Richmond, B.C. (March 7, 2019) — As part of its high-risk strategy for construction, WorkSafeBC has announced it is increasing enforcement efforts on fall-protection-system anchors used in the residential wood-frame construction industry.

Worksite inspections will also focus on the health and safety responsibilities of prime contractors to ensure they have established and maintained a system or process that will ensure compliance with fall-protection regulatory requirements.

“There are too many falls from roofs or scaffolds, so we’re increasing our efforts on those employers in Framing or Residential Forming and Steep Slope Roofing,” said Dan Strand, Director of Prevention Field Services with WorkSafeBC. “What we’re trying to do here is make construction sites safer and reduce the number of injuries.”

Last year, WorkSafeBC released its three-year plan to help employers reduce serious injuries in the construction sector. The Construction High-Risk Strategy has been designed to prevent unsafe acts or conditions that cause workplace injuries and fatalities.

Strand explained that when WorkSafeBC developed its 2018-2020 high-risk strategy, it recognized that flexibility would be needed to add other focus areas as required.

The high-risk strategy for the construction industry is based on three areas:

• Health and safety responsibilities: WorkSafeBC officers will conduct workplace inspections focused on health and safety planning and supervision. They will engage prime contractors, owners, employers, supervisors, and workers to promote effective supervision and planning to prevent the development of unsafe working conditions and practices.
• Tools, equipment and processes: WorkSafeBC will focus on the selection of the right tool, equipment, or process to reduce workplace incidents resulting in serious injury and the development of high-risk violations at workplaces.
• Partnerships and collaborations: The focus will include working with internal and external stakeholders, such as the BC Construction Safety Alliance, to encourage and foster communication to proactively respond to evolving industry challenges and emerging risks.

WorkSafeBC’s high-risk strategies identify and target industries and employers with a high risk of serious workplace injury and a significant contribution to the serious-injury rate. High-risk strategies include four industry sectors: construction, forestry, health care and manufacturing.

More information about the construction high-risk strategy, including 2019 deliverables and timelines, is available at worksafebc.com.

 

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