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Following the fatal accidents that occurred in Prince George (Lakeland Mills Ltd) and Burns Lake (Babine Forest Products Ltd) sawmills in 2012, the provincial government have introduced a few changes to safety legislation in the form of a new bill.
Announced on Thursday, Bill 35 will:
- Require employers to immediately report to WorkSafeBC all workplace fires or explosions that had the potential to cause serious injury to a worker;
- Require employer investigation reports be provided to the workplace health and safety committee or worker health and safety representative, or be posted at the worksite;
- Specify meaningful participation for worker and employer representatives in employer accident investigations;
- Specify a role for workplace health and safety committees to provide advice to the employer on significant proposed equipment and machinery changes that may affect worker health and safety; and
- Allow WorkSafeBC to proactively assist workplace health and safety committees in resolving disagreements over health and safety matters.
“Following the tragic mill explosions in Burns Lake and Prince George in 2012, the government has taken action to improve workplace safety in British Columbia so that workers come home to their families at the end of the day. I hope today’s proposed legislative changes signal how seriously we take the inquest jury recommendations, and represent a lasting legacy and some degree of closure for the families of the workers who lost their lives or were injured,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour.
In addition, Bill 35 will build on the legislative changes made under Bill 9 earlier this year, which was designed to strengthen WorkSafeBC’s ability to promote and enforce occupational health and safety compliance in B.C. workplaces.
After the sawmill accidents, a total of seven recommendations were directed at the Ministry of Jobs: five from the Lakeland Inquest and two from the Babine Inquest.
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