An online health and safety orientation course provides an introduction to how to work safely on a construction site. Recently, I spoke with Erin Linde, director of health and safety services at the B.C. Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA). Erin is the project lead for SiteReadyBC, an online health and safety orientation program that provides an […]
B.C. workers in the film industry will have to take Actsafe’s general safety awareness course by March 31, 2024. Recently, I learned that Actsafe’s Motion Picture General Safety Awareness course will be mandatory for all workers in the motion picture industry. Everyone is required to complete it by March 31, 2024. To find out more […]
New safety training is available for workers in collision shops, the towing industry, and other workplaces where there are electric vehicle batteries. Just over a year ago, I wrote about the need to raise employers’ awareness of electric vehicle (EV) safety. I spoke with Percy Chua, a manager in WorkSafeBC’s Risk Analysis Unit, who advised […]
An app is in development that will enable forestry employers to use smart devices to fill out and manage health and safety paperwork. B.C. forestry employers are trying out a new app that will make it easier to manage safety-related paperwork. The Forest Industry Reporting System (FIRS) App will enable forestry employers to fill out […]
Demand for cannabis remains steady, and on-going training is essential for workers using new technology and tools to process, store, receive, and ship products. Ever since cannabis was legalized in 2018, Canadians have seen many new products become available. The industry uses new types of machinery and processes for extracting active ingredients from cannabis plants. […]
Harmful asbestos fibres can be found in more than 3,000 common building materials. Recently, a friend of mine said their 18-unit condo building had a plumbing job done and found asbestos in the drywall from 1977. The contractor followed all safety procedures and notified residents. At Simon Fraser University, hazardous material experts are assessing its […]
Listening and responding to workers’ concerns and suggestions is an essential way that employers can improve the health and safety culture of their workplace. Recently, I spoke with an elevator mechanic who shared a very good example of positive health and safety culture. While repairing or modernizing elevators, he and his crew would often come […]
A new web-based tool provides health and safety information through a customized report. The first version of the My Health & Safety Resources tool from WorkSafeBC is live. It’s now easier for workers and employers to get health and safety information relevant to your industry. This includes finding out which specific requirements of B.C.’s Occupational […]
Here’s how to improve safety when driving during the winter in B.C. Winter is coming. And for some, winter-type weather is already here. The first thing I ask myself before I drive during the winter is: Do I really need to go? Chances are, I don’t. But sometimes you really do need to drive. It […]
Emergency information tubes include maps, information about power sources, and more that responders need to know about evacuated properties. It’s been a year since B.C.’s atmospheric river event caused catastrophic flooding and landslides. So many have been hit hard by its effects. Lives have been changed. Employers are still rebuilding and being prepared is on […]
