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Policy decisions finalized at the June 2004 WCB Board of Directors meetings
The following resolutions were finalized by the WCB Board of Directors in June 2004. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure.
Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture
During its meeting on June 22, 2004, the Board of Directors approved amendments that will result in the consolidation of all occupational health and safety regulatory requirements pertaining to the agriculture industry into the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation ("OHSR").
The amendments will come into effect January 1, 2005, and will significantly improve the level of health and safety protection afforded to workers in the agriculture industry. Over the past ten years, the injury rate for B.C.'s agriculture industry has been consistently higher than the provincial average.
Currently, agriculture is the only industry that does not fall under the same occupational health and safety regulatory structure that applies to all other industries that fall under the jurisdiction of the WCB. The consolidation will provide workers with increased protection from a wide range of work-related hazards, many of which were not addressed in the present Regulations for Agricultural Operations. (e.g., vibration, repetitive strain, mechanical lockout, and heat and cold stress hazards).
Amendments have also been approved to the OHSR in order to maintain relevant agriculture-specific requirements from the current Regulations for Agriculture Operations. To address issues of practicality, a number of modifications or exceptions have been provided for the industry with respect to the application of existing core requirements and general hazard requirements within the OHSR.
An implementation strategy has been developed by the Program Design Division to further assist workplace parties in achieving compliance.
You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 76kb)
For more information, please contact Rex Eaton at 604 233-4037.
Policy items #96.20, Board Officers, and #96.30, Disability Awards Officers and Adjudicators in Disability Awards, of Volume II of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual ("RSCM") have been revised to (1) remove the criterion for the worker's self referral; and (2) confirm that Board officers decide whether a compensable actual or potential permanent disability exists, and if such a determination is made, Board officers in Disability Awards then determine the extent of the disability. These changes will remedy the ambiguity and confusion concerning when referrals must be made to the Disability Awards Department.
Policy items #96.20 and #96.30 of Volume I of the RSCM have also been slightly revised, to direct readers to the relevant Volume II policies for all decisions, including appellate decisions made on or after July 2, 2004.
These amendments take effect on July 2, 2004, and apply to all decision, including appellate decisions, made on or after that date.
You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 39kb)
For more information, contact Kristin Helgason at 604-276-5160.