Supporting Women in Construction: Building Equitable and Safe Workplaces

This week, we recognize Women in Construction Week (March 1–7) and International Women’s Day (March 8).  

These observances celebrate the contributions of women and the importance of inclusive work environments. According to BuildForce Canada, women now account for 13.6% of construction employment, the highest share on record. 

This growth underscores the need for equitable practices and support on every site. To help build a more equitable worksite, we recommend the following key courses for your team: 

• Psychological Injury Prevention 
• Occupational Mental Health 
• Mental Health First Aid Certification 
• Opening the Door to Support 
• The Working Mind for Trades (Available for both Managers/Supervisors and Workers) 
• SkillsOnlineNS – Preventing Harassment in the Workplace (FREE provincial online course) 

Additional Resources 

• CCOHS – Personal Protective Equipment – Body Type and Gender Considerations 
• CSNS Resource Toolkit for Preventing Workplace Harassment 
• CSNS Mental Health Resources 
• Toolbox Talks – Preventing Harassment in the Workplace 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 9, 2025

DARTMOUTH, NS  — Santanna Coleman has been crowned as one of Canadian Occupational Safety‘s leading lights.

This is a significant honour as Canadian Occupational Safety is among the preeminent authorities in the global safety industry.

“Safety is more than a job to me; it is about caring for people and their families,” said Santanna Coleman, OHS Advisor at Construction Safety Nova Scotia. “I am passionate about delivering training, conducting safety audits, and encouraging meaningful conversations about how we keep each other safe. I am grateful for this recognition.”

The list of winners was finalized by Canadian Occupational Safety’s 30+ strong Intelligence Unit, who spoke to and gained exacting insight from a range of respected and independent industry sources. This information was then coupled with in-depth industry research and input from Canadian Occupational Safety’s editorial panel.

Santanna Coleman is keen to express their pride at being spotlighted for their achievements and professional success.

Chris Sweeney, Managing Editor for Special Reports at Canadian Occupational Safety, shared his insights on the selection process, stating, “Santanna Coleman was recognized for their unwavering commitment and passion for the industry, exemplified by their impactful contributions to advancing workplace safety in Canada.”

This honour underscores Santanna Coleman’s significant contribution and ongoing, wide-ranging impact across the safety sector.

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About Santanna Coleman:
Santanna Coleman is an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Advisor at Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS). She joined CSNS in July 2019 and has been in her current role since 2023. Santanna holds a two-year diploma in Health and Safety from Academy Canada. She is passionate about safety education. Alongside performing COR® audits and providing safety mentoring, Santanna also teaches a range of training courses, including Basic and Intermediate First Aid, Traffic Control Person, Accident/Incident Investigation and COR® Auditor.

About 2025 COS Young Achievers:
In March, Canadian Occupational Safety accepted nominations for the third annual Young Achievers list. The standout young stars from the Canadian safety industry were invited to put their names forward; those who knew of and wished to highlight such talent were also asked to submit nominations.

Nominees needed to be 35 or under as of July 31, 2025. They had to have committed to a career in the safety profession and shown a passion for the industry. The COS team also required nominees to cite their current position, responsibilities, and key achievements over the past 12 months.

The team considered recommendations from managers and senior industry professionals in the review process conducted after the nomination period. After considering all aspects of the many submissions received, 46 emerged as the brightest Young Achievers of the batch.

For further information, please contact:
Kayla Pike
Communications Advisor
Construction Safety Nova Scotia
(902) 292-5038
kpike@constructionsafetyns.ca
constructionsafetyns.ca

With Nova Scotia’s new Duty to Cooperate legislation coming into effect in July 2025, construction employers will soon be legally required to participate in the return-to-work (RTW) process for injured workers. 

To support our members as they navigate this change, Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) is pleased to partner with Eastern Return to Work Solutions (ERTW Solutions), a trusted resource with deep experience in return-to-work planning and absence management. 

“The Duty to Cooperate legislation marks a significant shift for our industry,” says MJ MacDonald, CEO of Construction Safety Nova Scotia. “Employers must act now and prepare to meet these new responsibilities. ERTW Solutions can help our members prepare for this change and ultimately help the more injured workers return to work safely and efficiently.” 

