Trades Access
COMMON CORE
Line A: Safe Work Practices
Competency A-2: Describe WorkSafeBC Regulations
Acknowledgments and Copyright
To learn more about BCcampus Open Textbook project, visit http://open.bccampus.ca
© Camosun College. The Trades Access Common Core resources are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported Licence ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), except where otherwise noted. Under this licence, any user of this textbook or the textbook contents herein must provide proper attribution as follows:
For questions regarding this licensing, please contact opentext@bccampus.ca
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The issuing/publishing body is Crown Publications, Queen’s Printer, Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services.
BCcampus would like to acknowledge the following individuals and organizations for their contributions in producing the Trades Access Common Core Open Textbook resources.
BCcampus
Open Education Team
Hilda Anggraeni, Graphics
Camosun College
Olaf Nielsen, Chair, Trades Development and Special Projects, School of Trades and Technology
Nannette Plant, Manager, Enterprise Point Operations & Special Projects, Office of the VP Strategic Development
Rod Lidstone, Instructor, Plumbing and Pipe Trades, Lead Writer/Reviewer
Brian Coey, Instructor, Sheet Metal and Metal Fabrication, Writer/Reviewer
Matt Zeleny, Camosun Innovates, 3D imaging
Open School BC
Monique Brewer, Director
Adrian Hill, Instructional Designer
Dennis Evans, Image Coordinator, Photographer, Graphics, Production Technician (layout)
Farrah Patterson, Production Technician
Industry Training Authority of BC
The ITA works with employers, employees, industry, labour, training providers, and government to issue credentials, manage apprenticeships, set program standards, and increase opportunities in approximately 100 BC trades. Among its many functions are oversight of the development of training resources that align with program standards, outlines, and learning objectives, and authorizing permission to utilize these resources (text and images).
Erin Johnston, Director of Training Delivery
Cory Williams, Manager, Industry Relations
Publishing Services, Queen’s Printer
Spencer Tickner, Director of QP Publishing Services
Dwayne Gordon, Manager, Electronic Publishing
October 2016, Version 1 corrected
To order print copies of any of the Trades Access Common Core resources, please contact us:
Crown Publications, Queen’s Printer
PO Box 9452 Stn Prov Govt
563 Superior St, 3rd Floor
Victoria, BC V8W 9V7
Phone: 250-387-6409
Toll Free: 1-800-663-6105
Fax: 250-387-1120
Intellectual Property Program
Ilona Ugro, Copyright Officer, Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services,
Province of British Columbia
Creative Commons Attributions
Cover photo:
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monthly_Safety_Stand_Down_%288552567928%29.jpg) by NAVFAC
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/39845951@N05/8552567928) by Jesse A. Lora, NAFAC (SW) under CC BY SA 2.0.
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
Foreword
The BC Open Textbook Project began in 2012 with the goal of making post-secondary education in British Columbia more accessible by reducing student cost through the use of openly licensed textbooks. The BC Open Textbook Project is administered by BCcampus and is funded by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education.
Open textbooks are open educational resources (OER); they are instructional resources created and shared in ways so that more people have access to them. This is a different model than traditionally copyrighted materials. OER are defined as teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property licence that permits their free use and repurposing by others (Hewlett Foundation). Our open textbooks are openly licensed using a Creative Commons licence, and are offered in various e-book formats free of charge, or as printed books that are available at cost. For more information about this project, please contact opentext@bccampus.ca. If you are an instructor who is using this book for a course, please let us know.
Preface
The concept of identifying and creating resources for skills that are common to many trades has a long history in the Province of British Columbia. This collection of Trades Access Common Core (TACC) resources was adapted from the 15 Trades Common Core line modules co-published by the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission (ITAC) and the Centre for Curriculum Transfer and Technology (C2T2) in 2000-2002. Those modules were revisions of the original Common Core portion of the TRAC modules prepared by the Province of British Columbia Ministry of Post-Secondary Education in 1986. The TACC resources are still in use by a number of trades programs today and, with the permission from the Industry Training Authority (ITA), have been utilized in this project.
These open resources have been updated and realigned to match many of the line and competency titles found in the Province of BC’s trades apprenticeship program outlines. A review was carried out to analyze the provincial program outlines of a number of trades, with the intent of finding common entry-level learning tasks that could be assembled into this package. This analysis provided the template for the outline used to update the existing modules. Many images found in ITA apprentice training modules were also incorporated into these resources to create books that are similar to what students will see when they continue their chosen trades training. The project team has also taken many new photographs for this project, which are available for use in other trades training resources.
