Page 16 - The Game June 2006

16 The Game, June 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
CTHS (Ontario Division) 2006 TIP Program
The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) is pleased to announce that approval of their 2006 Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) has been received from the Ontario Racing Commission. This year, nearly $9 million will be dispersed via the lucrative TIP program with funding of awards, bonuses and purses that include the Triple Crown, the Triple Tiara and the Ontario Sires Stakes program.
The TIP program supplements a wide number of incentives by supporting the purses of Stakes races totaling $9,325,000, including the Triple Crown, Triple Tiara, Ontario Sires Stakes, restricted Ontario-Bred and Canadian-Bred Stakes, along with Breeders Awards worth over $2.5 million.
The Fort Erie Sales Credit program will once again be issued through this year's TIP program, but with a slight change. A $750 Sales credit and $750 bonus will be issued to the owner of any Ontario-Bred winner for claiming races valued from $7,500 to $10,000; while a $1,000 Sales credit and $1,000 bonus will be issued to
the owner of any Ontario-Bred winner of races in the $15,000 up to $20,000 claim- ing level. Sales credits can be cumulative, are required to be used within one sales' calendar year after earned and can be applied to our upcoming 2006 Canadian- Bred Yearling Sale set to take place September 5 and 9 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion, Rexdale, Ontario.
In 2005, over $196,000 in Fort Erie sales credits and $50,000 in sales credits were awarded to the owners of Ontario- Bred winners at Fort Erie Racetrack and Yearling Sales Stakes winners at Woodbine Racetrack, with over $136,000 in credits redeemed toward the CTHS Yearling and Winter Sales.
Long recognized for their lucrative TIP program, it is the mission of the CTHS to ensure the long-term viability of breeders in Ontario and to promote breeding and racing of Thoroughbred horses in this province.
For a complete list of the 2006 TIP Stakes Schedule visit www.cthsont.com or call 416-675-3602
HBPA Update
HBPA Administrative Offices: 135 Queen’s Plate Drive, Suite 370, Toronto,ON,M9W6V1 phone:416-747-5252
WSIB and HBPA
hold information meeting at Woodbine
What was touted by the HBPA as a mandatory meeting for all trainers at Woodbine, Consultant Nick Bartzis and WSIB Evaluator, Michael Dale, provided an update on the Ministry of Labour’s promise to uphold the Health and Safety Act within the industry.
The Ministry of Labour’s intention to focus on the thoroughbred racing industry to bring it up to compliance with its Health and Safety Act of 2002 was announced to the the trainers at Woodbine in 2005 after a few trainers at Woodbine had been stricken with large fines from the Ministry of Labour for non-compliance.
The HBPA has since offered to help the industry adhere to the Health and Safety act by bringing in a consultant, Nick Bartzis, to work with the Labour Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to make the racetrack a better place to be in terms of the health and safety for workers.
While all major industries and businesses in Ontario have been in compliance with the Health and Safety Act from the Ministry of Labour for a number of years now, the thoroughbred racing industry has “flown under the radar”. The Ministry has recently began to focus its attention on the industry after complaints from workers and accident severity and frequency caught their attention.
The meeting was held to make trainers aware of what is expected of them when it comes to complying to the Health and Safety of their workers and what is being attempted by the HBPA to work collectively as an industry.
The WSIB has hired 200 more inspectors and inspections at the barns can be done at any time.
In an effort to help trainers comply with the Health and Safety requirements the HBPA are providing a 43 page Policy Manual which is available for all employees working on the backstretch.
It is recommended that trainers give a booklet to each of their employees and have them complete the short test at the back of book, keeping the signed copy in the employee’s file as acknowledgement of having reviewed the policies.
The Health and Safety Act also requires that every employee be trained in WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System). The HBPA has a copy of a10 minute training video which is available on loan. It's recommended that trainers have their employees review the tape collectively and write the short test which accompanies the video. Again keeping a signed acknowledgement of the training on file.
For trainers with more than 5 and less
than 20 employees, a volunteer worker must be assigned as a volunteer Health and Safety Representative who is required to perform specific monthly duties to comply with the Health and Safety Act.
For trainers with more than 20 employees, there must be a volunteer worker and a management worker to act as Health and Safety Representatives.
Nick Bartzis is currently proposing to the Ministry of Labour that a collective Health and Safety Committee be formed with one worker and one management worker be appointed per barn. However that is still in negotiation.
The Health and Safety Act also states that 10% of the workforce must be trained in CPR and First Aid. An agreement was made with the Ministry that the backstretch be viewed as a collective workforce on this issue, which means that 200 backstretch workers must be certified in First Aid. Approximately 100 workers volunteered last year which means 100 more workers are still needed to fulfill the mandate.
In summary, trainers are asked to keep informed about their obligations as employers. If you make an effort to comply with the Health and Safety Act, it will be much easier to show your compliance if you do happen to be inspected by the Ministry of Labour.
1. Pick up a free copy of the Health and Safety Act (green booklet) from the HBPA. Review what is required of you as an employer.
2. Pick up a copy of the Policies and Procedures Booklet from the HBPA for each of your employees. Have each employee review the material, take the test and sign the acknowledgement form.
3. Pick up the WHMIS training video and have your employees review it individually (or as a group). Have each employee take the test and sign the acknowledgment form.
4. Have one (long-term) employee or yourself take the CPR and First Aid training course.
5. Appoint a worker to be a Health and Safety representative who is responsible for the monthly reports and duties outlined by the Health and Safety Act.
For more information on the Health and Safety Act and your responsibilities contact the HBPA backstretch office at 416-675-3802 or the administration office at 416-747-5252.
PERRY TRANSPORT LTD.
Dependable Air Ride Horse Van Service Throughout Canada & USA
Tel: (905) 859-0333 Toll Free: 1-800-263-2396
Vans Equipped with Satellite Tracking
P.O. Box 880, Nobleton, Ontario L0G 1N0 Website:www.perryt.com
The only patented oral HA (Hyaluronic Acid) joint supplement
Join our growing list of Champions!
905-717-7044
1-888-842-2466