WorkSafeBC cannot close or open a site without direction from a medical health officer. The role of WorkSafeBC prevention officers regarding COVID-19 is to help monitor safety plans, conduct inspections, and provide enforcement support to industry and the Health Authorities.
The Health Authorities can and will act without the knowledge or input of WorkSafeBC to shut down your site if they feel there is a risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The minimum number of cases to warrant a closure at the discretion of a Medical Health Officer is technically ONE.
The communications between the Health Authorities and WorkSafeBC are a work in progress. There is no guarantee that both organizations will be aware of the status of your site. Knowing this, if you’re communicating with your Health Authority or WorkSafeBC in regard to a site closure or potential closure it is imperative that you include both organizations on your emails. Questions about closure orders go to the Health Authority Medical Health Officer with a cc to WorkSafeBC.
Find official background on the role of WorkSafeBC here.
Read more from WorkSafeBC.
SITE SAFETY
Regardless of how well-managed and safe your site is, regardless of how hard you’re working to keep it so, your site is still at risk for COVID-19 and therefore it is at risk of closure. In addition to the rules you already know about social distancing, physical barriers, masks, etc., here are some important tips to help keep your crew safe and your worksite open:
- Every crew member must understand that the risk of job closure due to community spread is very real, and that they play a leadership role in preventing it.
- Be aware that there may be employees who do not “believe” in COVID-19 and/or are “anti-vaxxers” and they have the power to put your entire site at risk by their actions.
- Be explicit in giving your team examples of what not to do: for example no drinks after work.
- Talk to your Trades offices and let them know the seriousness of the situation and that one case on a worksite can shut it down for all trades. Every contractor needs a safety plan and needs to be communicating with their crews.
- If your site is shut down and you are sent home, it is NOT acceptable to work on another site.
- Segregate your sites by work area so that if there is a case or cluster, a single section can be shut down rather than the whole site.