A harvester and a fishing captain were among the four people recognized at the 5th annual Splashes of Safety banquet in Halifax on Sept. 27, hosted by Fish Safe Nova Scotia.
A total of 109 people attended the event, which is a celebration of safety leaders in the Nova Scotia seafood industry, says Dylan Buchanan, executive director of Fish Safe NS.
Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Kent Smith delivered opening remarks for the evening. Guest speakers were Marie-Hélène Roy, the Manager of Regional Operations Marine in the Atlantic Region for the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, who discussed TSB investigation procedures and the top two causes of vessel incidents, and Patrica Auchnie, the founder and CEO of Nova Salutem Inc., who discussed mental health in the workplace, its impact and the need for organizations to address it.
Star Donovan was the recipient of two awards, including the prestigious Lewis D’Entremont Memorial Award, which is given to an individual or an organization that demonstrates an ongoing commitment to safety excellence in the Nova Scotia seafood industry by continuously promoting safety and the use of safety equipment to their employees, membership or peers.
“This year’s winner has been a driving force in her workplace for improving safety and is responsible for building a strong safety culture over many years. She has always been a champion of mental health in the workplace and was instrumental in helping employees access mental health services and other supports when they needed. Her efforts in reducing workplace injuries and return to work programs for injured workers resulted in significant WCB rate reduction for her employer and created a safer work environment for all. Her work with government advisors and industry stakeholders to support a safety association for the Nova Scotia seafood industry took years of effort and negative reception, but through her perseverance, Fish Safe NS has become a respected organization providing a true benefit to the entire industry,” reads the award citation.
Donovan also received the Years of Service Award, which is given as an acknowledgment for dedication to Fish Safe NS to retiring board members and advisors. Donovan is a founding member of Fish Safe NS, serving on the board of directors for 14 years and on the executive board since 2014.
Winning the 2024 DSS Protection Safety Champion of the Year was Alder Point, Cape Breton harvester Colin Dandy. The award is given to an individual who has demonstrated a true passion for safety within the industry, and is an unwavering voice and cheerleader towards improving safety for the Nova Scotia seafood industry.
In his 47 years in the industry, Dandy has gone above and beyond as a representative for his fellow fishers, reads the award citation.
“Over the years, he has been on the scallop, groundfish and small pelagics advisory boards, a member of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, and has been the LFA 27 Association Rep for the last 35 years. This year, as the industry rep, he has organized first-aid and Wheelhouse Safety logbook training for his members along with safety drill demonstrations with Fish Safe NS. He has also been a long-standing advocate of the Transport Canada Orange Decal Program by encouraging others to take part in the program, which is a helpful tool for fishers who do not fall under formal inspection.”
Captain Richard Mosher was the recipient of the 2024 Industry Safety Leader Award, given to an organization or individual that has made strong and continuous efforts toward increasing safety in the workplace for employees, membership or peers.
Mosher has been on the water for over 40 years, starting in the inshore fishery at a very young age. He is now captain of the offshore scallop vessel Atlantic Preserver and has been a driver for the modernization of the industry, reads the award citation.
“His natural leadership has provided his crew with a strong and positive spirit to improve their safety readiness through drills and safety exercises. While safety concerns regarding commercial vessels have mostly focused on when they are away from the dock, this person has expanded that by being the driving leader in recognizing it’s just as important to be prepared shoreside. He has taken the initiative to organize joint fire drills with local fire departments onboard his vessel, which has been an eye-opening experience for all involved. Over the years, he has led his crew away from the old-school fishing mindset to one of doing right the first time and keeping everyone safe, and he is always pushing for improvement.”
Linda Corkum was the recipient of the Health and Safety Award of Excellence. The award recognizes an organization or individual that has demonstrated continuous commitment to the improvement of safety in the Nova Scotia seafood industry and recognizes the very best practices made towards reducing workplace-related injuries and leadership in fostering a safety culture within the industry.
Corkum, now retired “dedicated her professional life to workplace health and safety,” reads the award citation. Corkum spent 30 years with WCB, where she assisted injured workers and their families before moving on to the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association, where she held the role of Executive Director from 2007 to 2021. During her time with the Trucking Safety Association, she was also involved as a consultant with Fish Safe NS and in 2023, she accepted the role of interim Executive Director which she held for four months before finding her replacement.
