There are several reasons why Health & Safety plays a critical role in any business. For one, it’s the law – regardless of the size of your business, you need to have an occupational health and safety (OHS) program in place. The requirements for workplace health and safety in British Columbia are described in the Workers Compensation Act (the Act) and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (the Regulation).
Furthermore, by implementing a framework to help manage health and safety in your workplace, you can prevent injuries and keep your workers safe and healthy, while saving your company time and money. Increasingly, workers value organizations that put their personal safety and well-being high on the priority list. Therefore, showcasing your program, as part of your overall commitment to a strong workplace safety culture, can help you recruit and retain valuable staff and help build your “employer brand”.
The specifics of your program will vary depending on the number of workers you have and the level of risk. However, in general terms, an effective program should allow you to identify workplace hazards, eliminate or reduce the potential for workplace injuries and meet the requirements of the Act and the Regulation.
Work through our Safety Basics Assessment to establish your health and safety program strengths and receive practical advice to help you improve your existing program. We have provided guidance alongside each question, to help you understand why each program element is important and how to recognize if you have done enough to meet the requirement. You will be directed to different resource links and further reading on each topic area, according to how you answer each question.