Pilot project at 8 sites across province
Some construction sites in British Columbia have a new way to be reminded of workplace safety on the job — workers just need to check out the signs.
WorkSafeBC and non-profit organization Preventable are working together on the initiative, which has put signs reminding workers about safety at eight pilot sites across the province.
“We’re working with employers and Preventable to remind everyone on the construction sites to take safety precautions,” said Don Schouten, WorkSafeBC manager of Industry and Labour Services. “We’re also expanding the message into the community by placing signs on external areas, such as perimeter fencing, so it’s visible to the general public. We want to remind everyone — no matter where they work — to stay safe on the job.”
Construction is a high-risk industry, with 14,405 WorkSafeBC claims coming from construction worksites in 2010. Thirty-two of those injuries led to deaths, with 19 due to occupational disease, the highest number of work-related fatalities in any industry sector in the province, according to WorkSafeBC.
“Preventable injuries are the number-one killer in B.C.,” said Ian Pike, spokesman for Preventable (also known as The Community against Preventable Injuries). “Workplace injuries can be prevented. Our goal in this partnership is to bring the issue of workplace safety to the forefront, in order to change people’s attitudes and behaviours on the job, on the journey to and from the job, and at home.”
