This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

WorkSafeBC

regulation and policy banner

Release for Consultation of the 2012 Proposed Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved the release of the 2012 proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (“OHSR”) for consultation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders with an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed amendments. All feedback received will be reviewed, and changes will be made to the proposed amendments, where appropriate, prior to the proposed amendments being taken to a public hearing in May–June 2012. WorkSafeBC must hold a public hearing under the Workers Compensation Act before a regulation can be made.

A consultation session has been scheduled to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to provide feedback in person regarding any of the proposed 2012 amendments. Registration is not required for this session. Details of the consultation session are provided below.

Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Executive Airport Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
7311 Westminster Highway
Richmond, B.C. V6X 1A3

In addition, WorkSafeBC welcomes your written feedback on the proposed amendments.

To make a written submission

Please include the following information in your written submission:

  • Name of submitter(s)
  • Whether you are submitting on your own behalf or on behalf of an organization (if on behalf of an organization, please specify the name of the organization)
  • Whether you are commenting from the perspective of a worker, or an employer, or other (not representing either workers or employers, such as a licensing or regulatory body, or a professional or industry association)
  • Your level of support — whether you generally agree, are generally neutral, or generally disagree with the proposed regulatory amendments
  • The reasons for your level of support and the section number(s) of the regulation you are commenting on

Submissions can be made online or via email, fax or mail as follows:

Online feedback: See each amendment package below for feedback form
Email: Regquery@worksafebc.com
Fax: 604 279-7599 or toll-free in B.C. 1 877 279-7599
Mail: Policy and Research Division
WorkSafeBC
P.O. Box 5350 Station Terminal
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5L5

Feedback will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 25, 2011. For further information please call 604 232-7744, or toll free 1 866 614-7744.

2012 Proposed Amendments to the OHSR:

There are 11 regulatory amendment packages under review, which are listed below. You will be able to access the following information from each regulatory package:

  • overviews of the proposed regulatory changes; and
  • proposed amendments including explanatory notes. Proposed deletions in the regulatory amendments are identified with a strikethrough and additions are in bold text and highlighted in yellow.

  1. Part 5, Chemical Agents and Biological Agents,
    relating to correcting the reference to combustible dust and updating the reference to the Electrical Code;

  2. Part 11, Fall Protection,
    relating to clarifying whether fall protection anchors must be re-certified annually by a professional engineer in all circumstances;

  3. Part 12, Tools, Machinery and Equipment,
    relating to recognizing a riving knife as an acceptable device to prevent kickback on table saws;

  4. Part 12, Tools, Machinery and Equipment and consequential amendments to Part 23, Oil and Gas,
    relating to prohibiting applying compressed gas at a greater pressure than the pressure rating for a closed vessel that is not a registered pressure vessel, and requiring such vessels have appropriate pressure relieving capability;

  5. Part 13, Ladders, Scaffolds and Temporary Work Platforms; and Part 19, Electrical Safety,
    relating to clarifying the appropriate requirements for dielectric testing of insulated elevating work platforms and ensuring consistent requirements in these two Parts;

  6. Part 13, Ladders, Scaffolds and Temporary Work Platforms,
    relating to the use of work platforms supported by a lift truck;

  7. Part 16, Mobile Equipment,
    relating to clarifying what equipment must meet and be used in accordance with section 16.3(7);

  8. Part 19, Electrical Safety,
    relating to replacing current terminology in this section with terms that are appropriate to low voltage electrical equipment;

  9. Part 19, Electrical Safety,
    relating to establishing a provision allowing the practice of passing the bucket of an insulated aerial working device between energized high voltage conductors if not practicable to do work otherwise, due to terrain or other obstacles;

  10. Part 24, Diving, Fishing and Other Marine Operations,
    relating to clarifying the training requirements for commercial divers and requiring commercial divers to hold a certificate issued by the Diver Certification Board of Canada; and

  11. Part 26, Forestry Operations and Similar Activities,
    relating to requiring signage on all resource roads in B.C. showing: (1) radio channels when an Industry Canada road channel has been assigned; and (2) radio frequencies when an Industry Canada channel is not assigned, but a radio frequency is.

All stakeholder feedback is carefully considered and analyzed, and provided to the Board of Directors of WorkSafeBC as part of their decision-making process.

Please be advised that stakeholders will not be contacted regarding the contents of their submissions unless clarification is needed.

Disclosure of personal information

Please note that anonymous submissions will not be considered. Submissions received by WorkSafeBC during the consultation process may be disclosed in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or by law generally.