This strategic partnership will focus on providing comprehensive RTW planning and absence management solutions to help employers effectively manage workplace injuries and reduce the costs associated with employee absenteeism. By augmenting CSNS’s expertise in safety initiatives with ERTW Solutions’ proven success in disability management, this collaboration aims to deliver tailored support that ensures injured workers return to work safely and efficiently. 

About ERTW Solutions
ERTW Solutions helps employers reduce the costs and complexities of disability claims by streamlining return-to-work programs and ensuring seamless communication with WCB. 

Key Benefits for Construction Industry Employers: 

• Improved Productivity: Minimize downtime through proactive RTW planning and effective case management. 

• Reduced Claim Costs: Support strategies designed to shorten claim durations and lower WCB premiums. 

• Enhanced Workplace Support: Guidance for employers to meet legislative requirements under the Stronger Workplace for Nova Scotia Act. 

Through this partnership, CSNS and ERTW Solutions are committed to helping construction industry employers navigate the complexities of workplace injuries while improving employee outcomes and business performance. For more information on how Eastern Return to Work Solutions can benefit your business, please contact Joy Moore at 902-497-9230 or jmoore@ertwsolutuions.ca.

ERTW Resources

Download the RTW Savings Calculator

On May 16, 2024, at our Annual General Meeting, we were pleased to award the prestigious Women in Safety Leadership Award to Andrea Giles, Project Manager and Safety Coordinator of Solar Ascent. Her relentless drive for safety excellence and commitment to building a safer and more inclusive workplace makes her a deserving recipient of this honour.

The Road to (COR®) Certification
As a key player in the renewable energy industry, Andrea recognized the potential risks involved in solar installations. She understood that safety would be a pivotal factor in the success of Solar Ascent.

This need led Andrea to Construction Safety Nova Scotia’s Certificate of Recognition (COR®) program. The COR® program is designed to help businesses build and implement robust health and safety systems to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities. For Andrea and Solar Ascent, the program not only provided a framework for a stronger safety culture but also opened the door to a broader understanding of safety and risk management within the company.

“Working with CSNS and pursuing COR® Certification has really helped us build a solid foundation for safety. It’s not just about having systems in place—it’s about continuous improvement and creating a culture where everyone is committed to safety and well-being,” says Andrea.

Where Safety Excellence is a Shared Value
Andrea’s leadership plays a vital role in the ongoing transformation into a safe place at Solar Ascent. Since earning their COR® Certification, the company has seen measurable improvements in safety metrics. But the true testament lies in how safety is built into the foundation of daily operations.

“Achieving COR® Certification was just the beginning,” Andrea shares. “The real work starts after certification. We built a culture where safety is second nature, and everyone is invested. From leadership to our employees working onsite, everyone takes ownership of safety.”

Solar Ascent’s commitment to safety excellence extends beyond the workplace through best practices in training, hazard identification, and employee well-being. The benefits of being COR® Certified have not only improved safety but have also opened new business opportunities and positioned Solar Ascent as an industry leader.

A Future-Ready Safety Culture
Andrea’s vision of safety goes beyond regulatory requirements; her vision is about ingraining safety into the core values of the company and to continuously evolve with the dynamics of the industry.

“As a woman, I often play the role of caregiver, and that sense of responsibility naturally translates into a safety mindset,” Andrea says. “It’s in my nature to look out for the well-being of others. My hope is that safety ownership becomes so deeply ingrained in every role that, one day, we won’t need a specific ‘safety role’ because everyone will be a safety leader.”

Celebrating Andrea’s Leadership
Being honored with the Women in Safety Leadership Award is not just about Andrea’s professional recognitions but a testament to the impactful and lasting change she has instituted into Solar Ascent. This award acknowledges her passion for safety improvement, her leadership in shaping a positive workplace culture, and her ability to inspire those around her to take safety seriously.

At Construction Safety Nova Scotia, we are proud to work alongside leaders like Andrea, who are committed to safety and continuously push for improvement. Andrea’s story reminds us that safety is everyone’s responsibility, and with the right tools and mindset, we can create safer workplaces for all.

