As the number of cases of coronavirus rise, so has the creation of fear and anxiety caused by all the overload of information we receive through social media and the news. Here at MBC, we prioritize the health and safety of everyone affected and feel the responsibility to provide you with the accurate facts about this virus. That’s why we want to give you all the necessary information you need to help decrease and prevent the further spread of this virus. We will examine the anatomy of COVID-19, the indirect and direct routes of entry as well as best practices to help keep you and your family safe.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease-2019) is a virus that comes from the same family of viruses as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome 2012). The virus is a respiratory disease only and cannot infect a person other than by having the virus enter the lungs.  The organism is protected by an encasing layer and this aspect is important in determining the type of cleaning and disinfecting agents to be used as water plays a role in softening the casing to allow for soaps and disinfectant to enter the cell casing to kill the internal structure of the virus.

This new virus is believed to have evolved from animals and crossed the boundary between species. Human beings have never been exposed to this virus and as a result, we have no antibodies to fight the disease which has created a great cause for concern. The only way we can build up our immunity is through exposure and the natural development of antibodies or by tricking the body into producing antibodies through vaccinations. Viruses are very small particles; in fact, the diameter of the individual particles is less than 0.1 micron. However, viruses do not have the ability to transmit or migrate in a single cell state, rather they drift into the air through droplets of aerosol that humans eject when we speak, cough or sneeze. Such droplets are slightly larger in size and using even simple dust masks or surgical masks will prevent these particles from entering the respiratory system.

Direct exposure is created when this live virus is inhaled directly into the lungs by an infected person who causes aerosol droplets to be released into the air through talking, sneezing or coughing. This is why all Health Authorities are urging us to practice social distancing, which means individuals are required to stay at least 2m or 6’ as a safe distance which expelled droplets will fall out of the air and will prevent you from inhaling the virus if you come into contact with an infected individual. Indirect exposure is when the live virus is transmitted indirectly to an individual’s lungs, usually from hand to face contact. This is when a healthy person comes into contact with an infected individual, for example greeting them with a handshake and before they can wash or disinfect their hands, they instantaneously touch their own face instead. The same action can occur through the touch of droplet exposed surfaces such as (but not limited to) door handles, phones, computers, countertops, walls and various other surfaces.

(Alberta Health Services, 2018)

Frequent hand-washing for 20 seconds or more is the most effective defence against the infection or spread of the COVID-19 virus. If you are exposed to someone who has a virus, please seek the help of a medical professional immediately. If direct skin contact has occurred and hand washing is not available to you immediately, make sure to use hand disinfectant solutions as a preventative measure to maintain your health and safety. If disinfection solutions are not immediately available to you, DO NOT TOUCH your face as this is an indirect transfer area.

Be sure to take every precaution we have previously laid out and always practice proper hygiene methods in order to limit the spread of this virus. For this to work and for us to save lives, we need to all be in this together and in doing, so we need to regularly wash our hands and practice social distancing. All these measures have been put into place by many Health Officials, and they are urging us to integrate these standard practices of hygiene to help lessen the number of individuals who are infected. Again, the MBC Group would like to encourage everyone to stay safe and stay home. Should you have any questions regarding our consulting services and want us to provide proper hygiene protocol assistance, feel free to contact members of the MBC team by visiting our website or giving us a call at 1-800-547-0608.

As our company continues to grow, so does the team. This week we are shining a spotlight on our newest team member, Naomi Myers. Starting on March 23^rd, 2020, we will be welcoming Naomi as the Director of National Services for MBC Group.

Naomi is a dynamic and charismatic sales lead who prides herself on providing excellent service and outperforming company expectations. She holds a Fellowship Insurance Professional designation and a Canadian risk managers designation, which makes her the ideal candidate to help understand and execute our company’s strategic business plan.

As an experienced National Director of Business Development, she has become well versed in sales, management, training, as well as providing knowledgeable information pertaining to commercial and casualty insurance. She will be responsible for the growth and advancement of major projects that will help drive our team of business managers, engineers and environmental technicians to help generate ongoing revenue.

Naomi is well thought of as a great mentor and teammate, she is versatile and is ready to adapt to the needs of a high-pressure environment, which is proven quality for the work we are continually doing out in the field. We are thrilled have her onboard and are expecting great things to come under her direction here at MBC Group.

The team at MBC Group never stops growing. We are so very proud to welcome our newest member, Kevin Ducharme. Starting on March 16^th, 2020, Kevin will be working as the new Senior Manager for our Montreal office.

Before joining MBC Group, Kevin excelled as a Project Manager responsible as the first line of contact for Environmental contamination responses nationwide. Through these previous project successes across Canada, Kevin has become a highly regarded expert in providing solutions to the oil spill and environmental loss field.

Kevin is highly skilled in building relationships and understands what it takes to be a great leader. Kevin has a great understanding for managing the needs of all stakeholders and takes a proactive approach to ensuring that all our client’s expectations are exceeded.

The role of Senior Manager comes with a commitment to staying highly motivated and a strong dedication to team. As Kevin takes on this new role, we are certain his diligence will maintain the high-performance standards and uphold all the core values that MBC stands for.

