WorkSafeBC has issued 320 orders to BC businesses for COVID-19 violations

WorkSafe BC has been busy making sure BC businesses follow COVID-19 reopening requirements.

As of June 26, the agency had handed out 320 orders and conducted more than 12,000 worksite health inspections related to the virus.

Those 320 violations break down like this:

• 101 orders to the service sector - restaurants, hotels, gyms and hair salons;
• 79 orders to the manufacturing sector - meat processing, sawmills, and pharmaceuticals;
• 62 orders to the trade sector - retail and wholesale operations, supermarkets, and service stations;
• 55 orders to the construction sector - commercial and residential construction, roofing, and mechanical installation;
• 18 orders to primary resources sector - forestry, oil and gas, fishing, and agriculture;
• 3 orders to the public sector - government and law enforcement;
• 2 orders to transportation and warehousing - taxis and ride-hailing, movers, transit, ferries, recycling depots, warehouses.

"The focus of our inspections has been to ensure employers have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place. This plan needs to assess the risks to workers, and implement measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace," said Craig Fitzsimmons, in a statement to NowMedia.

"Overall, the vast majority of employers are taking health and safety very seriously during the re-opening. Our inspections are finding that businesses want to be in compliance, and our prevention officers are providing support to help them have an effective COVID-19 Safety Plan."

Information about prevention data and inspections can be found online.