WorkSafeBC is hosting a workshop at the 2016 BCCPA Annual Conference from May 29-31 in Whistler which will analyze the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (Bill 35) and the changes made to it under Bill 9. The workshop, titled: ‘WorkSafeBC Bill 9 & 35 – What do they mean for employers and workers in health care‘, will be hosted by Stephen Symon, WorkSafeBC Manager of Industry & Labour Services, Health Care, Social Services and Education.
On January 1, 2016, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (No. 2), 2015 (Bill 35) introduced a number of changes focused on expanding the role of joint occupational health and safety committees in workplace safety, and adding new requirements for employers to report workplace incidents. The changes in Bill 35 build on the legislative changes made in 2015 under Bill 9, which strengthened WorkSafeBC’s ability to promote and enforce workplace health and safety. Where Bill 9 added new enforcement tools for officers and incident investigation requirements of employers, Bill 35 supplements existing requirements for employers by adding additional roles and responsibilities of joint occupational health and safety committees.
By attending this session you will learn about the additional officer enforcement tools and how they might be applied in health care. You will also be informed of WorkSafeBC’s expectations of employers to conduct preliminary and full incident investigation reports and the employer’s requirements to share the incident investigation reports with WorkSafeBC and the employer’s joint occupational health and safety committee. The session will also cover the process and resources for effective workplace incident investigations, and the role of your joint OHS committee. The session will also cover the process and resources for effective workplace incident investigations, and the role of your joint occupational health and safety committee.
Speaker
Stephen Symon: Manager Industry & Labour Services, Health Care, Social Services and Education, WorkSafeBC
For over 25 years Stephen has worked in the capacity of researching, developing and delivering programs to improve the health, safety and well being of workers. The primary focus for the 20 plus years has been on worker health and safety in the health care sector. He has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in human physiology and biomechanics with additional training in disability management, occupational health and safety and ergonomics. For the past 15 years Stephen has been with WorkSafeBC and currently is in the role of Manager Industry and Labour Services focusing on injury prevention and return to work through a consultative and educational approach with health care employers and workers.
