Yes! Heres what you need to know
Section 173 of the Workers Compensation Act states that an employer must immediately undertake an investigation into the cause of any incident that meets the following criteria:
- It resulted in an injury to a worker and required medical treatment
- It involved a minor worker injury that didnt require medical treatment, but had the potential for causing a serious worker injury
- It did not lead to a worker injury, but had the potential for causing a serious worker injury
All of the incidents describe above can include those that lead to or have the potential for causing musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs).
When such incidents occur, you may need to conduct a risk assessment as part of an incident investigation. The risk assessment is intended to establish the primary causes of the injury, and to determine what youll need to do to prevent similar injuries. If your incident investigation includes a risk assessment, youre legally required to document that assessment.
Learn more about ergonomics at WorkSafeBC
WorkSafeBC is hosting an Ergonomics Forum in recognition of Occupational Ergonomics Month in October.
Join WorkSafeBC on Wednesday, October 26, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., at WorkSafeBCs Richmond, B.C., office (6951 Westminster Highway) to learn about the application of ergonomics at WorkSafeBC. You will find opportunities to network and hear presentations on the following topics:
- Office ergonomics
- Musculoskeletal injury prevention
- Human Factors
Watch their website (worksafebc.com) for upcoming information about this event. If youre planning to attend, please respond to ergomonth@worksafebc.com or AskAnErgo@worksafebc.com.