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Policy decision finalized at the May 2010 WorkSafeBC Board of Directors meeting
The following Resolutions were finalized by WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors in May 2010. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure.
Bronchogenic Carcinoma in Asbestos-Exposed Workers
The Board of Directors approved changes to Schedule B of the Workers Compensation Act (“Act”), and consequential amendments to Appendix 2 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II (“RS&CM”).
The presumption in favour of coverage for workers who have primary site lung cancer where there is airborne exposure to asbestos dust associated with asbestosis has not been changed.
The pleural thickening requirement in Schedule B of the Act has been modified so that there is a presumption in favour of workers who have primary site lung cancer where there is airborne exposure to asbestos dust associated with bilateral diffuse pleural thickening over 2mm thick.
A new presumption in favour of coverage for workers has been added to Schedule B of the Act where there is exposure to airborne asbestos dust for a period of 10 years or more of employment in a listed industry.
The changes to Schedule B of the Act will come into force September 28, 2010, which is 90 days after the date the changes were deposited with the Registrar of Regulations under the Regulations Act. The consequential amendments to Appendix 2 of the RS&CM will also be effective September 28, 2010.
For further information on this issue, please contact Louise Kim at 604 231-8876.
You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 51kb)
Room and Board
At the May 19, 2010 meeting, the Board of Directors approved amendments to policy item #68.22, Room and Board, in the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II.
The changes to the Room and Board policy provide that:
- Where a worker is provided with room and board as part of his or her overall remuneration, the value of that room and board would be included in the calculation of average earnings regardless of whether or not the worker continues to receive it during the claim; and
- As a consequential amendment, a statement providing that WorkSafeBC would not reimburse the employer when the employer continues to pay the worker 25% or less of the pre-injury wages during the course of the claim has been deleted from policy item #34.40, Pay Employer Claims.
For further information on this issue, please contact Deepani Weerapura at 604 276-5165.
You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 37kb).