Tag Archives: COVID-19

Photo of woman in her bakery store showing COVID-19 safety by wearing medical face mask, while holding tray of croissants.

Proper training for new tasks, ongoing communication, and reviewing health and safety plans are some ways to keep remaining staff safe.  First off, I send my sympathies and best wishes to everyone sick with COVID-19. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has spread rapidly, leaving many workers sick and unable to go to work. Let’s look […]

Photo of sick woman sitting on sofa while covered in a blanket.

Employers are required to offer employees 3 days of paid sick leave if they need to stay home as a result of circumstances related to COVID-19.  Stay home when you’re sick. That’s been one of the messages we’ve heard most frequently during the past year. The B.C. government introduced new legislation that entitles all workers […]

Happy man in suit gives documents to woman at hotel registration desk while wearing masks.

B.C. hotels are using touchless check-in technology, enhanced cleaning procedures, and other safety solutions for workers and guests.  Touchless or contact-free technology has been around for many years, but it’s become more beneficial than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for the accommodation industry. “A couple of years ago, industry was talking about touchless check-in, […]

Photo of Prevention Officer hand writing note on a clipboard

Conducting a walk-through can identify potential COVID-19 transmission spots and determine if changes are needed to create a safer workspace.  Every workplace has its own COVID-19 challenges that call for carefully thought-out solutions. Listening to workers and observing work premises are the first steps to assess risks in your workplace. An assessment helps identify potential […]

Photo of person getting a vaccination in a medical setting

Learn how the COVID-19 vaccine affects workplaces, including booking an appointment, COVID-19 Safety Plans, and vaccination policies.  Recently, like thousands of others in B.C., I stood in line for my first COVID-19 vaccination. I looked away when it was time for the actual jab in the arm — then felt happily surprised when it didn’t […]

Photo of prime contractor and construction worker discussing and wearing masks to protect against COVID-19.

It’s up to the prime contractor to ensure that each subcontractor has their own COVID-19 safety plan.  “Why do subcontractors need to present their own COVID-19 Safety Plan to prime contractors on a multi-employer worksite?” This is one of the questions WorkSafeBC prevention officers have been answering from employers in the construction industry. Here’s why: […]

Photo of person wearing non-medical face mask and holding sign in Mandarin "I'm doing my part"

COVID-19 health and safety information is available in 120+ languages in B.C., where more than a million people use languages other than English.  At first, I wondered if there was much point in writing — in English — about resources available in other languages. But I’m writing this with the hope that readers will pass […]

Photo of man wearing mask and getting massage by therapist

A registered massage therapist adds her own measures to the required COVID-19 protocols in place at her practice.  Recently I spoke with a registered massage therapist (RMT) who works with high-risk clients. She carefully follows the COVID-19 guidelines set by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) and keeps her safety plan updated. […]

Photo of worker wearing PPE in seaweed salad processing facility.

WorkSafeBC and industry groups are working to ensure COVID-19 health and safety in food processing plants.  Industry sectors most affected by COVID-19 are being supported to minimize the spread of the virus. One high-risk sector is food processing. B.C. food processing employers are working hard to update their COVID-19 safety plans and improve protocols for […]

Photo of person wearing gloves while cleaning and disinfecting a door handle

A costume studio shares its enhanced disinfecting and sanitizing protocols, and explains how it minimizes the potential chemical hazards.  Enhanced cleaning procedures are an important part of preventing COVID-19 transmission at work. I spoke with a friend about how his workplace is carrying out the extra measures. He is a shop foreman at a company […]