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B.C. Reg. 296/97 Workers' Compensation Board | Deposited September 8, 1997 effective April 15, 1998 |
[Last amended January 1, 2024 by B.C. Reg. 204/2023]
1.1 (1) In this Occupational Health and Safety Regulation:
"administrative controls" means the provision, use and scheduling of work activities and resources in the workplace, including planning, organizing, staffing and coordinating, for the purpose of controlling risk;
"B.C. Electrical Code" has the same meaning as in the Electrical Safety Regulation;
"Board" means the Workers' Compensation Board;
"combustible liquid" means a liquid that has a flash point at or above 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) and below 93.3 degrees Celsius (200 degrees Fahrenheit);
"contaminant" means a harmful or irritant material, or nuisance dust, foreign to the normal composition of a substance, or a material that varies the normal proportions of components in a mixture such as air;
"engineering controls" means the physical arrangement, design or alteration of workstations, equipment, materials, production facilities or other aspects of the physical work environment, for the purpose of controlling risk;
"flammable liquid" means a liquid that has a flash point below 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) and a vapour pressure of not more than 275.8 kPa at 37.8 degrees Celsius;
"hazard" means a thing or condition that may expose a person to a risk of injury or occupational disease;
"hazard area" means an area in a workplace where a hazard exists, or is created, due to a condition in the area or the activities conducted in it;
"hazardous product" means any product, mixture, material or substance that is classified in accordance with the regulations made under section 15 (1) of the Hazardous Products Act (Canada) in a category or subcategory of a hazard class listed in Schedule 2 of that Act;
"HEPA" means, in reference to air filtration, a high efficiency particulate air filter meeting the specifications of a nuclear grade filter, providing a 99.97% filtration efficiency at a 0.3 micrometre particle size;
"IDLH atmosphere" means an atmosphere containing a substance at a concentration which is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) because the concentration is greater than that from which one could escape without any escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health effects, and includes an atmosphere with an unknown concentration with the potential to be immediately dangerous to life or health;
"incident" includes an accident or other occurrence which resulted in or had the potential for causing an injury or occupational disease;
"mg/m3" means milligrams of a substance per cubic metre of air;
"mobile equipment" has the same meaning as in section 16.1;
"oxygen deficient" means, in relation to air, a condition in which there is less than 19.5% oxygen by volume, or the partial pressure of oxygen is less than 16.3 kPa (122 mm Hg);
"ppm" means parts of a vapour or a gas per million parts of contaminated air by volume at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 760 millimetres of mercury;
"practicable" means that which is reasonably capable of being done;
"professional engineer" means a person who is registered under the Professional Governance Act as a professional engineer or professional engineering licensee;
"professional geoscientist" means a person who is registered under the Professional Governance Act as a professional geoscientist or professional geoscience licensee;
"qualified" means being knowledgeable of the work, the hazards involved and the means to control the hazards, by reason of education, training, experience or a combination thereof;
"qualified registered professional" means
(a) a professional engineer or professional geoscientist, and
(b) in relation to a forestry operation, a person referred to in paragraph (a) or a person registered under the Professional Governance Act as
(i) a professional forester, or
(ii) a registered forest technologist;
"rated capacity" or "rated load" means the load that machinery or a piece of equipment is, in accordance with its design, rated to bear under section 4.8;
"resource road" means a road or portion of a road on Crown land, and includes a bridge, culvert, ford or other structure or work associated with the road, but does not include a highway within the meaning of the Transportation Act;
"risk" means a chance of injury or occupational disease;
"rollover", in respect of mobile equipment, means a roll about the longitudinal axis of more than 90°, or a rear or frontal pitchover about the transverse axis of more than 90°, whether or not the roof or topside comes into contact with the travel surface;
"rollover hazard area", with respect to mobile equipment, means an area that is comprised of
(a) grades or slopes that exceed
(i) the manufacturer's maximum slope operating stability limit for the mobile equipment, or
(ii) 10%, if the manufacturer has not set a maximum slope operating stability limit for the mobile equipment, or
(b) open edges, open ramps, loading docks, ditches, drop-offs, holes, soft spots or mounds, or other terrain hazards, that may cause a rollover;
"rollover protective structure" or "ROPS" means a rollover protective structure that is affixed to mobile equipment and designed to protect an on-board operator in the event of a rollover of the mobile equipment;
"safety data sheet" or "SDS" means a document that contains, under the headings that, by virtue of the regulations made under section 15 (1) of the Hazardous Products Act (Canada), are required to appear in the document, information about a hazardous product, including information related to the hazards associated with any use, handling or storage of the hazardous product in the workplace;
"sensitizer" means a substance that has been shown to elicit an allergenic type of response in humans after an initial exposure, resulting in development of symptoms upon subsequent exposure at much lower concentrations;
"supervisor" means a person who instructs, directs and controls workers in the performance of their duties;
"utility service" means a petroleum pipeline, sanitary sewer line, enclosed storm sewer, water line, steam line or electrical cable;
"WHMIS" means the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System referred to in section 5.3;
"working load limit" or "WLL" means the maximum load which a product is authorized by the manufacturer to support in a particular service.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), in this Regulation, "workplace" does not include a resource road.
