Measures in Bill 35, introduced Thursday in the BC Legislature, and drafted in answer to recommendations from the coroner’s inquests into the Lakeland and Babine sawmill explosions, include rules requiring employees to immediately report to WorkSafeBC all workplace fires or explosions that could have caused serious injury to a worker.
The legislation will also require employer investigation reports be provided to the workplace health and safety committee or worker health and safety represen- tative, or be posted at the worksite.
Sawmill Safety Regs, BC
In all, seven recommendations from the inquests were directed at the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, including:
• Employers must specify “meaningful participation” for worker and employer representatives in accident investigations.
• Specify a role for workplace health and safety committees to provide ad- vice to the employer on significant proposed equipment and machinery changes that may affect worker health and safety.
• Allow WorkSafeBC to proactively assist workplace health and safety committees in resolving disagreements over health and safety matters.