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 coal tar products, arsenic or cutting oils, or prolonged exposure to solar ultraviolet (“UV”) light.
Determination of Retirement Date for Disability Awards
On March 19, 2014, the Board of Directors approved amendments to policy item #41.00, Determination of Retirement Date for Permanent Disability Awards, in theRehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II (“RS&CM”).
This policy was amended to provide:
- A definition of retirement;
- That the decision on the date of retirement is generally made as part of the determination for permanent disability award benefits and based on circumstances at the time of injury; and
- Expanded guidance on the evidence considered in situations where a worker may retire later than at age 65.
The policy amendments come into effect on June 1, 2014 and apply to all decisions on or after that date.
Consequential amendments to policy item #35.30, Duration of Temporary Disability Benefits, RS&CM, have also been made to reflect these changes.
The complete resolution and policy amendments are available.
Consultation results are available on the WorkSafeBC website.
Chapter 10 – Medical Assistance
On March 19, 2014, the Board of Directors approved amendments to policies in Chapter 10, which are the health care entitlement policies, in the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II.
The new policies:
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities of health care providers, workers, employers and WorkSafeBC regarding the provision of health care benefits to injured workers;
- Provide additional benefits and services for severely disabled workers;
- Reflect clinical best practices for the provision of health care benefits such as opioids and other drugs of addiction;
- Provide expanded benefits where a worker travel for the purpose of health care; and
- Provide consistency in content, formatting and style.
The amendments are effective January 1, 2015.
The complete resolution and policy amendments are available.
Consultation results are also available.
Permanent Disability Evaluation Schedule (PDES)
On March 19, 2014, the Board of Directors approved amendments to the PDES in theRehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II to:
- consolidate and clarify guidance on assessing permanent disability awards under the loss of function method; and
- set out an annual process for review as a part of the Policy, Regulation and Research Division’s (“PRRD”) annual workplan consultation process.
The policy amendments come into effect on January 1, 2015.
The complete resolution and policy amendments are available.
Consultation results are also available.
During consultation, stakeholders highlighted concerns with the reliability and validity of using Range of Motion (“ROM”) as a measurement tool for assessing functional capacity in the spine and other joints. Stakeholders recommended that other diagnostic approaches be considered instead of the ROM method.
The PRRD’s discussion paper addressed other approaches to assessing disability and highlighted that there is an ongoing conflict in the literature regarding which method is most valid and reliable.
In response to stakeholder concerns, a new policy project reviewing the effectiveness of the ROM method, specifically for disabilities of the spine has been added to the PRRD’s 2014 – 2016 Compensation, Occupational Disease and Assessments Workplan.
For further information on this issue, please contact Lori Guiton at 604.276.5160.