MBC group is proud to announce Tallon Parekh as the Group Safety Manager for all MBC Group’s divisions. As of February 24^th, 2020, Tallon began his new position with MBC Group based out of the Calgary Office.

Tallon has had a multitude of experience previously working in the role of Materials Management Specialist as well as experience as a Safety Technician and Environment Specialist. In this new role, Tallon’s primary responsibility will be to ensure the health and safety of all personnel working on sites nationwide.

In 2012, Tallon graduated with an advanced diploma in Environmental Technology. He is currently working towards another degree specializing in a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Practices. As a member of the National Construction Safety Officer Association of Alberta, he is tasked with developing a clear, strategic and tactical strategy for the implementation of all the environmental, health and safety processes happening within the organization.

As Group Safety Manager, Tallon will be in charge of managing health, safety and environmental compliances by ensuring all protocols and requirements are being met within the company. Tallon will be focused on setting goals, prioritizing and assessing individual project needs, and establishing adequate systems for auditing performance review at MBC. Tallon’s ability to pick out potential hazardous threats in the work environment makes him a valuable asset to our ever-growing team of industry professionals.

MBC Group, a leading provider of Appraisal, Engineering and Environment services to the Insurance Industry, announced today that they are expanding in Eastern Canada to better meet the needs of existing and new customers.

It is thus with great pleasure that MBC Group announces the addition of David Merks to the Eastern Canada team. David will be operating out of the Moncton office in New Brunswick.

Prior to joining MBC, David has worked as a Catastrophe Adjuster in many challenging locations nationally and abroad. During this tenure David has acquired a wealth of experience in both constructions Estimating, Property appraisal and Claims Management.

With a degree in Economics from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, David is a self-starter who jumped headfirst into the Insurance Industry 13 years ago. Like many of his colleagues, David developed a passion for the unique opportunities and challenges that the Property Insurance sector provides.

Ross Huartt, Executive Vice President of MBC Group commented, “It is great to have someone like David on board who embodies the drive of the company to get things done and pay attention to the details that matter most. David is dedicated and has a lot to offer the team as we expand our services in the Eastern Region to better serve our clients.”

“I am excited to continue learning and sharing my experiences from both my domestic and international career. It’s amazing how different each claim can be, and I am always looking forward to growing with every experience I am exposed to,” says David. “The opportunity to make a substantial contribution to the company’s eastern region expansion was an exciting prospect that I simply couldn’t turn down.”

After an extensive search, MBC Group is pleased to announce they have selected Erich Tratnik, P.Eng., to serve as the General Manager of the Greater Toronto Area.

“As a member of our Major Projects team, Erich brings extensive forensic engineering and quantity surveying expertise to help meet the growing demand for complex claim evaluation,” explains Ross Huartt, Executive Vice President of MBC Group. “While we draw on our national staff of skilled professionals to service our clients, having additional local Ontario and GTA expertise means we can be more responsive to our Insurance industry clients in that area.”

Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Erich has more than 30 years of senior construction, project management, and consulting experience. Prior to MBC, he collaborated on multi-million dollar industrial, commercial, retail, public sector, and institutional projects throughout Canada. Recognized for his superior problem-solving capabilities on fast-paced, complex assignments, he offers a unique perspective informed by roles on both the contractor and client side of the business.

“I plan to work closely with existing and new clients to forge strong, long-term relationships and reinforce MBC’s reputation as one of the most trusted companies in the property appraisal and construction consulting industry,” says Erich. “I look forward to working with the team at MBC Group to build upon their successful history of providing reliable and expert appraisal of commodity and complex claims including those that require forensic engineering and quantity surveying.

You can reach Erich at erich.tratnik@mbc-group.ca, or learn more about our services and submit requests through MBC Group’s website https://www.mbc-group.ca/.

MBC Group welcomes two Senior Project Engineers, Ben Ezenta and Tapas Das, to the team. “This continued expansion is a sign of our ongoing commitment to provide clients with expert consultation services,” says Antoine Caron, Director of Engineering for MBC Group.

Holding P. Eng. and PMP designations, as well an MBA in Banking and Finance, Ben’s career spans over 25 years in the building construction and restoration industry, with a focus on civil and structural consulting services. His background in project management and supervision allows him to manage projects of all sizes efficiently and with superior quality assurance. This is balanced by an analytical and detail-oriented approach that ensures compliance with health and safety standards–expertise he honed as a Safety Codes Officer for the City of Calgary.

“To get gold you must dig deeply–it is not found on the surface,” says Ben, who will be based out of the Calgary office, but will lend his expertise to national projects. “I am pleased to put this philosophy into practice at MBC to uncover exceptional value for clients across Canada.”

With over 20 years of experience, Tapas, P. Eng., has led civil and structural engineering assignments of varying complexity across a diverse portfolio, including Infrastructure, Industrial, Institutional, Petrochemical Plant, Power Plant, Research, Refinery, Mining and Municipal developments. Having PMP and RMP designations in addition to an MBA–and backed by major construction project delivery experience–he is equipped to add value on both front-end planning and governance. Tapas works with clients as partners to thoroughly understand their needs and develop long-term, cost effective solutions in context of the changing market environment.