B.C. employers can use a new app to create and update their COVID-19 Safety Plans for keeping their workers and workplaces safe.
Photo credit: © WorkSafeBC (Workers’ Compensation
Board of B.C.), used with permission
It’s been so interesting to see the many ways we’ve adapted to life with COVID-19. We wear our masks (so many creative ones!) and walk into stores where we are greeted by workers who squirt sanitizer onto our hands.
Aisles in stores are one-way and when we line up to pay, we stand on circles on the floor to make sure we keep our physical distance from others. Cashiers are behind plexiglass to minimize exposure.
These safety measures are just a few of the things B.C. employers are including in their COVID-19 Safety Plans, which they’re required to develop.
Making it easier for employers to do their part
I spoke with an occupational health and safety officer about her recent visits to workplaces. Kelly Mean and her fellow WorkSafeBC officers throughout the province have been checking in with recently re-opened employers to answer questions and review their COVID-19 Safety Plans.
While it might seem a bit daunting at first, there are some good supports for helping employers stay on top of their safety plans. One of them is the new COVID-19 Safety Plan app from WorkSafeBC — created for employers who work “on-the-go” using smartphones and tablets.
“We recognize that for many workers and employers, their business doesn’t involve sitting behind a screen at a desk — they’re in the field, on a jobsite, or behind the wheel,” says Darrin McCaskill, director of Prevention Programs & Performance at WorkSafeBC. “We have a lot of valuable information for both workers and employers on how to keep their workplaces safe, and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to access the tools and information.”
The app is an easy-to-use tool that guides you through a six-step process that creates your plan. It saves automatically so you can return to the app at any time to edit your information, and once complete you can email your custom plan as a text file to yourself.
Stay up to date with COVID-19 information and resources as conditions evolve. Thanks to everyone for doing your part! #LetsDoOurPartBC