The following list of lines and competencies was generated with the goal of creating an entry-level trades training resource, while still offering the flexibility for lines to be used as stand-alone books. This flexibility—in addition to the textbook content being openly licensed—allows these resources to be used within other contexts as well. For example, instructors or institutions may incorporate these resources into foundation-level trades training programming or within an online learning management system (LMS).
Line A – Safe Work Practices
Line B – Employability Skills
Line C – Tools and Equipment
Line D – Organizational Skills
Line E – Electrical Fundamentals
All of these textbooks are available in a variety of formats in addition to print:
All of the self-test questions are also available from BCcampus as separate data, if instructors would like to use the questions for online quizzes or competency testing.
About This Book
In an effort to make this book a flexible resource for trainers and learners, the following features are included:
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Flammable: This icon is a reminder for a potentially flammable situation.
Self-test: This icon reminds you to complete a self-test.
Explosive: This icon is a reminder for a possibly explosive situation.
Safety gear: The safety gear icon is an important reminder to use protective equipment.
Electric shock: This icon is a reminder for potential electric shock.
Safety Advisory
Be advised that references to the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia safety regulations contained within these materials do not/may not reflect the most recent Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The current Standards and Regulation in BC can be obtained at the following website:
http://www.worksafebc.com.
Please note that it is always the responsibility of any person using these materials to inform him/herself about the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation pertaining to his/her area of work.
BCcampus
January 2015
Disclaimer
The materials in the Trades Access Common Core Open Textbook project are for use by students and instructional staff and have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable and to represent best current opinions on these subjects. These manuals are intended to serve as a starting point for good practices and may not specify all minimum legal standards. No warranty, guarantee or representation is made by BCcampus as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information contained in these publications. These manuals are intended to provide basic guidelines for trade practices. Do not assume, therefore, that all necessary warnings and safety precautionary measures are contained in this module and that other or additional measures may not be required.
Contents
Learning Task 1: Define terms used in the Workers Compensation Act 11
Learning Task 2: Describe WCA conditions of compensation 13
Compensated injuries and job-related illness 13
Circumstances for compensation 14
Learning Task 3: State the responsibilities of employers, workers, and others at the workplace 19
Employers’ workplace responsibilities 19
Workers’ workplace responsibilities 20
Supervisors’ workplace responsibilities 20
Owners’ workplace responsibilities 20
Suppliers’ workplace responsibilities 21
Learning Task 4: Describe the WCA requirements for reporting workplace accidents 23
Learning Task 5: Use the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 27
OHS Regulation organization 27
Rights and responsibilities 28
In most provinces, one or more agencies are responsible for safe, healthful working environments at job sites. These organizations normally have names such as the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or the Occupational Health and Safety Department. WorkSafeBC is the provincial organization that promotes workplace health and safety for workers and employers in BC. When a work-related injury, disease, or death occurs, WorkSafeBC collaborates with those involved to provide return-to-work rehabilitation, health-care benefits, compensation, and a range of other services. WorkSafeBC also consults with and educates employers and workers on safe work practices. This includes monitoring workplaces within its jurisdiction.
There are a number of documents that are covered in this Competency, as listed below. All of these must be complied with to ensure a safe work environment.
Go to the WorkSafeBC website and look at the Introduction tab for a more complete explanation of each of these documents:
http://www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/OHSRegulation/Introduction.asp
You must be familiar with the Workers Compensation Act and Workers’ Compensation Board of BC (WorkSafeBC).
When you have completed the Learning Tasks in this Competency, you should be able to:
You will be required to reference publications and videos available online at:
http://www.worksafebc.com/
Define terms used in the Workers Compensation Act
The Workers Compensation Act (WCA) has four parts with several divisions in each part as well as a set of definitions at the beginning:
At the start of the WCA, there is a section dedicated to definitions; this ensures that the reader has a reference to the context of specific terms used within the document. If a word is not defined in this section, then the regular dictionary definition applies.
Go to http://www.worksafebc.com/ and use the search tool to find the full electronic version of the WCA.
Review the definitions of the following words in the Act:
Now complete the Learning Task Self-Test.
Describe WCA conditions of compensation
All employers in British Columbia are assessed a fee, which together cover all of WorkSafeBC’s operating costs. Assessments pay for inspecting the work site, training workers, and all the direct costs of job site injuries.
WorkSafeBC collects insurance premiums from employers to cover the cost of workplace insurance. Employers are required to pay premiums, just as anyone would for any other insurance. Premiums are based on the assessable earnings of the workers. The assessed rate is based on the industry classification and the company’s past history. The premiums collected pay the costs associated with work-related injuries and diseases, including health care, wage loss, rehabilitation, and administration.
