Workers and employers can speak directly to prevention officers across B.C.
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The expansion of WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line, a toll-free phone service dedicated to health and safety in B.C. workplaces, allows workers and employers to speak directly to prevention officers across the province.
Not only can callers connect directly to eight dedicated prevention officers with diverse specializations across B.C., they can also report in many languages as prevention officers have access to interpreters.
“No matter where they are located in the province, workers and employers have direct access to WorkSafeBC prevention officers,” said Jacqueline Holmes, manager of Prevention Field Services for WorkSafeBC, in a press release.
“The purpose of this service is to enhance access to occupational health and safety information, improve response times and ultimately reduce injuries.”
WorkSafeBC says call volumes related to occupational health and safety issues have risen by about 20 per cent, while the average response time has been reduced by 70 per cent, since the information line was expanded.
The top enquiries were as follows: Construction-related questions comprised just less than a third of the calls; health care made up 8.1 per cent; manufacturing was at seven per cent; and hospitality made up six per cent. Nearly half of all calls are safety related. Bullying and harassment/discrimination is the second largest line of enquiry at nearly 21 per cent.
WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line was established to provide easy access to consistent information, guidance and resources related to occupational health and safety regulations, as well as rights and responsibilities. Callers can report a serious incident, an unsafe work condition, request a worksite inspection or consultation or talk to a prevention officer about any occupational health and safety issue.
People in the Lower Mainland can call the Prevention Information Line at 604.276.3100 or toll-free at 1.888.621.SAFE from anywhere in Canada. The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The prevention officers are directly available Monday to Friday from 8:05 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Callers with claim-related questions should call 1.888.WORKERS.)