(3) A portion of a resource road is a workplace during any period within which the portion is being built, maintained, repaired, rehabilitated, stabilized, upgraded, removed or deactivated.
(4) Although a resource road does not constitute a workplace for the purposes of this Regulation, other than in one of the limited circumstances referred to in subsection (3), a reference to a workplace in this Regulation continues to include a thing or place that constitutes a workplace even though that thing, or an activity or the result of an activity initiated or carried out at that place, is in whole or in part on a resource road.
[am. B.C. Regs. 185/99, s. 1; 253/2001, s. 1; 312/2003, App. C, s. 1; 315/2003, App. A, s. 1; 20/2008, App. A, s. 59; 258/2008, App. A, s. 1; 312/2010, App. A, s. 1 and App. D, s. 1; 305/2012, s. 1; 30/2015, s. 1; 9/2017, App. A and App. D, s. 1; 139/2021, App. D, s. 1; 222/2021, App. A, s. 1; 116/2022, App. B, s. 1.]
2.1 This Occupational Health and Safety Regulation applies to all employers, workers and all other persons working in or contributing to the production of any industry within the scope of the OHS provisions of the Workers Compensation Act.
[am. B.C. Regs. 185/99, s. 2; 279/2019, App. D, s. 1.]
2.2 Despite the absence of a specific requirement, all work must be carried out without undue risk of injury or occupational disease to any person.
2.3 If there is any conflict between the requirements of this Regulation and any code or standard with which compliance is required by this Regulation, the provisions of this Regulation prevail.
2.4 Every person to whom an order or directive is issued by the Board must comply promptly or by the time set out in the order or directive.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 4.]
2.5 (1) An inspection report must remain posted for at least 7 days, or until compliance has been achieved, whichever is the longer period.
(2) When a joint committee or a worker health and safety representative is required at a workplace, the employer must produce for the committee or representative the inspection report, or a copy of it, at or before the next meeting of the committee or with the representative.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 5.]
2.6 When an employer is required to provide notification of compliance in response to an inspection report the employer must ensure that
(a) a copy of the notification is posted next to the originating inspection report until compliance has been achieved.
(b) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 6.]
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 6.]
2.7 Every employer must post in a conspicuous place at each workplace any placard issued by the Board titled "Notice to Workers".
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 7.]
2.8 (1) A contravention of this Regulation will be deemed to be a contravention by the employer and will make that employer liable for any penalty prescribed by the Workers Compensation Act.
(2) A contravention of this Regulation by a supervisor or a worker will be deemed to be a contravention by the supervisor and will make that supervisor liable for any penalty prescribed by the Workers Compensation Act.
(3) A contravention of this Regulation by a worker will make that worker liable for any penalty prescribed by the Workers Compensation Act.
(4) A contravention of this Regulation by a person working in or contributing to the production of an industry within the scope of the Workers Compensation Act will make that person liable for any penalty prescribed by the Act.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 9.]
