October 21, 2021 | CHILLIWACK – Recognizing BC employers for outstanding health and safety achievements in an exceptional year, the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC announced the recipients of the 2021 Safety Pinnacle Awards—15 companies from across British Columbia that represent the province’s diverse manufacturing and food processing sector.

“Achieving a Safety Pinnacle Award is a testimony to a company’s commitment to health and safety excellence – and more importantly – protecting their people from injury and illness in the workplace,” said Lisa McGuire, President and CEO of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC. “We are honoured to recognize so many B.C. companies for making safety a priority in a very challenging year.”

2021 award recipients

Safety Pinnacle Awards. Each Pinnacle level demonstrates a new level of health and safety commitment and performance.

• Topaz Award – recognizing companies that have successfully developed and implemented a health and safety management system that meets the COR/Occupational Safety Standard of Excellence standard. 2021 recipients include:
  • Chilliwack recycling firm eCycle Solutions
  • Richmond-based manufacturer and distributor Layfield Canada
  • Kelowna craft brewery Kettle River Brewing Company
  • Coquitlam Slurry pump manufacturer HEVVY/Toyo Pumps
  • Langley facility of lifting and rigging company Hercules SLRSapphire Award – Recognized for demonstrated leadership commitment to safety, 2021 recipients include:
    • Hercules SLR (recipient of two Pinnacle awards in 2021)
    • North Saanich aerospace manufacturer Viking Air
    • Campbell River-based salmon farm and hatchery operator Grieg Seafood
    • Salmon Arm manufacturer of recycled rubber flooring Dinoflex
• Emerald Award – Recognized for maintaining an injury rate below their industry average for at least three years, the 2021 Emerald Pinnacle recipients are:
  • Viking Air (recipient of two 2021 Pinnacle Awards)
  • Abbotsford custom trailer manufacturer Magnum Trailers and Equipment
• Ruby Award — Recognized for improving their health and safety performance for three years, the 2021 Ruby Pinnacle recipients are:
  • Kelowna winery packaging subsidiary Canrim Packaging (Andrew Peller)
  • Victoria division of food distributor Sysco Canada
  • Richmond airline catering and provisioning provider Gategourmet

Safety Excellence Awards. The Safety Excellence Awards recognize BC manufacturers for innovation and exceptional commitment to manufacturing safety.

• Joint Health and Safety Committee Excellence Award winner: Langley Township flat glass fabricator, PFG Glass
  PFG Glass empowers employees to participate in implementing and monitoring the company’s health and safety program. Their joint health and safety committee trains regularly to identify issues and seek solutions to health and safety risks in the workplace.
• Small Business People First Award winner: Kamloops vineyard, winery, and tasting room, Monte Creek Winery
  Monte Creek integrates health and safety into every aspect of the business – regularly looking into the latest trends, tools, and resources to keep their workplace safe and healthy for their staff.
• Manufacturing Safety Innovator Award winner: Chilliwack beverage company, Molson Coors
  The BOS (behaviour observation system) at Molson Coors is just one of the many safety innovations the company has incorporated into its health and safety management. Every day, one person observes the entire brewery to help employees strengthen their safety culture through appreciative enquiry, education, and support.
• Fantastic Four Risk Control Leader Award winner: Langley packaging producer, CKF Inc.
  The partnership with the management team and the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee at CKF Inc. has strengthened their health and safety management system for MSI prevention, machine-related injuries, and falls. CKF believes that “good safety leadership is important” and management integrates health and safety into their daily business culture.
• Inaugural Apex Award winner: Jason Longden of Richmond’s Fine Choice Foods – producing Asian foods for the North American market.
  Awarded for the first time this year, the Apex Award recognizes an individual for exceptional commitment, passion, dedication, and action in support of health and safety.

Also recognized at the event were Ben Hume Leadership Award finalists Ampco President and CEO Dann Konkin (Coquitlam), F&M Installations CEO Don Bayda (Nanaimo), and the 2021 recipient of the Ben Hume Leadership Award: Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing CEO Brian Wall (Kelowna).

Additional content:

• Website | Safety Pinnacle Awards
• Video | Ben Hume nominees
  • Dann Konkin
  • Don Bayda
  • Brian Wall
• Backgrounder | Company Profiles

About the Alliance

The Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC is the not-for-profit health and safety association for manufacturers and food processors in British Columbia. Its guiding principle is to create and maintain a united resource, supporting the manufacturing and food processing industries to improve health and safety and reduce injury rates.

Media Contact:

Lisa Thibault, PR and Marketing Specialist
[email protected] | 604-991-7423