Alberta electrician wins national award
Categories: Canada
This past October, the General Presidents’ Maintenance Committee for Canada and the National Maintenance Council for Canada held their annual Canadian Safety Achievement Awards, and an Alberta electrician was one of the recipients.
The Craftsperson of the Year Award is reserved for skilled tradesperson who are members of Canada’s Building Trades Unions who shows outstanding craftsmanship, professionalism, and safety leadership through their performance or contribution on a maintenance job.
One individual is selected each from Eastern Canada and Western Canada.
The 2024 Western Canada recipient was Renee Melnyk, a master electrician employed with Stuart Olson Industrial Maintenance at the Suncor base plant in Fort McMurray. Melnyk is a member of Local 424 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Ever since completing the Women Building Futures programme in 2006, Melnyk has dedicated her career to the electrical trade and joined Stuart Olson in 2014, where she almost immediately moved into supervisory roles. Most recently, she was general foreman for energy isolation for the spring 2024 turnaround.
Originally from Sherwood Park, Melnyk is highly regarded for her comprehensive knowledge of turnaround activities and schedule milestones.
She is the hazardous energy isolation resource for Stuart Olson, introducing several innovative ideas to enhance the efficiency and clarity of the isolation process. As part of this role, she serves as the HEI representative on Suncor’s Control of Hazardous Energy sagety committee.
Melnyk actively mentors forepersons, journeypersons, and apprentices.
James Andrychuk, superintendent with Stuart Olson, has expressed Melnyk’s critical role with the company.
“She continues to prove that safety, quality, and productivity can be met in each of the plants she works in. Although there are challenges with each event, she always keep the team motivated to push through. I am looking forward to the years we have ahead of us and having her leadership. I appreciate all the topics she brings up at our safety meetings, and the electrical knowledge she has to take on the challenging jobs that get thrown at us.”
The award includes a trophy and a $5,000 cash prize.
