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WorkSafeBC

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Initiatives for Tourism & Hospitality

If you would like to work with the WorkSafeBC on health and safety issues, or for more information about health and safety initiatives for Tourism & Hospitality, contact WorkSafeBC Hospitality and Small Business Industry Services at .

Hospitality Today Article no. 1 "Hospitality and WorkSafeBC"

Hospitality and WorkSafeBC
The serious human resource shortage facing Hospitality is not news to you. Providing a healthy and safe work place is one way of building a positive and productive work environment -- one that retains good staff.

Did you know that Hospitality has the third highest number of WorkSafeBC claims in British Columbia? ... or that 50% of young restaurant workers (aged 15 to 24 years) will be injured during their first six months of employment? Every day, about 19 Hospitality workers are injured. Injuries include severe cuts, burns, strains, sprains and broken bones. Your industry pays over $16 million dollars annually in direct claims costs - money that could be staying IN your business.

WorkSafeBC Hospitality and Small Business Industry Services wants to help you lower both the human and financial costs of accidents. We're working with your industry associations on long term, sustainable ways to prevent accidents. Things like:

  • A better trained workforce. People aware of risks and trained in how to deal with them have fewer injuries.
  • Improved occupational health and safety (OH&S) programs. Companies that manage OH&S like other parts of the business have lower claims costs.
  • Improved return to work programs. The sooner an injured worker can safely return to work the less the impact on the employee, the employee's family and your business.

COTA, in its policy document, 'The Business of Tourism' stated, "COTA believes that the workforce should operate in safe workplaces, within an environment where employees and employers share responsibility for workplace safety."

For more information on how we can all work together to address Hospitality's OH&S issues, contact your industry association or Hospitality and Small Business Industry Services at .



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