May 2014 Incident Reports

Injury: Injuries to lower legs Industry: Construction Core Activity: Power line service Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2014-MayA power-line technician (a young worker) was operating a vehicle-mounted work platform (bucket truck), extending and re-energizing overhead low-voltage secondary lines (240 volts). A spark ignited a fire in the hydraulic control area of the elevated bucket, forcing the worker to jump…

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WorkSafe BC Pre-Consultation ~ Lead ~ Call for Support

COCA is looking for members to attend the upcoming WorkSafeBC pre-consultation session concerning lead during removal projects.  We are specifically looking for individuals that have expertise in this area to add context that may support the development of a more effective regulation. The details are as follows: Part 6, sections 6.59 to 6.68, handling lead during large removal…

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Labour, industry agree no need to change WorkSafeBC enforcement model…

Labour, industry agree no need to change WorkSafeBC enforcement model Special administrator examining systems in other jurisdictions BY GORD HOEKSTRA, VANCOUVER SUN ~ MAY 29, 2014 When provincial Labour Minister Shirley Bond apologized recently after Crown counsel rejected charges in the deadly 2012 Lakeland Mills sawmill explosion, she promised improvements in safety enforcement and better execution…

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Refocusing the ITA

Our government committed to a complete review of the Industry Training Authority (ITA) as the Crown Corporation responsible for leading B.C.’s trades training system. That review, conducted by Jessica McDonald, is complete and has now been released. Consultations were conducted with trades training stakeholders throughout the fall of 2013 and the final report was submitted…

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May 9, 2014 OH&S Guideline Changes

Many sections of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and Workers Compensation Act (“Act“) have associated guidelines. Guidelines are intended to assist with providing ways of complying with the legislation, not to provide exclusive interpretations. Guidelines generally provide information on administrative matters and on technical matters not already addressed by policy. Periodically, guidelines are updated and new ones added….

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Construction Related Injuries to May 13, 2014

CONSTRUCTION Injury Type: Broken leg Core Activity: Wood frame construction Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2014-Apr ID Number: 2014166920051 A worker fell about 20 feet to grade from a second-storey balcony when the guardrail he was leaning against failed. Injury Type: Concussion (1 worker); head laceration and soft-tissue injury to upper body (1 worker)…

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WorkSafeBC Approved Policy Amendments

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…

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BC’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint ~ Re-engineering Education and Training

On April 29th, with the Legislative Press Gallery in full attendance, the B.C. government released its report on proposed changes to the province’s education and training plan.  The proposed changes were the result of a review undertaken by former deputy minister Jessica MacDonald, who canvassed the views of employers, the labour movement, post-secondary institutions, as…

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WorkSafeBC Public Hearings and Systematic Reviews RFP

Public hearings in June 2014 for proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation The Board of Directors of WorkSafeBC approved public hearings to be held in June 2014 to consider the a number of proposed regulatory amendments. The public hearings will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to comment on the proposed regulatory…

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WorkSafe Medical Advisor Info Line

WorkSafeBC now has a Medical Advisor Info Line – 1-855-476-3049. This line is a single point of contact for employers to connect directly with a medical advisor at WorkSafeBC. The Medical Advisors can help with medical clarification and provide a timely response to your questions. The line operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to…

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Safety Symposium Comes to Vancouver – May 22, 2014

WorkSafeBC is partnering with BC/Yukon Association of Ergonomists to host one-day event. If a workspace, work tool, or work process is well-designed, it can improve productivity and reduce costs. Most importantly — it can increase safety.  That’s the premise behind the upcoming one-day symposium being held in Vancouver on May 22, 2014. The event will…

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Silica Exposure Control Amendments – Update

WorkSafe BC has advised that the proposed amendments to the respirable crystalline silica (RCS or Silica) exposure control requirements in the Occupational Health & Safety Regulation will not proceed to the 2014 public hearings. WorkSafeBC has indicated that it will work with industry stakeholders to develop acceptable compliance tools and expects that the proposed RCS regulation will be…

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WorkSafe BC Day of Mourning – April 28th

Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning, a time when workers, families, employers, and others come together to remember those who have lost their lives to work-related incidents or occupational diseases. In 2013, WorkSafe BC Incident Summaries include 18 fatalities in the Construction industry.  COCA has arranged to have a wreath at the…

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We have a new Website!

We are pleased to announce that over the past few weeks we have been working on updating the website and have just gone live at www.cocabc.ca. The site may look familiar as it is based on the site previously hosted by BCCA.  We would like to thank BCCA for all of their help with the…

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