Injury: Lacerated arm Core Activity: Electrical work Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2016-Jan ID Number: 2016157560002 An electrician was severely cut by the utility knife he was using to strip hard plastic wire sheathing from the termination areas of a wire. Injury: Fractured leg, lacerated hand Core Activity: Electrical work Location: Lower Mainland Date…
Read MoreWorkSafe BC Job Posting ~ Manager, Industry and Labour Services (Construction)
Due to recent changes at WorkSafe BC, Don Schouten, our Industry liaison, has been transferred to oversee Utilities in BC (this includes Site C and other large projects). Congratulations Don…we will continue to work with you in this new capacity and very much value your ongoing contribution to Construction. As a result of this change,…
Read MoreHistoric safety case sends project manager to prison
Journal of Commerce by RUSSELL HIXSON ~ Jan 14, 2016 In a rare use of legislation designed to hold employers accountable for harm to employees, a Toronto project manager has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for the death of four workers. The conviction was made possible by the seldon-used Westray Bill. “We were pleased…
Read MoreChanges Effective January 1, 2016
2016 Regulatory Amendments Amendments to the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation made in 2015 are listed here. The online Regulation and excerpts and summaries of the Act are updated once the amendments come into effect. 2016 Policy Updates The Prevention Manual contains policies of WorkSafeBC with respect to prevention matters…
Read MoreWorkplace death rate down two-thirds in B.C. since 1990
But still too many workers dying: union BY GORDON HOEKSTRA, VANCOUVER SUN | JANUARY 5, 2016 4:30 PM VANCOUVER — The rate of workers being killed on the job through injury is falling in British Columbia, including in some of B.C.’s high-risk sectors such as forestry and construction. There is no single factor for the…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC battle with Vancouver-based asbestos firm far from over
Agency seeks new contempt citation against Seattle Environmental BY GORDON HOEKSTRA, VANCOUVER SUN JANUARY 3, 2016 VANCOUVER — WorkSafeBC has applied to B.C. Supreme Court for another contempt order against asbestos-removal company Seattle Environmental and its operators. The province’s chief workplace safety agency argues they have breached a 2012 court order stipulating they not…
Read MoreConsultation on two additional proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
WorkSafeBCs Board of Directors has approved the release of two additional proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback prior to the proposed amendments being taken to public hearing in 2016. The proposed regulatory amendment packages under review are: Section 6.58.1, Substance Specific Requirements,…
Read MoreHappy Holidays from COCA
On behalf of everyone at COCA, we want to thank you for your contributions and insight over the past year. We want to wish you and yours a wonderful and safe holiday season and hope to see you in the new year!
WorkSafeBC Consultation relating to Proposed Amendments for Notice of Project
WorkSafeBC is proposing amendments to Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (“OHSR”) Part 20, relating to notice of project. A proposed amendments relating to notice of project requirements (with explanatory notes) is now posted for public consultation on the WorkSafeBC website at http://www.worksafebc.com/regulation_and_policy/policy_consultation/law_40_10_1260.asp. The public consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide written feedback on…
Read MoreNovember 2015 Work Related Incidents Reported to WorkSafeBC
Injury Type: Serious laceration of arm Core Activity: Commercial refrigeration or commercial air conditioning work Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2015-Nov ID Number: 2015147280109 A worker was using a freshly sharpened chisel-edged scraping tool (a hand tool) to remove caulking from a refrigeration panel that was being prepared for installation. The tool contacted the…
Read MoreRelease for consultation of proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
WorkSafeBCs Board of Directors has approved the release for consultation of proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback prior to the proposed amendments being taken to public hearing in 2016. The proposed regulatory amendment packages under review are: Section 4.43.1, General Conditions, new…
Read MoreView from the Board: What to expect from an inspection?
Journal of Commerce ~ Dec 3, 2015 ~ by DAVE BASPALY A WorkSafeBC occupational safety/hygiene officer has the right to inspect your worksite at any reasonable time. The officer does not give advance notice of his visit. He or she may be coming as part of a planned inspection. An officer may be there as a…
Read MoreB.C. Workplace Safety Agency Doubles Number of Fines for Infractions
BY GORDON HOEKSTRA, VANCOUVER SUN DECEMBER 7, 2015 WorkSafeBC has handed out nearly double the amount of fines for industry safety infractions this year and 2014 over the previous two years, part of a new approach to use penalties as deterrents. In 2014, 433 penalties were issued totalling…
Read MoreMOSAIC of BC – Free English for the Construction Trades course
Are you or do you know a new Immigrant looking to improve their job prospects in the Construction Sector? MOSAIC Language Centre is offering a FREE program that will provide workers with English for Construction. REGISTER TODAY because seats are limited. When: November 9, 2015 to March 17, 2016 (with a winter break). Intake until January 06,…
Read MoreOctober 2015 Work Related Incidents Reported to WorkSafeBC
Injury Type: Penetrating injury to arm Core Activity: Framing or residential forming Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2015-Oct ID Number: 2015173250287 As a worker was climbing a stepladder with a pneumatic nailer, it discharged two nails into the worker’s arm. Injury Type: Partial amputation of finger Core Activity: Structural concrete forming Location: Lower Mainland…
Read MoreOctober 28 Guideline Updates
Many sections of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and Workers Compensation Act (“Act“) have associated guidelines. Guidelines are intended to assist with providing ways of complying with the legislation, not to provide exclusive interpretations. Guidelines generally provide information on administrative matters and on technical matters not already addressed by policy. Periodically, guidelines are updated…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC Board of Directors Approves Plantar Fasciitis Policy
On October 22, 2015, the Board of Directors approved the addition of policy item #27.36, Plantar Fasciitis, and an amendment to policy item #27.30, ASTDs Recognized by Regulation, of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II. The new policy and the policy amendment come into effect on December 1, 2015, and apply to all decisions made…
Read MoreUpdate on Bill 35, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2015
On Tuesday November 3, 2015, Bill 35 passed second reading in the Legislature. Committee debate commenced on Wednesday November 4, 2015 and was completed November 5th, 2015. Bill 35 also passed third reading November 5th, 2015, with an amendment to the Bill that was introduced by the Opposition Critic during committee debate and approved by…
Read MoreLMAPR and OHS Citations policy
On October 22, 2015, the Board of Directors (BOD) approved the Lower Maximum Administrative Penalties Regulation (LMAPR) and Item D12-196.1-1, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Citations, of the Prevention Manual. The LMAPR and OHS Citations policy set out that WorkSafeBC may impose an OHS Citation on an employer for failure to comply with an order,…
Read MoreChanges regarding Employer Incident Investigations
At its meeting on October 22, 2015, the Board of Directors approved the following as a result of changes to the Workers Compensation Act regarding employers reports of accidents or incident investigations: The deletion of section 3.4 from the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation, B.C. Reg. 296/97 The consequential amendment to section 24.34 of…
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