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WorkSafeBC

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Small Business Health & Safety Resources

Working Alone, Late Night Retail, and Prepayment of Fuel - Handbook for Employers

Handbook for Employers: Working Alone, Late Night Retail, and Prepayment of Fuel This handbook overviews working alone, fuel prepayment, and late night retail premises requirements, and provides employers with useful forms for their workplaces. Late night retail premises include convenience stores, gas stations, and other retail stores that sell goods directly to consumers. Also included as retail premises are take-out restaurants and liquor off sales. Full service restaurants, and bars with no liquor off sales outlet are not included under the late night retail premises requirements.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (569 KB)

Health and Safety for Hospitality Small Business

Health and Safety for Hospitality Small Business Guide This booklet is designed for small businesses in the hospitality industry including hotels, motels, restaurants, and other food service establishments. It can be used owners, employers, managers, supervisors, workers to help prevent workplace accidents and injuries.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (3 MB)
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email

Small Business Safety Calculator

This calculator allows you to estimate the costs associated with an accident.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Calculator

Small Business Health and Safety Log Book

This guide includes easy-to-use checklists and blank forms that will walk you through the process of establishing a health and safety program.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (431 KB)
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email

Health and Safety for Retail Small Business

This booklet provides information on basic health and safety requirements for retail small businesses. Included are sample forms, checklists, and file folder.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (804 KB)
Updated: June 2005
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email

Hazard Alerts and Bulletins

Hazard Alerts

* Chasing shoplifter results in injury Injury 06-09

* Explosion in gas bakery oven Injury 06-08

* Worker burned while cutting glass with methyl hydrate Injury 06-01

WorkSafe Bulletins

* Exposure to flour dust at work can cause asthma WS-07-03

* Hydrofluoric acid used by graffiti artists can cause severe burns WS-06-04

* No warning with deadly lack of oxygen in air WS-06-03

* Renovation and restoration projects: Low bid may not meet environmental or workplace safety standards WS 05-06

Effective Safety and Health Programs: The Key to a Safe Workplace and Defence of Due Diligence PH33

This guide contains important information for employers, supervisors, and workers who must ensure that their occupational health and safety programs meet WorkSafeBC standards.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (142 KB)
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: October 2008

How to Implement a Formal Occupational Health and Safety Program updated

This booklet is a complete revision of How to Implement an Effective Occupational Health and Safety Program. It offers a comprehensive program plan, valuable to both employer and employee, but especially to occupational health and safety committee members.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (415 KB)
Updated: May 2008

Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee Workbook

This workbook examines the occupational health and safety committee, its role, selection of members, activities, conduct of meetings, writing recommendations, planning educational leave, and reaching committee objectives.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (391 KB)

Investigation of Accidents and Diseases: Reference Guide and Workbook

This workbook discusses concepts and methods that can help you to implement and perform effective investigations at your workplace. The information and sample forms in the workbook are guidelines. This is only one approach.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (1.1 MB)

Safety Inspections Workbook

Effective safety and health inspections are one of the most important incident/accident prevention tools in a company's safety and health program. Using properly trained inspectors in a planned inspection program will reduce incidents and property damage. An effective safety inspection program will improve worker communication, company morale and, over time, save the employer money. Contains sample checklists.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (1 MB)

Safety on the Job is Everyone's Business: The Responsibilities of Employers, Supervisors and Workers

All new workers need training in equipment use and safe work procedures. This pamphlet covers the basics in training new workers. Employer, supervisor, and worker responsibilities for developing and maintaining a safe workplace are outlined.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (119 KB)
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Preventing Heat Stress at Work BK30

This booklet provides a basic overview of job-related heat stress, how to recognize and treat heat stress, and how to prevent heat stress. Workers exposed to hot environments must be trained to prevent heat stress and recognize the early symptoms in themselves and co-workers. The newly revised publication Heat Stress contains essential information on how to recognize, treat, and prevent heat stress.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB) (Updated: February 2007)

Also available in the following languages:

* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Emergency Eyewash Station

Placard used for identifying the location of an emergency eyewash station.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Emergency Procedures

Placard for employers to list contact information for emergency services.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

How to Make Your Computer Workstation Fit You BK76

An illustrated guide containing basic information on how to identify and solve problems with computer workstations.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (807 KB) Updated: January 2005
* Comment adapter votre poste de travail à vos besoins (French, PDF 1.8 MB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Back Talk an Owner's Manual BK4

An illustrated handbook that explains how the back works, provides tips for avoiding injury, and shows how to care for the back during recovery.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (621 KB)
Updated: April 2007
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WHMIS: The Basics

"By understanding the information in this book, you will learn where to look on the label of a controlled product, where to look on a Material Safety Data Sheet, and what to discuss with your supervisor."
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB)
Updated: September 2005

Also available in the following languages:

* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WHMIS at Work

This booklet explains the basics of WHMIS and answers some commonly asked questions about WHMIS.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (928 KB)
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WorkSafeBC Publications Page

WorkSafeBC (the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) of British Columbia) is North America's leading publisher of workplace safety materials.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WorkSafeBC Video Catalogue

A listing of films, videos, and slide tape presentations available for loan or purchase.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Back to Work, Back to Health: Return to work for the retail industry

The purpose of this booklet is to assist you in returning workers quickly and safely to the jobs they held before work-related injuries or illnesses. Injured workers can recover quicker and get back on the job if they receive assistance from the employer, their family doctor, and WorkSafeBC. This booklet outlines what you can do to help.
Source: BC Retailers
* PDF (466 KB)

Workers Health & Safety Centre

This site promotes workplace prevention measures that reduce occupational disease, disability, and death by developing training programs and providing other information services. The Web site includes a section for young workers.
Source: The Ontario Federation of Labour
* HTML

OSHA Safety and Health Data Tools for Small Business

Links to various query and search tools.
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
* HTML

OSHA Small Business Web Site

"OSHA offers many resources designed specifically for smaller employer ... This page provides one-stop shopping for the most popular materials for small businesses from free on-site consultation to interactive computer software to technical information to easy-to-follow guides for specific OSHA standards. It also includes links to OSHA local offices and the Small Business Administration."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
* HTML

OSHA - Questions & Answers for Small Business Employers

"Establishing a safe and healthful working environment requires every employer - large and small - and every worker to make safety and health a top priority."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
* PDF (1 MB)

Identifying High-Risk Small Business Industries

"The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has prepared this report to characterize the risk of occupational injury, illness, and fatality in industries composed mostly of small business establishments."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
* HTML

Managing Health and Safety at Work - Advice Pack for Smaller Firms

"Whatever sort of business you are, there is always the possibility of an accident or damage to someone's health. All work exposes people to hazards, be they: loads which have to be manually handled; dangerous machinery; toxic substances; electricity; working with display screen equipment or even psychological hazards such as stress."
Source: Health and Safety Executive (UK) (HSE)
* HTML

Resource Library

Links to various health and safety guidelines.
Source: IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association)
* HTML



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