A message from Al Johnson, Head of Prevention Services, WorkSafeBC:
With Phase 3 of the province’s Restart Plan well underway, I’d like to provide you with an update on our work to-date and what you can expect going forward.
Prevention Services and COVID-19
Our Prevention Services division has now conducted more than 2,000 stakeholder consultations and 13,000 workplace inspections, providing us with an opportunity to verify that employers have a COVID-19 safety plan in place and to help them understand their foundational responsibilities for workplace health and safety. This work continues as more industries and businesses resume operations.
Learn more about our COVID-19 Prevention activities.
Sneak peek at WorkSafe Magazine
We’ve seen a number of inspiring stories from employers across B.C. who have made health and safety their top priority during an extremely challenging time — and I’m pleased to provide you with an early look at some of these stories.
Below is an advance link to our next edition of WorkSafe Magazine, which covers some of the ways that B.C. employers have been implementing a COVID-19 safety plan with the help of WorkSafeBC’s Prevention officers and our online materials.
We’ll make the issue more broadly available at the end of this month and then distribute it in print soon after, but feel free to share this with your contacts in the meantime.
See your advance copy of WorkSafe Magazine here. If you are interested in joining our magazine distribution list, which is free to receive in print and online, please visit our subscription page.
Preparing for Bill 23
On July 14, the provincial government introduced Bill 23 into the legislature. The bill recommends a number of changes to the Workers Compensation Act to enhance support for workers, including expanding WorkSafeBC’s investigative powers. We look forward to the outcomes of this process and will be ready to implement any changes to better serve the workers and employers of B.C.
Next steps
While our province has made a lot of progress in addressing the pandemic, the recent increase in positive cases demonstrates that we must continue to implement and follow safe work protocols. Employers, workers, stakeholders, and WorkSafeBC all play a part in maintaining the health of our province by keeping workers healthy and safe. Employers need to remain vigilant and true to their COVID-19 safety plans, and re-assess and modify those plans as circumstances evolve.
We look forward to working with you as we move forward.
Al Johnson, Head of Prevention Services
WorkSafeBC