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Create a site orientation that meet compliance to BC, Canada

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For construction or industrial worksites in British Columbia, site orientation and worker onboarding should be treated as a mandatory, documented, site-specific process under the Workers Compensation Act framework and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. At minimum, every young or new worker must receive orientation before beginning work, and that orientation must be specific to the workplace and include supervisor contact information, worker and employer rights and responsibilities, reporting unsafe conditions, refusal of unsafe work, workplace rules, hazards, working alone or in isolation, workplace violence, PPE, first aid, injury and illness reporting, emergency procedures, task instruction, the employer’s health and safety program where required, WHMIS information, and committee or worker representative contact information. Employers must also provide additional orientation or training if observation shows the worker cannot perform safely or if the worker requests it, and employers must keep records of all orientation and training provided. [2] [2] [3]

A practical BC-compliant site orientation and onboarding program should cover the following elements for all workers, contractors, visitors with work duties, and transferred workers whose hazards have changed:

Worker identity, employer, supervisor name and contact information, and confirmation of trade/role
Explanation of worker rights and responsibilities, including reporting hazards and refusing unsafe work
Review of the site health and safety rules, disciplinary expectations, impairment policy, and conduct requirements
Site-specific hazard identification: mobile equipment, traffic routes, excavation hazards, overhead work, energized systems, hazardous substances, confined spaces, fall hazards, weather exposure, noise, and public interface hazards
Required PPE for the site and task, including limitations, fit, inspection, maintenance, and replacement expectations
Emergency procedures: alarms, evacuation routes, marshalling points, rescue arrangements, first aid location, emergency transportation, spill response, fire response, and emergency contacts
Safe work practices and permits: lockout/de-energization, fall protection, confined space entry, hot work, equipment guarding, lifting/rigging, and chemical handling
WHMIS orientation for hazardous products used, stored, or handled on site, including labels, SDS access, and spill/release procedures
Incident, injury, near-miss, and unsafe-condition reporting requirements, including immediate supervisor notification and preservation of the scene where required
Joint health and safety committee or worker representative contact information and how workers participate in inspections and investigations
Verification of worker competency for assigned tasks, plus additional training where needed
Documentation of orientation completion, worker acknowledgment, and retention of records

[2] [3] [10] For multi-employer construction projects, onboarding must also address coordination duties. Where two or more employers are involved, each employer must notify the owner or prime contractor in advance of any undertaking likely to create a hazard for another employer’s workers. If overlapping or adjoining activities create hazards and the combined workforce exceeds 5, the owner or prime contractor must appoint a qualified coordinator, keep specified information readily available on site, and each employer must designate a qualified person responsible for that employer’s site health and safety activities. The coordinator’s duties include informing employers and workers of created hazards and ensuring those hazards are addressed throughout the work. The required site information includes the coordinator’s name, a posted site drawing showing project layout, first aid location, emergency transportation provisions, and evacuation marshalling station, plus construction procedures designed to protect worker health and safety. [1] [1] [1]

Hazard identification should be completed before work starts and whenever conditions change. Orientation should explain the site hazard assessment process, current known hazards, applicable controls, and how workers report newly identified hazards. BC requirements support regular workplace inspections, special inspections after malfunction or accident, and prompt incident investigation to prevent recurrence. For chemical hazards, WHMIS applies to hazardous products used, stored, or handled at the workplace. Where hazardous substances create exposure risk, employers must follow the hierarchy of controls: eliminate the exposure or control it below harmful levels using substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE, with PPE not used as the primary control except in limited circumstances. [10] [10] [11]

Emergency preparedness must be part of onboarding. Workers need instruction on emergency exits, evacuation routes, alarms, fire prevention, first aid access, and emergency reporting. Emergency means of escape are required where equipment or process malfunction could create immediate danger and normal exits could become unusable; emergency exit routes must be designed and marked for quick, unimpeded exit. Emergency drills must be held at least annually and records kept. All workers must receive adequate instruction in fire prevention and emergency evacuation procedures. Where hazardous substances could cause or worsen an emergency, the emergency response plan and related inventory, risk assessment, procedures, training, and drills must be developed, implemented, reviewed, and updated in consultation with the joint committee, worker representative, or workers, and the related records must be readily available to workers. [6] [6] [4]

