WorkSafeBC

Safe Work Practices for House Construction (PDF 1 MB)
A manual providing general information on the safety requirements for various phases of house construction.

Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos (PDF 1 MB)
This booklet describes the safe methods of handling all types of asbestos-containing materials. It discusses suitable work procedures for the removal, enclosure, and encapsulation of friable asbestos materials.

Asbestos in demolition - Slideshow
See some of the common places where asbestos can be found in a home.

Hear for Good: Preventing Exposure at Work (PDF 257 KB)
This pamphlet explains noise-induced hearing loss, noise control, and hearing protection. It also covers different types of hearing protection and how to fit and care for hearing protection.

Breathe Safer: How to use respirators safely and implement a respirator program (PDF 1.2 MB)
This manual describes different types of breathing hazards and respirators. It also explains how to choose, fit, and care for a respirator and also contains a section on effective respiratory protection programs.

Flat Roofing (PDF 2 MB)
This booklet provides general safe work practices and procedures specific to flat roofing.

Prevention of Damage to Buried Facilities in British Columbia
This publication will help workers, employers, contractors, consultants, and owners be aware of the potential hazards, legislated requirements, and best practices associated with ground disturbances in the vicinity of buried facilities.

Hazards of Confined Spaces for Municipalities and the Construction Industry (PDF 588 KB)
This book describes the main types of hazards found in confined spaces. Confined spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres, including insufficient oxygen, toxic (poisonous) air, or an explosive atmosphere. Examples of confined spaces that workers in the municipalities and the construction industry may encounter are: electrical, valve, utility, meter, and motor vaults, boilers, water tanks, reservoirs, pumping stations, storage bins, pits, sumps, storage tanks, manholes, grit and sludge presses, and wet wells.

• Power tools and cords
• Locking out plugged-in electrical equipment
more

Working Safely around Electricity (PDF 1.8 MB)
This booklet explains the dangers of working on and around energized low- and high-voltage equipment and conductors.

• Safe ladder use
• Setting up a ladder
• Job-built ladders

more

Young construction worker dies from fall - Slideshow
Falls are a leading cause of fatalities in construction. In this slide show, a young worker died when he fell from a balcony.

You're a Pro: Falls from Elevation Video Series

• Falls from Ladders, English version (2 min 0 s)
• Falls from Ladders, Punjabi version (2 min 15 s)
• Falls through Openings (1 min 41 s)
• Falls from Top Plate (2 min 6 s)
• Falls from Formwork (2 min 12 s)

Hazard alert posters
These posters provide important safety messages for you and your workers. At the time each poster was originally produced, it reflected the current WorkSafeBC requirements. In all cases, today's OHS Regulation and requirements must be applied to the situation shown in each poster.

• Hazards of Working from Fixed Ladders on Tanks
• Falls from stepladders can kill
  more

Signs & stickers

• Secure This Ladder Before Using (PDF 52 KB)
• 4 To 1 Ratio For Safety (PDF 51 KB)

more

An Introduction to Personal Fall Protection Equipment (PDf 545 KB)
This booklet outlines the safe use and limitations of personal fall protection equipment, including safety belts, harnesses, lanyards, and lifelines.

Regulations, guidelines and standards

• Fall Protection
• OHS Regulation Part 13: Ladders, Scaffolds & Temporary Work Platforms
• Guidelines Part 11: Fall Protection
• Guidelines Part 13: Ladders, Scaffolds & Temporary Work Platforms
• WCB Standard: LDR 1-2004 Job Built Ladders

Web resources

• Portable Ladders for Construction Self-Inspection Checklist (NIOSH)
• Ladders Storage and Handling (CCOHS)
• What should you know about portable ladders before using them? (CCOHS)
  
• Inspecting Ladders (CCOHS)

more

Constructive Ideas: Reducing Soft Tissue Injuries
A series of bulletins that help recognise and assess the risks of soft tissue injuries, and provide innovative ideas to reduce those injuries in the construction industry.

• Assessing the risk of sprains and strains, CI-0616 (PDF 294kb)
• What are MSIs?, CI-0606 (PDF 227kb)
• MSI risk factors, CI-0614 (PDF 165kb)

more

Toolbox Meeting Guides
The following toolbox meeting guides have been developed to provide a simple, clear format for conducting effective toolbox talks.

• Safe bending, lifting, and carrying
• ELECTRICAL WORK - Overexertion can increase risk of MSI
• Concrete Reinforcing: Awkward postures, repetitive tasks involving wrists boost MSI risk
  more

Worksheets

• MSI Risk Factor Identification Worksheet (PDF 61 KB)
• MSI Risk Factor Assessment Worksheet (PDF 894 KB)

These worksheets were produced to help employers indentify the hazards and assess the risks that may cause or contribute to a musculoskeletal injury (MSI). The primary risk factors for MSI include force, repetition, work posture, and local contact stress.

Signs & Stickers

• Lift with the knees (PDF 61 KB)

Learn about our new lifting calculator
Ever wondered whether a weight was safe to lift? Our lifting calculator helps estimate whether a lift has a low, moderate, or high risk of injury.

Preventing MSI Injury: Employers and Joint Committees (PDF 1.1 MB)
This book provides guidance to help employers and joint committees prevent MSI in the workplace. It discusses a seven-step prevention process: consultation, education, risk identification, risk assessment, risk control, training, and evaluation. The book also includes a table of some common risk control options and a chart that can be used to investigate MSIs.

Understanding the Risk of MSI Injury: Workers (PDF 1.7 MB)
This book is an educational guide to help workers and employers recognize the signs and symptoms of MSI and understand the potential health effects of these injuries. It also helps employers and workers to identify the factors that place workers at risk for MSI, such as force, repetition, work posture, and local contact stress.

Return to Work is Good Business (PDF 267 KB)
Return to work benefits everyone in the workers' compensation system. Besides retaining healthy, qualified employees, an employer can save money through "loss prevention. "

Return to Work is Good for Recovery: The Nurse Advisor's Role in Return-to-Work Planning (PDF 737 KB)
This brochure outlines how WorkSafeBC nurse advisors can help injured workers safely return to work and recover from injury or illness.

Return to Work is Good Medicine (PDF 541 KB)
Return to work programs help workers return to work in a safe and timely manner. Discusses return to work as therapy and physicians' role in the process.

Return to Work is Good Therapy (PDF 242 KB)
Health care professionals, labour organizations, workers advocates, many employers, and WorkSafeBC understand and promote safe and productive work as a form of therapy.

Also available in Punjabi.

Tools

• Lift/Lower Calculator
• Push/Pull/Carry Calculator
• "Stretch Prompter" for Computer Users

Web

• WorkSafeBC Ergonomics web pages
• Selecting Hand Tools (PDF 22 KB)
  How to select well-designed tools, considering grip, handle size, grip surface, weight, and trigger.
  Source: Alberta Human Resources and Employment
• Construction Ergonomics Checklist
  A checklist to help workers identify ergonomic problems and prevent injuries.
  Source: Center to Protect Workers' Rights

Regulation & guidelines

• OHS Regulation Part 4: General Conditions - Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements
• OHS Regulation Part 7: Noise, Vibration, Radiation and Temperature - Division 2: Vibration Exposure
• Guidelines Part 4: General Conditions - Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements
• Guidelines Part 7: Noise, Vibration, Radiation and Temperature - Division 2: Vibration Exposure