Safety Goes Online

The energy industry is one of the most diverse resource-type businesses in the world with work taking place in some of the most adventurous and most remote reaches.

Along with adventure and remote locations comes risk. Being a “high-risk” industry forces the energy players to build systems to appropriately manage these risks. Part of managing risk is being able to find capable people to provide leadership in the area of occupational health and safety.

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) Occupational Health and Safety Certificate program provides the foundation needed for healthy and safe employees. A major focus of the program is hazard assessment, risk assessment and control, and risk communication. Graduates from this program are well prepared to speak the OHS risk language with senior management and, in turn, help the senior management to mitigate workplace risk. UNB has four instructors based in Alberta, Canada, who support the oil patch every day.

With advances in technology and the global demand for online learning, UNB has risen to shape the future of learning with an entire online suite of training solutions. At the helm of this initiative is Mr. Ken Reimer, the director of UNB Online.

Ken Reimer says, “I started a private elearning company, LearnStream, a number of years ago, which was focused on corporate training applications. One of our projects at that time was with a U.S.-based company, developing a series of courses on a variety of OSHA topics. After I sold LearnStream, I saw an opportunity to work in higher education, as the whole area of online learning was just starting to become important for universities as well. UNB was already into the OHS field, so there was a great fit on all fronts.”

Ken describes UNB Online HSE training in this way, “The main advantage of the program is that it is a comprehensive program of study in occupational health and safety, and it is fully online—self-paced courses that students can begin whenever it is most convenient. This program design gives the students flexibility when they are working out of town for long periods of time, such that they would not be able to attend regularly scheduled semester-based classes. The instructors are industry professionals, who also work in the field and bring real-life experience to the program. Because our program is online, we have selected top instructors from across the country, who have practical expertise in oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, and mining.”

UNB Online offers the perfect learning solution for a person already working, maybe to upgrade their skills or transition into an occupational health and safety role. The UNB student group includes people from all industries across Canada, with a significant percentage working in the energy and resource sector. Many are working out of town and in remote areas. Numerous graduates take on safety leadership roles upon graduation. A typical role would be for a student to work as a safety advisor, although many take on roles in the management hierarchy with a mandate to manage safety systems for their employer.

The UNB Certificate is the first level, which provides a well-rounded practical approach to safety systems, risk management, accident investigation, and other core skills that are necessary for a first-line safety officer. The certificate meets the national education requirement for someone aiming to become a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), when combined with the work experience and the CRSP exam. The diploma takes the learning to a more managerial perspective, giving the graduate the skills to make an impact in their organization at a higher level.

This OHS online program builds on those strengths, and is also aligned well to the national BCRSP competencies for safety professionals. The certificate prepares them for the work in the field and, ultimately, to write the CRSP exam. The diploma provides a framework for dealing with many of the new and emerging issues in occupational health and safety. The diploma also gives students a competitive edge in the workplace, because it helps them to develop the critical transferrable skills (leadership, communication, and management) needed for success and advancement. The UNB Certificate and Diploma offers a flexible program of occupational health and safety courses accessible to employees working anywhere in the energy industry.

For more information, contact www.unb.ca/unbonline