© Can Stock Photo / Andaleks3
WORKSAFEBC Inspections
By / Warren Wrey
British Columbia’s safety enforcement authority
Where plumbed facilities aren’t available employers must provide access to portable washroom and handwashing facilities, Strand said.
WorkSafeBC recently announced an “inspectional initiative” to ensure British Columbia worksites are complying with new COVID-19 regulations.
He explained that the inspections will be province-wide and “WorkSafeBC prevention officers will be inspecting B.C. construction sites for as long as necessary during this unprecedented public health challenge.”
is stepping up inspections as COVID-19 pushes the industry into new and risky territory.
Prevention officers will make sure employers and subcontractors identify known and foreseeable hazards, evaluate the impact on workers, and take steps to control risks consistent with health and safety requirements and direction from public health officials, WorkSafeBC director of prevention field services Dan Strand said. “The initial focus of the inspection will be to engage the employer and worker representatives in a conversation to determine if they have basic controls in place to ensure the health and safety of workers,” Strand said. Areas of focus, he added, will include whether physical distancing is taking place, sufficient hygiene supplies are provided and if the employer is adhering to COVID-19 guidance from the B.C. provincial health officer.
14
Sheet Metal Journal
Enforcement measures are also a possibility if companies aren’t complying with new COVID-19 regulations, he said. “WorkSafeBC will consider issuing orders for non-compliance and may issue stop-work orders if there is a high risk of serious illness,” Strand said. “Penalties may be imposed for flagrant violations.” The safety of WorkSafeBC’s inspectors as they enter potentially unsafe or contaminated areas is also a top priority, he noted. “We’ve developed an exposure control plan (ECP) for prevention officers during the inspection initiative, which includes training on the ECP and appropriate safe work procedures. Officers who access and inspect these workplaces
