Dave Kramer: a passion for prevention

As the recently appointed Vice President, SAFE Work Manitoba, those previous years are now proving invaluable, so much so that he can’t imagine having taken on his new role without them. Coming in without that history would have made the transition much more challenging, he says. “That time in prevention really accelerated my learning curve.”

 

Dave joined the WCB in 1999 and has held many positions in the organization, including Case Manager and Sector Manager in Compensation Services; Director of Assessments; and progressive roles at SAFE Work Manitoba as a SAFE Work Co-ordinator, Prevention Consultant and Portfolio Leader – all leading to his current role of Vice President. Dave graduated from the Business Administration program at Red River College, and has continued his education throughout his career.

 

Looking at the big picture, Dave sees providing customers with quicker, easier access to the services they need as a top priority in the years ahead. “Increasingly, I hear from our customers that they want self-serve, app-based ways to reach us, and more personalization.”

 

Another area of importance is already underway. SAFE Work Endorsed Training has been developed to help create consistent, high-quality training for Manitoba workers through access to a group of vetted training providers. Each training standard outlines course requirements, learning objectives and requirements for training providers. Seven standards are currently available online, with more to be added this fall.

 

Access to these standards is available through a recently completed training portal. In addition to the SAFE Work Endorsed Training, general training courses that do not require a standard will also be offered. SAFE Work Manitoba will ensure this training is relevant, but the review process will not be as extensive. General training will include courses such as ergonomics, occupational hygiene and safety culture.

 

Dave also looks forward to broadening the connection to Manitobans in areas like social media, education campaigns and events, in order to get everyone involved and thinking about safety.

 

With all of these developments ahead and many more, Dave is excited about his ability to play an even greater role in building on Manitoba’s safety network and establishing this province as a national leader in workplace safety and health.​