Part 3 — Rights and Responsibilities
Occupational Health and Safety Programs
3.1 (1) An occupational health and safety program as outlined in section 3.3 must be initiated and maintained
(i) a workforce of 20 or more workers, and
(ii) at least one workplace that is determined under section 3.16 (2) (b) to create a moderate or high risk of injury, or
(b) by each employer that has a workforce of 50 or more workers.
(1.1) If subsection (1) (a) or (b) applies to the employer, the occupational health and safety program applies to the whole of the employer's operations.
(2) Despite subsection (1) an occupational health and safety program may be required in any workplace when, in the opinion of an officer, such a program is necessary.
[am. B.C. Regs. 348/2003, s. 10; 19/2006, s. 1; 320/2007, App. A, s. 1.]
3.2 In any operation where the workforce is less than that referred to in section 3.1 (1) the employer must
(a) initiate and maintain a less formal program based on regular monthly meetings with workers for discussion of health and safety matters,
(b) ensure that meetings are directed to matters concerning the correction of unsafe conditions and practices and the maintenance of cooperative interest in the health and safety of the workforce, and
(c) maintain a record of the meetings and the matters discussed.
3.3 The occupational health and safety program must be designed to prevent injuries and occupational diseases, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the program must include
(a) a statement of the employer's aims and the responsibilities of the employer, supervisors and workers,
(b) provision for the regular inspection of premises, equipment, work methods and work practices, at appropriate intervals, to ensure that prompt action is undertaken to correct any hazardous conditions found,
(c) appropriate written instructions, available for reference by all workers, to supplement this Occupational Health and Safety Regulation,
(d) provision for holding periodic management meetings for the purpose of reviewing health and safety activities and incident trends, and for the determination of necessary courses of action,
(e) provision for the prompt investigation of incidents to determine the action necessary to prevent their recurrence,
(f) the maintenance of records and statistics, including reports of inspections and incident investigations, with provision for making this information available to the joint committee or worker health and safety representative, as applicable and, upon request, to an officer, the union representing the workers at the workplace or, if there is no union, the workers at the workplace, and
(g) provision by the employer for the instruction and supervision of workers in the safe performance of their work.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 12.]
3.5 Every employer must ensure that regular inspections are made of all workplaces, including buildings, structures, grounds, excavations, tools, equipment, machinery and work methods and practices, at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 16.]
3.7 A special inspection must be made when required by malfunction or accident.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 16.]
3.8 An inspection required by section 3.5 and a major inspection required by section 3.7 must, where feasible, include the participation of members of the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable, but
(a) if there is no committee or worker health and safety representative the employer must designate an employer representative and the union must designate a worker representative, or
(b) if there is no union the employer must invite the workers to designate one of their number.
[en. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 17, am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 18.]
Correction of Unsafe Conditions
3.9 Unsafe or harmful conditions found in the course of an inspection must be remedied without delay.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 18.]
3.10 Whenever a person observes what appears to be an unsafe or harmful condition or act the person must report it as soon as possible to a supervisor or to the employer, and the person receiving the report must investigate the reported unsafe condition or act and must ensure that any necessary corrective action is taken without delay.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 18.]
3.11 If emergency action is required to correct a condition which constitutes an immediate threat to workers only those qualified and properly instructed workers necessary to correct the unsafe condition may be exposed to the hazard, and every possible effort must be made to control the hazard while this is being done.
[am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, s. 18.]
3.12 (1) A person must not carry out or cause to be carried out any work process or operate or cause to be operated any tool, appliance or equipment if that person has reasonable cause to believe that to do so would create an undue hazard to the health and safety of any person.
(2) A worker who refuses to carry out a work process or operate a tool, appliance or equipment pursuant to subsection (1) must immediately report the circumstances of the unsafe condition to the worker's supervisor or employer.
(3) A supervisor or employer receiving a report made under subsection (2) must immediately investigate the matter and
(a) ensure that any unsafe condition is remedied without delay, or
(b) if, in the supervisor's or employer's opinion, the report is not valid, must so inform the person who made the report.
