BC BUILDING TRADES COMMENDS GOVERNMENT

NEW WESTMINSTER – The BC Building Trades welcomes the tabling of Bill 9 (Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2015) by the BC government. The Bill proposes much needed legislation that will permit WorkSafeBC to seek a court injunction to bar unsafe employers from continuing to operate in an industry when they ignore WorkSafeBC orders.

"We need to be certain that employers who flagrantly disregard workers safety are prohibited from working in their industry," said Tom Sigurdson, Executive Director of the BC Building Trades. "We have too many examples of contractors who have willfully and repeatedly exposed workers to substances known to be carcinogenic.

The BC Building Trades launched a campaign last year calling for stronger workplace accountability measures to hold corporate executives and directors accountable for cases of negligence causing workplace death or serious injury.

"We're pleased to see the Minister has responded with this piece of legislation and hope there will be sufficient enforcement to accompany the legislative measures", said Sigurdson.

Current provisions under the Criminal Code, such as the Westray Law passed in 2003 in the House of Commons, have never been enforced because provincial mechanisms to sufficiently investigate and prosecute are inadequate. 

"This is a good first step toward protecting workers, but the path to safer working environments is a long one requiring many steps," concluded Sigurdson.

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