PODCAST: Data sharing protects workers

Steven Thrasher of Plan Group, left, and Erin Oliver of Modern Niagara join OHS Canada editor Marcel Vander Wier in studio for a podcast discussion in Toronto, Jan. 10. (Jim Stubbington/Annex Business Media)

OHS Canada magazine is proud to unveil its new podcast, titled Safe Zone.

Our January episode dives into what some are calling the dawn of a new era in workplace health and safety — a time in which organizations are partnering to share data in an effort to better forecast risk and ultimately protect workers.

For this episode, OHS Canada editor Marcel Vander Wier was joined by Erin Oliver, vice-president of employee health and safety at Modern Niagara and Steven Thrasher, national director of health, safety and environment at Plan Group.

Traditionally, safety data has been protected as a competitive advantage, says Thrasher. “With Modern and Plan, we realized we should break down those barriers.”

The two companies have begun sharing safety metrics, with impressive results.

Safety metrics should not be used as a measure to “win work,” says Oliver. “Unfortunately, that means that we’re putting the welfare of our employees second to a competitive advantage to a tender. In my world, that’s unacceptable.”

Have a listen to hear the rest of the story.