(4) If the procedure under subsection (3) does not resolve the matter and the worker continues to refuse to carry out the work process or operate the tool, appliance or equipment, the supervisor or employer must investigate the matter in the presence of the worker who made the report and in the presence of
(a) a worker member of the joint committee,
(b) a worker who is selected by a trade union representing the worker, or
(c) if there is no joint committee or the worker is not represented by a trade union, any other reasonably available worker selected by the worker.
(5) If the investigation under subsection (4) does not resolve the matter and the worker continues to refuse to carry out the work process or operate the tool, appliance or equipment, both the supervisor, or the employer, and the worker must immediately notify an officer, who must investigate the matter without undue delay and issue whatever orders are deemed necessary.
[am. B.C. Regs. 185/99, s. 19; 116/2022, App. B, s. 2.]
3.12.1 If a worker refuses work under section 3.12, the employer must not require or permit another worker to do the refused work unless
(a) the matter has been resolved under section 3.12 (3), (4) or (5), or
(b) the employer has, in writing, advised the other worker and a person referred to in section 3.12 (4) (a), (b) or (c) of all of the following:
(ii) the unsafe condition reported under section 3.12 (2);
(iii) the reasons why the work would not create an undue hazard to the health and safety of the other worker or any other person;
(iv) the right of the other worker under section 3.12 to refuse unsafe work.
[en. B.C. Reg. 116/2022, App. A, s. 1.]
3.13 (1) A worker must not be subject to prohibited action as defined in section 47 of the Workers Compensation Act because the worker has acted in compliance with section 3.12 or with an order made by an officer.
(2) Temporary assignment to alternative work at no loss in pay to the worker until the matter in section 3.12 is resolved under section 3.12 (3), (4) or (5) is deemed not to constitute prohibited action.
[am. B.C. Regs. 185/99, s. 20; 279/2019, App. D, s. 2; 116/2022, App. A, s. 2.]
3.14 In this section and in sections 3.15 to 3.21:
"first aid" means
(a) in cases in which a person will need medical treatment, treatment for the purpose of preserving life and minimizing the consequences of injury until medical treatment is obtained, and
(b) treatment of minor injuries that would otherwise receive no medical treatment or that do not need medical treatment;
"first aid attendant" means a person who holds a valid first aid certificate issued by the Board or by a person recognized by the Board and who is designated as a first aid attendant by the employer;
"injured worker" means a worker who suffers an injury during work;
"injury" includes an occupational disease or illness;
"medical certificate" means a report in a form acceptable to the Board from a physician registered under the Medical Practitioners Act as to a person's fitness to perform the functions of a first aid attendant.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.15 The employer must ensure that a person who is designated as a first aid attendant
(b) has successfully completed the first aid training course or first aid examination developed or approved by the Board,
(c) has a first aid certificate in good standing at the required level issued by the Board or a person recognized by the Board, and
(d) meets any other requirements determined by the Board for designation as a first aid attendant.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.16 (1) The employer must provide for each workplace such equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services as are adequate and appropriate for
(a) promptly rendering first aid to workers if they suffer an injury at work, and
(b) transporting injured workers to medical treatment.
(1.1) The type and quantity of equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services referred to in subsection (1) must be no less than is required by Schedule 3-A.
(1.2) The quality, maintenance and use of equipment, facilities and methods of transportation referred to in this section must be acceptable to the Board.
(2) For the purpose of complying with subsection (1), the employer must conduct an assessment of the circumstances of the workplace, including
(a) the number of workers who may require first aid at any time,
(b) the nature and extent of the risks and hazards in the workplace, including whether or not the workplace as a whole creates a low, moderate or high risk of injury,
(c) the types of injuries likely to occur,
(d) any barriers to first aid being provided to an injured worker, and
(e) the time that may be required to obtain transportation and to transport an injured worker to medical treatment.
(3) The employer must review the assessment under subsection (2)
(a) within 12 months after the previous assessment or review, and
(b) whenever a significant change affecting the assessment occurs in the employer's operations.
(4) First aid equipment, supplies and facilities must be kept clean, dry and ready for use, and be readily accessible at any time a worker works in the workplace.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2; am. B.C. Reg. 320/2007, App. A, ss. 2 and 3.]
