WorkSafeBC has paused its consultations on proposed changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation addressing psychological health and safety, harassment, and violence. The pause is due to the provincial election and is procedural; it does not indicate that a decision has been made about the proposed changes. 

The proposals would introduce significant new and expanded requirements for employers, including: 

• A psychological health and safety program to identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards such as cumulative trauma, workload, work pace and how work is organized. 
• Separate harassment and violence prevention programs, with updated definitions, policies, procedures, training and incident-recording requirements. 
• Requirements addressing conduct by workers and non-workers, including residents, clients, family members and visitors. 
• The addition of psychosocial hazards and harassment to orientation and ongoing training requirements. 

We support the objective of strengthening psychological health and safety and improving protections from harassment and violence. However, the proposals could have significant operational and administrative implications for continuing care employers, particularly small and medium-sized organizations. 

Further consultation and implementation planning will be important to clarify how employers would assess and control broadly defined psychosocial hazards, how the requirements would apply in complex care environments, and how organizations would address conduct associated with cognitive impairment or responsive behaviours. Employers will also require practical guidance, tools, training and sufficient time to implement any new requirements effectively. 

Although the consultations are paused, we will continue reviewing the proposals and gathering member feedback. This will help us prepare a coordinated sector response when WorkSafeBC provides further information about the consultation process.  

Members may continue to send comments or examples of potential impacts to info@safecarebc.ca. 

• Psychological health and safety consultation 
• Harassment and violence consultation