SAFETY FIRST
Midwest Caissons helps spearhead much-needed
drill rig operator certification program
Every industry has its blind spots.
For technology companies, it’s the failure to protect
the privacy of customer data. In retail, it’s dangerous
and unfair labour practices in overseas manufacturing
facilities. Once identified, measures can be taken to address
and eradicate a blind spot, but it often takes a tragedy before
industries are moved to act.
The piling industry’s long-time blind spot was arguably
the absence of certified training to operate the most enormous
and powerful piece of machinery on a job site: the drill rig.
Although the vast majority of operators have managed to
EDUCATION & TRAINING
avoid catastrophe, some professionals in the business weren’t
willing to stand by and wait for one to happen.
Midwest Caissons, a cast-in-place piling contractor operating
out of Acheson, Alta., takes safety very seriously. It had long
bothered co-owners Todd Smith and Neil Sutherland that
drill rig operators didn’t need special training.
“We have to have a certificate to run a skid steer or a loader
and many other pieces of equipment onsite. But you take the
biggest piece of machinery out there and you don’t need one.
We felt we needed to be in the forefront to try and get our
guys the certification they all need to do this job,” said Smith.
By Heather Hudson
PHOTOS: MIDWEST CAISSONS
Brad Lamb operating
a MAIT HR 130 for
Graham Construction
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