3.17 (1) The employer must keep up-to-date written procedures for providing first aid at the worksite including
(a) the equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services available,
(b) the location of, and how to call for, first aid,
(c) how the first aid attendant is to respond to a call for first aid,
(d) the authority of the first aid attendant over the treatment of injured workers and the responsibility of the employer to report injuries to the Board,
(e) who is to call for transportation for the injured worker, and the method of transportation and calling, and
(f) prearranged routes in and out of the workplace and to medical treatment.
(2) The employer must post the procedures conspicuously in suitable locations throughout the workplace or, if posting is not practicable, the employer must adopt other measures to ensure that the information is effectively communicated to workers.
(3) The first aid attendant and all other persons authorized to call for transportation for injured workers must be trained in the procedures.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.17.1 If air transportation is the primary or only method for transporting an injured worker, all of the following requirements must be met:
(a) before the start of operations in a workplace, arrangements must be made with an air service to ensure that an appropriate aircraft is reasonably available to the workplace during those operations;
(b) the arrangements in paragraph (a) must include procedures for
(i) the employer to determine the availability of appropriate aircraft before the start of each work day, and
(ii) the air service to notify the employer if an appropriate aircraft ceases to be available;
(c) a system must be provided that enables the pilot of the aircraft and the first aid attendant attending to an injured worker to communicate at all times when the aircraft is in transit to the location of the injured worker and during transport of the injured worker to medical treatment.
[en. B.C. Reg. 320/2007, App. A, s. 4.]
3.18 (1) The employer must provide an effective means for
(a) communication between the first aid attendant and the workers served, and
(b) the first aid attendant to call for assistance.
(2) The employer must not assign, and the first aid attendant must not undertake, employment activities that will interfere with the attendant's ability to receive and respond to a request for first aid.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.19 (1) The employer must maintain at the workplace, in a form acceptable to the Board, a record of all injuries and exposures to contaminants covered by this Regulation that are reported or treated.
(2) First aid records must be kept for at least 3 years.
(3) First aid records are to be kept confidential and may not be disclosed except as permitted by this Regulation or otherwise permitted by law.
(4) First aid records must be available for inspection by an officer of the Board.
(5) Workers may request or authorize access to their first aid records for any treatment or report about themselves.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.20 If workers of 2 or more employers are working at a workplace at the same time, the prime contractor must
(a) conduct an assessment of the circumstances of the workplace under section 3.16 (2) in relation to all the workers in the workplace, and
(b) do everything that is reasonably practicable to establish and maintain the first aid equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services required under section 3.16.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2; am. B.C. Reg. 320/2007, App. A, s. 5.]
3.21 (1) The first aid attendant must
(a) promptly provide injured workers with a level of care within the scope of the attendant's training and this Part,
(b) objectively record observed or reported signs and symptoms of injuries and exposures to contaminants covered by this Regulation, and
(c) refer for medical treatment workers with injuries considered by the first aid attendant as being serious or beyond the scope of the attendant's training.
(2) A first aid attendant must be physically and mentally capable of safely and effectively performing the required duties, and the Board may at any time require the attendant to provide a medical certificate.
(3) The first aid attendant is responsible, and has full authority, for all first aid treatment of an injured worker until responsibility for treatment is accepted
(a) at a place of medical treatment,
(b) by an ambulance service acceptable to the Board, or
(c) by a person with higher or equivalent first aid certification.
(4) The first aid attendant does not have authority to overrule a worker's decision to seek medical treatment or the worker's choice of medical treatment.
[en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, s. 2.]
3.22 In sections 3.23 to 3.25:
"new worker" means any worker who is
(b) returning to a workplace where the hazards in that workplace have changed during the worker's absence,
(c) affected by a change in the hazards of a workplace, or
(d) relocated to a new workplace if the hazards in that workplace are different from the hazards in the worker's previous workplace;
"young worker" means any worker who is under 25 years of age.
[en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.]
3.23 (1) An employer must ensure that before a young or new worker begins work in a workplace, the young or new worker is given health and safety orientation and training specific to that young or new worker's workplace.
