This archived statute consolidation is current to September 5, 2007 and includes changes enacted and in force by that date. For the most current information, click here.
This Act has "Not in Force" sections. See the Table of Legislative Changes.

Workers Compensation Act

[RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 492

Contents
Section
  Definitions
Part 1 — Compensation to Workers and Dependants
  Division 1 —  Scope of this Part
  Application
  Extending application
  Fishing industry
  Division 2 —  Compensation
  Compensation for personal injury
  5.1  Mental stress
  Occupational disease
  6.1  Firefighters’ occupational disease presumption
  Loss of hearing
  Injuries happening out of Province
  8.1  Interjurisdictional agreements and arrangements by the Board
  Election
  10  Limitation of actions, election and subrogation
  11  Repealed
  12  Worker who is minor is sui juris
  13  Compensation cannot be waived
  14  No contribution from workers
  15  Compensation not assignable or liable to attachment
  16  Vocational rehabilitation
  Division 3 —  Scale of Compensation
  17  Compensation in fatal cases
  18  Addition to payments
  19  Surviving spouse of a deceased worker
  19.1  Period for making payments under sections 17 to 19
  20  Proof of existence of dependants
  21  Health care
  22  Permanent total disability
  23  Permanent partial disability or disfigurement
  23.1  Period of payment for total or partial disability
  23.2  Retirement benefits
  23.3  Payment of retirement benefits
  23.4  Handling of money to be paid as retirement benefit
  23.5  Retirement services and supports
  24  Reconsidering benefits
  25  General indexing factor
  25.1  Repealed
  25.2  Variation of dollar amounts
  25.3  Repealed
  26  Transitional
  27  Transitional
  28  Publish in Gazette
  29  Temporary total disability
  30  Temporary partial disability
  31  Maximum compensation
  31.1  Termination of periodic payments
  32  Recurrence of disability
  33  Average earnings
  33.1  General rule for determination of average earnings
  33.2  Exception to section 33.1 (2) — apprentice or learner
  33.3  Exception to section 33.1 (2) — employed less than 12 months
  33.4  Exception to section 33.1 (2) — exceptional circumstances
  33.5  Exception to section 33.1 — casual worker
  33.6  Exception to section 33.1 — person with coverage under section 2 (2)
  33.7  Exception to section 33.1 — person without earnings
  33.8  Determination of average net earnings — initial period of injury
  33.9  Determination of average net earnings — long term injury
  33.91  Schedule or procedure for determining average net earnings
  34  Deduction from compensation in certain cases
  35  Manner of payment of compensation
  35.1  Transitional
  35.2  Transitional — death of worker
  Division 4 —  Accident Fund and Assessments
  36  Accident fund
  37  Classification of industries
  38  Employer to furnish estimate of payrolls
  39  Assessment for accident fund
  40  Assessment by notice
  41  Repealed
  42  Classification of rates
  43  Power to vary rates
  44  Temporary industries
  45  Collection of assessments by suit or summarily
  46  Power to restrain industry where default
  47  Penalty for default in payment or return
  48  Class accounts
  49  Adjustment of assessments
  50  Collection from contractors
  51  Contractor liability
  52  Priority as to amounts due Board
  Division 5 —  Procedure and Miscellaneous
  53  Worker's notification of injury
  54  Employer's notification of injury
  55  Application for compensation
  56  Duty of physician or practitioner
  57  Worker to submit to examination
  57.1  Obligation to provide information
  58  Repealed
  59–62  Repealed
  63  Repealed
  64–66  Repealed
  67  Accounting and investment of excess funds
  68  Audit
  69  Annual report
  70–72  Repealed
  73  Levy from employer to cover amount of compensation
  74  Repealed
  75  Orders
  76  Effective date of regulations
  77  Liability of officers
  78  Penalties
  Division 6 —  Workers' Compensation Board
  79  Repealed
  80  Board
  81  Board of directors
  82  Powers and duties of board of directors
  82.1  Service plans
  83  Meetings
  83.1  Repealed
  84  Standard of care of the directors
  84.1  President
  85–85.2  Repealed
  86  Staff
  87  Witnesses
  88  Inquiry
  89–93  Repealed
  94  Workers' advisers and employers' advisers
  94.1  Lay advocates
  95  Secrecy
  96  Jurisdiction of Board
  96.1  Repealed
  96.2  Request for reviews
  96.3  Who may request review
  96.4  Conduct of review
  96.5  Reconsideration
  96.6  Delegation of chief review officer's powers and duties
  97  Statutory powers
  98  Discontinuance or suspension of payments
  99  Board decision-making
  100  Costs
  101  Repealed
Part 2 — Liability of Employers in Industries Not Within the Scope of Part 1
  102  Application
  103  Liability of employer
  104  Common law rules abrogated
  105  Contributory negligence to be considered
Part 3 — Occupational Health and Safety
  Division 1 —  Interpretation and Purposes
  106  Definitions
  107  Purposes of Part
  108  Application of Part
  109  Review of Part and regulations
  110  Relationship with Part 1
  Division 2 —  Board Mandate
  111  Board's mandate under this Part
  112  Annual report
  113  Board jurisdiction under this Part
  114  Cooperation agreements
  Division 3 —  General Duties of Employers, Workers and Others
  115  General duties of employers
  116  General duties of workers
  117  General duties of supervisors
  118  Coordination at multiple-employer workplaces
  119  General duties of owner
  120  General duties of suppliers
  121  Duties of directors and officers of a corporation
