On behalf of WorkSafeBC –> This is a friendly reminder that the proposed amendments to Part 6 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation relating to combustible dusts are now in the public consultation stage and are available on the WorkSafeBC website for your review and feedback. This consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback…
Read MoreGET ON THE ROAD TO RED SEAL
The Construction Foundation of BC (CFBC) is helping current and future skilled trades apprentices to navigate barriers and successfully achieve their Red Seal Endorsement. Using a suite of tools and one on one supports, apprentices are able to continue to progress in their apprenticeship and ultimately, complete their training and achieve their Red Seal Endorsement….
Read MoreRevised regulations require work zone risk assessment
Working at the side of a road for any reason and for any amount of time means they’re considered roadside workers. And that means their employers have specific responsibilities for their safety. This includes meeting revised traffic control regulations that require a work zone risk assessment. The new ConeZoneBC.com provides practical guides and checklists you can use to meet…
Read MoreUnlicensed trade workers, climate change top safety risks in 2023: TSBC
Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | June 5, 2023 The ongoing climate crisis has increasingly become a source of technical danger for British Columbians, joining careless gas line digging and unlicensed trade workers as the preeminent safety threats this year. These three issues were highlighted by Technical Safety British Columbia (TSBC) in its Annual State of…
Read MoreB.C. to become first province to require asbestos abatement licensing
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | June 12, 2023 VICTORIA – Starting Jan. 1, 2024, British Columbia will become the first province in Canada to require asbestos abatement contractors be licensed. Changes to the Workers Compensation Act gave WorkSafeBC the authority to administer a certification program around asbestos abatement work with the training scheduled…
Read MoreWorkers Compensation Act changes require employer to find work for injured employees
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | June 13, 2023 VICTORIA — Changes to the Workers Compensation Act in British Columbia will require employers to ensure injured workers can return to their job or find an equivalent once they are recovered. The changes will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The particular provision will…
Read MoreConcrete Pump Certification – End of Transition Period
In just over six months — January 1, 2024 — the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requiring operators of concrete pumps to be certified will come into enforcement. Since WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved the changes in December 2021, employers and workers have had the opportunity to obtain the required training and experience before going through the…
Read MoreBoard of Directors approves amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
From Lori Guiton – Director, Policy, Regulation and Research Department At its April 2023 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These amendments will come into effect on November 1, 2024. Strikethrough versions of the amendments with explanatory notes can be accessed below. Deletions in the regulatory amendments are identified…
Read MoreBCCWITT May News and Events!
On behalf of BC Centre for Women in the Trades — BCCWITT is celebrating some exciting things coming up in the next few weeks, so we want to keep you in the loop! Did you know that BCCWITT is turning 5 years old next month!? To celebrate, we have a few upcoming contests and surprises. We…
Read MoreBCBC: Victoria, WorkSafeBC need to better consider employer needs
Jock Finlayson | May 19, 2023 8:22 PM | The Orca A ‘worker centric’ approach at WorkSafeBC shouldn’t ignore employers, write Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock Since coming to power in 2017, the NDP government has been engineering what it describes as a more “worker centric” approach at WorkSafeBC, the province’s occupational health and safety…
Read MoreIndustry Special: If you cut ceramic tiles, the BCCSA is looking for help in new lead-detection research
Journal of Commerce | ConstructConnect™ Media | May 25, 2023 This summer, the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) is launching a research program designed to reliably measure lead exposure resulting from the dust generated by cutting through ceramic tile glazes. Lead is no longer permitted in new paint and plumbing products, however, lead continues to be…
Read MoreProvince of B.C. looks for building code input
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | May 25, 2023 VICTORIA – The Government of British Columbia has launched a survey to take the pulse of the public regarding changes to the BC Building Code. Proposed changes to the code are based on the 2020 National Model Codes with some B.C.-specific variations to address geography,…
Read MoreConsultation on proposed amendments to Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Department is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 5, Chemical Agents and Biological Agents, sections 5.97 to 5.105, 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 hearing. View the proposed regulatory amendments and information…
Read MoreSTC Trades Designation Process Now Open
On behalf of SkilledTradesBC: SkilledTradesBC has a new mandate to ensure British Columbia has the skilled workforce to meet the demand for 85,000 more tradespeople over the next ten years. Part of this mandate includes implementing Skilled Trades Certification which will continue to build a diversified and sustainable skilled labour force through certification. On behalf…
Read MoreA united and engaged industry can influence regulations: VRCA CLF
Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | May 8, 2023 When it comes to drafting the regulations that govern how construction in British Columbia runs, Dr. David Baspaly and WorkSafeBC’s Don Schouten say the more the industry engages, the more policy can be influenced. In an interview with the Journal of Commerce (JOC), Baspaly, president of…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
May 3, 2023 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: Structural concrete forming / Industrial, commercial, institutional or highrise residential contracting or construction Location: Lower Mainland…
Read More‘Let’s get rid of the stigma:’ communication key for mental health: ICBA
Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | May 3, 2023 When it comes to mental health and safety, communication is king. This week marks Mental Health Week and Construction Safety Week with some industry leaders putting the importance of strong communication front and centre. While communication may seem like a broad term, it has several specific…
Read MoreAlberta builders challenge Notley on ‘B.C.-style’ CBAs
Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | May 3, 2023 The writ is dropped and the gloves are off. Prominent members of the Alberta construction sector are pushing back on NDP Leader Rachel Notley’s support of “B.C.-style” community benefit agreements (CBAs) and her disapproval of double breasting as the May 29 general election approaches. Paul de…
Read MoreMay 9th, 2023 virtual public hearing on proposed regulatory amendments
WorkSafeBC will be holding a virtual public hearing on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The virtual public hearing will be streamed live on May 9, 2023, in two sessions. The first will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 3 to 5 p.m. View the public hearing live from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. View the public hearing live from…
Read MoreFair Practices Commissioner Appointed
WorkSafeBC The WorkSafeBC Board of Directors has appointed Allan Seckel as WorkSafeBC’s first fair practices commissioner. The commissioner role was introduced as part of Bill 41, which received Royal Assent in November 2022. His function will be to investigate complaints by employers, workers, and dependants of workers regarding alleged unfairness in their dealings with WorkSafeBC. The commissioner…
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