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 and new ones added….

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WorkSafeBC has posted reports that are intended to help employers and workers understand the causes and underlying factors that contribute to workplace accidents.  This information may help you prevent similar accidents in your workplace. Worker struck as utility pole is lifted onto truck – December 2012 Two workers suffered serious electrical burns in contact with high-voltage conductor –…

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On April 14, 2014, the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Shirley Bond, announced that the chair and board of WorkSafeBC agreed to appoint Gordon Macatee as Administrator of WorkSafeBC in order to drive an agenda of change. The focus of the Report is on Occupational Health & Safety inspections and investigations. The Macatee Report is…

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WorkSafeBC has little recent experience preparing cases for court  Agency has been under criticism for bungled sawmill explosion investigations By Gord Hoekstra ~ July 3, 2014 WorkSafeBC has successfully laid regulatory charges in court in only three workplace safety cases since 1999, The Vancouver Sun has learned. It is a marked departure from a five-year period in…

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On July 17th, VRCA will be hosting our Dinner Boat Cruise with the opportunity to network and enjoy a great dinner with a great view.   The fabulous Queen of Diamonds ship will set sail from the Plaza of Nations Marina on Thursday, July 17 at 4pm sharp (boarding will start at 3:00pm).   VRCA is offering COCA tickets for a member rate.  To register,…

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When a worker is compensated for a compensable injury, he or she may also be compensated for a number of the consequences that flow from it.  The policy identifies several types of consequential incidents that may not be so clearly connected to the employment-related injury, but which are still considered compensable.  The policy also provides…

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Principals of limited companies may receive all or a portion of their remuneration as dividends instead of wages. Currently, dividends paid to active principals are included in an employer’s assessable payroll as well as in the calculation of a principal’s average earnings. However, effective January 1, 2015, dividends paid to active principals will no longer…

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From March 17 to December 31, 2014, WorkSafeBC prevention officers will conduct planned inspections of single-family demolition worksites to ensure homeowners, prime contractors, hazardous material survey contractors, asbestos abatement contractors, and consultants are informed and equipped to safely remove asbestos containing materials and are complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. For more information,…

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On March 19, 2014, the Board of Directors approved amendments to the health care entitlement policies in Chapter 10 (Medical Assistance) of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II. These new policies will: Clarify the roles and responsibilities of health care providers, workers, employers, and WorkSafeBC regarding the provision of health care benefits to injured…

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Injury: Injuries to lower legs Industry: Construction Core Activity: Power line service Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2014-MayA power-line technician (a young worker) was operating a vehicle-mounted work platform (bucket truck), extending and re-energizing overhead low-voltage secondary lines (240 volts). A spark ignited a fire in the hydraulic control area of the elevated bucket, forcing the worker to jump…

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COCA is looking for members to attend the upcoming WorkSafeBC pre-consultation session concerning lead during removal projects.  We are specifically looking for individuals that have expertise in this area to add context that may support the development of a more effective regulation. The details are as follows: Part 6, sections 6.59 to 6.68, handling lead during large removal…

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Labour, industry agree no need to change WorkSafeBC enforcement model Special administrator examining systems in other jurisdictions BY GORD HOEKSTRA, VANCOUVER SUN ~ MAY 29, 2014 When provincial Labour Minister Shirley Bond apologized recently after Crown counsel rejected charges in the deadly 2012 Lakeland Mills sawmill explosion, she promised improvements in safety enforcement and better execution…

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Workers who don’t want to follow health and safety rules such as wearing their hard hats or modifying their tools can now be ticketed by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) officers. That’s one of the tools the OH&S officers can use during the upcoming construction season as they conduct a summer of focused residential…

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Our government committed to a complete review of the Industry Training Authority (ITA) as the Crown Corporation responsible for leading B.C.’s trades training system. That review, conducted by Jessica McDonald, is complete and has now been released. Consultations were conducted with trades training stakeholders throughout the fall of 2013 and the final report was submitted…

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A free tool is now available to help inspect residential and commercial insulation jobs.  Released by NAIMA Canada, Key Checklist For Inspecting Insulation Jobs is a useful information source for determining whether the insulation in walls, ceilings and floors is properly installed.  Key Checklist is laminated and conveniently sized to fit into a shirt pocket…

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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 and new ones added….

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CONSTRUCTION Injury Type: Broken leg Core Activity: Wood frame construction Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2014-Apr ID Number: 2014166920051 A worker fell about 20 feet to grade from a second-storey balcony when the guardrail he was leaning against failed. Injury Type: Concussion (1 worker); head laceration and soft-tissue injury to upper body (1 worker)…

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Primary Skin Cancer and Certain Occupational Exposures On March 19, 2014, the Board of Directors elected to maintain status quo and retain the presumption of employment causation set out in Schedule B of the Workers Compensation Act (“Act“), in favour of a worker who has developed primary cancer of the skin where there is prolonged contact with…

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On April 29th, with the Legislative Press Gallery in full attendance, the B.C. government released its report on proposed changes to the province’s education and training plan.  The proposed changes were the result of a review undertaken by former deputy minister Jessica MacDonald, who canvassed the views of employers, the labour movement, post-secondary institutions, as…

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Public hearings in June 2014 for proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation The Board of Directors of WorkSafeBC approved public hearings to be held in June 2014 to consider the a number of proposed regulatory amendments. The public hearings will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to comment on the proposed regulatory…

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