PPE requirements in orientation should be hazard-based and task-specific. Workers should be told what PPE is mandatory on site and what additional PPE is required for particular tasks such as fall exposure, chemical handling, cutting, grinding, welding, or confined space entry. Under Part 8, PPE must be selected and used according to recognized standards, provide effective protection, not create a hazard, be compatible with other PPE, and be maintained in good working order and sanitary condition. If PPE is needed for chemical exposure or oxygen-deficient atmospheres, the employer must implement a protective equipment program with written procedures, training, documentation where required, and annual review. Orientation should also explain that PPE is generally the last line of defense after elimination, engineering, and administrative controls. [12] [12] [11]

Safe work practices reviewed during onboarding should include the permits, procedures, and competency requirements relevant to the site. For example, if workers may be exposed to falls, orientation should identify where fall protection is required and what systems are used. If confined spaces exist, workers must know that spaces must be identified, unauthorized entry prohibited, hazards eliminated or minimized, and a written confined space entry program implemented before entry is permitted. That program must include responsibilities, hazard assessments, written procedures, supervision, rescue provisions, PPE, and coordination of work activities. Entry permits are required for specified higher-risk confined space entries and must be posted, updated as needed, and retained for at least one year. [5] [8] [13]

Worker rights and responsibilities must be clearly explained during orientation. Workers need to know their right to receive information, instruction, supervision, and training; their duty to follow safety rules and safe work procedures; how to report unsafe conditions promptly; and their right to refuse unsafe work. They should also be told how to contact their supervisor, first aid attendant, joint committee, or worker representative, and how to raise concerns without delay. Employers must support worker participation through inspections, investigations, and consultation on emergency planning and certain hazard-control programs. [2] [3] [10]

Incident reporting and investigation procedures should be part of every onboarding package. Workers should be instructed to immediately report injuries, illnesses, near misses, property damage, spills/releases, equipment malfunctions, and unsafe conditions to supervision, and to seek first aid or medical treatment promptly. The employer’s health and safety program must provide for prompt investigation of incidents to determine actions necessary to prevent recurrence, and records and statistics including inspection and incident investigation reports must be maintained. For hazardous substances and similar higher-risk activities, written procedures should also include reporting and response steps for accidental exposure, spills, or uncontrolled releases. [10] [10] [9]

Training records and orientation documentation should be site-specific, signed, dated, and retained. At minimum, keep records showing the worker’s name, employer, date of orientation, instructor/supervisor, topics covered, site hazards reviewed, PPE issued or verified, emergency procedures reviewed, task-specific training completed, and worker acknowledgment. Where permits or specialized programs apply, retain those records for the periods required by regulation. Examples from the Regulation include keeping records of young/new worker orientation and training, retaining confined space entry permits for at least one year, keeping annual emergency drill records, and retaining notices of project for at least 10 years where applicable. [3] [7] [1]

A strong site-specific orientation form for BC worksites should document, at minimum, the following:

Project/site name and address
Prime contractor or owner contact, and qualified coordinator name where required
Worker name, employer, trade, supervisor, and date
Confirmation that rights and responsibilities were reviewed, including unsafe work refusal and hazard reporting
Site rules and restricted areas
Known site hazards and applicable controls
Required PPE and any specialized PPE training or fit requirements
First aid location, emergency transportation arrangements, emergency contacts, evacuation routes, and marshalling point
WHMIS/SDS access and hazardous product controls
Required permits or authorizations for high-risk work such as confined space, lockout, hot work, excavation, or fall protection
Task-specific instruction, competency verification, and any follow-up training required
Worker and trainer signatures, plus record retention location