(2) The following topics must be included in the young or new worker's orientation and training:
(a) the name and contact information for the young or new worker's supervisor;
(b) the employer's and young or new worker's rights and responsibilities under the Workers Compensation Act and this Regulation including the reporting of unsafe conditions and the right to refuse to perform unsafe work;
(c) workplace health and safety rules;
(d) hazards to which the young or new worker may be exposed, including risks from robbery, assault or confrontation;
(e) working alone or in isolation;
(f) violence in the workplace;
(g) personal protective equipment;
(h) location of first aid facilities and means of summoning first aid and reporting illnesses and injuries;
(j) instruction and demonstration of the young or new worker's work task or work process;
(k) the employer's health and safety program, if required under section 3.1 of this Regulation;
(l) WHMIS information requirements set out in Part 5, as applicable to the young or new worker's workplace;
(m) contact information for the occupational health and safety committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable to the workplace.
[en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.]
3.24 An employer must provide a young or new worker with additional orientation and training if
(a) workplace observation reveals that the young or new worker is not able to perform work tasks or work processes safely, or
(b) requested by the young or new worker.
[en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.]
3.25 An employer must keep records of all orientation and training provided under sections 3.23 and 3.24.
[en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.]
Joint Health and Safety Committees
3.26 (1) In this section, a reference to a joint committee does not include a joint committee established and maintained under section 32 of the Workers Compensation Act, if
(a) an order under section 32 (1) of the Workers Compensation Act respecting the joint committee provides for a variation as set out in subsection (2) (b) of that section of that Act, and
(b) the variation is in regards to evaluating the joint committee.
(2) An employer must ensure that, with respect to each of the employer's joint committees, a written evaluation is conducted annually by
(a) the co-chairs of the joint committee or, with respect to each co-chair, the member or members of the joint committee designated by the co-chair, or
(b) the employer or a person retained by the employer.
(3) The evaluation must contain, but is not limited to, the following information:
(a) whether or not, throughout the period of time that is the subject of the evaluation,
(i) the joint committee met the membership requirements under section 33 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(ii) worker representatives on the joint committee were selected in accordance with section 34 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(iii) employer representatives on the joint committee were selected in accordance with section 35 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(iv) the joint committee fulfilled each of its duties and functions under section 36 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(v) the joint committee met regularly as required under section 37 (2) of the Workers Compensation Act,
(vi) the employer met the requirements under section 39 of the Workers Compensation Act in respect of the written recommendations sent to the employer by the joint committee with a written request for a response from the employer, if any,
(vii) each member of the joint committee received the time off from work the member was entitled to receive under section 40 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(viii) each member of the joint committee attended the occupational health and safety training courses the member was entitled to attend under section 41 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(ix) the employer provided to the joint committee the equipment, premises, clerical personnel and information the employer was required to provide under section 42 of the Workers Compensation Act,
(x) the joint committee prepared reports of its meetings and provided copies to the employer as required under section 43 (1) of the Workers Compensation Act,
(xi) the employer met the requirements of posting and keeping posted committee information as set out in section 44 of the Workers Compensation Act, and
(xii) each member of the joint committee received the instruction and training the employer was required to ensure was provided to the member under section 3.27 of this regulation;
(b) an assessment of the effectiveness of the joint committee's rules of procedure as established under section 37 (1) of the Workers Compensation Act;
(c) an assessment of the overall effectiveness of the joint committee.
(4) If the employer or a person retained by the employer conducts the evaluation, the employer or person retained by the employer, as the case may be, must, as part of the evaluation, obtain and consider the input of the co-chairs of the joint committee or, with respect to each co-chair, the member or members of the joint committee designated by the co-chair, on the matters listed in subsection (3).
(5) The employer and the joint committee must each provide to the other a copy of the evaluation if the other does not have a copy.
(a) discuss the evaluation at the joint committee meeting immediately following
(i) receipt of the evaluation, if the employer or a person retained by the employer conducted the evaluation, or
(ii) the completion of the evaluation, if members of the joint committee conducted the evaluation, and
(b) ensure that the evaluation and a summary of the discussion referred to in paragraph (a) are included in the report of that meeting.
