Make your voice heard! Deadline extended to today at Noon. Attached please find the Employers’ Forum submission in response to WSBC’s Discussion Paper titled: Adding Diseases Caused by Communicable Viral Pathogens, Including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act. COCA is a member of the Employer’s Forum, which works to maintain a viable and…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC proposes adding presumptive claims for COVID-19 illness
Vancouver Sun | Rob Shaw | June 12, 2020 VICTORIA — B.C. workers who get COVID-19 could soon have a much easier time obtaining compensation from WorkSafeBC, under proposed new changes that are being praised by organized labour but slammed by business leaders. The agency, which handles workplace safety and insurance claims, wants to add…
Read MorePoll Shows Overwhelming Support for Fair Bidding in B.C.
ICBA News Release BURNABY— A new poll released by Merit Canada and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association shows that 83% of British Columbians surveyed support giving all construction companies a fair chance to land taxpayer-funded work, regardless of how their workforce is organized. Canada-wide, support for fair bidding hits 88%. “The building trades unions represent fewer than…
Read MoreInjuries caused by overexertion during accustomed work
WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper to stakeholders for comment. The paper includes options on proposed policy regarding injuries caused by overexertion during accustomed (familiar) work. At issue is whether policy should be amended to add guidance for injuries caused by overexertion during the performance of accustomed work duties. The…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC deferring quarterly premium payments for an additional quarter
Release of preliminary base rates for 2021 postponed until fall Richmond, B.C. (June 8, 2020) — WorkSafeBC today announced that it is extending the deferral period for quarterly premium payments for an additional three months, without penalty or interest. In order to ensure account balances are correct, employers will still be required to report their payroll…
Read MoreConsultation on proposed amendments to Part 20 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation – Concrete Pump Operator Certification
Correction from previous announcement: The deadline for submitting feedback is Friday, August 14, 2020. The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 20, Construction, Excavation and Demolition, new sections 20.26.4 to 20.26.6 — concrete pump operator certification, of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide…
Read MoreCan HVAC systems transmit COVID-19?
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | June 3, 2020 A team of researchers at the University of Alberta (U of A) is investigating the possibility that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems might play a part in spreading airborne COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. U of A assistant professor of mechanical…
Read MorePCA embraces B.C. Builders Code
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | June 3, 2020 VANCOUVER — The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) has announced its support of the B.C. Builders Code, a program that aims to make jobsites inclusive and welcoming to all people. “As progressive contractors we want to help lead the way and show that the…
Read MorePoll reignites CBA debate in B.C. as province looks to recovery
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | June 4, 2020 A new poll commissioned by the BC Building Trades suggests a majority of British Columbians support Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) and want to see them applied to public infrastructure projects as part of the province’s economic recovery plan. The online survey conducted by Research Co. found…
Read MoreAdding diseases caused by communicable viral pathogens, including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act
The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper on adding diseases caused by communicable viral pathogens, including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 with options and draft amendments to stakeholders for comment. If a disease is identified in Schedule 1 and the worker was employed in the corresponding process or industry listed in the…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC – Adding Covid-19 to Schedule 1
The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper on adding diseases caused by communicable viral pathogens, including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act with options and draft amendments to stakeholders for comment. The link will be available on the Current Consultations and Public Hearings page on June 1, 2020. This will be an…
Read MoreTechnical Safety BC State of Safety and Annual Report
Technical Safety BC has released its State of Safety and Annual Report for 2019. These reports document their work over the past year through stories and data on hazards, incidents, and safety management of technical systems in British Columbia. Here are some of the highlights from 2019 detailed in the State of Safety and Annual Report: 600 incidents reported…
Read MoreMike McKenna: Construction sector united in fight against COVID-19
Vancouver Sun | Op Ed | Mike McKenna | May 29, 2020 https://www.bccassn.com/media/Op-Ed%20V1.pdf As the provincial government announces a phased recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic under B.C.’s restart plan, many sequestered businesses and workers may be facing a reopening with a mix of optimism and concern about working safely. Declared an essential service by the…
Read MoreRecent Construction Sector work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
May 29, 2020 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: Exposure to carbon monoxide (2 workers) Core Activity: Plumbing, heating, vent, residential air conditioning, or central vacuum system installation or…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC announces additional support for employers impacted by COVID-19
Published on: May 26, 2020 | WorkSafeBC Website Richmond, B.C. — WorkSafeBC is waiving premiums for employers who are approved to receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for furloughed workers (employees on leave with full or partial pay). WorkSafeBC recognizes the challenges employers are facing during this extraordinary time, and in light of the…
Read MoreCOVID-19 sidelines construction workers in all provinces – especially Quebec
Journal of Commerce | John Clinkard | May 28, 2020 lthough Quebec and Ontario are home to just over 60% of the country’s population, together they have reported 84% of Canada’s 75,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 94% of the 5,600 deaths attributed to the virus. Efforts to lock down those two provinces to halt COVID’s spread…
Read MoreRalph McGinn – Memory Book, Memorial Service
On behalf of the Executive Administrative Assistant, Office of the President & Board of Directors: As you may have heard, Ralph McGinn, WorkSafeBC’s Chair, former Chief Executive officer, and former Vice-President of Prevention Services, passed away on May 11. To celebrate his remarkable contributions to WorkSafeBC and to the workers and employers of British Columbia,…
Read MoreVaughn Palmer: Bains spills beans on WorkSafeBC surplus taking huge hit due to virus
Vancouver Sun | Vaughn Palmer | May 27, 2020 VICTORIA — Labour Minister Harry Bains was nearing the end of a media briefing last week when he fielded a question that would cause him no end of trouble. What did he think of the B.C. Liberal proposal that WorkSafeBC use its surplus to help businesses…
Read MorePCL designs ‘Quaran-Tin’ pods to expand COVID-19 hospital spaces
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | May 27, 2020 PCL Construction is putting its modular construction expertise to use in the fight against COVID-19 by building specialized quarantine pods in Winnipeg. “In the early days of COVID-19 everyone was rocked,” said Wade Harms, special projects manager for PCL. “Everyone was on their heels about what…
Read MoreStatement by WorkSafeBC on its financial position
Published on: May 24, 2020 | WorkSafeBC Website Richmond, B.C. — WorkSafeBC is committed to sound financial management in order to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the system for workers and employers. To increase financial stability — and avoid rate volatility during economic and investment downturns — WorkSafeBC retains a reasonable level of assets…
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