Category: Health & safety solutions

Photo of transmission line over a mountain

It’s essential to identify potential hazards when harvesting timber near power lines. Start during the planning stage, to keep workers safe.  Forest companies and harvesting contractors should contact BC Hydro at the planning stage of any logging project near power lines. I read about this in a recent monthly safety alert from the BC Forest […]

Photo of car and trucks driving on highway in winter

The next three months are the most dangerous for driving. If you drive for work, make sure to plan for safety, prepare your vehicle, and slow down.  Last winter’s extreme conditions in B.C. caught many drivers by surprise. October, November, and December are the most dangerous months for people who drive for work. Almost 30 […]

Photo of rural area with thick orange-brown haze from wildfires

Smoke from B.C. wildfires is causing terrible air quality in some regions. How can outdoor workers and volunteers protect themselves from forest fire smoke?  This question is on the minds of many in B.C. as forest fire season continues with a vengeance. Employers can find answers in WorkSafeBC’s Wildfire smoke: Frequently asked questions. (Please note […]

Photo of a dump truck reversing

More employers are using broadband alarms as a back-up warning. But researchers want to know: just how effective are they?  Broadband alarms are already used worldwide. By now, workers in B.C. and Alberta are likely hearing more of them. So how do workers perceive the multi-frequency broadband alarm (BBA) sound used in place of the […]

Check out this year’s winning videos from the annual WorkSafeBC student safety video contest. The theme for 2017 was “Speak up for Safety.”  Be sure to watch the winning student videos from the 2017 annual WorkSafeBC student safety video contest. Since 2006, the contest has garnered more than 550 videos from more than 2,100 high […]

Photo of workers in warehouse giving the thumbs up signal

Appreciative investigations provide positive, proactive opportunities for members of a workplace to consider which safety practices are working well.  Most of the time, in a workplace, there are no incidents and things go pretty well. But when it comes to safety investigations, we usually look at what went wrong, so we can prevent it from […]

Thanks to all readers for your support in 2016. I’m taking a short break for the holidays and will be back on January 4.

Musculoskeletal injuries associated with prolonged use such as ‘text neck’ and ‘blackberry thumb’ are not really new pains but they are coming from different sources and afflicting more younger people than ever before.

It was cleaner than a doctor’s office. That’s what WorkSafeBC industry specialist Lorne Scarlett said about the hygiene level he saw at Westcoast Piercing and Ink, where he was invited to check out the safety of their operations. Hygiene is the biggest issue — and Westcoast aims higher than what’s required by the Occupational Health […]