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Policy decisions finalized at the June 5, 2000 WCB Panel of Administrators meeting

The following is a summary of the policy decisions finalized by the WCB Panel of Administrators on June 5, 2000. For information about the function and mandate of the Panel, please see Governing Structure.

Consolidation of Prevention Policies — Fishing Operations Policies

The Panel of Administrators has approved the consolidation of the Fishing Operations policies from the Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual into the new Prevention Manual. The affected policies are Policy Nos. 85.00 — 85.90, except Policy No. 85.13 which is still being worked on by the Policy and Regulation Development Bureau.

The consolidated policies appear in the new Manual format. They continue the substantive requirements of the Policy and Procedure Manual policies, as those requirements existed prior to their effective date, with any wording changes necessary to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since the Policy and Procedure Manual policies were issued.

The effective date for the consolidated policies is July 1, 2000. On that date, the consolidated policies become "published policy" and Policy Nos. 85.00 — 85.90 (except Policy No. 85.13) cease to be "published policy".

The consolidation of the Fishing Operations policies is part of a larger project that will eventually result in all prevention policies being consolidated into the new Prevention Manual or repealed or retired as appropriate.

For further information on this issue, please contact Nick Attewell at 604 273-2266, local 2618, or toll free within BC at 1 888 621-7233, local 2618.

You may also examine the complete resolution.

Schedule B Item 5 (Firefighters/Heart Injury or Disease)

The Panel of Administrators approved a resolution which:

  • Removes the firefighter heart presumption from Schedule B of the Workers Compensation Act;
  • Approves a policy on firefighters and heart injury which recognizes the unique risks faced by firefighters and clarifies when the Board will normally conclude that a firefighter's heart injury is work-related; and
  • Approves the addition of heart disease to the list of occupational diseases recognized by regulation of general application.

Once the changes are in effect, firefighters will continue to receive compensation for heart-related claims where the Board determines that they are work-related. Claims will be adjudicated on their individual merits as they are for the vast majority of claims for injuries or occupational diseases.

In its resolution, the Panel also directed that expedited training take place among Board officers on the new policy and that the Board facilitate further research, to be undertaken over the next five-to-ten years, on the matter of heart injury and disease among firefighters and other emergency workers.

The Panel based its decision on the medical and scientific evidence received from the experts retained by the Board and from stakeholders.

The changes take effect September 5, 2000 (90 days after deposit of a regulation with the Registrar of Regulations).

For further information on this issue, please contact Jay Rowland or D. Campbell in Occupational Disease Services at 604 276-3007 or toll free at 1 888 967-5377 (local 3007).

You may also examine the complete resolution.

Evaluation of Permanent Psychological Impairment

The Panel of Administrators has approved:

  • an extension of resolution 98/04/23-06, "RE: Interim Policy Changes Concerning The Assessment Of Permanent Psychological Disability", which is an interim policy amending the Permanent Disability Evaluation Schedule covering the assessment of percentage of psychological disability; and
  • amended timelines for reviewing the interim policy, for providing an interim report to the Policy Development Consultative Committee and Panel, and for making final recommendations to the Panel.

For further information on this issue, please contact Susan Hynes at 604 231 -8864 or toll free within BC at 1 888 967-5377, local 8864.

You may also examine the complete resolution.