This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

WorkSafeBC

banner image

Initiatives for Small Business

If you would like to work with WorkSafeBC on health and safety issues, or for more information about health and safety initiatives for Small Business, contact the Small Business Service Centre at .

WorkSafeBC Launches Two New Products for Small Business Week

Safety is Smart Business for Small Business

Richmond, B.C., October 21, 2002 -- To help small businesses understand the full financial costs of a workplace injury or incident to employers, the Workers' Compensation Board of B.C. today released the WorkSafe Safety Calculator. This tool was introduced this morning at a breakfast for small business leaders and will enable employers to calculate the non-insured costs that the WorkSafeBC does not cover. The WorkSafe Safety Calculator is available on-line or on CD.

The WorkSafe Safety Calculator allows small businesses to see the full range of costs of a workplace incident, including training for new or replacement workers, purchasing new equipment and loss of productivity.

Small business, defined as having fewer than 20 workers, represents over 93 per cent of the 170,000 companies registered with the Board and 33 per cent of the short-term disability claims. Aside from the human costs, the average cost per claim for small business is about $8,400.

"We know that small businesses are the largest segment of employers in this province, and our Small Business Service Centre has been listening to them to provide what they need," said Roberta Ellis, Prevention Division Vice President. "If a small business owner, or any company, for that matter, uses the calculator to do the math, they'll realize the full financial value of maintaining a safe and healthy workplace."

At the breakfast, WorkSafeBC presented a new video called Small Business Talking Safety. In it, small business leaders and employers from across B.C. discuss how including health and safety as a core business value is important, as it saves money and improves staff morale and productivity.

"A workplace incident in a small business can affect morale, production, customer service and therefore, your bottom line," said Suromitra Sanatani, BC and Yukon Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "Having a safe and healthy workplace makes good business sense."

"An important initiative that our Small Business Service Centre has undertaken is to work with other divisions at the Board to simplify and streamline forms and processes to better meet the needs of small business," adds Ellis. "We are working to make it easier for small businesses to maintain safe and healthy workplaces."

This and other tools created by the Small Business Service Centre, such as the Summary of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for Small Business and a variety of brochures, are available on-line at: http://www2.worksafebc.com/Portals/SmallBusiness/Home.asp.

To order a CD version of the WorkSafe Safety Calculator please contact the Small Business Service Centre at the phone numbers or email address below.

Contact information:

Small Business Service Centre
If you would like to work with the WorkSafeBC, or if you would like more information about health and safety initiatives for Small Businesses, contact Small Business Services at:

E-mail:
Phone: (604) 276-3100 (ask for Small Business) in the Lower Mainland
or 1-888-621-7233, toll-free in BC.

For other contact information, visit our website at www.worksafebc.com, or call our general information line at (604) 273-2266.

 



You can return to the Top of this page