Professional Development - Events 2014

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Professional Designations 2014-2016

It has been more than twenty years since the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association Inc. (ORFA) first developed a professional designation program to assist members in developing competency to effectively work within the recreation facilities industry. 

Since its creation, many members have been awarded ORFA certifications and professional designations, many of which are now requested by employers as part of the hiring process, or used to assist in developing short and long term training plans.   MORE INFO   I   PDF

The ORFA and the Frank Cowan Company Limited have partnered to present this one-day risk awareness and liability reduction workshop. The focus will be in sharing real legal outcomes from events that have impacted communities while providing proven tools that have been put in place, or to assist in assessing current risk reduction tools and strategies. Additional information will reconfirm the importance of actions such as proactive inspection and ongoing maintenance of recreation infrastructure. Even if you currently have a risk management program in place, this session is sure to bring something new to your attention, or encourage you to improve your current program...    

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The Ontario Recreation Facilities Association is pleased to offer a professional development session for workers who are taking care and control of an outdoor swimming pool, splash pad or who are assisting full-time facility staff in such responsibilities. All workers are required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to be competent prior to performing any and all work. The OHSA defines a “competent person” as a person who, (a) is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance, (b) is familiar with this Act and the regulations that apply to the work, and (c) has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace...    

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The Safe Ice Resurfacer Operator workshop provides an introduction to ice resurfacer operations. This classroom-based session includes some time spent utilizing the on-site ice resurfacer and takes the worker through the necessary pre-flood, flood, daily and weekly maintenance inspection activities...    

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The Walkerton Tragedy is a series of events that accompanied the contamination of the water supply of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada, by Escherichia coli bacteria in May 2000. At the time of the event Stan Koebel was manager and Frank Koebel was water foreman. Neither had any formal training in this position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience. The water supply became contaminated with the highly dangerous e-coli and seven people died in the community from drinking the water supply. What was learned from the Walkerton water plant operational tragedy is that every mechanical plant room requires a person who is responsible for its safe operation. What the community leaders of Walkerton failed to have was the benefit of hindsight. Had they been aware of the shortcomings in their operation, surely they would have responded to correct the staff competency and general day to day operational issues that had become, by default, “standard operating practice”. In the wake of this tragedy a comprehensive provincial water plant training certification program for water plant operators has now been developed and implemented to ensure there is never a repeat of these events in any Ontario community.    

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