From Green Initiatives.

The Toronto Star (2/9, Hamilton) reported that across Ontario, "struggling manufacturers...are looking at retooling equipment, modifying assembly lines and retraining an already skilled workforce to take advantage of booming demand for wind turbines, solar modules, electric-car batteries and the parts and services to support them." One example given is "National Steel Car in Hamilton, [which] after having laid off 168 workers in November, is looking to convert idle production capacity -- designed to make freight cars -- into production lines for wind turbines." Also, "developing a green-energy industrial strategy is now at the centre of Premier Dalton McGuinty's plan to lift the Ontario economy out of the doldrums while lowering the province's carbon emissions."

Electrolab offers skills based training hardware solutions for these new technologies, such as wind turbines. We can partner with your local college to ensure your employees receive the training they need for your renewable industrial strategy. Ask us how we can help

Electrolab is a new signatory to the
CEO H&S Leadership Charter.

The “charter is intended to support the continuous improvement of healthy and safe workplaces.” Almost 300 CEO’s have signed the charter committing themselves and their organizations to “subscribe to the principle that nothing is more important than the health, safety and well-being of employees, contractors, visitors and the surrounding community.” Some of the signatories include Bruce Power (founding member), Hydro One, Dofasco, Aecon Construction, Sears, and McCain Foods. For a listing and more information see www.ceosafety.org.

The Summit event took place in conjunction with the IAPA conference in Toronto, April 21 & 22nd 2008. The host was Elyse Allen, President and CEO of GE Canada. Barb
Tait, General Manager, represented Electrolab. Through active participation with the charter members Electrolab will learn how to better understand and support the challenges faced by our clients, to ensure we continuously enhance the products and services we offer to meet those challenges.

Canadian National F1 in Schools Design Challenge

Two F1 in Schools teams from the Toronto District School Board School have just won the Canadian national Championship held at the Ontario Science Center on April 30th in their respective categories.

The F1 IN SCHOOLS Challenge is supported by a network of companies including Electrolab Training Systems, Kidder Technologies, Mastercam, Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE), PTC ~ ProEngineer, Solid Works, and the Canadian Motor Sport Hall of fame. For more information see www.f1inschools.ca