#WhyIGotTheShot

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the world and changed each of our lives in different ways. As we continue to move forward, we must continue to work diligently in our efforts to promote health and safety in the workplace. Getting your vaccine is crucial and a valuable part of keeping you and your loved ones safe.

The OGCA presents its final edition of #WhyIGotTheShot to share our member's stories and to focus on the “good” during this pandemic. We hope that you were able to find some comfort, reassurance, or positivity from this campaign.

Anders Wheeler, District Health, Safety, and Environmental Manager at PCL Construction, shares his story today and why he got his shot.
******
“As a health and safety manager, I believe it is always important to lead by example. When the vaccine was announced, I knew it was important for me to do my part to keep my family and those in my community safe in any way that I could, because after all, if I expect others to do things for safety I should also be more than willing to do it too and lead by example.

Of course, there are more benefits that I saw with the vaccine, along with the safety component. I look forward to a time where the restrictions will lift, and we can more easily connect with others!

I have been with PCL for over ten years. I recently relocated from Regina, Saskatchewan, to Toronto as PCL Construction’s District Health, Safety, and Environment Manager. Getting the vaccine was important to me because it was a step towards finally visiting my family in Saskatchewan again and a step towards hopefully one day being able to see them more freely as travelling is still a bit difficult with the ongoing pandemic.

The vaccine just made sense to me. Whether I am in the office or on a job site, I feel comfort in knowing that I have done everything on my part to be safe and keep those around me safe from this virus. By getting vaccinated, I can be a safety leader in the industry.

We have upheld the highest safety standards at PCL in response to the pandemic. In addition to the rigorous safety program we have created, we knew that we needed to ensure we were aligned and leading the charge with safety measures released by the professionals in both government and healthcare. I’m proud to work for an organization that is concerned with everyone’s health and wellbeing and implemented a vaccination requirement for all Canadian employees. We also made sure to heighten our safety routines to ensure all COVID-19 measures were put in place to provide a safe workplace for our employees and trade partners.

Safety should always be at the top of everyone’s mind. If we don’t work safely to ensure everyone gets home, we won't continue to build. Safety is never an option and should always be taken seriously. PCL takes pride in our continued efforts to provide the safest environments for all of our workers. We believe that a healthy and safe environment is the most important aspect of a site.

Getting vaccinated is just another aspect of keeping environments safe. We are here to build communities together, and I think getting vaccinated is the most important thing we can do to continue our jobs.
You don’t need the word safety in your title to be a safety leader. Together we can be safety leaders. Together we can help stop the spread.”
________
Thank you, Anders, for sharing your story. Getting your vaccine is crucial to keeping you and your loved ones safe. For more information, visit our website's COVID-19 section.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for publishing.