As Andrea continues to challenge the boundaries of safety excellence in Solar Ascent, we look forward to seeing ongoing influence she will continue to have on women and industry leaders alike. Congratulations, Andrea, and thank you for your outstanding contributions to safety.

Posted: December 19, 2024 

Candace Carnahan – Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker on Workplace Safety & Culture Change Agent

“I’m passionate about empowering people, encouraging everyone to use their voice to speak up, and to be heard,” says Candace. Incidents can happen to anyone. That’s why making safety personal is so important.

We are looking forward to welcoming Candace Carnahan as our Keynote Speaker for our 2024 Annual General Meeting & Safety Awards. Candace is an expert on enhancing safety cultures in organizations, knowing first-hand how a lack of safety in the workplace can change our lives forever. For the last 20 years, Candace has been travelling across Canada, the US, Europe and Australia, sharing stories with audiences large and small to help create change in the industry.

The Power of Storytelling

Candace experienced a workplace injury when she was 21 years old. Since then, she has been advocating for workplace safety. She has reached over half a million people globally with her message. Candace believes that the impact of an injury extends beyond the individual; it affects the workplace, the worker’s family, friends, and the broader community. She uses storytelling to demonstrate how individuals can use their voices to drive safety changes in their lives. Candace’s purpose in life is to use her experience to prevent others from going through the same experience. As Candace puts it, anytime anyone gets hurt at work, it is unnecessary.

“I stay away from the nuts and bolts of rules and regulations because while that is important, I am passionate about making safety personal. Regulations are necessary, and I find that they make the most impact on an individual when we find ways to make them meaningful and personal,” Candace shares.

She explains that you can give people all the information they need, but if workers don’t feel personal about why it matters, it might not be convenient for them to put it at top priority or value. This is why Candace teaches others how to tap into their own experiences, to build their own story around safety.

Have you considered the connection between gratitude and health and safety? It might sound odd, but if you think about it, what happens to you when you feel gratitude? Individuals who feel gratitude are going to feel present. When you’re present, your eyes are open and you’re able to pay more attention to any hazards that could prevent you from going home at the end of the day.

Candace highlights that everyone must take responsibility for safety for a workplace to reap the benefits. Everyone in the workplace must be concerned for safety, regardless of their official role. If you are a Health and Safety Leader, you need to make sure you’re making safety personal for yourself and encouraging others to do the same. The goal should be for everyone in your organization to feel like a leader in health and safety.

Coming up!

Candace is an exceptional storyteller. As a Halifax-based professional, she is looking forward to speaking to a local group of safety professionals at the CSNS AGM.

Join us on May 16 to hear Candace’s inspiring story of triumph over tragedy and discover how to proactively implement safety changes in our own lives. As a gift to our members, Candace will be offering her Step Up Our Safety Program for young workers for free to all the delegates joining our event! As Candace says, “conversations about safety start at the dinner table, and when you have safe kids, you come to work as safe grownups.”

Register now to hear Candace speak at the CSNS AGM!

To read more about Candace, visit her webpage.

About Pomerleau
Pomerleau is one of Canada’s largest construction companies, excelling in delivering buildings, civil and infrastructure works, and major projects using alternative models. With its research and development lab, Pomerleau integrates innovation into more than 70% of its projects and constructs sustainably to build the living environments of tomorrow. Guided by their family values and innovation since their founding in 1966, Pomerleau recognizes their corporate responsibility to solidify their commitment to sustainable development and the importance of having the highest standards of environmental management in their projects.

Prioritizing Safety Excellence
Ten years ago, when Mitch Flannigan joined Pomerleau, they were already on their way to achieving safety excellence, with a focus on where they wanted to go.

“Our safety culture at Pomerleau is paramount to everything that we do. We give the tools, and empower every one of our staff to be involved in the safety process when it comes to regular enhancements to our safety program,” says Flannigan, Regional Health and Safety Manager at Pomerleau. “Internal meetings, whether on a worksite or office, incorporate a health and safety moment.”

At Pomerleau, health & safety is at the core of their business. The company has multiple teams of employees who teach and adhere to an active safety culture. In addition to being COR® Certified, they are an active coast-to-coast leader in the construction industry. To promote safety excellence in the industry, Pomerleau joined a committee formed by the top ten construction companies of general contractors in Canada. Together these corporate competitors collaborate to implement changes that will make the industry safer.

