November 7, 2007

VRCA Awards

Association’s Awards of Excellence recognize industry leaders

RICHARD GILBERT

STAFF WRITER

The 19th Annual Vancouver Regional Construction Association Awards of Excellence dinner recognized more than just successful projects.

A number of other awards were presented at the gala Nov. 1 at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver.

The focus of the awards dinner was to celebrate and recognize the achievements of construction contractors in various trades.

However, the awards also recognize the achievement of members involved in building the industry through their work in activities that are not related to a specific construction project.

The first award of this type, the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, was given to Ray Marquis.

“The best part of working in this industry is that you get to know everybody else’s business,” Marquis said.

In his long career, he has worked on construction projects that support all parts of the economy from the health sector to the marine sector and the port of Vancouver.

Marquis, who began his career in 1961 as an apprentice carpenter, has held the following leadership roles in the B.C. construction industry: governor of the Workers’ Compensation Board of B.C.; councillor on the Construction Labour Relations Association; chair of the Board of Directors for VRCA; chair of the Board of Directors for BCCA; Provincial Vice Chair of the Canadian Construction Association.

The awards for construction workplace health and safety innovation went to three different companies.

The Gold Award was given to Precision Gutters for an invention called the Basemate Ladder Leveler, which is an attachment that goes on the bottom of the ladder.

The product, which fits most commercially available ladders, allows workers to increase or decrease the length of one ladder leg or another to compensate for sloping ground, roofs, ensuring the ladder remains level.

A silver award in this category went to ITC Group and Ident Software Ltd. for a system of hazard identification.

The software system allows safety officers to walk through a construction site making notes on a laptop regarding any safety hazards or infractions.

The new system makes follow-up much easier and eliminates pages of paperwork.

A second Silver Award was given to the roofing company Flynn Canada, for the implementation of a fall protection system that provides an effective means of horizontal tie-off for workers.

The new cable and harness system allows workers the freedom to move in any direction, but eliminates the threat that the lifeline can be cut by the roof deck in the event of a falls.

The outstanding woman in construction award went to Tamara Pongracz, who is a certified plumber and chief instructor for the trades access department at BCIT.

Pongracz is dedicated to helping students decide on a trade, whether they are just out of high school or looking for a career change later in life. She developed a 16-week program that introduces participants to the skilled trades offered at the school.

The education leadership award was given to Vicki Munn, who is the career education principal with the Surrey school district.

Munn supports students who are taking carpentry, electrical, joinery, masonry, plumbing, steel fabrication and welding programs.

Once students complete these programs they come out of high school with level one certification and are linked to an employer and further apprenticeship.

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