The following statistics provide a record of our efforts to help workers and employers effectively manage the risk of COVID-19 and communicable disease in the workplace. The following information reflects our prevention activities from the start of the pandemic to February 28, 2022.

Prevention Information Line enquiries

Our Prevention Information Line is often our first point of contact for workers and employers enquiring about health and safety in the workplace. Prevention Information Line staff will either resolve the enquiry directly or triage to prevention officers for response as needed.

* The number of reports of workplace incidents has been restated from previous updates due to a change in coding. “Reports of workplace incidents” now only includes serious workplace injuries, fatalities, or issues such as equipment failure with the potential to cause injury or death.

Consultations

Consultations, either virtual or in person, are a key method for helping employers create safe and healthy workplaces. They provide an opportunity for a WorkSafeBC representative to share information and guidance specific to the needs of the employer.

Workers or employers who would like to request a consultation can call WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line, toll-free, at 1.888.621.7233.

Worksite inspections

Worksite inspections are an important part of ensuring health and safety in B.C. workplaces, including verifying that employers are meeting their obligations to manage the risk of COVID-19 and communicable disease transmission in their workplaces. Prevention officers may call or visit unannounced.

Orders issued

Where a prevention officer observes a health and safety violation, the officer will ordinarily issue an order to the responsible workplace party. Orders are issued as a result of an inspection or can be part of follow-up activity.

Social media enquiries

To help workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities regarding COVID-19 and communicable disease and the workplace, we use our social media channels to actively promote information and resources. The questions we receive are triaged in a similar way as our Prevention Information Line.

Website activity

To support workers and employers in reducing the risk of workplace transmission of COVID-19 and communicable disease, WorkSafeBC has been sharing health and safety information and resources on its website throughout the pandemic.