Putting COR® at the Core of the Company
In Nova Scotia, Pomerleau has been a CSNS member and COR® Certified since 2004. To continue maintaining safety excellence at Pomerleau, the Health and Safety team ensures all projects meet the COR® program standard.

“For Pomerleau, the COR® Standard ensures we know where we need and want to be but more importantly, we use it as criteria when employing our sub-trade partners. When we issue a contract to our sub-partners, I ask for specific assessments or procedures on specialized operations, that I know won’t be a surprise to the sub-partner because they are also COR® Certified,” says Flannigan. “It creates a level of conversation and understanding throughout our sub-trade partner relationships.”

Even though Pomerleau operates their own specialized training facility called PX3, Flannigan says that CSNS remains a preferred training partner. “We will always send our personnel to Construction Safety Nova Scotia for training like, Fall Protection, Confined Space, and more,” he says. “CSNS’s training allows us to easily maintain the proper certifications necessary to work safely.”

Health and Safety in Action
As the Regional Health & Safety Manager at Pomerleau, Flannigan’s role is to manage a team of Safety Coordinators right through Atlantic Canada and give them guidance to ensure the COR® program is met at their project sites. Most of Pomerleau’s sites have a full-time Health and Safety Coordinator that regularly conducts audits and acts as an advisor.

With any ongoing operations at Pomerleau, their onsite team and safety personnel work in conjunction to ensure that for every decision made – from mobilization to demobilization, and once construction is finished – safety is always at the top of the mind. Pomerleau’s safety program has evolved and excelled so much that they’ve created a department in their organization solely focused on environment and sustainability.

The Town of New Glasgow is a leader in safety excellence and a proud Associate Member Plus of Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS). Their commitment to safety is clearly demonstrated by their Certificate of Recognition (COR®) Certification. The town first obtained their COR® Certification in 2005 in their Public Works Department. After consulting with the municipality, the Town’s Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Committee recognized the benefits of being COR® Certified and proceeded to work with CSNS to get all their departments up to the national safety standard.

The safety culture and programs within the municipality have been continuously developed and improved over the last decade. Through the work of their JOHS Committee, and the collaboration of all departments and employees, the municipality has cultivated a leading workplace safety culture.

“Near-Miss, Good Catch” Program

Debbie Greencorn is the JOHS co-chair and a Safety Champion at the Town of New Glasgow. She was instrumental in the development and implementation of their “Near-Miss, Good Catch” program, designed to make the reporting of near misses more accessible for workers.

“The effectiveness of these reports comes down to whether individuals use the reporting tools at their fingers to proactively think about near misses,” says Debbie. “This program hopes to provide various ways of reporting so that workers will feel more inclined to report near misses.”

Currently, employees can report near-misses via their incident reports. The Town of New Glasgow also purchased Near Miss Report Form booklets from CSNS and placed them in all municipal vehicles. Soon, the JOHS committee will be launching a QR code that will give workers access to fill out a form using their mobile devices.

Another key to the success of the program was to make submissions anonymous. “A lot of people don’t like reporting near misses because they think they’re going to get in trouble,” says Debbie. “So, we want to change this way of thinking.”

By simplifying the wording, allowing anonymity, and by educating supervisors and employees about the importance of this program, the Town of New Glasgow now receives monthly submissions to the program.

Mental Health Initiatives

Ryan Leil, Deputy Chief Officer of the New Glasgow Regional Police has been working with the town to develop and implement systems to recognize mental health injuries with first responders and better support them in their recovery.

During the pandemic, the Regional Police saw an increase in the number of psychological injuries among first responders.

To better support their staff, the Town of New Glasgow’s Police Department adopted Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Peer Training. With the support of accredited education and training, CISM is designed to help individuals and groups manage the effects of a traumatic event or critical incident.

“By increasing our awareness as it relates to psychological and stress-related injuries and our knowledge base, we are simply lowering the stigma, and people are feeling more comfortable coming forward, to acknowledge their struggle, and receive support,” shares Ryan.