Shutdown / Turnaround Season Information

INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
OF BOILERMAKERS CANADA
Shutdown / Turnaround Season
Information Package
UNITED KINGDOM
Please read this entire package carefully.
It contains important information to
ensure a successful experience for you.
Included in this package are details on:
General Information................................................................................................... 1
Helpful Websites......................................................................................................... 1
Accommodations........................................................................................................ 2
About Wages............................................................................................................... 3
Pension Plan and Health & Welfare............................................................................ 3
Medical....................................................................................................................... 3
Requirements to Work in Canada............................................................................... 4
Work History................................................................................................................ 4
CSTS — Construction Safety Training System........................................................... 4
Drug and Alcohol Test................................................................................................. 4
Weather and Clothing................................................................................................. 5
Personal Protective Equipment................................................................................... 5
Work Permit and Border Crossing............................................................................... 6
Border Crossing Checklist.......................................................................................... 7
Contacts
General Contact:info@boilermaker.eu
Jim Beauchamp: jbeauchamp@boilermaker.ca
1
General Information
Dear Fellow Tradesperson:
Thank you for expressing an interest in pursuing work in Canada for our shutdown/
turnaround season. Our goal is to mobilize tradespeople as welders and boilermakers
for work on the various heavy industrial sites that come under our jurisdiction.
DURATION: Turnaround season typically lasts approximately 3 months, with individual
shutdowns lasting 2 – 6 weeks.
HOURS: • Day and night shifts available
• 10 – 12 hr shifts
• Generally 6 days/week
ACCOMMODATIONS: Most jobs utilize on-site camps (see page 2), or offer
a living-out allowance (LOA).
TRAVEL COSTS: Reimbursed by contractor. In some cases contractors may choose
to arrange flights and other travel requirements.
Helpful Websites
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Canada: www.boilermaker.org.uk
Boilermakers Local 146 (Alberta): www.boilermakers.ca
Boilermaker Benefits: www.boilermakersbenefits.ca
2
Accommodations
Typical Camp (Fort McMurray, Alberta – Oilsands Projects):
•Lodging is one person per room.
•Be advised: certain camps are deemed “DRY CAMPS” and prohibit alcohol
and/or smoking rooms.
•You will be assigned to a specific camp.
•Recommended items to bring: Personal toiletries, towels, flip flops or water shoes
for shower.
•Most camps have private and semi-private washroom/showers. However, some
camps have common washroom and shower facilities. Bring your own towel:
towel service not available at all sites.
•Rooms are wired for TV and internet connections; most supply TVs.
•3 meals/day provided at no cost to the employee.
•Laundry facilities provided at no cost to the employee; bring your own detergent.
•Common TV rooms and exercise rooms.
•Commissary (small general store) and pay telephones.
Sample semi-private washroom/shower
Borealis Lodge
Sample room
Mildred Lake Village
3
About Wages
Boilermakers and welders are paid through a Collective Bargaining Agreement.
You will receive exactly what a Canadian is paid. All wages and benefits are paid
in Canadian dollars.
Pension Plan and Health & Welfare
All benefits are paid on an hourly basis. Overtime pay earns overtime
contributions (i.e. time-and-a-half earns 1.5 times hourly contribution;
double time earns double contributions).
Pension Plan:
•You will be enrolled into a “Defined Contribution Pension Benefit”
•Contributions made in accordance with the “Canadian Boilermaker
National Pension Plan.”
Health & Welfare:
•Health & Welfare contributions of $2.25 per hour paid under the
Collective Agreement will be deposited into a health care account in your name.
•For more information see Boilermakers Benefits: www.boilermakersbenefits.ca.
Medical
On the Job Injuries:
The Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) can provide assistance if you are injured at work.
As a temporary foreign worker, you are treated the same as any other worker in Canada.
Medical Issues:
You will receive medical insurance coverage while you are in Canada. You will receive
specific information on coverage when you sign on with an employer.
4
Requirements for Working in Canada
Work History
Pressure welders from Ireland who wish to work in Canada will need to
provide a letter detailing a work experience history that outlines the following
