Journal of Commerce | The Canadian Press | January 27, 2024 BURNABY, B.C. – Mounties in Burnaby say a section of Lougheed Highway was temporarily shut down Friday afternoon due to an incident involving a crane. Video and photos on social media showed parts of a crane dangling from a highrise tower under construction. RCMP Cpl. Mike Kalanj says Lougheed Highway…
Read MoreCanada lagging in death stats and why construction workers die
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen |January 29, 2024 Canada’s statistics are not telling the complete story on construction industry deaths as the industry has come through a deadly 2022, and while figures record how fatalities occur, they tell little of the why or the trends in worker deaths. The construction industry figures from…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC 2024 Planned Inspectional Initiatives
WorkSafeBC has updated its Planned Inspectional Initiatives to reflect their areas of focus and prevention activities for 2024. WorkSafeBC’s Planned Inspectional Initiatives (previously known as High Risk Strategies and Industry Initiatives) support effective management of risks by examining and promoting occupational health and safety basics and specific areas of high risk for particular industries. WorkSafeBC…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
January 24, 2024 The following 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: Injury to head Core Activity: Concrete placing / concrete pumping / Commercial, institutional or highrise residential contracting…
Read MoreEllisDon’s first mental health specialist aims to figure out ‘the puzzle pieces of mental health’
Journal of Commerce | Dan O’Reilly | January 24, 2024 It’s been a busy time for Nadina Holca since she was appointed EllisDon’s first mental health specialist last August. “I have travelled to different parts Canada, visited four different construction sites, and met with a number of executive and team leader members,” says Holca. She has…
Read MoreAn effective suicide prevention strategy matches message with medium
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | January 24, 2024 The rate of suicide for construction workers is 53.3 per 100,000, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. The only sector with a higher rate was oil and gas extraction. Mental health in general, and suicide in…
Read MoreDesigning construction injury rates downward with better ergonomics
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | January 24, 2024 “Ergonomic strain and injury refers to physical discomfort and damage caused by the improper design or the improper use of tools, equipment, work spaces and tasks,” says Erin Linde, director of the BC Construction Safety Alliance’s health and safety services. “They can occur when the body…
Read MoreCan Artificial Intelligence make construction safety smarter?
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | January 23, 2024 Jacquelyn Oduro, director of Manitoba Heavy Construction Association’s WorkSafely program, says there are several ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) can improve heavy construction worksite safety. “There are so many safety risks in heavy construction, such as excavation and trenching accidents, accidental start-ups from energized equipment, moving paving…
Read MoreWitnesses of death: B.C. Court awards damages to impacted workers
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | January 22, 2024 A series of B.C. Supreme Court (BCSC) cases, with the latest in December 2023, has laid bare the traumatic impact witnessing a severe injury or death on a construction site can have on employees’ mental health, family, and ability to work. The cases, involving PSI Concrete…
Read MoreInnovative pain management program for construction workers eschews opioids
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | January 19, 2024 A pilot program in British Columbia that offers alternatives to opioids is marking a successful trial run and is looking towards the future. The BC Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan (CIRP) is celebrating the results of its Opioid-Free Pain Clinic pilot program, which began in May and…
Read MoreRegulatory Updates – January 1, 2024
WorkSafeBC | January 18, 2024 The Workers Compensation Act was amended with new requirements for return to work — duty to cooperate and duty to maintain employment. The Workers Compensation Act and OHS Regulation were amended with new requirements for asbestos abatement licensing and certification. New and revised OHS guidelines were also issued. A new OHS Guideline…
Read MoreLegal Notes: Sudbury applies to reopen SCC appeal concerning ‘employer’ status
Journal of Commerce | John Bleasby | January 18, 2024 A landmark decision from the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) issued late in 2023 expanded the definition of “employer” to include a project owner. The ruling not only left Sudbury, Ont. vulnerable to fines and penalties under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) but left the…
Read MoreBackgrounder: Occupational first aid regulatory changes
In April 2023, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to Part 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, relating to the provision of occupational first aid. These amendments will take effect November 1, 2024, to give employers time to obtain any required first aid training and equipment necessitated by these changes. Schools and training…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC awards Certificate of Recognition to TNDC
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | January 11, 2024 DEASE LAKE, B.C. – British Columbia safety regulator WorkSafeBC has awarded a Certificate of Recognition (COR) to Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) in the province’s northern interior. TNDC has been aligning its health and safety practices, processes and procedures over the past 18 months with…
Read MoreBentall Memorial a stark reminder of workplace safety, as 2022 marks deadliest year in decades
Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | January 9, 2024 As the Lower Mainland marks the 43rd anniversary of a construction tragedy, those in attendance sounded a new alarm. A recent WorkSafeBC report on work-related death statistics indicates 2022 was the deadliest year in decades for British Columbia construction workers. Fifty-four people died, 28 due to…
Read MoreNew B.C. return-to-work requirements start
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | January 3, 2024 VICTORIA – New rules concerning return-to-work requirements for injured workers in British Columbia are now in effect. The requirements, which began Jan. 1, will support a more effective and fair workers’ compensation system in the province and help restore workers to their previous employment status…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC Consultation on Washroom Facilities
There is a draft regulatory change relating to plumbed washrooms on construction sites that is now out for public consultation. The availability and maintenance of washroom facilities on construction sites has been a subject of much discussion. To address the issue, the Ministry of Labour asked WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors to consider amending the Occupational…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC consultation on proposed amendments to the OHSR – Part 16 – Seat Belts
WorkSafeBC is holding a public consultation on proposed amendments to Part 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, relating to seat belts. This consultation phase is an opportunity to provide feedback, which will be carefully reviewed, before the proposed amendments are taken to public hearing. The proposed amendments and instructions on providing feedback can…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC public hearing on proposed amendments to the OHSR – Part 14 – Tower Cranes
WorkSafeBC is holding a virtual public hearing on proposed amendments to Part 14 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, relating to Notice of Project – Tower Crane. This consultation phase is an opportunity to provide feedback, which will be carefully reviewed, before the proposed amendments are finalized. Materials for the proposed amendments and instructions on…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC Consultation on proposed amendments to Part 3 of the OHS Regulation – General Risk Management
WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Department is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 3, Rights and Responsibilities, section 3.01 — General risk management, 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…
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