  122  General obligations are not limited by specific obligations
  123  Persons may be subject to obligations in relation to more than one role
  124  Responsibility when obligations apply to more than one person
  Division 4 —  Joint Committees and Worker Representatives
  125  When a joint committee is required
  126  Variations in committee requirements
  127  Membership of joint committee
  128  Selection of worker representatives
  129  Selection of employer representatives
  130  Duties and functions of joint committee
  131  Joint committee procedure
  132  Assistance in resolving disagreements within committee
  133  Employer must respond to committee recommendations
  134  Time from work for meetings and other committee functions
  135  Educational leave
  136  Other employer obligations to support committee
  137  Committee reports
  138  Employer must post committee information
  139  Worker health and safety representative
  140  Participation of worker representative in inspections
  Division 5
  141–149  Not in Force
  Division 6 —  Prohibition Against Discriminatory Action
  150  Actions that are considered discriminatory
  151  Discrimination against workers prohibited
  152  Complaint by worker against discriminatory action or failure to pay wages
  153  Response to complaint
  Division 7 —  Information and Confidentiality
  154  Posting of information
  155  Occupational health and safety information summary
  156  Information that must be kept confidential
  157  Information that must be provided in a medical emergency
  Division 8 —  Miscellaneous Authority
  158  Regulations in relation to hazardous and other substances
  159  Certification and training of first aid attendants and instructors
  160  Installation and maintenance of required first aid equipment
  161  Medical monitoring programs
  162  Medical certification requirements
  163  Certification and training of blasters
  Division 9 —  Variance Orders
  164  Board may authorize variances
  165  Effective period for variance order
  166  Application for variance
  167  Notice of application
  168  Consultation on application
  169  Decision on application
  170  Legal effect of variance
  171  Regulations review must consider variance history
  Division 10 —  Accident Reporting and Investigation
  172  Immediate notice of certain accidents
  173  Incidents that must be investigated
  174  Investigation process
  175  Incident investigation report
  176  Follow-up action and report
  177  Employer or supervisor must not attempt to prevent reporting
  Division 11 —  Inspections, Investigations and Inquiries
  178  Application of Division
  179  Authority to conduct inspections
  180  Officer must produce credentials on request
  181  Restrictions on access to private residences
  182  Representation on inspection
  183  Employer must post inspection reports
  184  Person being questioned is entitled to have another person present
  185  Limited authority to seize evidence without warrant
  186  Assistance on inspection
  Division 12 —  Enforcement
  187  General authority to make orders
  188  Contents and process for orders
  189  Notice of variation or cancellation
  190  Orders to stop using or supplying unsafe equipment, etc.
  191  Orders to stop work
  192  Effect of orders on workers
  193  Posting of orders by officer
  194  Compliance reports
  195  Suspension or cancellation of certificates
  196  Administrative penalties
  197  Repealed
  198  Court injunction
  Division 13 and 14
  199–212  Repealed
  Division 15 —  Offences
  213  Offence to contravene Part, regulation or order
  214  Limits on prosecutions
  215  Defence of due diligence
  216  Additional defence for workers
  217  General penalties
  218  Additional penalty to reclaim monetary benefit
  219  Additional powers on sentencing
  220  Penalties to be paid into accident fund
  Division 16 —  General
  221  Service of orders and other documents
  222  Court orders for access
  223  Collection by assessment or judgment
  Division 17 —  Regulations
  224  Cabinet regulations
  225  Board regulations
  226  Notice and consultation before Board makes regulation
  227  When Board regulation comes into force
  228  Ongoing review of Board regulations
  229  Minister may direct Board to consider amendment
  230  Authority and application of regulations generally
Part 4 — Appeals
  Division 1 —  Appeal Tribunal
  231  Definitions
  232  Appeal tribunal established
  233  End of appointment
  234  Role of chair
  235  Appeal tribunal staff
  236  Compensation and expenses of members
  237  Finances
  238  Panels
  Division 2 —  Appeal Rights
  239  Appeal of review decisions
  240  Appeal of other Board decisions
  241  Who may appeal
  242  How to appeal
  243  Time limit for appeal
  244  No stay of appealed decision
  244.1  Appeal rights to workers for decisions pre-dating 2004 amendments
  Division 3 —  Appeal Procedure
  245  Board records and policies
  245.1  Application of Administrative Tribunals Act to appeal tribunal proceedings
  246  Proceedings
  246.1  Evidence admissible in appeal tribunal proceedings
  247  Witnesses
  248  Deemed employer
  249  Health professional assistance
  250  Appeal tribunal decision-making
  251  Application of policies of board of directors
  252  Suspension of appeal proceedings
  253  Decision
  253.1  Amendment to final decision
  Division 4 —  General
  254  Exclusive jurisdiction
  255  Appeal tribunal decision or action final
  256  Reconsideration of appeal decision
  257  Certification to court
  258  Payment of compensation
  259  Payment of interest
  260  Confidentiality obligation

Schedule A

Schedule B

Schedule C

Schedule D