With the province’s construction industry booming, the BC Builders Code has just launched a series of humorous animated shorts called the “Don’t Be a Tool” campaign to help address bullying, hazing, and harassment at worksites.
The videos highlight scenarios that are based on real-life harassment and bullying situations described by tradespeople across BC, and aims to change the environment of an industry that is 95% male.
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“There’s no question that the 180,000 tradespeople in BC’s construction workforce will recognize the real-life situations that informed this campaign,” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA in a statement.
“Our industry is keen to be more diverse across all demographics including age and gender, and while most employees are well aware of the behaviour that’s expected of them by their employers, you could say we’re working to remove all doubt about what’s acceptable on a worksite.”
Construction industry accounts for 10% of BC’s entire workforce
BC’s construction industry is voraciously expanding, according to a study conducted by the BC Construction Association (BCCA).
Construction is the province’s top employer in the goods sector, accounting for 8.7% of BC’s GDP and 10% of its entire workforce.
Over 242,000 people directly rely on the industry for a paycheque, accounting for more workers than the forestry, mining, agriculture, and fishing industries combined.
In fact, the industry’s biggest challenge is working with a constant shortage of skilled labourers.
“These numbers clearly show that construction is a key economic driver everywhere in B.C.,” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA in a release.
“From the 180,000 tradespeople at its core to the labourers, architects, engineers, estimators, site supers and forepeople, union business managers, trainers, safety officers, manufacturers and suppliers, to the owners and back-office teams that make it all tick, construction is the heart of B.C.’s economy.”
With the construction industry on the rise, the Builders Code hopes that the Don’t Be a Tool campaign will help keep worksite environments positive for everyone.
“We wanted a simple, engaging campaign that would help us demonstrate the need for change in a non-threatening way,” said Lisa Stevens, BCCA COO and architect of the Builders Code in a statement.
“Using our cartoon character ‘tools’ allows us to look at a serious problem through an exaggerated, lighthearted lens, making the whole issue more approachable,” said Morgan Tierney, Managing Partner of Rethink, the company that designed the campaign.
