Workshop on

Raising Health and Safety Awareness

August 2008

See BCTF OH&S Manual atwww.bctf.ca/health/OHandSManual.aspx?id=4354

Know the hazards in teaching and how to prevent illness and injury

Know your basic rights and duties under the Workers Compensation Act

Know the procedures and structures for enforcing your rights to a safe, healthy workplace

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Workers Compensation Act

provides for

Four Basic Rights

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1. The Right to Know

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2. The Right to Participate

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3. The Right (Obligation)

to Refuse Unsafe Work

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This is the most important health and safety right - if all else fails the worker has to protect her or himself and others.

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One of few exceptions to the “work now, grieve later” rule.

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“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.” (emphasis added)

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4. The Right to No Discrimination

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All buildings and places of employment shall be maintained in such condition that workers’ health and safety will not be endangered.

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At small work sites:•1 - 9 workers•regular monthly H&S meetings•meetings will discuss the correction of unsafe conditions

•records must be maintained for all meetings.

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At larger work sites:•10 - 19 workers•worker health and safety rep.

•has the same duties, functions, and rights as a joint committee.

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At large work sites:•20 or more workers•must have a joint health and safety committee

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Joint Committee:•meets monthly•employer and worker reps•makes recommendations to the employer

•participates in inspections and investigations

•reviews incident reports

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An injury must be reported to the employer by the worker “as soon as is practicable” after the injury occurs, on a WorkSafeBC Form 6A.

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It is an offence for an employer to try to dissuade a worker from reporting an injury or allegation of injury or a hazardous condition or allegation of a hazardous condition.

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A worker may not agree with the employer to forego any benefit to which she/he is entitled.

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Failure to provide the required information may be a bar to a claim for compensation

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Claims for compensation should be filed by using Teleclaim.

Call :1-888-WORKERS (1-888-967-5377)

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The employer must report an injury to WorkSafeBC within three days.

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Every employer shall initiate immediately an investigation into the cause of every accident that resulted in injury requiring medical treatment, or had the potential for causing serious injury.

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• Questions?

• Evaluation

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