B.C. Supreme Court says it will hear CBA petition

Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | July 31, 2019 B.C. construction associations are celebrating a partial legal victory and planning next steps in their fight against the B.C. government’s community benefits agreement framework. The BC Supreme Court passed judgement on June 23 in the case of Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) vs. British Columbia…

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Licensing recruiters to protect foreign workers

Ministry of Labour | News Release | Friday, July 19, 2019  Foreign workers who help fill labour shortages in a wide range of B.C. sectors will be better protected under a new government licensing requirement for recruiters. Those recruiters who help secure employment in B.C. for foreign workers have until Oct. 1, 2019, to acquire a…

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B.C. businesses await worker compensation overhaul

Cost, ‘gender-based analysis’ among employer concerns Victoria News | TOM FLETCHER | Jul. 29, 2019 | BUSINESS B.C.’s worker compensation system pulled itself out of an unfunded liability onto a solid financial footing after changes made in 2002, and now employers, injured workers and their families are waiting for the next overhaul. For the full…

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BC construction associations challenge timing, vagueness of WorkSafeBC review

Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | July 25, 2019 Dozens of employer associations in B.C., including many in the construction industry, have signed a submission outlining concerns over a review of the province’s Workers’ Compensation system which they feel has been rushed and vaguely defined. “A system like Workers’ Compensation is integral to every business…

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Proposed evidence and decision-making policy amendments

In January 2018, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors commissioned an external compensation policy review. The resulting report, entitled Restoring the Balance: A Worker-Centred Approach to Workers’ Compensation Policy, was published in April 2018 and contains a number of recommendations. Recommendation #32 is for WorkSafeBC to consider incorporating the principles regarding standard of proof and medical evidence from recent…

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SAFETY SPOTLIGHT: A closer look at how Canadian safety associations get the word out

Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield  | July 19, 2019 To encourage B.C. workers to stay safe and sound, WorkSafeBC has about 400 health and safety videos available to view and download on worksafebc.com and about 600 videos on its YouTube channel. In addition to its home province, WorkSafeBC shares the videos with other Canadian safety-related organizations,…

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SICA launches construction awards for B.C. interior

Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | July 17, 2019 KELOWNA, B.C. – The Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA) will host its first annual Industry Awards of Excellence this year.Awards for the industry were previously held by the Business Examiner magazine, but as part of the association celebrating its 50th year, it will be taking ownership…

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June Recent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC

July 10, 2019 These summaries of selected Construction work-related incidents recently reported to WorkSafeBC may help you to prevent similar incidents. See additional summaries online. Injury Type: Fatal (1 worker); suspected exposure to a hazardous substance (1 worker) Core Activity: House or other wood frame contracting, construction, or renovation work Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2019-Jun Two workers were…

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Policy, Regulation and Research Division Announcement – Instalment Model

WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division (“PRRD”) would like to thank you all for submissions on the Instalment Model for Quarterly Reporting.  The stakeholder feedback received by the Board of Directors informed its decision-making on the policy changes.  Please click here for a summary of stakeholder comments.  On May 29, 2019, the Board of Directors approved policy…

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Policy, Regulation and Research Division Announcement – Merits and Justice in Decision Making

WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division would like to thank you all for submissions on proposed policy changes regarding merits and justice in decision-making.  The stakeholder feedback received by the Board of Directors informed its decision-making on the policy changes.  Please click here for a summary of stakeholder comments. On May 29, 2019, the Board of Directors approved…

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Industry Special: The National Construction Safety Officer designation provides national recognition for safety specialists

Journal of Commerce | BCCSA | June 25, 2019 A little more than two years after it was established, the National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO™) program continues to benefit construction companies as the first nationally-recognized construction safety designation created by and for the construction industry. Devised under the umbrella of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety…

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Not in My Backyard

Brooks Patterson I offer the following personal story as a wake up call as to the state of the fentanyl crisis in our communities. Last night while just beginning our Father’s Day BBQ in our newly renovated backyard around six pm, a young man essentially overdosed in the back public walkway just behind our house off 216th in…

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Consultation on Proposed Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) based on the New or Revised 2016, 2017, and 2018 ACGIH TLVs for Selected Chemical Substances

Each year, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) publishes a list of substances for which they have set new or revised Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). A TLV is an airborne concentration of a chemical substance where nearly all workers are believed to experience no adverse health effects over a working lifetime. TLVs may…

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Recent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC

June 17, 2019 These summaries of selected Construction work-related incidents recently reported to WorkSafeBC may help you to prevent similar incidents. See additional summaries online. Injury Type: Soft tissue injury Core Activity: Structural concrete forming Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C. Date of Incident: 2019-Jun A young worker was sacking a concrete wall from the fly section of a ladder. The ladder…

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Lifted steel tariffs welcomed by industry stakeholders

Daily Commercial News | Grant Cameron | June 17, 2019 An agreement between Canada and the U.S. to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum is receiving universal approval from construction employers from coast to coast as well as steel manufacturers and steel workers. Canadian Construction Association (CCA) president Mary Van Buren says employers are elated with…

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