minimum requirements:
•Pressure Welders: 6750 hours and 54 months of trade related work experience
which would include 36 months of pressure welding experience
(please ensure that the 36 months of pressure welding experience is noted
or highlighted in the letter).
Work histories must include name of employer, term of employment, company contact
information and phone number. This information is critical to comply with trade
qualification and work visa requirements. Your application to work in Canada will not
move forward until we have received this vital information.
Welders will be required to pass a point-of-origin weld test to determine if they will
be successful in passing pre-job tests once on site. In most cases the point-of-origin
weld test will be similar if not identical to what the on-site pre-job test will be. Details
regarding welder testing requirements and locations will be provided shortly. Once your
documentation has been received and verified, further job specific information you will
need to know, including travel information will be forwarded to you.
CSTS — Construction Safety Training System:
CSTS is a computer interactive video-based safety program and is compulsory on most
industrial sites in Canada. At some work sites, Basic Safety Orientation (“BSO”) may be
required in place of CSTS. Information concerning this will be provided post dispatch.
All employees must have CSTS prior to being hired on.
(CSTS has no expiry date. If you have already completed CSTS, just bring the CSTS card
or letter of completion with you.)
•Training is done individually prior to being employed.
•You can elect to do the course from a remote location such as your home, union
hall, library etc.
•The CSTS course will take approximately 6-8 hours to complete.
•Does not need to be done in one continuous sitting.
D&A Test — Pre-Access Drug and Alcohol Test:
Drug and alcohol testing is a pre-employment requirement on most industrial sites in
several Canadian provinces. You will need to perform a urine-based drug and alcohol
test through a certified testing facility. Arrangements will be made post-dispatch.
5
Weather and Clothing
Adequate clothing is a necessity when working in Canada. Please refer to the chart
below to ensure attire is temperature-appropriate.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN CANADA
MAR APR MAY SEPTOCTNOV
HIGH
-1°C
9°C 17°C
15°C 8°C -5°C
(30°F)
(49°F)
(63°F)(59°F)
(47°F)
(24°F)
LOW
-4°C 3°C 8°C
3°C -2°C -14°C
(25°F)
(37°F)
(46°F)(38°F)
(2°F)
(8°F)
Personal Protective Equipment:
All necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided by the employer with
the exception of safety footwear. You are responsible for arriving on the work site with
proper safety footwear. Safety glasses, hearing protection, hard hats, welding helmets,
coveralls, gloves and other job/site specific safety equipment will be supplied in order
to allow duties to be performed safely. If you have custom fit hearing protection or
prescription safety eyewear, you may bring them. Please note most job sites do not allow
facial hair.
Acceptable safety footwear would include those that meet the following standards:
•Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z195 – Green triangle on them)
•ASTM Standard F2413 (previously ANSI Z41)
•ISO 20345:2004 (previously BS EN 345-1).
6
Work Permits and Border Crossing
What is a Work Permit?
A work permit is a document issued by Citizenship and lmmigration Canada (ClC),
to allow an individual who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to
legally work in Canada.
You will apply for your work permit at the border crossing.
See the next page for a checklist of what you need at the border to obtain your
work permit.
The Canada Border Services Agency has the
final say on who may enter the country!
•The Border Services Officer must be satisfied that you
will leave Canada at the end of your employment.
•You must have sufficient money to maintain yourself
in Canada (minimum of $150.00 CDN).
Some crossings have automated bank machines.
•You must be law-abiding and have a record free
of criminal activity, or be considered to have been
rehabilitated. Be advised: impaired driving is a
criminal offense in Canada.
•You must not be considered a risk to the security
of Canada.
•You must be in good health.
•You must produce any additional documents
requested by the officer to establish admissibility.
7
Border Crossing Checklist
You must have the following on your person when entering Canada:

Proof of Identity –
A passport that will remain valid for a minimum
of one year.

Proof of Employment –
Your signed copy of the “Offer of Employment”
from your employer. This document should be
five (5) pages in length.

Proof that you meet the requirements
of the job –
Confirmation Letter stating that you have 6750
hours and 54 months of trade-related work
experience including 36 months of pressure welding
experience (see page 4).

$155.00 (Canadian Currency) –
Work-permit processing fee. Submit your receipt to your employer
for reimbursement.
Other things to remember:


CSA approved work boots
CSTS confirmation letter or CSTS card
DO NOT BRING:
Restricted and/or prohibited weapons or firearms: Workers should not attempt
to enter Canada with restricted or prohibited weapons and/or firearms.