Journal of Commerce | BCCSA |April 17, 2020 In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, BC construction employers are doing their best to keep up with the latest safety information and protocols to keep workplaces compliant with provincial regulations and allow workers to proceed with the best available guidance. As part of its service to members, the…
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COVID-19 support service launched for B.C. businesses
To help B.C. businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the B.C. government, through the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness and the Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada, have partnered with Small Business BC (SBBC) to launch a new B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service. SBBC is British Columbia’s premier resource centre for small…
Read MoreCOCA’s ‘Help Desk’ answers flood of COVID-19 questions
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson |April 16, 2020 As construction sites have had to change on a dime to adjust to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, communication and clarity regarding safety has become crucial. The Council of Construction Associations (COCA), which represents the major construction associations in the province and acts on behalf of…
Read MoreBC Human Rights Commissioner’s Statement on Human Rights and COVID-19
Message from the Office of the BC Human Rights Commissioner: On March 25th, 2020, BC’s Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender released a statement and FAQ for employers, service providers and landlords to assist with questions that they or their staff, clients or tenants might have in relation to human rights issues during COVID-19. The statement was also…
Read MoreBCCSA Site Safety Resources
BCCSA COVID-19 resources are available below – don’t miss #4 “When Physical Distancing is Not Possible”: Updated Guidance on Covid-19 New: Employer Covid-19 Site Inspection (download) New: Hazard Assessment and Control (download) Updated: What if Physical Distancing is not Possible (download) – reposted after temporarily removing New: Everyone do their part – Poster (download) Pandemic…
Read MoreICBA Town Halls
The Economic Fall-Out of Covid-19, How Bad is it and Where are we Going? (Wednesday, April 15, 2:00PM) In this virtual town hall, Jock Finlayson, Executive Vice President & Chief Policy Officer of the Business Council of B.C., will provide his perspective on the financial devastation inflicted on B.C.’s economy by Covid-19. Jock will also…
Read MoreCOVID-19 pushes trades trainer to virtual classrooms
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | April 10, 2020 As health experts urge people to refrain from gathering in large numbers, digital alternatives to meeting are in the spotlight. And while many institutions and companies are scrambling to come up with solutions, Pacific Vocational College (PVC) in Burnaby, B.C. seamlessly switched all its trades apprentice…
Read MoreCOVID-19 prompts hundreds of WorkSafeBC action requests
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | April 9, 2020 Hundreds of requests for action are coming from WorkSafeBC’s prevention line regarding COVID-19 safety on construction job sites, new data shows. “As of April 7, 2020, there have been over 1,000 initiating inspections related to COVID-19,” read a statement from the agency. “Of these inspections, 511…
Read MoreVRCA joins CCA to call for the creation of an emergency COVID-19 Construction Cost Relief Program
Date Posted : Apr 13, 2020 The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) is joining the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) in calling on the federal government to establish an emergency COVID-19 Construction Cost Relief Program. Simultaneously, VRCA is urging its member companies and their employees to support the call by sending a letter to their local member of…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC COVID-19 Response Measures ~ Questions for Employers
One of our members’ Health and Safety officer was contacted by WorkSafeBC and was given the attached document. Note that WorkSafeBC has advised that they will be doing some focusing and site visits.
Alberta construction stakeholders develop COVID-19 resource guide
Journal of Commerce | Grant Cameron | April 6, 2020 With COVID-19 in full swing, Alberta’s construction industry has joined forces and come up with a new pandemic planning document to help companies that don’t have their own resources and need guidance. “There are many, many companies in our industry who don’t have a dedicated safety…
Read MoreVancouver Fire Service Update
The Vancouver Fire Department reached out to us asking for help in distributing the attached message. Can you please use your distribution networks to get the word out about fire service for Vancouver-based construction sites during the current Covid-19 crisis.
BCCSA Covid-19 Resources – April 6, 2020
Starting this morning at 9:00 a.m. Regional Safety Advisors alongside BCCSA’s Senior Research Scientist (Dr. Melanie Gorman-Ng, PhD Hygienist with a sub-specialty in epidemiology), will be hosting a LIVE video conference call to answer all your Covid-19 related construction questions. These sessions will be held for the entire week at 9:00 a.m. Depending on demand, we will…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and the workplace
From WorkSafeBC | April 2, 2020 4:50 pm At WorkSafeBC, we are actively monitoring and adjusting to the COVID-19 situation to determine how we can best support workers, providers, and employers around the province. As part of these efforts, we have created a COVID-19 information and resources section on our website, where you can find the following…
Read MorePlumbers stay at work with DIY hand-washing solution
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | April 2, 2020 Vancouver Island plumbing company is taking COVID-19 on with common sense, warm water, soap and a little social distance. Victoria-based Oceanview Mechanical Ltd. is building and installing washing stations on its projects along with other guidelines to ensure its employees are both working and safe as…
Read MoreThe Economy Under COVID-19: Notes from the Trenches – April 3, 2020
Journal of Commerce | Alex Carrick | April 3, 2020 There are currently two crises underway simultaneously. The advance of the novel coronavirus is taking a terrible toll in terms of physical and emotional well-being. At the same time, job losses resulting from ‘social distancing’ are sending the economy into a tailspin. To fight on both…
Read MoreBCCSA New Resources
There are new resources posted yesterday. More to come. Please share with your members. What to do when Physical Distancing is Not Possible? (download) *updated Mar 31st NEW:Guidance to Employers: Performing Work in Private Residences (download) Presumed COVID-19 Case on Site Procedures (download) Stay safe.
COVID-19: WorkSafeBC posts guide on preventing exposure in workplace
Vancouver Sun | Tiffany Crawford | March 31, 2020 WorkSafeBC has posted a guide on how to prevent exposure to the COVID-19 virus in the workplace. Among the guidelines are positioning workers to allow for physical distancing, and keeping two-metres distance between people. Read the article here.
How long can the virus that causes COVID-19 live on surfaces?
Johns Hopkins Magazine | Samuel Volkin / Published March 20, 2020 According to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can live in the air and on surfaces between several hours and several days. The study found that the virus is viable for up to 72 hours on plastics,…
Read MoreHelping employers address COVID-19 in the workplace
During the COVID-19 outbreak, WorkSafeBC is committed to providing the essential services that workers and employers around the province rely on, which includes helping employers prevent workplace injury, illness, and disease. Workplace inspections play a critical role in ensuring workplaces are healthy and safe. During this situation, WorkSafeBC will continue their work with employers and…
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