Health care & social services
Communicable disease prevention
As of April 8, 2022, employers are no longer required to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and must follow communicable disease guidance instead. Learn more.
Starting October 3, 2023, medical masks will be required by health care workers, visitors, contractors, and volunteers in patient care areas in health care facilities, programs, and services. For more information, visit the Province of B.C.’s website.
Here you'll find links to health and safety information and resources for those who work in health care and social services.
To reduce the potential for injury or disease to workers, it's important to manage the hazards in your workplace. See our resources to learn more about some of the hazards in health care and social services, or follow the links to these related topics:
Resources
Communicating risk information to prevent violence-related injuries to workers
This information sheet discusses how sharing risk information can help ensure workers’ safety in education, health care, and social services settings. It outlines the responsibilities of employers to...
Controlling Exposure: Protecting Workers from Infectious Disease
All workers in B.C. are potentially vulnerable to infectious diseases. This book describes common communicable and zoonotic diseases, how they are spread, and steps to take to protect workers. It includes...
MSI Risk Assessment and Control for Client Handling
This guide is for facilities and organizations whose workers handle clients during the course of their work. It is designed to help assess the associated risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) and develop...
Point-of-Care Risk Assessments in Long-Term Care: Full Video
A point-of-care risk assessment is a strategy that prepares health care workers for any interaction by assessing their surroundings. This quick, methodical approach can improve their personal safety...
Highlights
- New risk advisory on the dangers of oxygen deficiency when using asphyxiants as refrigerants Published on: February 10, 2023
- New online tool helps workers and employers manage risk by delivering a custom list of health and safety resources Published on: December 05, 2022
- Updated resources help reduce risks in patient handling Published on: July 15, 2020
- New resources are now available to help health care employers inspect patient lifts Published on: March 06, 2020
Featured Content
Handbook for Joint Health and Safety Committees
Joint health and safety committees play a key role in workplace health and safety, and can assist employers with reducing injuries and disease.
Health Care Violence Inspection Checklist
This guide helps employers be aware of parts of the OHS Regulation that prevention officers focus on as part of the Health Care High Risk Strategy.2023-10-23 21:32:11