BC Teachers Federation

1. BC Teachers Federation Workshop on Raising Health and Safety Awareness See BCTF OH&S Manual at www.bctf.ca/health/OHandSManual.aspx?id=4354 August 2008

2. Objectives • Know the hazards in teaching and how to prevent illness and injury • Know your basic rights and duties under the Workers Compensation Act • Know the procedures and structures for enforcing your rights to a safe, healthy workplace

3. Workers Compensation Actprovides for Four Basic Rights

4. Four Basic Rights 1. The Right to Know

5. Four basic rights cont’d. 2. The Right to Participate

6. Four basic rights cont’d. 3. The Right (Obligation) to Refuse Unsafe Work

7. Refusal of unsafe work This is the most important health and safety right - if all else fails the worker has to protect her or himself and others.

8. Refusal of unsafe work One of few exceptions to the “work now, grieve later” rule.

9. The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work “A person must not carry out or cause to be carried out any work process, or operate or cause to be operated any tool, appliance, or equipment if that person has reasonable cause to believe that to do so would create an undue hazard to the health and safety of any person.” (emphasis added)

10. Four basic rights cont’d. 4. The Right to No Discrimination

11. WorkSafeBC Rules All buildings and places of employment shall be maintained in such condition that workers’ health and safety will not be endangered.

12. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. • At small work sites: • 1 - 9 workers • regular monthly H&S meetings • meetings will discuss the correction of unsafe conditions • records must be maintained for all meetings.

13. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. • At larger work sites: • 10 - 19 workers • worker health and safety rep. • has the same duties, functions, and rights as a joint committee.

14. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. • At large work sites: • 20 or more workers • must have a joint health and safety committee

15. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. • Joint Committee: • meets monthly • employer and worker reps • makes recommendations to the employer • participates in inspections and investigations • reviews incident reports

16. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. An injury must be reported to the employer by the worker “as soon as is practicable” after the injury occurs, on a WorkSafeBC Form 6A.

17. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. It is an offence for an employer to try to dissuade a worker from reporting an injury or allegation of injury or a hazardous condition or allegation of a hazardous condition.

18. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. A worker may not agree with the employer to forego any benefit to which she/he is entitled.

19. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. Failure to provide the required information may be a bar to a claim for compensation

20. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. Claims for compensation should be filed by using Teleclaim. Call : 1-888-WORKERS (1-888-967-5377)

21. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. The employer must report an injury to WorkSafeBC within three days.

22. WorkSafeBC Rules cont’d. Every employer shall initiate immediately an investigation into the cause of every accident that resulted in injury requiring medical treatment, or had the potential for causing serious injury.

23. Raising health and safety awareness workshop • Questions? • Evaluation