Provincial Safety Program In Full Swing

A little over a year ago, British Columbia’s two construction safety associations – the Construction Safety Network (CSA) and Construction Safety Association of BC (CSABC) – completed their merger. The Board of Directors of the new BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) identified a number of strategic goals for the balance of 2010 and beyond. Key among them were streamlining its Certificate Of Recognition (COF) program delivery system and focussing on helping smaller companies (under 20 employees) in particular to achieve COR, as well as launching or enhancing services aimed at raising hazard awareness and reducing workplace accidents and injuries.

One year later, the BCCSA is meeting and even exceeding those goals. For example, the number of COR companies overall is on the rise, and a pilot project has been launched to identify how to better assist small companies to achieve COR. The first phase of the pilot was completed in the spring and involved interviewing a representative sample of small employers about challenges that may prevent them from pursuing COR. Phase 2 is now underway and includes development of an action plan that will include recommendations on expanding COR messaging.

COR is BCCSA’s flagship program. Companies who achieve COR acquire a fully functional safety system in compliance with WorkSafeBC requirements and become eligible for incentive payments of up to 15 percent off their annual WorkSafeBC premiums. The Roofing Contractors Association of BC becoming the first trade association in the province to make achieving COR a condition of membership. Commenting on the move, which came into affect in July, RCABC’s Brian Hofler says that mandating COR was a natural extension of the association’s core value of risk management – a way of completing the risk management “circle” and ensuring the protection of both workers and property.

Meanwhile, ITC Construction in Vancouver was continuing its involvement in a pilot project with BCCSA that could see the company become the first general contractor in BC to make COR mandatory for sub-trades on its projects. Currently, Jeff Lyth, ITC’s health and safety director, is working with BCCSA and sub-trade representatives to tailor certain aspects of the COR training to meet ITC-specific goals.

BCCSA executive director Mike McKenna says COR-related initiatives on the part of RCABC and ITC Construction illustrate the program’s value and potential.

“A key goal of the merger was to make COR accessible and cost effective for companies of all sizes and types and this is happening,” says McKenna. “It is also very exciting to see the beginnings of the mandatory aspect of the program – the next level, if you will. I think the future is going to be very interesting, as not just companies but others who are responsible for construction projects make COR a requirement.”

COR is moving along as planned, and so are other initiatives designed to raise safety awareness and provide practical benefits to employers and workers. For example, the Alliance is developing a network of regional safety coordinators who will travel the province supporting companies who have safety questions or concerns, who are looking to develop safety programs and materials, or who want to prepare for COR.

The first coordinator, Jim Riches, is now serving the Okanagan area, and the second, John Dunn, is set to start work on Vancouver Island in September. Both individuals are also qualified instructors in keeping with the goal that all coordinators be able to provide on-site training, says Urvi Ramsoondar, BCCSA’s manager of services, adding that all regions are expected to be filled by early 2012. The emphasis of the network will be on providing companies with straightforward and practical safety-related assistance, particularly since many have only a handful of employees, if that, says Ramsoondar.

The same philosophy is being applied to the BCCSA’s injury management service, which offers individualized assistance and consultation on a variety of topics related to injury management/return to work.

"Effective injury management involves many components aimed at helping employers return their employees to safe and meaningful work as soon as possible, but a ‘one-size fits-all’ approach is impractical,” says injury BCCSA management coordinator, Vernita Hsu. We provide employers with specific tools and resources but are available for consultation to help them achieve positive results. It’s that direct assistance that can make the difference.”

For more information about COR, regional safety coordinators, injury management, and other BCCSA programs and services, call 877.860.3675 or visit www.bccsa.ca.