[1] [1] [2] In short, a compliant BC onboarding process should ensure that workers are oriented before starting work, trained on the hazards and controls of the specific site and task, informed of emergency and reporting procedures, equipped and trained for required PPE, and documented through retained records. On construction projects, it must also reflect prime contractor/owner coordination duties, posted site information, and any permit-based or high-risk work procedures required by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. [2] [1]

13 source record(s)

Sources used for this answer

[1] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# PART 8 - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT (cont.) ## Responsibility to provide (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 8 - Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment ## Selection, use and maintenance - 8.3 (1) Personal protective equipment must (a) be selected and used in accordance with the recognized standards, and provide effective protection, (b) not in itself create a hazard to the wearer, (c) be compatible, so that one item of personal protective equipment does not make another item ineffective, and (d) be maintained in good working order and in a sanitary condition. (2) If the use of personal protective equipment creates hazards equal to or greater than those its use is intended to prevent, alternative personal protective equipment must be used or other appropriate measures must be taken. [am. B.C. Reg. 312/2003, App. B, S. 10.] ## Workplace evaluation 8.4 If an evaluation of workplace conditions is required to determine appropriate personal protective equipment, the evaluation, where practicable, must be done in consultation with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable, and with the worker who will use the equipment. [am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, S. 49.] ## Program 8.5 If personal protective equipment is required to protect against a chemical exposure or an oxygen deficient atmosphere the employer must implement an effective protective equipment program at the workplace which includes (a) a statement of purpose and responsibilities, (b) written procedures for selection, use, inspection, cleaning, maintenance and storage of protective equipment, when required, (c) instruction and training in the correct use and maintenance of the equipment, (d) for respirators, medical assessment of respirator wearers, when required, (e) documentation when required, and (f) program review. [am. B.C. Reg. 312/2010, App. G, S. 6.] ## Annual…

[2] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# Identification and Entry Permits (cont.) ## Updating the information (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 9 - Confined Spaces (2) An entry permit must be reviewed and updated as necessary to ensure the ongoing safety of the workers inside the space. (3) The permit must be re-authorized and signed by the responsible supervisor (a) if there is a change in the work crew, (b) after each shift change, or (c) after a change of the responsible supervisor. (4) Every worker affected must be informed of an alteration of an entry permit regarding a change in the required precautions or work activity. ## Record of permit 9.16 A copy of the signed entry permit must be kept for at least one year. ## Lockout and Control of Harmful Substances ## Lockout 9.17 Before a worker enters a confined space, any material conveyance equipment that transports material to or from the space must be free of material if the material could present a hazard. [en. B.C. Reg. 312/2003, App. D, S. 5.] Control of harmful substance in adjacent piping - 9.18 (1) Before a worker enters a confined space where adjacent piping contains a harmful substance that is (a) a liquid with sufficient volatility to produce a hazardous concentration of an air contaminant, or (b) a gas or vapour, - the harmful substance in the adjacent piping must be controlled by either discon- necting the adjacent piping or isolating it using blanks or blinds that meet the requirements of section 9.20. (2) Subject to subsection (3), before a worker enters a confined space where adjacent piping contains a harmful substance that is neither (a) a liquid with sufficient volatility to produce a hazardous concentration of an air contaminant, nor (b) a gas or vapour, - the harmful substance in the adjacent piping must be controlled by either discon- necting the adjacent piping or isolating it using blanks or blinds that meet the require…

[3] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# Occupational Health and Safety Programs (cont.) ## Contents of program (cont.) WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 3 - Rights and Responsibilities (d) provision for holding periodic management meetings for the purpose of reviewing health and safety activities and incident trends, and for the deter- mination of necessary courses of action, (e) provision for the prompt investigation of incidents to determine the action necessary to prevent their recurrence, (f) the maintenance of records and statistics, including reports of inspections and incident investigations, with provision for making this information available to the joint committee or worker health and safety representative, as applicable and, upon request, to an officer, the union representing the workers at the workplace or, if there is no union, the workers at the workplace, and (g) provision by the employer for the instruction and supervision of workers in the safe performance of their work. [am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, S. 12.] - 3.4 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 195/2015, S. 1.] ## Workplace Inspections ## General requirement - 3.5 Every employer must ensure that regular inspections are made of all workplaces, including buildings, structures, grounds, excavations, tools, equipment, machinery and work methods and practices, at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions. [am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, S. 16.] - 3.6 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 312/2003, App. B, S. 1.] - Special inspections - 3.7 A special inspection must be made when required by malfunction or accident. [am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, S. 16.] - Committee participation - 3.8 An inspection required by section 3.5 and a major inspection required by section 3.7 must, where feasible, include the participation of members of the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable, but (a) if there is no committee or worker health and safety …