In most provinces, all workers, whether permanent or casual, in the industries listed below are covered by the legislation (casual workers are those not on the regular payroll or in steady employment with a particular industry):
Check the provincial legislation to determine exactly what occupations are covered.
Compensated injuries and job-related illness
Workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” insurance policy. This means that in most cases a worker who is injured during work will be eligible for compensation. The Act outlines the compensation for personal injury claims in Part 1 Division 2. Workers normally receive compensation if they are covered under the legislation and “if, in the course of employment” they:
Circumstances for compensation
If a worker is injured or becomes ill “in the course of employment,” that worker will normally receive compensation. The phrase “in the course of employment” does not mean the person has to be at work: it means the worker must be doing something that is connected with the employment.
In deciding if an injured worker is eligible to receive compensation for injury or illness, WorkSafeBC considers the following questions:
After considering the questions listed above, the Board allows claims that are not directly related to “work” but are related to “employment.”
The examples below describe the types of decisions WorkSafeBC has made:
When a worker’s claim is accepted, he or she will begin receiving benefits from WorkSafeBC.
The type and duration of the benefits depend on the nature of the injury and the work:
Wage-loss benefits
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/claims/benefits-services/wage-loss-benefits
Health-care benefits
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/claims/benefits-services/health-care-benefits
Permanent disability and death benefits
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/claims/benefits-services/permanent-disability-benefits
WorkSafeBC benefits begin immediately. Note that:
A worker receives wage-loss benefits until the case manager concludes the worker is able to return to work or has recovered from the injury. If an employer can provide light or modified duties, and it’s safe for the worker to do them, he or she can return to work to conduct those duties.
WorkSafeBC benefits can be suspended if:
Compensation benefits, also known as wage-loss benefits, are based on 90% of a worker’s average net earnings. Therefore, WorkSafeBC must determine both the average earnings of a worker as well as the worker’s net earnings. Also, there are rules for short-term average net earnings (compensation up to 10 weeks) and special rules for long-term average net earnings (when the worker is disabled beyond 10 weeks).
Now complete the Learning Task Self-Test.
State the responsibilities of employers, workers, and others at the workplace
A safe workplace is one that has a variety of people working together to ensure proper workplace safety is followed. Each person has a certain responsibility, and if each does her or his part, a safe workplace should result. The Workers Compensation Act (WCA) identifies the responsibilities of three main groups, as shown in Figure 1. In some cases an individual may have responsibilities in more than one group.
Part 3, Division 3, Sections 115–124 of the WCA identify the general duties of employers, workers, and others in the workplace.
Employers’ workplace responsibilities
The WCA identifies responsibilities that are common to all places of employment. To ensure health and safety, the employer must:
Workers’ workplace responsibilities
According to the WCA, the worker is responsible for his or her own safety on the job as well as the safety of others. The Act states that every worker must:
Supervisors’ workplace responsibilities
To ensure the health and safety of the workers under their direct supervision, a supervisor must:
Owners’ workplace responsibilities
Every owner of a workplace must:
Suppliers’ workplace responsibilities
Every supplier must:
Now complete the Learning Task Self-Test.
Describe the WCA requirements for reporting workplace accidents
Whenever an injury occurs, both the worker and employer have an obligation to report the incident and injury. The worker is obliged to let the employer know, and the employer must report to WorkSafeBC. If either one fails to provide the required information, a claim for compensation will be affected.
The worker must inform the employer of the incident as soon as reasonably possible after it occurs. The report must include the name of the worker, the time and place the injury occurred, and the nature of the injury. Informing the supervisor, first aid attendant, or superintendent will comply with the requirement to report to the employer. If requested by the employer, the worker must also provide the details of the injury by filling out a WorkSafeBC form. This information will also assist the employer in filling out the Form 7 injury and incident report.
Go to the WorkSafeBC website now and look at an example of Form 6A, Worker’s report of injury or occupational disease to employer, found in the Forms tab, or use this link:
http://www.worksafebc.com/forms/default.asp
When applying for compensation and reporting a work-related injury or occupational disease, the worker can go to the WorkSafeBC website to find a number of reporting options under the Claims tab: http://www.worksafebc.com/claims/report_injury/worker_incident_injury_report/default.asp
A worker will need details of the incident that caused the injury, the earnings information for any missed work, and health-care provider information for any medical treatment.
Option 1: Call Teleclaim
If a worker has missed work because of an injury, the first step is to start a claim by calling Teleclaim at 1 888 WORKERS (1 888 967-5377), Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The claims representative will provide the worker with a user ID and password to check claim details.
