EHSC Virtual Breakfast Forum
8:00 – 9:00am
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Zoom Conference Call

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topic: WorkSafe BCs Approach to COVID-19

We had a fantastic turnout this week for a special presentation by Worksafe BC at this week’s EHSBC Breakfast Forum. COVID-19 is top of mind for all of us, so it was very timely for the group to learn about the approach WSBC is taking with regards to managing workplaces during the pandemic.

WSBC is taking guidance from Public Health officers to develop an approach on how to evaluate employers & workers in essential service organizations that had to remain open.  It is understood that maintaining physical distancing can be challenging in many workplaces due to the types of jobs that are being done, and using PPE in the various workplaces can be difficult. WSBC is still open for business, however, they are now doing 50% of their inspections remotely to avoid putting officers at risk.

WSBC considers these factors when offering consultations with employers vis-à-vis COVID-19 and the workplace:

• does this particular work need to be done, or by workers in the same environment at the same time, and how can we best maintain the physical distance?
• How is the employer controlling the workers on-site?
• Do all workers need to be at work?
• Is the employer identifying everything that must be done to prevent exposure?
• Does the facility have adequate hygiene at the workplace (washing stations with soap or sanitizer)?
• Do staff know not to come to work if not feeling well? Is the organization supportive of this?
• Ensuring that workers are included as part of this wellness discussion to get worker buy-in
• Employers should encourage workers to keep their minds on task as best as possible to avoid distraction that might lead to physical injury, resulting from mental health concerns due to the pandemic

WSBC reports that they have seen employers doing things to help protect workers such as:

• staggering shifts
• ensuring adequate cleaning of horizontal surfaces regularly
• ensuring availability of washing stations, soap or sanitizer and paper towel
• appointing an onsite “COVID-19 Officer” to review practices to make sure people are adhering to the provincial health guidelines at all times

WSBC is not mandating that workers wear a facemask upon return to work, but that employers review the overall possibility of transmission and prevention.

If a workplace has a positive case of COVID-19, if it is presumed to be work-related then their regular reporting of injury needs to be adhered to, to determine if the workplace was the cause.

Employers still have an obligation to ensure their employees’ health and safety when they are working from home. WSBC recommends to employers to prepare a checklist/self-assessment tool to run through when staff is at home to ensure there is an appropriate setup, the area is adequately lit, etc.

WSBC has created a fantastic resource page on their website with a page dedicated to COVID-19. The to this is in the Resources tab on the EHSCBC website https://ehscbc.ca/COVID-19-resources/.

WSBC has also set up a phone number open to both workers and employers, staffed by 30 prevention officers 24/7 to be available to answer questions. The number is:  604-276-3100.

Moving forward, WSBC is starting to turn attention to business resumption and how they can be of support, taking the lead from the provincial health office. Guidance for return to work is being formulated based on an industry by industry basis, working with Health and Safety Associations.

The first Executive Health and Safety Council of BC “Virtual Breakfast” meeting was held on April 8^th, 2020.  The conversation started with a personal health check, and quickly evolved into a discussion on what business leaders are doing to minimize and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The attendees’ industries ranged from manufacturing to construction and electrical to education.  Some of the key takeaways were:

• It is important for the business leader to remain calm and keep employees informed on what is happening. “You have to be the leader” was a common thread.
• Many businesses are investigating the 75% wage subsidy (CEWS), and a few are looking into the workshare program
• Some businesses, especially those that have been classified as Essential Services, are finding they are busier than normal, but in some cases are concerned about getting materials from their supply chains.
• Communications are key – whether with your board, senior staff or employees, communications need to be ramped up, especially with people working from home. Daily (or more) video calls are becoming the norm.
• Some companies are “right sizing”, having to focus more on where to prioritize people resources. Others have realized that they are very reliant on a few key people and are now starting to cross train staff to be able to fill gaps and have multiple shifts running
• New protocols are being implemented: Car/ridesharing needs to be limited. What to do when a visitor comes to a facility?
• Many are running split shifts and keeping operations going with smaller crews to ensure that social distancing is maintained.

The group agreed that this conversation was productive, both to hear others’ perspectives and to know that there are others in similar positions.  It was decided to have a video conference on a weekly basis and to keep the meeting to an hour.  There will also be a future conversation on strategic planning and “How to get back up to speed” once the pandemic is over, and what people think this will look like.

On November 13th, Safety Charter Members met at the new ConAgra Foods location in Richmond to take part in an engaging presentation by Dr. Joti Samra. We had a full house attending, set in ConAgra’s brand-new lounge area. Host Craig Ogilvie explained that this lounge, found adjacent to the reception area and accessible to all staff, was designed by employees themselves, to enjoy a space to relax and rejuvenate during their busy workday.

The breakfast forum attendees learned from Dr. Samra of the necessity for strong Mental Health practices as a starting point for safety in the workplace. To kick off the presentation, Dr. Samra referred to the World Health Organization’s definition of “Health”, developed as far back as 1948, “as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This definition is still incredibly relevant to this day.

We learned that mindfulness is very important to avoid the actual injury: staff must remain vigilant and attentive to their daily tasks. If distraction or carelessness is present, mistakes creating injury could occur.

A special thank you to Craig Ogilvie for hosting our successful forum. We look forward to our next opportunity to meet with you all.