WorkSafeBC: New requirements for emergency planning for hazardous substances now in effect

Changes to British Columbia’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation relating to emergency planning for hazardous substances are now in effect.

As of Feb. 3, changes to rules around worker participation, hazardous substances inventories and risk assessment, among others, have taken effect.

“These amendments broaden and enhance existing requirements to minimize risks to workers and other persons posed by emergencies involving hazardous substances,” said WorkSafeBC.

Here are the key changes:

5.98 Worker participation

(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).

5.99 Inventory of hazardous substances

An employer must ensure that a written inventory is prepared and maintained containing

(a) the identity of each hazardous substance present at the workplace in a quantity that may endanger a person in an emergency, and

(b) in relation to each hazardous substance identified, all of the following information:

(i) a description of the physical state and hazardous properties of the hazardous substance;

(ii) the maximum capacity of any container or system in which the  hazardous substance may be stored or used at the workplace;

(iii) the maximum quantity of the hazardous substance that may be stored or used at the workplace;

(iv) the location of the hazardous substance;

(v) how to access information about the possible effects of the hazardous substance on worker health and safety and any precautions required to protect the health and safety of a worker.

5.101 Emergency response planCopy section link

(1) An employer must ensure that, for a workplace, a written plan is developed and implemented to respond to an emergency involving a hazardous substance in a manner that will minimize the risk to a person.

(2) An emergency response plan must

(a) be based on the inventory and risk assessment for the workplace,

(b) include the inventory, the risk assessment and any emergency procedures for the workplace,

(c) include assigned roles and responsibilities, and

(d) include a program for training and drills required under section 5.104.

(3) An employer must ensure that an emergency response plan is reviewed and, if necessary, updated

(a) at least annually, and

(b) whenever any of the following occurs:

(i) there is an emergency that causes or has the potential to cause a serious injury, serious illness or death;

(ii) there is a significant change in workplace circumstances, including a change to work activities or conditions at the workplace, that poses a risk not previously identified;

(iii) there is reason to believe that the risk assessment is no longer valid.

There are also changes around rules around risk assessment, emergency procedures and training drills. The full details are available here.