[4] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 20 - Construction, Excavation and Demolition (a) the Board receives, in writing, the new information as soon as possible, and (b) a copy of the new information is posted at the worksite as soon as possible and is kept posted for the duration of the construction project. (8) All employers responsible for a work activity to which subsection (1) applies must retain a copy of the notice of project respecting the work activity for at least 10 years from the starting date of the construction project as set out in the notice of project. [en. B.C. Reg. 9/2017, App. L.] ## Coordination of multiple employer workplaces - 20.3 (1) If a construction project involves the work of 2 or more employers or their workers, each employer must notify the owner, or the person engaged by the owner to be the prime contractor, in advance of any undertaking likely to create a hazard for a worker of another employer. (2) If a work location has overlapping or adjoining work activities of 2 or more employers that create a hazard to workers, and the combined workforce at the workplace is more than 5, (a) the owner, or if the owner engages another person to be the prime contractor, then that person, must (i) appoint a qualified coordinator for the purpose of ensuring the coordination of health and safety activities for the location, and (ii) provide up-to-date information as specified in subsection (4), readily available on site, and (b) each employer must give the coordinator appointed under paragraph (a) (i) the name of a qualified person designated to be responsible for that employer's site health and safety activities. (3) The duties of the qualified coordinator appointed under subsection (2) (a) (i) include (a) informing employers and workers of the hazards created, and (b) ensuring that the hazards are addressed through…

[5] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# Young or New Workers (cont.) ## Young or new worker orientation and training (cont.) WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 3 - Rights and Responsibilities (k) the employer's health and safety program, if required under section 3.1 of this Regulation; (1) WHMIS information requirements set out in Part 5, as applicable to the young or new worker's workplace; (m) contact information for the occupational health and safety committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable to the workplace. [en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.] ## Additional orientation and training - 3.24 An employer must provide a young or new worker with additional orientation and training if (a) workplace observation reveals that the young or new worker is not able to perform work tasks or work processes safely, or (b) requested by the young or new worker. [en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.] ## Documentation 3.25 An employer must keep records of all orientation and training provided under sections 3.23 and 3.24. [en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.] ## Joint Health and Safety Committees ## Evaluation of joint committees - 3.26 (1) In this section, a reference to a joint committee does not include a joint committee established and maintained under section 32 of the Workers Compensation Act, if (a) an order under section 32 (1) of the Workers Compensation Act respecting the joint committee provides for a variation as set out in subsection (2) (b) of that section of that Act, and (b) the variation is in regards to evaluating the joint committee. (2) An employer must ensure that, with respect to each of the employer's joint committees, a written evaluation is conducted annually by (a) the co-chairs of the joint committee or, with respect to each co-chair, the member or members of the joint committee designated by the co-chair, or (b) the employer or a person retained by the employer. (3) The evaluation must contain, but is no…

