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Policy decisions finalized at the August, 2003 WCB Board of Directors meetings

The following resolutions were finalized by the WCB Board of Directors in August 2003. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure.

Occupational First Aid

The Board of Directors has approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation pertaining to occupational first aid.

A public hearing on the proposed regulatory amendments was conducted between February 21, 2003 (date of notice) and April 10, 2003 (due date for written submissions). Oral hearings were conducted in Prince George on March 25, 2003 and in Richmond on March 27, 2003.

The amendments to Part 33 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation adopt performance-based requirements for first aid. Rather than specifying required control measures, the requirements obligate an employer to conduct an assessment of each workplace. The control measures employed as a result of the assessment must ensure that adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, supplies, facilities, attendants and services are provided for promptly rendering first aid and transporting injured workers for treatment.

The amendments also identify factors that must be considered when conducting the risk assessment. Specifically, an employer will be required to consider:

  • the number of workers who may require first aid at any time;
  • the nature and extent of the risks and hazards in the workplace, including whether or not the workplace as a whole creates a low risk of injury;
  • the types of injuries likely to occur;
  • any barriers to first aid being provided to an injured worker; and,
  • the time that may be required to obtain transportation and transport an injured worker to a place where the worker may receive medical treatment.

Employers will be required to conduct an assessment on an annual basis and maintain written procedures for the provision of first aid at the worksite.

The proposed amendments come into force March 30, 2004.

The Prevention Division is currently finalizing guidelines to assist workplace parties in ensuring compliance with the new requirements. The Prevention Division will also monitor the implementation of the new first aid provisions and report to the Board of Directors by April 2005.

A copy of the complete resolution is available for review. (PDF 127kb)

For more information, please contact the Prevention Division at 1 888 621-7233.

Retirement of Policies from the Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual

The Board of Directors has approved the retirement of ten policies from the Prevention Division's Policy and Procedure Manual. The effective date for the retirement of the policies is September 1, 2003. On that date, the policies set out in Appendix "A" to the resolution ceased to be policy.

The retirement of these policies is part of a larger project that will eventually result in all prevention policies being consolidated into the Prevention Manual and/or retired, as appropriate.

You may examine the complete resolution. (PDF 24kb)

For further information on this issue, please contact Nick Attewell at 604 244-6376, local 2618, or toll free within B.C. at 1 888 621-7233, local 2618.

Accident Fund and Assessments

An Appeal Division decision informed the Workers Compensation Board ("WCB") that its resolutions describing the process of distributing surplus amounts to employers following the implementation of its new classification system did not contain any discretion to stop, amend or suspend such distribution if it discovered reasons for doubting the calculation of the assessments leading to the surplus credit. This deficiency is addressed in this resolution. The administration of the WCB is given discretion to suspend or cancel surplus credits for employers where the Board is conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by the employer and to make changes to that surplus distribution in accordance with its findings.

You may examine the complete resolution. (PDF 28kb)

For further information on this issue, please contact Gerald Massing at 604 276-3121 or toll free within B.C. at 1 888 922-8809.

Pensioner Retirement Benefit Reserve ("PRBR")

The Board of Directors has approved into policy the implementation of sections 23.2 to 23.4 of the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2002, or Bill 49 concerning the investing and reporting of the PRBR as part of the accident fund and how income will be allocated to the PRBR.

You may examine the complete resolution. (PDF 31kb)

For further information about this amendment, please contact Mark Heywood of the WCB's Finance Division at 604 279-8112.

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