You started a contracting business because you're good at building things. Not because you love reading 800-page regulatory documents written in language that requires a law degree to decode.

But here's the reality: WorkSafeBC doesn't care how small you are. A 5-person framing crew has the same legal obligations as a 500-person general contractor. The fines are the same. The stop-work orders are the same. And the consequences of getting it wrong are the same.

This guide cuts through the legalese and tells you exactly what you need to do. No fluff, no jargon, no "consult your legal advisor" cop-outs. Just the requirements, explained in plain language.

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The 8 Things Every BC Employer Must Have

1. A Written Health and Safety Program

If you have 20 or more workers, you need a formal written OHS program. Under 20? You still need basic written safe work procedures, but the formal program requirement kicks in at 20.

What it includes:

The shortcut: You don't need to write this from scratch. Templates exist. What matters is that it's written, it's current, and your crew knows about it.

2. A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) or Worker Representative

What the JOHSC does: The mistake everyone makes: Setting up a committee and never meeting. WorkSafeBC checks meeting minutes. No minutes = no committee = violation.

3. Hazard Assessments

Before any work activity, you must identify the hazards and determine how to control them. This isn't optional. This isn't just for high-risk work.

Types you need:

The hierarchy of controls (in order): 1. Eliminate the hazard 2. Substitute with something less hazardous 3. Engineering controls (guards, ventilation, barriers) 4. Administrative controls (procedures, training, signage) 5. PPE (last resort, not first)

4. Worker Training and Orientation

Every worker must receive safety orientation before starting work. Not on their second day. Not "when we get around to it." Before they touch a tool.

Orientation must cover:

Ongoing training required for: Document everything. Training that isn't documented didn't happen. Dates, topics, attendees, trainer — all recorded.

5. Incident Investigation and Reporting

When someone gets hurt, two things need to happen: take care of the worker, then figure out what went wrong.

You must report to WorkSafeBC:

Investigation must determine: Common mistake: Blaming the worker. "Worker was careless" is not a root cause. Why were they in a position where carelessness could cause injury? That's the real question.

6. First Aid

Every workplace must have:

The chart that determines your requirements:

| Workers on site | Risk Level | First Aid Attendant Required | |—-|—-|—-| | 1-5 | Low | Level 1 | | 6-15 | Low | Level 1 | | 16-50 | Low | Level 1 | | 1-5 | High | Level 1 | | 6-15 | High | Level 2 | | 16-50 | High | Level 3 |

7. Regular Workplace Inspections

Inspections must be conducted regularly. How often depends on the hazard level, but for construction sites, daily inspections of active work areas are standard practice.

Who inspects:

What gets inspected: Document the inspection, the findings, and the corrective actions taken. An inspection without documentation is just a walk.

8. Young and New Worker Orientation

Workers under 25 and workers new to the job have the highest injury rates. WorkSafeBC requires specific orientation for these groups.

For young workers (under 25):

For new workers (any age, new to the workplace): —-

The Rights Your Workers Have (And You Can't Take Away)

Every worker in BC has three fundamental rights:

1. The right to know about hazards in their workplace 2. The right to participate in health and safety activities 3. The right to refuse unsafe work without fear of discipline

That third one trips up a lot of employers. If a worker refuses work they believe is unsafe, you cannot discipline them, dock their pay, or fire them. You investigate the concern, fix it if valid, and move on.

If you retaliate against a worker for refusing unsafe work, the fine is the least of your problems. WorkSafeBC takes discrimination complaints seriously, and the burden of proof shifts to the employer.

How Small Contractors Actually Get Fined

It's rarely one dramatic failure. It's usually an accumulation of small gaps that add up:

Each one of these is a violation. Stack five of them together and you're looking at a five-figure penalty.

The Easiest Way to Stay Compliant

The gap between a compliant company and a non-compliant company isn't effort — it's systems. The compliant company isn't doing more work. They're documenting the work they're already doing.

Make Safety Easy gives small contractors the same compliance infrastructure that big companies have, without the complexity or the price tag:

You're already doing the safety work. We just make sure you can prove it.

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