How Hands-On Safety Training Is Reducing Risk on Complex Healthcare Builds

At EllisDon, we are continuously evolving our approach to safety and exploring new and innovative ways to implement programs that prioritize best practices. By focusing on proactive learning and shared responsibility, we strengthen awareness at every level and create a safety culture that is always getting better.

At the site level, this vision comes to life at the new Surrey hospital and BC Cancer Centre (NSHBCCC), where a purpose-built Training Quonset gives our project team hands-on experience with engineered formwork systems before they ever step onto the live site.

“This initiative is about investing in our people and setting them up for success,” said William Rowan, HSE Director. “When they feel educated and supported, they make safer decisions for themselves and those around them, fostering a shared sense of responsibility in everything we do.”

Providing a controlled training space allows our people to ask questions and demonstrate readiness before moving to the live site, helping to reduce risk, improve workflow, and drive consistency across the project.

This approach is especially valuable given the scale and complexity of the work currently underway at NSHBCCC. The 1.1‑million‑square‑foot healthcare facility is one of the most technically challenging projects in the region, requiring a workforce that is prepared, confident, and aligned. By prioritizing training, we are building critical skills and supporting safer outcomes for everyone involved, including the community this facility will serve.

Scheduled to open in 2030 as the tallest healthcare facility in the Cloverdale area, the NSHBCCC project remains in an active phase of construction, with significant work still ahead. The implementation of the Safety Training Quonset strengthens team performance and demonstrates our commitment to safety, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking.