WorkSafeBC consulting on proposed OHS amendments

WorkSafeBC is looking for feedback on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for 2012.

There are 11 regulatory amendment packages under review in British Columbia. The changes are related to the following parts of the regulation:

Part 5, chemical agents and biological agents: Relating to correcting the reference to combustible dust and updating the reference to the electrical code.

Part 11, fall protection: Relating to clarifying whether fall protection anchors must be re-certified annually by a professional engineer in all circumstances.

Part 12, tools, machinery and equipment: Relating to recognizing a riving knife as an acceptable device to prevent kickback on table saws.

Part 12, tools, machinery and equipment and consequential amendments to part 23, oil and gas: Relating to prohibiting applying compressed gas at a greater pressure than the pressure rating for a closed vessel that is not a registered pressure vessel and requiring such vessels have appropriate pressure relieving capability.

Part 13, ladders, scaffolds and temporary work platforms and part 19, electrical safety: Relating to clarifying the appropriate requirements for dielectric testing of insulated elevating work platforms and ensuring consistent requirements in these two parts.

Part 13, ladders, scaffolds and temporary work platforms: Relating to the use of work platforms supported by a lift truck.

Part 16, mobile equipment: Relating to clarifying what equipment must meet and be used in accordance with section 16.3(7).

Part 19, electrical safety: Relating to replacing current terminology in this section with terms that are appropriate to low voltage electrical equipment.

Part 19, electrical safety: Relating to establishing a provision allowing the practice of passing the bucket of an insulated aerial working device between energized high voltage conductors if not practicable to do work otherwise, due to terrain or other obstacles.

Part 24, diving, fishing and other marine operations: Relating to clarifying the training requirements for commercial divers and requiring commercial divers to hold a certificate issued by the Diver Certification Board of Canada.

Part 26, forestry operations and similar activities: Relating to requiring signage on all resource roads in B.C. showing: radio channels when an Industry Canada road channel has been assigned and radio frequencies when an Industry Canada channel is not assigned, but a radio frequency is assigned.

A consultation session has been scheduled for Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 am. The session will take place at the Executive Airport Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre in Richmond, B.C.

Stakeholders can also submit feedback by emailing: [email protected].