[6] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) ## First aid attendant responsibilities (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 3 - Rights and Responsibilities (4) The first aid attendant does not have authority to overrule a worker's decision to seek medical treatment or the worker's choice of medical treatment. [en. B.C. Reg. 348/2003, S. 2; am. B.C. Reg. 132/2023, S. 7.] # Young or New Workers ## Definitions 3.22 In sections 3.23 to 3.25: "new worker" means any worker who is (a) new to the workplace, (b) returning to a workplace where the hazards in that workplace have changed during the worker's absence, (c) affected by a change in the hazards of a workplace, or (d) relocated to a new workplace if the hazards in that workplace are different from the hazards in the worker's previous workplace; "young worker" means any worker who is under 25 years of age. [en. B.C. Reg. 105/2007.] ## Young or new worker orientation and training - 3.23 (1) An employer must ensure that before a young or new worker begins work in a workplace, the young or new worker is given health and safety orientation and training specific to that young or new worker's workplace. (2) The following topics must be included in the young or new worker's orientation and training: (a) the name and contact information for the young or new worker's supervisor; (b) the employer's and young or new worker's rights and responsibilities under the Workers Compensation Act and this Regulation including the reporting of unsafe conditions and the right to refuse to perform unsafe work; (c) workplace health and safety rules; (d) hazards to which the young or new worker may be exposed, including risks from robbery, assault or confrontation; (e) working alone or in isolation; (f) violence in the workplace; (g) personal protective equipment; (h) location of first aid facilities and means of summoning first aid…

[7] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT Part 5 - Chemical Agents and Biological Agents ## Valve operation 5.96 The employer must ensure that a valve which activates an emergency eyewash or shower facility is designed SO that, once activated, the flow of water or flushing solution will continue without requiring the use of the operator's hands. ## Emergency Planning ## Definitions and application - 5.97 (1) In sections 5.98 to 5.104: "emergency procedures" means procedures under sections 5.102 (1) and 5.103 (1); "emergency response plan" means a plan under section 5.101 (1); "inventory" means an inventory under section 5.99; "risk assessment" means an assessment under section 5.100. (2) Sections 5.98 to 5.104 apply in relation to (a) an emergency arising within or outside a workplace, and (b) a hazardous substance at a workplace if the hazardous substance could (i) cause an emergency, or (ii) aggravate the effects of an emergency, including a risk to a person. [en. B.C. Reg. 178/2024, S. 2.] ## Worker participation - 5.98 (1) An emergency response plan, including any inventory, risk assessment, emergency procedures or program for training and drills that is a component of the emergency response plan, must be developed, implemented, reviewed and updated in consultation with (a) the joint committee, (b) the worker health and safety representative, or (c) if there is no joint committee or worker health and safety representative, the workers at the workplace. (2) The following records in relation to a workplace must be readily available to workers and, as applicable, the joint committee or worker health and safety representative: (a) the inventory; (b) the risk assessment; (c) the emergency response plan; (d) the emergency procedures; (e) a record prepared under section 5.104 (4). [en. B.C. Reg. 178/2024, S. …

[8] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) ## Control of hazards (cont.) WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 9 - Confined Spaces ## Confined space entry program - 9.5 Before a worker is required or permitted to enter a confined space, the employer must prepare and implement a written confined space entry program which includes (a) an assignment of responsibilities, (b) a list of each confined space or group of similar spaces and a hazard assessment of those spaces, and (c) written safe work procedures for entry into and work in the confined space, that address, where applicable (i) identification and entry permits, (ii) lockout and isolation, (iii) verification and testing, (iv) cleaning, purging, venting or inerting, (v) ventilation, (vi) standby persons, (vii) rescue, (viii) lifelines, harnesses and lifting equipment, (ix) personal protective equipment and other precautions, and (x) coordination of work activities. ## Responsibilities ## Administration 9.6 The employer must assign overall responsibility for administration of the confined space entry program to a person or persons adequately trained to do so. ## Supervision - 9.7 (1) The employer must assign responsibility for supervision to a person who is adequately trained to supervise the job before any worker enters a confined space. (2) The responsible supervisor must ensure that (a) pre-entry testing and inspection is conducted based on the written procedures, (b) the precautions identified in the written procedures and the precautions required by this Regulation or which are otherwise necessary for the health and safety of workers are followed, and (c) only authorized workers enter a confined space. ## Instruction 9.8 Each person who is assigned duties or responsibilities related to entry into a confined space must be adequately instructed and trained in (a) the hazards of th…

