BOD Decision – 2015/12/16-04 – Employer Incident Investigation Policy
On December 16, 2015, WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors approved finalized policy relating to recent amendments to Part 3 of the Workers Compensation Act. This followed consultation in the summer and fall of 2015. Interim policy for employer incident investigations remained in effect until December 31, 2015. The finalized policy was effective January 1, 2016. Bill 9 introduced a two-step process for employer incident investigations, with stipulated timelines and requiring reports to be prepared for each. Incident Investigation Reports must now be prepared in accordance with policies of WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors instead of the regulations. Bill 35, effective January 1, 2016, requires employers to provide copies of their incident investigation reports to the joint committee or worker health and safety representative, as applicable, or if neither exist, to post the reports at the workplace. The finalized policies reflect the changes to the Act made by Bill 35, and stakeholder feedback on the interim policies. Please note, the consequential amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation reflecting the change to the Act directing that employer incident investigation reports be prepared in accordance with policies of WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors, came into effect on February 1, 2016. You may also examine the consequential amendment resolution, approved October 22, 2015.