Rob's blog

I have just come back from Saskatchewan where I spoke to 700 business and government leaders in Regina and Saskatoon. I also took teams out to impact three high schools in Regina.

One of the amazing efforts we saw in that province is the mandatory Job Readiness Certificate (online test) that all 14 and 15-year olds must write and get it signed off by a parent or guardian. It makes good sense - similar to all new drivers having to write a beginner's licence test before they start driving.

I'm sure you've seen a sign like this as you approach a road crew - a warning sign reinforcing the seriousness of driving too fast through a construction zone.

Why such a big jump in the penalty - doubling the fines? Because you could be endangering the lives of those young women and men wearing the hard hats and safety vests while they improve your roads, that's why!

Everyone seems to accept the doubling of fines in these high-risk circumstances when it comes to road crew safety... so why don't we apply the same principle to workplace safety in general?

This week the use of hand-held cellphones, Blackberries, other PDAs, iPods and other MP3 players, and handheld GPS systems while driving became illegal in Ontario, where I live and work. Now only hands-free devices can be used in the new "distracted driving" law.

I've long been a fan of the great, progressive work done by Work Safe BC... but now they've outdone themselves with an amazing, redesigned website that is social networked to the max - for their Raise your Hand campaign aimed at teens primarily and it includes:

If 2,000 polar bears were injured this year in Canada, don't you think someone would speak up?

 Polar bears are important... but so are people.

Last year in Canada, 200,000 workers were injured at their jobs.

Something must be done.

Are you part of the solution?