[9] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# Part 5 - Chemical Agents and Biological Agents (cont.) ## Exposure control plan (cont.) WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT B.C. Reg. 296/97 # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 5 - Chemical Agents and Biological Agents (a) exposure monitoring under section 5.53 (3) indicates that a worker is or may be exposed to an air contaminant in excess of 50% of its exposure limit, (b) measurement is not possible at 50% of the applicable exposure limit, or (c) otherwise required by this Regulation. (2) The exposure control plan must incorporate the following elements: (a) a statement of purpose and responsibilities; (b) risk identification, assessment and control; (c) education and training; (d) written work procedures, when required; (e) hygiene facilities and decontamination procedures, when required; (f) health monitoring, when required; (g) documentation, when required. (3) The plan must be reviewed at least annually and updated as necessary by the employer, in consultation with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable. [am. B.C. Reg. 185/99, S. 39.] ## Type of controls - 5.55 (1) If there is a risk to a worker from exposure to a hazardous substance by any route of exposure, the employer must eliminate the exposure, or otherwise control it below harmful levels and below the applicable exposure limit established under section 5.48 by (a) substitution, (b) engineering control, (c) administrative control, or (d) personal protective equipment. (2) When selecting a suitable substitute, the employer must ensure that the hazards of the substitute are known, and that the risk to workers is reduced by its use. (3) The use of personal protective equipment as the primary means to control exposure is permitted only when (a) substitution, or engineering or administrative controls are not practicable, or (b) additional protection is required because engineering or administrative controls are i…

[10] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION B.C. Reg. 296/97 Part 9 - Confined Spaces (c) other combination of education, training and experience acceptable to the Board. [am. B.C. Regs. 185/99, S. 52; 243/2006, S. 3.] # Identification and Entry Permits ## Identification 9.12 When a confined space requires entry by a worker, each point of access which is not secured against entry must be identified by a sign or other effective means which indicates the hazard and prohibits entry by unauthorized workers. ## When permits required - 9.13 (1) An entry permit must be completed and signed by the responsible supervisor before a worker enters a confined space (a) with a high hazard atmosphere, (b) that requires lockout or isolation procedures to be followed, or (c) in which there is a hazard of entrapment or engulfment. (2) An entry permit must be posted at each designated point of entry to a confined space. (3) Subsection (2) does not apply if (a) the entry permit is posted at a minimum of one designated point of entry, (b) the identification at other designated points of entry includes up-to-date information on whether it is safe to enter, and (c) all workers authorized to enter are informed of the location of posted entry permits. ## Contents of permit - 9.14 An entry permit must identify the (a) confined space and the work activities to which it applies, (b) workers who are inside the space, (c) required precautions for the space, and (d) time of expiration of the permit. ## Updating the information - 9.15 (1) Once issued, the information on an entry permit may only be altered by (a) the responsible supervisor who signed the permit to update it in accordance with subsection (2) or (3), (b) the standby worker to update the list of workers inside the confined space, or (c) the tester to record test results. Last amended March 31, 2025 193 Consolidation current to March 31, 2025

[11] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) ## Risk assessment (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION # Part 4 - General Conditions (f) workplaces where there are persons who require physical assistance to be moved. ## Emergency procedures - 4.14 (1) Emergency means of escape must be provided from any work area in which the malfunctioning of equipment or a work process could create an immediate danger to workers and the regular means of exit could become dangerous or unusable. (2) Emergency exit routes must be designed and marked to provide quick and unimpeded exit. (3) At least once each year emergency drills must be held to ensure awareness and effectiveness of emergency exit routes and procedures, and a record of the drills must be kept. - 4.15 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 312/2003, App. E, S. 1.] ## Training - 4.16 (1) All workers must be given adequate instruction in the fire prevention and emergency evacuation procedures applicable to their workplace. (2) Workers assigned to firefighting duties in their workplace must be given adequate training, by a qualified instructor, in fire suppression methods, fire prevention, emergency procedures, organization and chain of command, firefighting crew safety and communications applicable to their workplace. (3) Retraining for firefighting duties must be provided periodically, but not less than once a year. (4) A worker not covered by Part 31 [Firefighting], who is assigned to firefighting duties, must be physically capable of performing the assigned duties safely and effectively before being permitted to do them. ## Notification of fire departments - 4.17 (1) An employer having at a workplace hazardous products covered by WHMIS, explosives, pesticides, radioactive material, consumer products or hazardous wastes in quantities which may endanger firefighters, must ensure the local fire department is notified of the nature and location of the haza…