Option 2: Submit the form online
If a worker has missed work because of an injury and has a user ID and password, he or she can submit a Form 6 online. The advantage of having this type of online account is that the worker can log on later to see more details about the claim, including correspondence, claim decisions, and payment information.
Option 3: Report injuries not resulting in loss of time from work
If a worker has not missed work because of an injury, all that is required is to report the details about the incident to the employer as soon as possible.
You can see an example of an application for compensation, Form 6, at this location:
http://www.worksafebc.com/forms/assets/PDF/6.pdf
An employer must report to WorkSafeBC within three days of every injury or disabling occupational disease occurring to a worker that is—or is claimed to be—one arising out of and in the course of employment.
An employer must immediately report to WorkSafeBC the death of a worker whether the cause of death is claimed to have arisen from the work or outside the workplace.
The employer’s report must be on the proper form supplied by WorkSafeBC. Failure to report an injury is an offence and could result in penalties.
You can see a sample of the employer’s report of injury or occupational disease, Form 7, on the WorkSafeBC website in the Forms tab, or you can use this link:
http://www.worksafebc.com/forms/default.asp
For employers, the quickest and easiest way to report a worker’s injury or illness is online. The employer’s incident and injury report is located here:
http://www.worksafebc.com/claims/report_injury/incident_and_injury_report/default.asp
Now complete the Learning Task Self-Test.
Use the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
The purpose of the OHS Regulation is to promote occupational health and safety and to protect workers and others present at workplaces from work-related risks to their health, safety, and well-being. Compliance with the requirements provides the basis on which workers and employers, in co-operation, can solve workplace health and safety problems. The requirements are not an end in themselves but are a foundation on which to build an effective health and safety program.
The OHS Regulation has 34 parts. Currently, Part 33 is not in effect (March 2015). Each Part covers a particular topic related to safety in the workplace (see Figure 1).
OHS Regulation parts | |
1. Definitions | 18. Traffic Control |
2. Application | 19. Electrical Safety |
3. Rights and Responsibilities | 20. Construction, Excavation and Demolition |
4. General Conditions | 21. Blasting Operations |
5. Chemical Agents and Biological Agents | 22. Underground Workings |
6. Substance Specific Requirements | 23. Oil and Gas |
7. Noise, Vibration, Radiation and Temperature | 24. Diving, Fishing and Other Marine Operations |
8. Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment | 25. Camps |
9. Confined Spaces | 26. Forestry Operations and Similar Activities |
10. De-energization and Lockout | 27. Wood Products Manufacturing |
11. Fall Protection | 28. Agriculture |
12. Tools, Machinery and Equipment | 29. Aircraft Operations |
13. Ladders, Scaffolds and Temporary Work Platforms | 30. Laboratories |
14. Cranes and Hoists | 31. Firefighting |
15. Rigging | 32. Evacuation and Rescue |
16. Mobile Equipment | 33. Not in effect |
17. Transportation of Workers | 34. Rope access |
The titles of the Parts are grouped as follows:
In Part 3 of the Regulation,“Rights and Responsibilities”Section 3.12, “Procedure for refusal” explains that you have the right to refuse to do any act or operate any tool, appliance or equipment when you have reasonable cause to believe that to do so would put you in danger.
When you read the language in the regulation sometimes you will find wording that could be interpreted differently.
For example, the “Procedure for refusal” section uses the wording “reasonable cause to believe” and “undue hazard”. In many situations, the “reasonable cause” and “undue hazard” can be straightforward. However, in some situations it can be more difficult to determine that the worker has reasonable cause to believe there is an undue hazard. It is for reasons similar to these many parts of the OHS Regulations also have associated OHS Guidelines, which are used to help interpret and apply the OHS Regulation.
If you are looking at a section of the Regulations on the WorkSafeBC website or app, you can consult guidelines that explain the test for determining whether a worker has a “reasonable cause to believe” that an undue hazard exists or would be created, and what constitutes an “undue hazard.” The guidelines also explain the process for investigation into a work refusal, where completion of the procedure under section 3.12(3) of the Regulation has not resolved the work stoppage.
It is important that a worker can locate and interpet regualations that deal with situations that commonly arise in the trades. The Occupational Health & Safety Regulations are important and familiarity with the contents of these regulations is essential for all trades-persons. Using the online search tool is a good aid for identifying or confirming regulations that govern specific situations you may encounter on your job site.
Now complete the Learning Task Self-Test.
Self-Test 1
Self-Test 2
Self-Test 3
Self-Test 4
Self-Test 5