Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | April 10, 2024 The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) is launching a new committee focused on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). VRCA president Jeannine Martin said members showed enthusiasm for the committee and its goals from the start. “The goal for the EDI committee was to get good representation across…
Read MoreNew BCCSA workplace mental health training program now live
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | April 8, 2024 The BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) has launched a workplace mental health training program. The program has two parts to it. Part One, called Every Mind Matters at Work – For Construction, is a six-module overview of workplace mental health. It is online and can be taken at…
Read MoreUpdate on Regulatory Changes to Plumbed Washrooms on Construction Sites
WorkSafeBC held a virtual public hearing in January to discuss proposed changes to Part 20 – Washroom Facilities on Construction Sites. This proposal would amend the Regulation to require the provision of flush toilets on construction sites with 25 or more workers. The Board of Directors requested changes to the draft regulation, and these changes require…
Read MoreAssociations mark B.C.’s Construction Month with events and advocacy
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | April 3, 2024 British Columbia’s construction associations have big plans this month. April 2024 is the seventh annual BC Construction Month and provincial stakeholders are gearing up to both celebrate the industry and advocate at a policy and collaborative level. “What started seven years ago as a challenge accepted…
Read MoreRecognizing Global Asbestos Awareness Week
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | April 3, 2024 REGINA, SASK. – This week, until April 7, marks Global Asbestos Awareness Week, providing an opportunity to raise awareness about asbestos hazards in the workplace. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was regularly used in buildings until the late 1990s. If products containing…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
March 25, 2024 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: Close call Core Activity: Excavator operation / Paving services or asphalt manufacture Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2024-Mar ID Number: 2024165370012…
Read MoreBCCWITT Updates
Sent on behalf of BC Centre for Women in the Trades BCCWITT Events: BCCWITT Be More Than A Bystander training sessions We have an upcoming train-the-trainer scheduled at the BCFED Health & Safety Centre (120-4259 Canada Way, Burnaby) from April 10-12, 2024 (9am to 4:30pm) Here is the cohort information with application. April is Construction Month! Save the date: In…
Read MoreDelay in Washroom Facility Regulation Changes
WorkSafeBC | March 21, 2024 Proposed OHS Regulation amendments to Part 20 – Washroom Facilities on Construction Sites, discussed at a public hearing in January, resulted in requested changes. As such, the regulation will not take effect on May 1, 2024. Timing for public consultation will be shared as soon as available.
OHS Guidelines to support first aid regulation change
Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for occupational first aid come into effect on November 1. To help employers interpret and apply the new requirements, WorkSafeBC has drafted OHS Guidelines. Public feedback on the draft guidelines will be accepted until April 2. Learn more »
Western Conference on Safety – April 18-19
Held in Vancouver, the 26th running of this conference focuses on current safety issues. It will feature speakers and seminars presented by experts from across North America, including WorkSafeBC staff. Learn more and register »
Day of Mourning – April 28
Join WorkSafeBC in remembering workers in British Columbia who lost their lives as a result of work-related injury or disease. Order free decals or posters for your workplace Day of Mourning ceremony and show your renewed commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces. Learn more and order »
Women have low injury and death rates in construction sector
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | March 22, 2024 Despite the recent B.C. fatality of a female construction worker at Vancouver’s Oakridge site, statistics indicate Canadian women are following the U.S. trend of being involved in low percentages of claim incidents and fatalities based upon their representation within the construction sector. Depending on who does…
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: Granting Building Trades Unions a monopoly is blatant favouritism
Journal of Commerce | Paul de Jong | March 18, 2024 To the Editor: It’s understandable why the Building Trades Unions (BTU) would support a return to a dated labour policy in Manitoba. After all, BTUS are the only ones who stand to benefit. Manitoba plans to revert back to the days of old, when only companies affiliated with…
Read MoreF.A.S.T. launching new women’s high-vis line as demand grows
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | March 18, 2024 No more boxy pants, droopy elephant rears, turtle-shell jackets and hand-devouring sleeves. F.A.S.T., a B.C. company known for safety clothing and survival gear, is launching a dedicated line of women’s high visibility safety clothing April 1 with the design fitted to a woman’s body, said company president…
Read MoreA tale of two provinces – One leading canada, the other lagging
Journal of Commerce | Chris Gardner and Mike Martens | March 15, 2024 British Columbia and Alberta have some things in common. Both are unusually dependent on natural resource-based industries to drive their economies and supply the exports that are vital to sustaining prosperity. Both have been experiencing robust population growth over the last few years….
Read MoreVaughn Palmer: B.C. NDP’s ‘minor’ change to Labour Code actually a sneaky significant move
Opinion: The New Democrats are rewriting the Labour Code to reverse a decision by the independent labour board and doing so in the midst of a supposedly independent review of the Code itself Vancouver Sun | Vaughn Palmer | Published Mar 14, 2024 VICTORIA — Earlier this year, the New Democrats launched an independent review…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Department Announcement
WorkSafeBC At the February 6, 2024, Board of Directors meeting, the following items were approved: Section 151 – Time limits for filing a mental disorder claim On February 6, 2024, the Board of Directors approved amendments to policy on time limits for filing a mental disorder claim. The amended policies apply to all decisions, including…
Read MoreOccupational First Aid Regulatory Change
WorkSafeBC March 2024 Update On November 1, 2024, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation relating to occupational first aid will come into effect. The changes mean employers across the province will need to review their current first aid plans, supplies, and equipment and make adjustments. Below is an update on our implementation…
Read MoreCIRP, BC Build Together release mental health survey for women in construction
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | February 28, 2024 VANCOUVER – The Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan (CIRP) and BC Build Together have released a new confidential survey to gauge the mental health needs of women in the province’s construction industry. The survey has been released to “help us better understand your challenges and needs” according to the …
Read More‘We just have to step in there and make our way,’ says Deltek panellist
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | March 8, 2024 One of the biggest challenges in the construction industry is hiring and retaining women and although all the women on a recent panel had different ideas on the matter there was a common thread: Education. Deltek hosted a webinar in honour of Women in Construction Week…
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