Welding standards important to Canadians: survey

In 1999 Canada had a $15-billion trade surplus in automotive products, but over the next decade surpluses vanished and roughly 50,000 auto sector jobs were lost. (Photo: courtesy of Magna International)

TORONTO – A recent survey commissioned by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) suggests that almost all Canadians believe construction work, including welding contractors and steel fabricators, should be overseen by a national organization and held to a national standard.

The survey, which took place in late November, found that 97 per cent of respondents felt this way, but had varying views as to what the main factor in safety was.

When asked to rank the importance of features when it comes to keeping Canadian infrastructure safe – design came out on top with 39 per cent ranking it as important. The role of certified tradespeople came out near the bottom with 13 per cent, while quality of materials was second at 26 per cent, and regular inspection third at 21 per cent.

“Most people assume that if a bridge or building is designed to meet the standards it is being built to those standards,” stated Craig Martin, Vice President of Public Safety at CWB.

“Unfortunately that is not always the case. Industry needs to continue to enforce those standards from design through to building and maintenance.”

When considering the safety of a product, nearly all Canadians feel that expert industry approval is important, and three in four (76 per cent) view it as very important.

Almost half of the respondents consider products made in Canada to be safer than those made elsewhere (44 per cent).

“Welding is all around us, so being able to count on an industry standard should be important to all Canadians,” said Martin.

The CWB is a regulator of welding professionals and companies throughout Canada, and works to ensure projects involving welding are completed and overseen by certified and accredited professionals.

cwbgroup.org