Occupational health and safety
Every year, the HSA Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committee awards the David Bland Award to an HSA member who has demonstrated leadership to improve occupational health and safety at their worksite and beyond. The award was established in 2007 and honours the memory of David Bland, a vocational counsellor and HSA member from Richmond Mental Health who was killed...
By Tristyn Kellner HSA Member When thinking about Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Committee duties, the average person most likely thinks about managing physical injuries and biological hazards. Chemical safety sheets might come to mind. If you are especially creative, you may think about ergonomics and safety inspections, or mental health in the...
HSA welcomes today’s release of In Plain Sight, the report by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond addressing Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in BC’s health care system. The report includes 24 recommendations for action, all focused on addressing the unacceptable experience of Indigenous people in the province’s health care system, as described in the report: “Indigenous people want to see change. They want...
With mounting evidence of aerosol transmission of SARS CoV-19, and the impact of that transmission on the health and safety of members , HSA has called on HEABC to ensure access to appropriate PPE is available, and reminds members of their right to conduct individual point of care assessments with every patient or client interaction in determining the appropriate level...
HSA is again calling on employers to improve supply of personal protective equipment and preventative occupational health and safety measures for health care workers working through the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, all members are advised to ensure they have access to appropriate PPE, and to exercise their right to refuse unsafe work if the appropriate PPE is not provided. HSA...
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – Level One Mental Health and the CSA Standard Dates: October 8, 2020 or November 12, 2020 Time: 9am – 4:30pm Location: Virtual WebEx – Details to follow Each year in Canada, one in five people will experience a mental health problem or illness. Over a lifetime that number increases to 1 in...
COVID SAFETY PLANS Dates: October 7, 2020 or October 29, 2020 Time: 9am – 4:30pm Location: Virtual WebEx – Details to follow WorkSafe BC Act and Regulations set out that each workplace must have a health and safety program designed to prevent injuries and occupational diseases. Workplace health and safety programs must have safety plans to address hazards in the...
BC FEDERATION OF LABOUR NEWS RELEASE (Unceded Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam territories — Vancouver, BC) - The Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB)'s decision to presume COVID-19-related claims are workplace-related is a welcome step, the BC Federation of Labour said today. "It's good news that the Workers' Compensation Board has moved on this," BCFED president Laird Cronk said. "We're cautiously optimistic that...
A serious occupational health and safety issue related to PPE in hospital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) departments has been uncovered regarding the safety of certain masks and respirators in an MRI setting. HSA has called on health authorities and the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Committee to provide details on the steps underway to identify and remove any masks or...
BC FED OHS Centre free webinars for OHS activist during COVID-19 The BCFED OH&S Centre has scheduled free COVID-19 related online webinars as follows: OH&S Committee role during COVID-19 Tuesday May 26, 2020 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Participants will understand the role and responsibility joint occupational health and safety committees have during this unprecedented pandemic; including how to identify potential...