Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | August 29, 2025 Members of B.C.’s construction crane industry want WorkSafeBC (WSBC) to set a provincial standard for riggers to fill a critical regulatory void which now allows individuals with little or no formal training to load tower cranes with thousands of pounds of material and pass over a…

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Buildforce Canada Labour Market Blog The national construction unemployment rate reached its lowest level of the calendar year at 4.4% in July 2025, as builders in many regions of the country continued to work on large volumes of non-residential projects. Data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for July 2025 finds construction employment up slightly…

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August 28, 2025 Construction 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: Fatal Core Activity: Excavator operation Location: Interior B.C. Date of Incident: 2025-Aug ID Number: 2025163800012 An excavator was loading concrete sanitation rings…

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WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Department is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 6, Substance Specific Requirements — Toxic Process Gases, and additional amendments to Parts 24 and 28, of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase gives stakeholders an opportunity to share feedback before the proposed amendments are taken to public…

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Prime contractor role and responsibilities (information sheet) Safety on the job is everyone’s responsibility (poster) Hear for Good: A Worker’s Guide to Preventing Hearing Loss (pamphlet)

Moving flytables from one level to another during highrise construction is a complex task with serious safety risks. WorkSafeeBC’s new Flytable Safety video shows how planning, coordination, and safe work practices can help prevent injuries and damage on the jobsite. Learn more »

2025 New or Revised ACGIH Threshold Limit Values andB.C. Exposure Limits (June) The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation provides that, except as otherwise determined by WorkSafeBC, an employer must ensure no worker is exposed to a substance exceeding the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) prescribed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Twice a year, the…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | August 15, 2025 VICTORIA — The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) is reacting positively to the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services’ Report on the 2026 Budget Consultation, which puts an emphasis supporting the province’s construction industry and workforce. Chris Atchison, president of the BCCA, spoke to…

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On behalf of the BC Construction Women in the Trades – Show Up for Safer Workplaces is accepting applications now! After a lot of hard work, learning and planning, we’re excited to launch our pilot trainings for Show Up for Safer Workplaces this fall! Show Up is an innovative new program that will create safer, healthier, and…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | August 12, 2025 RICHMOND, B.C. — WorkSafeBC is reminding Metro Vancouver and Lower Mainland employers to keep their workers safe as the heat wave continues. Environment Canada has warned temperatures may reach 33 C today, and as a result workers are at higher risk for heat stress. Between…

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August 7, 2025 Construction 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: Injury to head Core Activity: House or other wood frame contracting, construction, or renovation work Location: Lower Mainland Date of…

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WorkSafeBC is holding a public consultation on proposed amendments to Parts 4, 13, 14, 20, 28 and 31 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, relating to periodic certification of equipment as safe for use. This consultation phase is an opportunity to provide feedback, which will be carefully reviewed, before the proposed amendments are taken to…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | August 6, 2025 LANGFORD, B.C. – A former biker clubhouse in Langford, B.C. is being completely transformed, all while bringing new hope for tradespeople facing mental health and wellness challenges. The FORGE, a community-led project built by and for tradespeople, has officially broken ground in the Westshore. It…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services  | August 6, 2025 NAKSUP, B.C. – Peter’s Bros Construction Ltd. has been fined $114,128. 21 after a worker was injured during an explosion and fire at a paving site near Naksup, B.C. WorkSafeBC attended the highway paving worksite in response to an incident last year. According to the…

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Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen  | August 11, 2025 Multiple serious incidents and a fatality over the past 10 years have prompted WorkSafeBC (WSBC) to issue an updated flytable-form safety video. Andrew Kidd, director of prevention field services for WSBC, said the video was also needed as field officers were hearing of near-misses or situations where incidents…

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TORONTO, ON – March 19, 2025 – Canada’s leading general contractors have united to form the Canadian Construction Safety Council (CCSC), with a mission to elevate safety performance and establish innovative new industry benchmarks to protect construction workers nationwide. The Council’s founding members include Aecon, AtkinsRéalis, Bird Construction Inc., Dragados Canada Inc., EllisDon Corporation, EBC, Graham…

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WorkSafeBC is holding a virtual public hearing on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The virtual public hearing will be streamed live on September 24, 2025, in two sessions. The first will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 3 to 5 p.m. Further information on how to view or participate in the virtual…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | July 25, 2025 WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — WorkSafeBC recently issued a penalty of $467,496.80 to Axis Family Resources for a “high-risk violation” at a Williams Lake worksite pertaining to repeated asbestos violations. According to a release, the firm operates a residential social services facility. WorkSafeBC inspected the worksite…

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You may have noticed a lack of COCA News recently – our Mailchimp account was overloaded and stopped sending our newsfeed posts. The issue has been fixed and you should receive regular updates going forward. I have included everything from July in today’s update – sorry for the volume. If you want to go back…

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On behalf of the Ministry of Labour –> The Ministry of Labour (the Ministry) is seeking feedback from key stakeholders on a proposed 27-week unpaid job protected leave period that aligns with federal Employment Insurance sickness benefits, which were increased in 2022. As you may be aware, in Fall 2024, an election commitment was made to:…

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