Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | January 14, 2022 BC is looking to protect workers and the public from asbestos risks by increasing regulations for asbestos work. The new safety requirements would apply to contractors, employers and workers who undertake asbestos abatement work. The proposed changes would require asbestos abatement contractors to be licensed by…

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Victoria | Ministry of Labour | January 11, 2022 British Columbians are invited to provide feedback on proposed health and safety requirements for contractors, employers and workers who undertake asbestos abatement work. Asbestos-related diseases are the leading cause of workplace deaths in B.C. and workers and others continue to be exposed to this extremely hazardous substance….

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PHO order requires employers to re-activate COVID-19 Safety Plans On January 7, 2022, the provincial health officer announced an order requiring employers to re-activate their COVID-19 Safety Plans. This replaces the previous requirement for employers to have communicable disease prevention plans in their workplaces. While communicable disease prevention plans and COVID-19 Safety Plans share some…

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A message from Al Johnson, Head of Prevention Services, WorkSafeBC: Earlier in the pandemic, employers were asked to create and implement detailed COVID-19 safety plans. On July 1, 2021, those plans were replaced by a more general focus on Communicable Disease Prevention as the province began to reopen.  On January 7, 2022, the provincial health…

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BCCA The Federal and BC governments have announced new public health restrictions today to control the accelerated spread of COVID-19. As in most jurisdictions around the world the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising rapidly in BC and Canada, but there is no cause to panic. BC has a strong foundation in place, with a high vaccination rate,…

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Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | December 17, 2021 In addition to the injuries and deaths that take place every year, in 2021 construction had to deal with fires and floods of unusual intensity. “Except for smoke, this summer’s fire season had little impact on construction,” said Erin Linde, director of health and safety services…

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Proposed 2022–2024 Policy Workplans WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Department has prepared draft 2022–2024 Policy Workplans for stakeholder review and comment. These workplans encompass policy priorities relating to compensation, occupational disease, assessments, and occupational health and safety. You are invited to review the discussion paper and proposed workplans, and to provide feedback by January 14, 2022….

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | December 15, 2021 VANCOUVER — Technical Safety BC will soon have a new president and lead executive officer.   The group announced that Phil Gothe will fill the roles starting in January. The group’s board of directors stated Gothe has decades of senior leadership experience with an exceptional…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | December 13, 2021 RICHMOND, B.C. — The workers’ compensation system in B.C. could be getting a major overhaul in the coming year. Harry Bains, minister of labour, announced he will be exploring a series of reforms to improve programs and services for injured workers to ensure workers are…

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BC Roadbuilders and their members have made generous contributions and have raised $213,050 to date for the support and recovery effort to those who have been affected by the recent flooding and extreme weather events.  With matching funds from the Provincial and Federal governments, to date the BC Road Builders have raised $639,150 for the Red…

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Victoria – Statement | December 8, 2021 Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, has issued the following statement on the workers’ compensation system: “My top priority will always be the health and safety of B.C.’s workers, which includes supporting those who have been injured on the job. For far too long, the needs of injured workers…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | December 8, 2021 RICHMOND, B.C. — WorkSafeBC has reappointed six members to its board of directors. The board is intended to act as a steward of WorkSafeBC and the workers’ compensation system. It is responsible for approving WorkSafeBC’s compensation, rehabilitation and assessment policies and occupational health and safety…

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Policy, Regulation and Research DivisionWorkSafeBC The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper, with options and draft policy, on suitable occupation for loss of earnings assessment. In January 2018, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors commissioned an external review of compensation policy. The resulting report, Restoring the Balance: A Worker-Centred Approach to Workers’ Compensation Policy, was…

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The high-risk violations included failing to take the necessary precautions to protect workers Richmond News | Kirsten Clarke | November 30, 2021 A Richmond firm that recycles construction debris has been fined more than $14,000 by WorkSafeBC for “high risk violations” involving asbestos. Fairway Recycle Group Inc. was fined $14,203.29 by WorkSafeBC for failing to…

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Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 25, 2021 US construction groups are at odds with the government’s worker vaccination strategy. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance are taking safety regulators to court over COVID-19 rules they say won’t…

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Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 26, 2021 Joe Wrobel has spent more than 30 years repairing B.C. roads and bridges with his various contracting businesses, but the construction veteran was hard-pressed to remember a storm that hit the province’s infrastructure so hard. The storm, which struck the province Nov. 14, caused all major…

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Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | November 26, 2021 Retired NHL goalie Corey Hirsch has just been named the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of BC’s (ICBA) Wellness Ambassador for 2022. In January, Hirsch will embark on a “Just One More Day” mental wellness speaking tour throughout British Columbia. Hirsch will speak in Victoria (January…

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Journal of Commerce | Don Wall | November 26, 2021 Better data and research, re-examining the structure of construction work, preparing new workers for the unique rigours of a life in construction, developing sector-specific resources, helping small employers. Those are among several priorities Ontario construction stakeholders have identified as they search for improvements to the way…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 26, 2021 ulian Toy of Addiction Consultants in Recovery says he simply likes helping people. A substance abuse professional trained in addictions and mental health, he is an alcoholic/addict in recovery since 2000. Put plainly, he believes the best training comes from someone who has been there….

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WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division has released a discussion paper on determining workplace status with options and draft policy to stakeholders for comment. “Workplace status” refers to whether someone is an employer, worker, or independent operator. A person’s status defines the rights and responsibilities the person has under the Workers Compensation Act, including compulsory coverage for workers, and…

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