Starting this morning at 9:00 a.m. Regional Safety Advisors alongside BCCSA’s Senior Research Scientist (Dr. Melanie Gorman-Ng, PhD Hygienist with a sub-specialty in epidemiology), will be hosting a LIVE video conference call to answer all your Covid-19 related construction questions. These sessions will be held for the entire week at 9:00 a.m. Depending on demand, we will…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and the workplace
From WorkSafeBC | April 2, 2020 4:50 pm At WorkSafeBC, we are actively monitoring and adjusting to the COVID-19 situation to determine how we can best support workers, providers, and employers around the province. As part of these efforts, we have created a COVID-19 information and resources section on our website, where you can find the following…
Read MorePlumbers stay at work with DIY hand-washing solution
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | April 2, 2020 Vancouver Island plumbing company is taking COVID-19 on with common sense, warm water, soap and a little social distance. Victoria-based Oceanview Mechanical Ltd. is building and installing washing stations on its projects along with other guidelines to ensure its employees are both working and safe as…
Read MoreThe Economy Under COVID-19: Notes from the Trenches – April 3, 2020
Journal of Commerce | Alex Carrick | April 3, 2020 There are currently two crises underway simultaneously. The advance of the novel coronavirus is taking a terrible toll in terms of physical and emotional well-being. At the same time, job losses resulting from ‘social distancing’ are sending the economy into a tailspin. To fight on both…
Read MoreBCCSA New Resources
There are new resources posted yesterday. More to come. Please share with your members. What to do when Physical Distancing is Not Possible? (download) *updated Mar 31st NEW:Guidance to Employers: Performing Work in Private Residences (download) Presumed COVID-19 Case on Site Procedures (download) Stay safe.
COVID-19: WorkSafeBC posts guide on preventing exposure in workplace
Vancouver Sun | Tiffany Crawford | March 31, 2020 WorkSafeBC has posted a guide on how to prevent exposure to the COVID-19 virus in the workplace. Among the guidelines are positioning workers to allow for physical distancing, and keeping two-metres distance between people. Read the article here.
How long can the virus that causes COVID-19 live on surfaces?
Johns Hopkins Magazine | Samuel Volkin / Published March 20, 2020 According to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can live in the air and on surfaces between several hours and several days. The study found that the virus is viable for up to 72 hours on plastics,…
Read MoreHelping employers address COVID-19 in the workplace
During the COVID-19 outbreak, WorkSafeBC is committed to providing the essential services that workers and employers around the province rely on, which includes helping employers prevent workplace injury, illness, and disease. Workplace inspections play a critical role in ensuring workplaces are healthy and safe. During this situation, WorkSafeBC will continue their work with employers and…
Read MoreINDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES OP-ED: Construction essential to public safety
Journal of Commerce | Chris Gardner | March 30, 2020 Across the country, provincial governments are closing down major pieces of our economy, protecting the public from the spread of the COVID-19 virus. But one industry that has been tapped to continue is construction. On March 26, the B.C. Government declared construction an essential service, deeming our industry a “daily…
Read MoreThe Economy Under COVID-19: Notes from the Trenches – March 30, 2020
Journal of Commerce | Alex Carrick | March 30, 2020 There are currently two crises underway simultaneously. The advance of the novel coronavirus is taking a terrible toll in terms of physical and emotional well-being. At the same time, job losses resulting from ‘social distancing’ are sending the economy into a tailspin. To fight on both…
Read MoreMember Help Desk – Covid-19
COCA has set up a member Help Desk for Covid-19 WorkSafeBC-related questions and concerns in an effort to expedite and, where possible, provide interim answers to your questions. Please forward your questions in our template to covidhelpdesk@cocabc.ca. We will do our best to get back to you quickly. A collection of the questions and responses is included…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC reminds contractors, employees of rights and obligations around COVID-19
DCN-JOC News Services | March 26, 2020 ANCOUVER – WorkSafeBC has released health and safety information for the construction industry regarding COVID-19, including the provincial health officer’s directions and prime contractor responsibilities. “WorkSafeBC is aware of the important concerns raised by the construction industry,” reads a statement from the organization. “We are working with workers, employers,…
Read MoreCCA formalizes COVID-19 protocols for construction sites
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | March 27, 2020 he Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is implementing a number of measures to help its members, the industry and the government during the COVID-19 pandemic including releasing its first version of the COVID-19 Standardized Protocols for All Canadian Construction Sites, which it encourages all construction firms to implement. “While we have asked the federal government to keep…
Read MoreChilliwack, B.C. developer puts down tools for worker safety
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | March 27, 2020 he Government of British Columbia has deemed construction an essential service during the COVID-19 outbreak, but one Chilliwack, B.C. company is laying down its tools. Algra Brothers Developments announced recently it is shutting down its Five Corners project in the city’s downtown along with other projects….
Read MoreBC Building Trades calls for enforcement to protect workers against COVID-19 threat
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | March 27, 2020 The BC Building Trades Council is calling for WorkSafeBC to enforce construction safety regulations after putting out a public call for construction workers to share site sanitary conditions during the COVID-19 crisis. Comments from workers included a lack of access to washroom facilities, running water, and soap or hand…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC – the COVID-19 situation and your reporting and payment deadline
WorkSafeBC is postponing the payment deadline for Q1 2020, in light of the uncertainty and challenges many employers are facing during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. Employers who report and pay on a quarterly basis If your business reports payroll and makes payments on a quarterly basis, it may be to your advantage to report your…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Resources
BC Construction Safety Alliance –> COVID-19 FAQ’s link BC Construction Association –> New content will be added daily to the BCCA Construction Briefing COVID 19 webpage –> bookmark the page to stay up to date. ICBA — Check out ICBA’s coronavirus website for a summary of the most recent health, government and industry developments at www.icba.ca/coronavirus.
Legal Notes: Government-mandated COVID-19 closures and force majeure
Journal of Commerce | John Bleasby | March 25, 2020 On March 16, Marty Walsh, Boston’s mayor, ordered the shutdown of construction in his city for at least two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only permitted construction activity will be emergency work at public facilities and repairs to utilities. In Toronto meanwhile, building permit…
Read MoreIndustry Special: Take COVID-19 seriously — the next few months are critical: BCCSA
Journal of Commerce | BCCSA | March 23, 2020 What you do in the next five minutes can have a significant effect on your health. In the age of COVID-19 our choices, both large and small, will determine our success in preventing viral infection and controlling the outbreak. “We have protocols in place regarding communicable diseases…
Read MoreBCCA tackles construction’s issues in ‘unprecedented circumstances’
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | March 23, 2020 VICTORIA, B.C. – The BC Construction Association (BCCA) says it is working on several fronts to advocate for the industry and keep members informed as the COVID-19 pandemic grows in severity. One pressing issue is force majeure contract terms which the association is calling on Ottawa…
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