WHAT OHS PROGRAMS NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM IN BC?

​The different types of health and safety policies and procedures which need to be included in your OHS program depends upon the nature of your work, the hazard rating of your industry and how large your organization is. However, WorkSafeBC does state that your Occupational health and Safety Program in BC needs to be designed a certain way as per the OHSR Regulations. 

​According to the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, it’s the employer’s responsibility to implement an occupational health and safety (OHS) program to prevent employee workplace injury and disease. OHS programs in British Columbia must meet certain safety standards. The employer must exercise due diligence in taking steps to meet those standards.

You must have a 'formal' health and safety program if you have either a workforce of 20 or more workers and at least one workplace where there is a moderate or high risk of injury and when you have a workforce of 50 or more workers. Small businesses or employers with fewer than 20 workers need a health and safety program too. These programs can be simpler. We refer to them as "informal" health and safety programs. 

​Health and safety programs are aimed at ensuring workers are protected, risks are minimized, and a healthy and safe workplace is maintained. All employers must establish some form of health and safety program at the workplace. The type of program you need depends on the number of workers you have and the risks associated with their work. Though every workplace and every occupational health and safety (OHS) program are different, there are some key elements common to all programs.
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Our professional and certified Health and Safety Consultants are able to develop your small or large business a complete written occupational health and safety program specific to your companies operations, specific to your industry and which will meet with all WorkSafeBC legislative requirements

WorkSafeBC OHSR Section 3.3 - Contents of Program

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.
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Learn more on how GG Health and Safety Consulting can assist your company in developing your own Occupational Health and Safety Program.