COLLISION REPAIR WORKSHOPS
HIGHLIGHT NEW LOW-VOC PAINTS

This evening event will feature collision repair shop speakers, grants and incentives updates as well as health and safety assistance with simplified environmental compliance help.

All shop owner/operators planning on purchasing, selling or upgrading their shops and/or using new paint products in Ontario are urged to attend.

Collision repair and auto body shops in Ontario are switching to lower-emission paints, while facing an uncertain marketplace and challenging personnel needs.

In order to assist repair facilities to meet compliance requirements, sustain improved environmental operations and profit from grants and incentives offered, including apprenticeship hiring credits and significant tax reduction rebates on booths and other equipment, the province of Ontario and the collision repair trade associations are presenting a series of eight workshops/seminars with guest speakers across the province.

Date and Location:

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Saunders Secondary School 941 Viscount Road, London

Agenda:

5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Registration and Tour of school auto body lab

6:00 p.m. Dinner

6:30 pm. Industry Welcome John Norris, Executive Director, Hamilton District Autobody              Repair Association (HARA)

6:35 p.m. Local Association Updates Dave Westman, President, Ontario Autobody               Rebuilders' Association (OABR)

6:40 p.m. School Presentation Dave Grimminck, Autobody Instructor, Saunders               Secondary School

6:45 p.m. Industry Update Collision repair association representatives

7:00 p.m. Ontario's Simplified Representative, Ministry of Environment

Environmental Permits

7:30 p.m. Waterbase Paints-Health and Gerald Robinson, Ontario Service Safety Alliance               Safety (OSSA)

7:45 p.m. Break Visit supplier display tables in attendance

8:05 p.m. Shop Case Study

8:15 p.m. Waterbase paint hand-out information and grants and incentives information

8:30 p.m. Update and feedback forms w/door prizes

London workshop starts at 6:0 0 pm. Attendees are urged to arrive 45 minutes early for student led tours of the autobody lab. A hot dinner will be served.

Cost:  $25.00 plus GST.
Pre-registration and payment is required.

Please contact 1-866-309-4272 or info@autobodyhelp.ca or info@ciia.com

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According to a recent study by Lee Romanov of the Insurance Hotline, based on recent insurance company filings with Ontario's Financial Services Commission, there is a vast difference in insurance company rates.

It certainly pays to shop around for quotes for your car insurance.

For instance:

Profile 1: Male, single, age 19

Risk Description:
Licensed 3 years, 1 year with class G licence
Owner and principal operator
Commute - 5 km one way, annual mileage under 12,000 km
2001 Honda Civic DX 2 door Coupe (VICC Code 0258)
New business application to company

In London, Allstate Insurance will charge him,$12,394 for a one year policy while Coseco Insurance is only $5,591 and Cumis is $4,551

For more information please see:
www.insurancehotline.com

In Toronto the rates show:

for a 19 year old with a clean record, rates between $5750 and $15,551

for a driver with one ticket and one accident, rates from $2,051 to $17,468

for 2 drivers with clean records from $1763 to $6992

for a 70 year old with clean record, from $970 to $2576

The London-area autobody association, or OABR (Organization of Auto Body Rebuilders), held a major kick-off meeting at the Marconi Club with over 25 of their local members in attendance.

The hot meal event kick-started the new OABR activities and guest speaker presentations.

The London- area association now uses the services of www.ciia.com, an autobody and collision shop assistance group that operates the industry web site.

They are assisting the association in administration, meeting organization, communications work and send e-mailed and fax information to local shops on a regular basis, working with and helping shops.

The event heard from speakers;

Wes Killins, Director of CISCO (Collision Industry Standards Council of Ontario), representing shops in Ontario with an update on Bill 186, the Collision Repair Standard Act (2002).

Gerald Robinson, representative of the Ontario Service Safety Alliance, on free health and safety audits and assistance offered to help shops reduce injuries and improve compliance.

Jay Perry, an approved benefit vendor, outlining how ABC Consulting can generate more profits for individual shops and how his firm only receives compensation if the shop increases its' profitability.

John Norris, from www.ciia.com on their successes and industry updates.

Local London-area shops can join the local association and receive free manuals, incentive programs, compliance assistance and a new benefit program by calling 1-866-309-4272.

Another event is planned for the Fall

(see headlines)

On February 25, 2004, a welder was using an oxygen/propane cutting torch to cut scrap metal when the worker's coveralls ignited. The welder suffered second and third-degree burns to the legs, thighs and groin area. A Ministry of Labour investigation found the welder was not protected by appropriate apparel in the circumstances. The welder had been wearing 100-per-cent cotton coveralls with 100-per-cent cotton bib pants underneath. The incident occurred outdoors on property at the company's recycling plant at 105 Clarke Road in London. The welder was a contracted worker from a temporary employment
agency.

John Zubick Limited pleaded guilty, as an employer, to failing to provide flame-resistant clothing to the welder, as required by Section 84(e) of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments. This was contrary to Section 25(1)(a) of the act.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Robert Gay of the Ontario Court of Justice in London. In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.