BAC Members Certified in Brokk Equipment Operation

JOURNAL: ISSUE 1 - 2018

BAC Local 2 British Columbia has been relentlessly supporting members in receiving safety and specialized skills training. The Local's existing health and safety training programs include industrial oriented confined space, fall protection, H2S Alive, and Basic Oil Sands/Petroleum industry safety training. They have recently added a specialized machinery operation training program, with its first course in the Safety and Operation of Brokk equipment, delivered by BAC signatory contractor Cheeseman's Concrete Removal Ltd., on December 14-15th, 2017. 

Eight BAC bricklayers – Dan Yarwood, Roel Orasa, Ken Chaffer, Jan Hardecki, Ira Maheu, Kosta Thanos, Lee Dunn and Mike Barisoff – successfully completed the two-day training, and received their official Brock certificates. The training provided them with real-time, hands-on experience operating Brokk machines. 

"With a high demand of remote-controlled demolition machines like Brokk equipment, there is a shortage of trained and certified Brokk operators in the industry," said BAC Local 2 President Geoff Higginson, who spearheaded this training program. "This training is beneficial as it gives operators a better understanding of the complexities of the machines. With the main objective of keeping operators and surrounding parties safe, it increases efficiency and productivity of machine operators."

Balfour Cheeseman, President of Cheeseman's Concrete Removal Ltd., agrees. "Safety and productivity are compromised when you have an inexperienced operator running this type of equipment. Trained operators and the Brokk machine should go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other." 

"Another benefit of having trained and certified Brokk operators is that other companies can feel confident that there is now a group of knowledgeable Brokk operators that they can potentially employ should they require a Brokk on their projects," Cheeseman added.