Saskatoon, Sask., May 30, 2023 – When Dan Plexman was working alone one day in a lift, he came in close proximity to live overhead power lines. An electrical arc flash fire caused third to sixth degree burns to 60 per cent of his body before he fell 17 feet to the ground. Doctors gave him a 13 per cent chance of surviving. After overcoming the odds and undergoing more than 10 years of constant surgeries, he knows first-hand how important planning, preparation, prevention and protection is in keeping all workers safe.
“Sept. 30, 2008. That’s the day my life changed forever. One split second of one single ordinary day at work, my life had ceased to exist as I knew it,” says Dan Plexman in a documentary on his website. “We really have to up our entire safety knowledge, our safety input and we have to truly adopt and embrace a new safety culture that’s going to keep us all safe at work and at home.”
Plexman is one of the featured speakers at the second day of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board’s (WCB’s) annual free event, Compensation Institute, held May 29-30. The final day of the 25th anniversary of this annual event focuses on the injury prevention, empowering people with safety self-awareness, burnout and workplace wellness, and adapting to change.
On the second and final day of the safety leadership conference, featured world-class speakers include:
- Greg Ford, an accomplished expert on the relationship between personality and human error in the workplace. As an advocate of empowering people with safety self-awareness to encourage them to modify their behaviours to reduce incidents, he is the CEO and co-founder of TalentClick Workforce Solutions and an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.
- Jen Grant, a stand-up comedian and keynote speaker from Ottawa with more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, she has been recognized as one of the top 25 people in Ottawa by Ottawa Life Magazine and has performed at every major comedy festival in Canada. With a focus on workplace safety, she will speak about how honouring authenticity is a superpower.
- Shannon Talbot, a former corporate executive who, after 17 years, found herself burned out after prioritizing her career and family over her personal well-being. She then became a wellness coach and started her own company, Path to Presence, to support busy workplace professionals on how to live happier, healthier and more present lives.
- Alvin Law, a bestselling author, musician and member of two halls of fame in Canada who was born without arms and abandoned in the hospital when he was five days old. A certified speaking professional, he shares his life story of overcoming stigma and how to change and adapt negative stories people tell themselves about themselves into making new choices.
The 25th anniversary event is being presented in person for workers, employers, WCB partners, key stakeholders and members of the media throughout the province. Some sessions during the event will be livestreamed.
“We are pleased to have hosted Compensation Institute annually to inform, connect and engage with our customers and partners,” says Kevin Mooney, the WCB’s vice-president of prevention and employer services. “The event offers attendees a front-row seat to sharing ideas about safety and prevention in workplaces across our province and learn about our compensation system. All of this injury prevention work supports the WCB’s vision of eliminating injuries and restoring abilities.”
A complete agenda is available online at wcbsask.com/events/compensation-institute-2023. Photos are available upon request.