Journal Of Commerce |  News Service | December 6, 2017 VANCOUVER — WorkSafeBC is reminding workers how to properly use ladders with a new series of safety videos. The six videos remind workers, employers and homeowners how to use ladders safely, both on the job and at home while setting up Christmas decorations. WorkSafeBC statistics show that…

Read More

VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s Minister of Labour Harry Bains has appointed five members to WorkSafeBC’s board of directors. Ralph McGinn is the new board chair, and Lee Loftus, Baltej Dhillon and Kay Teschke are new board members effective immediately. Margaret McNeil, a current board member whose term ended on Dec. 1, has been reappointed for…

Read More

Injury Type: Burning eyes, sore throat (2 workers) Core Activity: Plumbing, heating, vent, residential air conditioning, or central vacuum system installation or repair Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2017-Nov ID Number: 2017182820003 Two workers were conducting maintenance work on a sprinkler system valve in a condominium’s sprinkler mechanical room. Sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid…

Read More

Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 30, 2017 A new bill Alberta is looking to pass could massively overhaul the province’s workplace health and safety systems and rules. According to Alberta officials, Bill 30 would modernize the current system by improving safety, supporting injured workers and increasing employee participation. However, the bill as well as…

Read More

Drop head slab formwork systems are becoming more prevalent in B.C.’s construction industry. When working with drop head formwork systems, construction workers and supervisors must understand the differences between backshoring and reshoring; failure to understand the differences could create a life-threatening hazard to workers.   Two new WorkSafeBC construction safety bulletins have been created to…

Read More

The Policy, Regulation and Research Division has prepared draft 2018–2020 workplans for stakeholder review and comment. These workplans will encompass policy priorities relating to compensation, occupational disease, assessments and occupational health and safety. Stakeholders are invited to review the discussion paper and proposed workplans, and to provide feedback by December 14, 2017. The discussion paper,…

Read More

Technical Safety BC (formerly BC Safety Authority) is proposing changes that would affect the elevating devices industry and owners and managers of buildings with elevating devices. They are proposing that: The 2016 edition of the ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators be adopted into the Elevating Devices Safety Regulation, including: Requiring a…

Read More

Injury Type: Close call Core Activity: Excavation, or private landfill or transfer station operation Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C. Date of Incident: 2017-Sep ID Number: 2017173340009 A dump truck with a tandem trailer attached was parked. When the trailer assembly was detached from it, the dump truck rolled down an 8 percent grade for a distance…

Read More

Phase two of WorkSafeBC’s homeowner campaign begins October 16.  Last year’s outreach resulted in 26 million impressions during the 6 week campaign and 52 percent of homeowners in B.C. recalled seeing it (an average campaign has about 26 percent recall so the campaign had great recognition). WorkSafeBC recognizes that in order for this important message…

Read More

On October 18, 2017, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors (BOD) approved amendments to the application statement of the previously approved policy amendment for the Occupational Health and Safety Penalty Amounts Policy (D12-196-6). These policy changes in the Prevention Manual were originally approved by the Board of Directors on June 28, 2017. The Board of Directors has…

Read More

At their meeting on September 18, 2017, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved the release of a discussion paper with options, a narrative review of the scientific literature, and proposed policy amendments to stakeholders for comment. Policy on prior shoulder dislocations is longstanding. The scientific basis of the policy had been identified as requiring scientific review….

Read More

Journal of Commerce | ASSOCIATIONS | by COCA | Oct 16, 2017 The preliminary assessment rates for 2018 have been announced by WorkSafeBC. The rates are described as preliminary because they have not yet been approved by the WorkSafeBC Board of Directors. This approval is expected by November. In most cases, the preliminary rates have historically become the final…

Read More

Journal of Commerce | RESOURCE | by RUSSELL HIXSON |mnOct 11, 2017 Disappointed. It’s the word many in the construction and oil industries are using to sum up their feelings upon hearing TransCanada’s Energy East Pipeline will not proceed. On Oct. 5, TransCanada said it would no longer be proceeding with its proposed Energy East Pipeline and Eastern…

Read More

Vancouver Sun | CHRIS GARDNER | Published on: October 10, 2017 It’s another week in Canada when businesses and investors are taking their ideas, their people, and their capital elsewhere. This week, it was the announcement that TransCanada has scrapped its $15.7 billion Energy East pipeline proposal, after the National Energy Board changed the regulatory review…

Read More

Journal of Commerce | OH&S | by WORKSAFEBC | Oct 9, 2017 There’s little doubt that maintaining safe and effective worksites is the responsibility of everyone — workers and employers alike — but setting the safety standards onsite, raising awareness, sharing knowledge and providing training are often the role of supervisors. When it comes to high-risk related tasks like…

Read More

Journal of Commerce | OH&S |  PETER CAULFIELD | Oct 9, 2017 Despite binders of rules and regulations aimed at making work safer, Canada still has a workplace safety problem, says Janet Lane, director of the Human Capital Centre at the Canada West Foundation (CWF) in Calgary. What to do about it? One approach is to legislate…

Read More

WorkSafeBC’s website has been updated with the revised dates and locations of the 2018 Rate consultation sessions. Employers are encouraged to attend one of the six sessions (October 19th – 30th), at various locations in the Province to learn more about the proposed 2018 industry rates, injury trends in British Columbia, and what they can…

Read More

Public consultation is central to the way they do business at WorkSafeBC. The Policy, Regulation and Research Division (PRRD) engages directly with stakeholders to ensure transparency and effectiveness when developing the policies and regulations that govern occupational health and safety, compensation, and assessments. Every year, the PRRD consults with stakeholders to help establish priorities for…

Read More

At their meeting on March 30, 2017, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amending the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation by adding section 4.43.1, storage racks. The new B.C. storage rack regulation takes effect January 1, 2018. This regulation governs the installation, inspection, use, and maintenance of steel storage racks. It excludes shelving and display fixtures…

Read More