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Programs and Services

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We are dedicated to providing comprehensive occupational health and safety (OHS) consulting services tailored to your needs.
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Our Programs
Psychological health and safety, often called workplace mental health, encompasses principles and practices to foster a supportive, respectful, and psychologically safe work environment.
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The Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum is recognized as best-practice in violence prevention training for health care workers.
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Guidelines & Regulations

Guidelines and Regulations

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Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR), Part 5: Chemical Agents and Biological Agents – Emergency Planning came into effect on February 3, 2025. Changes include additional requirements to minimize the risk, likelihood, and harm caused by an emergency involving hazardous substances.   Hazardous substances include biological, chemical or physical hazards that may reasonably […]
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WorkSafeBC has acknowledged an error in calculating the 2025 insurance premiums that are paid by our two member employer groups–those providing community health support services (classification unit 766006) and those in long-term care (classification unit 766011).
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Guidelines and Regulations
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Safety Huddle

Extreme heat: Keeping staff safe

Learn to report and recognize heat exhaustion and take preventative measures to help avoid the ill effects of heat stress.
Extreme heat | Safety huddle

Learn to report and recognize heat exhaustion and take preventative measures to help avoid the ill effects of heat stress.

Instructions

  • Before the huddle, print out Summer is here (and so are its hazards) poster for review in the safety huddle meeting.
  • Review your organization's written safety procedures for working in hot weather; this may be written as an exposure control plan or as part of your emergency preparedness documentation. If your organization does not have written safety procedures that support working safely in hot weather conditions, refer to the resources section of this huddle.
  • Start the safety huddle by outlining risk factors for warm weather-related heat stress (heat exhaustion and heat stroke) and the preventative measures – both are described on the poster. If your organization has site specific preventative measures include that content as well.
  • Use the guiding questions to ensure an understanding of the warning signs and preventative measures that support the health and safety of your staff and the residents/clients they care for.
  • After the safety huddle, display the poster around your site as a training reminder.

Guiding questions

  • What are the signs of heat stress (heat exhaustion, heat stroke)?
  • What are our organization’s written safety procedures for dealing with extreme heat?
  • What safety precautions can we implement to reduce the risk of heat stress?
  • If you are concerned about extreme heat in the workplace or you see signs of heat exhaustion or stroke, what should you do?
  • Are there any barriers that prevent you from reducing heat stress?

After this huddle, staff should be able to:

  • Report and recognize the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
  • Take preventative measures that help avoid the ill effects of heat stress.
  • Identify your organization’s written safety procedures if anyone shows signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Notes to the huddle leader

  • In extreme heat events, wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) such as goggles, masks, and gowns may become extremely uncomfortable or even unsafe.
  • Organizations should check with their health authority for the latest PPE guidance management for extreme heat conditions.

Other strategies to consider are:

  • Encouraging micro-breaks or additional breaks for staff that require full PPE use
  • Offering additional masks to allow for the replacement of overly soiled or damp masks
  • Scheduling procedures in cooler rooms or earlier in the day for warmer rooms
Downloads
Extreme heat | Safety huddle
Learn to report and recognize heat exhaustion and take preventative measures to help avoid the ill effects of heat stress.
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Extreme heat: Keeping staff safe

Additional Resources

One in three Canadian adults has experienced a major weather-related disaster or emergency. The Government of Canada reports that we live “in a period of rapid climate change,” and high-risk weather is becoming severe, longer, and more frequent across Canada.  
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Multiple regions of British Columbia have been issued air quality advisories due to the wildfires in the interior. With some parts of the province reaching an Air Quality Health Index of 10 or more—very high risk—it’s essential to take proper steps to stay safe, not only for yourself, but the people you provide care for. […]
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As a healthcare employer, you are required to have an exposure control plan for communicable diseases.
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Let's face it: emergencies don't wait for a convenient time. As a healthcare leader in British Columbia, you're responsible for the safety and well-being of your staff and those you care for. But are you truly prepared for the unexpected?
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Now that we’re into the summer months, extreme heat events are more likely and it’s important to think about how to keep staff safe and comfortable. This poster provides preventative measures for heat exhaustion.
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More Safety Huddles

Equip your team with the skills to spot workplace hazards before they cause an injury. This safety huddle guides staff through conducting an environmental scan, a key part of any point of care risk assessment. Discover how to build a proactive safety culture and protect your healthcare team.
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In this huddle, we’ll review safe and effective cleaning and disinfecting practices in the workplace. Staff will learn how to follow workplace policies, clean and disinfect shared equipment and high-touch areas, and select the right personal protective equipment (PPE) for different cleaning tasks. We’ll also cover where to find important information such as safety data sheets and product labels, which explain safe handling and spill response procedures. Use the guiding questions to spark discussion about common high-risk areas, frequently shared items, and strategies for reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
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View Safety Huddle
Providing compassionate end-of-life care is a profound part of the job, but it can also lead to grief and loss for frontline staff. This can impact well-being and team morale. Fostering a workplace culture where open conversations about grief are supported is crucial for the health and safety of your team. Discover how to recognize grief in the workplace and provide essential support to your healthcare staff.
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Working with clients or residents and their families is not always easy. You may not be able to control how others act, but you can control how you respond.
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When a critical incident impacts your team, it's vital to have a safe space to talk and heal. Our critical incident debriefing tools provide leaders and frontline staff in BC's long-term care and home support sectors with a structured way to discuss what happened, ensuring everyone feels supported with dignity and respect. Discover how to create a culture of psychological safety, identify available resources, and learn to navigate these challenging conversations to promote recovery and well-being.
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This SafeCare BC safety huddle provides guidance on how to utilize your Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Committee to improve workplace safety. Learn how to report safety hazards, understand the role of the JOHS committee, and find JOHS resources. Ideal for healthcare workers and safety training.
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A strong organizational culture fosters employee engagement, collaboration, and productivity, while a weak or toxic culture can lead to dissatisfaction and high turnover.
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Learn to recognize feeling unsettled, use effective self-settling strategies in situations self-setting may be helpful.
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It’s a sweltering July afternoon in Kamloops during a record-breaking heatwave. Temperatures climb above 40°C, air conditioners struggle to keep up, and staff in a long-term care facility move quickly to help residents stay cool. Some residents are frail, others rely on oxygen, and a few have mobility challenges that make even small tasks difficult. […]
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Emergencies such as floods, wildfires, power outages, and severe weather can occur without warning. Older adults are often the most vulnerable during these events because of health, mobility, and cognitive challenges. For workers in long-term care and home care, understanding these unique needs is crucial to ensuring residents' safety and protection.  Many seniors have chronic […]
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Let's face it: emergencies don't wait for a convenient time. As a healthcare leader in British Columbia, you're responsible for the safety and well-being of your staff and those you care for. But are you truly prepared for the unexpected?
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