[en. B.C. Reg. 312/2016, App. A; am. B.C. Reg. 279/2019, App. D, s. 10.]
3.27 (1) In this section, a reference to a joint committee does not include a joint committee established and maintained under section 32 of the Workers Compensation Act, if
(a) an order under section 32 (1) of the Workers Compensation Act respecting the joint committee provides for a variation as set out in subsection (2) (b) of that section of that Act, and
(b) the variation is in regards to providing instruction and training to the members of the joint committee.
(2) The employer must ensure that each member of the employer's joint committees who was selected on or after April 3, 2017 to be a member receives, as soon as practicable but no more than 6 months after becoming a member, a total of at least 8 hours of instruction and training, as set out in subsection (4).
(3) The employer must ensure that the worker health and safety representative at each of the employer's workplaces who was selected on or after April 3, 2017 to be a representative receives, as soon as practicable but no more than 6 months after becoming a representative, a total of at least 4 hours of instruction and training, as set out in subsection (5).
(4) The instruction and training referred to in subsection (2) must include the following topics:
(a) the duties and functions of a joint committee under section 36 of the Workers Compensation Act;
(b) the rules of procedure of the joint committee as established under or set out in section 37 of the Workers Compensation Act;
(c) the requirements respecting investigations under sections 69 to 72 of the Workers Compensation Act;
(d) the requirements respecting inspections under sections 3.5, 3.7 and 3.8 of this regulation and how to make regular inspections under section 3.5 of this regulation;
(e) the requirements respecting refusal of unsafe work under section 3.12 of this regulation;
(f) the requirements respecting the evaluation of joint committees under section 3.26 of this regulation.
(5) The instruction and training referred to in subsection (3) must include the topics described in subsection (4) (a), (c), (d) and (e).
(6) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of a person who is a member of a joint committee if
(a) 2 years or less before becoming a member of the joint committee, the person was a member of that joint committee or a different joint committee, and
(b) the person, as a member of the joint committee or a different joint committee as set out in paragraph (a), received at least 8 hours of instruction and training on the topics described in subsection (4).
(7) Subsection (3) does not apply in respect of a person who is a worker health and safety representative at a workplace if
(a) 2 years or less before becoming a worker health and safety representative at the workplace, the person was
(i) a member of a joint committee, or
(ii) a worker health and safety representative at that workplace or a different workplace, and
(b) the person, as a member of a joint committee, or as a worker health and safety representative at the workplace or a different workplace, as set out in paragraph (a), received at least 4 hours of instruction and training on the topics described in subsection (5).
(8) The employer must ensure that a person who receives instruction and training as set out in subsection (2) or (3) receives a copy of the person's training record as soon as practicable after the training is completed.
(9) The employer must, with respect to each person who receives instruction and training as set out in subsection (2) or (3), keep the person's training record until 2 years from the date the person ceases to be a member of the employer's joint committee or a worker health and safety representative, as applicable.
(10) For greater certainty, the instruction and training required under subsection (2) or (3) of this section is not educational leave as set out in section 41 of the Workers Compensation Act.
[en. B.C. Reg. 312/2016, App. B; am. B.C. Reg. 279/2019, App. D, s. 10.]
Participation in Investigations
3.28 For the purposes of section 70 (2) (c) of the Workers Compensation Act, the following activities are prescribed:
(a) assisting the persons carrying out the investigation with gathering information relating to the investigation;
(b) assisting the persons carrying out the investigation with analyzing the information gathered during the investigation;
(c) assisting the persons carrying out the investigation with identifying any corrective actions necessary to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.
[en. B.C. Reg. 312/2016, App. C; am. B.C. Reg. 279/2019, App. D, s. 10.]
[en. B.C. Reg. 320/2007, App. A, s. 6.]
Minimum Levels of First Aid
1 In this Schedule:
"ambulance service" means an ambulance service acceptable to the Board;
"hospital" means a hospital within the meaning of the Hospital Act or a diagnostic and treatment centre where the hospital or centre has
2 (1) Tables 1 to 6 have different levels of first aid service that are based on how long it takes to transport an injured person to a hospital and the number of workers per shift.