[12] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# PART 9 - CONFINED SPACES (cont.) ## Definitions (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION Part 9 - Confined Spaces "harmful substance" means a WHMIS hazardous product, a substance referred to under section 5.48, or a substance which may have a harmful effect on a worker in a confined space; "high hazard atmosphere" means an atmosphere that may expose a worker to risk of death, incapacitation, injury, acute illness or otherwise impair the ability of the worker to escape unaided from a confined space, in the event of a failure of the ventilation system or respirator; "inerting" means intentionally flooding the atmosphere inside a confined space with an inert gas such as nitrogen to eliminate the hazard of ignition of flammable vapours inside the confined space but thereby creating an oxygen deficient atmosphere; "low hazard atmosphere" means an atmosphere which is shown by pre-entry testing or otherwise known to contain clean respirable air immediately prior to entry to a confined space and which is not likely to change during the work activity, as determined by a qualified person after consideration of the design, construction and use of the confined space, the work activities to be performed, and all engineering controls required by this Regulation; "moderate hazard atmosphere" means an atmosphere that is not clean respirable air but is not likely to impair the ability of the worker to escape unaided from a confined space, in the event of a failure of the ventilation system or respirator. [am. B.C. Regs. 315/2003, App. A, S. 13; 381/2004, S. 4; 30/2015, S. 33.] ## General Requirements ## Initial determination - 9.2 The employer must (a) ensure that each confined space in the workplace is identified, and (b) determine whether any such space will require entry by a worker, either in scheduled work activities or as a result of foreseeable system failures or other emergencies. ## Prohibited entry …

[13] Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

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# OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION (cont.) ## Exposure control plan (cont.) B.C. Reg. 296/97 WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT # OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION # Part 6 - Substance Specific Requirements (b) implement the exposure control plan developed and updated under this section. (2) The employer must (a) review an exposure control plan at least annually, and, if necessary, update the exposure control plan, and (b) if necessary, update an exposure control plan to address any changes to a risk assessment for the workplace. (3) An exposure control plan must be developed, reviewed and updated in consul- tation with a joint committee or worker health and safety representative, as applicable, for a workplace to which the exposure control plan applies. [en. B.C. Reg. 203/2023, S. 2.] ## Work procedures - 6.46.1 (1) For the purposes of complying with section 5.54 (2) (d), an employer must ensure that written work procedures required to be incorporated into an exposure control plan are prepared by a qualified person. (2) Work procedures must address the following, as applicable: (a) a work activity relating to (i) the manufacture, receipt, preparation, administration, storage and disposal of a hazardous drug, (ii) housekeeping, and (iii) emergency decontamination; (b) any other work activity in which a worker is or may be exposed to a hazardous drug; (c) the containment or enclosure, as a control measure, of a work activity or a work process; (d) the provision of, and the correct selection, use, care, maintenance and disposal of, any required personal protective equipment and clothing; (e) prohibitions on eating, drinking, storing food and applying personal care products in an area in which a hazardous drug is present; (f) handwashing and related protocols; (g) reporting and response procedures for incidents that involve (i) accidental exposure to a hazardous drug, or (ii) a spill or uncontrolled relea…

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Publisher: SALUS
Final reviewer: Francis Langlois
Original answer: Apr 30, 2026

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Chemical safety Safety compliance Confined spaces Emergency response Equipment safety Excavation and trenching Fall protection Fire prevention Hazard assessment Incident management Personal protective equipment Safety training

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