As we reflect on the 25 years of dedication that Miles Muir has brought to the Actsafe Board we can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for his unwavering commitment to the organization and the BC arts & entertainment industry.
Miles Muir has been a part of the Actsafe family since its inception, and we are honoured to have had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from him, both as an organization and as individuals. His dedication and passion for health and safety in the industry have left a lasting impact, and we wish him all the best in his retirement and will miss him dearly.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Miles about his retirement and reminisce on 25 years of dedicated service to the Actsafe Board, and the arts & entertainment industry.
Miles joined the organization in 1998 and remembered sitting around a table in the bar with his colleagues, trying to figure out a way to bring together the work of the performing arts and motion picture industries, as both lacked cohesive safety regulation. Miles believes that one of the biggest challenges at the time was dangers in the performing arts industry not being as recognized as dangers in the motion picture industry. Miles wanted to ensure that everybody was safe and protected.
“It was the ostrich you know. People had their heads in the sand. Pulling people out of that sand has been crucial, and there is now a recognition of the legitimate safety concerns that people face on set and in live performances. We’ve come a long way from being ostriches, and everyone now recognizes the potential dangers of both sides of the industry, making it safer for everyone.”
With the help of Mark Thompson, facilitator, the group modeled the organization on the Farmers Safety Association (now known as AgSafe), which resulted in a decision that would shape the future of health and safety in entertainment. And, just like that, Actsafe was born!
As we say goodbye to Miles, we know he’s not entirely walking away from work or the industry. Miles has made countless friends over the years, and the social aspect of work is just as important to him as the job itself. He plans to continue working with the freedom of picking and choosing when he wants to take on jobs. And when he isn’t working, Miles will be spending time with his beloved 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle, his partner, and his cat, who will be happy to have him around at home more.
Retirement will also bring the opportunity for travel, something Miles and his partner have been saving for. But even as he embarks on this new phase of his life, Miles knows that the entertainment industry will continue to be an important part of his story and future.
“My advice for future board members would be to try to keep the roots the way they were and to remember the roots of the organization and what the core is, to protect both the performing arts and the motion picture industries and to see the parallels, while acknowledging the differences.”
Miles will continue to be a big part of the Actsafe’s mission, which is to prevent and eliminate workplace injury, illness, and death by providing world-class occupational health, safety and wellbeing programs to the employers, supervisors and workers in the BC arts and entertainment industry.
Thank you, Miles!