(2) Exceptions to note: In circumstances in which Tables 1 to 6 would otherwise require a Level 2 first aid certificate under column 3 [noted with an asterisk (*)], a Level 3 first aid certificate is required and an Emergency Transportation Vehicle ("ETV") must be provided, if
(a) there is on the access route to the workplace an obstruction, barrier, rough terrain or other similar circumstances likely to delay the arrival of an ambulance service for more than 20 minutes after it was dispatched, or
(b) there are areas in the workplace which an ambulance service cannot safely access, and for which workers at the workplace are required by this Regulation to be trained, equipped and capable of effecting rescue.
Table 1: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a low risk of injury and that is more than 20 minutes surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | • Personal first aid kit | ||
2 | 2-5 | • Basic first aid kit | ||
3 | 6-30 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
4 | 31-50 | • Level 1 first aid kit • ETV equipment | Level 1 certificate with Transportation Endorsement | |
5 | 51-75 | • Level 3 first aid kit • Dressing station • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | |
6 | 76 or more | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | ETV |
Table 2: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a low risk of injury and that is 20 minutes or less surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | |||
2 | 2-10 | • Basic first aid kit | ||
3 | 11-50 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
4 | 51-100 | • Level 2 first aid kit • Dressing station | * Level 2 certificate | |
5 | 101 or more | • Level 2 first aid kit • First aid room | * Level 2 certificate |
Table 3: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a moderate risk of injury and that is more than 20 minutes surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | • Personal first aid kit | ||
2 | 2-5 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
3 | 6-15 | • Level 1 first aid kit • ETV equipment | Level 1 certificate with Transportation Endorsement | |
4 | 16-50 | • Level 3 first aid kit • Dressing station • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | ETV |
5 | 51-100 | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | ETV |
6 | 101-300 | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • Industrial ambulance equipment | Level 3 certificate | Industrial ambulance |
7 | 301 or more | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • Industrial ambulance equipment | 2 attendants, each with Level 3 certificates | Industrial ambulance |
Table 4: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a moderate risk of injury and that is 20 minutes or less surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | • Personal first aid kit | ||
2 | 2-5 | • Basic first aid kit | ||
3 | 6-25 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
4 | 26-75 | • Level 2 first aid kit • Dressing station | * Level 2 certificate | |
5 | 76 or more | • Level 2 first aid kit • First aid room | * Level 2 certificate |
Table 5: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a high risk of injury and that is more than 20 minutes surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | • Personal first aid kit | ||
2 | 2-5 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
3 | 6-10 | • Level 1 first aid kit • ETV equipment | Level 1 certificate with Transportation Endorsement | ETV |
4 | 11-30 | • Level 3 first aid kit • Dressing station • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | ETV |
5 | 31-50 | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • ETV equipment | Level 3 certificate | ETV |
6 | 51-200 | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • Industrial ambulance equipment | Level 3 certificate | Industrial ambulance |
7 | 201 or more | • Level 3 first aid kit • First aid room • Industrial ambulance equipment | 2 attendants, each with Level 3 certificates | Industrial ambulance |
Table 6: This table applies to a workplace that an employer determines under section 3.16 (2) (b) of the Regulation creates a high risk of injury and that is 20 minutes or less surface travel time away from a hospital.
Item | Column 1 Number of workers per shift | Column 2 Supplies, equipment, and facility | Column 3 Level of first aid certificate for attendant | Column 4 Transportation |
1 | 1 | • Personal first aid kit | ||
2 | 2-15 | • Level 1 first aid kit | Level 1 certificate | |
3 | 16-30 | • Level 2 first aid kit • Dressing station | * Level 2 certificate | |
4 | 31-300 | • Level 2 first aid kit • First aid room | * Level 2 certificate | |
5 | 301 or more | • Level 2 first aid kit • First aid room | * 2 attendants, each with Level 2 certificates |
Contents | Parts 1 to 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Parts 10 to 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Parts 17 to 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Parts 25 to 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Parts 29 to 34 | Schedules
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