On September 2, 2021, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors announced the results of its July 2021 meeting approving amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, including Part 20, certification of concrete pump operators. What does this mean for industry? Effective December 1, 2021, certification will become mandatory for all concrete pump operators in British Columbia. Operators and companies…
Read MoreIndustry reacts to Kiewit, Fitzpatrick decision: ‘There is no justice here’
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | September 2, 2021 When Sam Fitzpatrick’s father Brian died four years ago, Mike Pearson made a promise. “I promised Brian I would keep on fighting to the last man standing,” he said. Despite many setbacks and more than a decade of fighting, it’s a promise he intends to keep….
Read MoreOntario’s ‘other pandemic’: Construction most impacted industry
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | September 8, 2021 Part one of Cracks in the Foundation: Mental Health, Substance Use and Construction, examines the current state of substance use across the country, with experts painting a picture of how the industry has been specifically impacted. The second article in this DCN-JOC Special Feature Series delves…
Read MoreSafe Screen BC
The Business Council of British Columbia is pleased to announce the launch of Safe Screen B.C., a program developed in partnership with the British Columbia Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) to advance British Columbia’s Point of Care Testing Strategy. The program aims to help B.C. businesses access and make use of…
Read MorePandemic a factor in increased substance use among construction industry workers
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | September 7, 2021 Shift work. Access to alcohol or drugs. Long hours. High stress work. The stigma about getting help. These are just some of the regular factors contributing to an increasing problem in the construction industry: substance use. Add in the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and…
Read MoreBC Fed calls for reform after failed Kiewit prosecution
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | September 7, 2021 VANCOUVER – The BC Federation of Labour (BC Fed) is calling for reform after the BC Prosecution Service’s case against Kiewit collapsed just days before trial. The Crown cited differences between experts and the changing testimony of witnesses as reasons why it did not believe…
Read MoreUpdate on Vaccination Policies in Canada
Gowling WLG | August 31, 2021 | Link to Page As the COVID-19 situation progresses in Canada, many employers across the country are assessing whether and how to implement vaccination policies. Since the government of Canada’s August 13 announcement (detailed below), the trend to mandate COVID-19 vaccination in the workplace and beyond appears to be…
Read MoreTop 10 Considerations for Employers in Implementing a Vaccination Policy
Gowling WLG | August 31, 2021 | Link to Page As the COVID-19 situation progresses in Canada, many employers across the country are assessing whether and how to implement vaccination policies. Following are 10 key factors to consider in evaluating whether a vaccination policy can reasonably be implemented in your workplace: The duty to ensure…
Read MoreBREAKING: Criminal charges stayed against Kiewit, managers
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | August 31, 2021 Construction company Kiewit and several of its managers will no longer face criminal charges for the death of a worker who was crushed by a boulder at a B.C. work site. The BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) announced today that a stay of proceedings has been entered…
Read MoreNew traffic control training provider approved in B.C.
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | September 1, 2021 WorkSafeBC (WSBC) recently approved Universal Health and Safety Inc. of Burnaby as the second provider of traffic control training and certification in the province. Until the end of June 2021, the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) had an almost 20-year run as the only traffic control…
Read MoreOHS Regulation amendments in effect September 1, 2021
From WorkSafeBC | September 1, 2021 Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation came into effect on September 1, 2021. WorkSafeBC has developed resources to help you and your stakeholders understand the amendments. Please feel free to share the following information with your networks. Overview of the amendments The amendments that came into…
Read MoreCOCA: Proof of vaccination mandate to shift B.C. culture
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | August 31, 2021 Starting Sept. 13, life for B.C. residents will change when proof of vaccination requirements mandated by health officials go into effect. While construction sites were not specifically mentioned by the provincial order, Council of Construction Associations president Dave Baspaly said the requirements represent a major shift….
Read MoreOne presumed dead after North Van site collapse
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | August 25, 2021 One person is presumed dead and another has been injured after a collapse at a construction site in North Vancouver. According to Sgt. Peter DeVries with North Vancouver RCMP, officers were called to the scene at 9:45 a.m., after reports of a collapse at a construction…
Read MoreConsultation on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation – First Aid and Tower Cranes
WorkSafe BC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback before the proposed amendments are taken to public hearing. All stakeholder feedback is carefully considered and analyzed, and provided to the Board of Directors of…
Read MoreBC Construction Health & Safety Conference
October 14, 2021 | Virtual Conference presented by BC Construction Safety Alliance Construction is an ever-changing industry a variety of challenges in the future. BCCSA has lined up some amazing speakers to present on several stimulating topics, including: Cyber security and the risks and the challenges it presents for organizations as we more to a…
Read MoreSkilled Trades Certification
On June 11, the Province announced the re-implementation of mandatory Skilled Trades Certification. While the impact of these initial 10 trades certifications are minimal for the horizontal construction sector, we understand that this first round will create the framework for future program expansion. It is important that the views and concerns of the Construction sector are…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
August 5, 2021 Construction incident summaries are based on information obtained as soon as possible after the incidents: they are preliminary and subject to change. Details have been edited to protect workers’ privacy. See additional summaries online. Injury Type: Crush injuries Core Activity: General labour supply / Garbage, debris, industrial waste, or recyclable material removal Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C….
Read MoreConsultation on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to share feedback before the proposed amendments are taken to public hearing. There are two proposed regulatory amendment packages under review: Part 3, Minimum Levels of First Aid Parts 14 and…
Read MoreCrossing the Rubicon: Recent history of WorkSafeBC investigations
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | August 6, 2021 What caused a crane in downtown Kelowna to collapse and kill five people? That is the question facing WorkSafeBC investigators as they go over the evidence following the July tragedy. “Owners, prime contractors and employers are ultimately responsible for the safety of workers at their worksites,”…
Read MoreProposed policy amendments on determining workplace status
Determining workplace status Our Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing 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…
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