Restaurants targeted for WorkSafeBC inspections in 2020

Publié février 11, 2020

Despite recent annual reductions in restaurant classification injury rates and premiums, WorkSafeBC has included employers in the restaurant service industry in this year’s component of its 2018-2020 Serious Injury Prevention Initiative (SIPI).

What will this mean for foodservice businesses?

Foodservice business operators across British Columbia will need to remain prepared for a prevention officer to visit at any time throughout the year, including weekends, to conduct an initial inspection or a follow-up inspection, as necessary. Prevention officers will not provide advance notice of their inspections but will do their best to minimize potential impact on the employer’s operations or customers.

Inspections will focus primarily on assessing three elements:

  • The employers’ management of key risks in the workplace or “mechanisms of injury” that are most likely to result in serious injuries. For restaurants, this includes risks of slips, trips, falls, and being struck-by or against objects.
  • Compliance with worker orientation and training requirements to ensure workers are aware of workplace policies, procedures, hazards, and health and safety rights and responsibilities.
  • Assurance that foundational safety elements, including those related to health and safety programs and workplace inspections, are implemented and effective.

About the initiative

SIPI is a three-year plan to prevent serious injuries in the Transportation and Warehousing, Trade, Public, and Service sectors. SIPI is focused on inspecting and engaging employers to prevent serious injuries, which is defined by either the severity or potential severity of the injury — such as a fracture of a major bone — or the length of the recovery period.

WorkSafeBC examined claims and assessment data and applied a predictive model to identify industries, workplaces, and work activities with the highest potential for serious injury, outside of the traditional high risk strategy areas.

More information and resources

For more information on the SIPI initiative or other Industry Initiatives visit worksafebc.com and type “SIPI” in the search box on our home page. Or, for resources and tools relevant to the restaurant aspect of this initiative, type “Food and Beverage” in the search bar. Your industry’s Health and Safety Association, go2HR, also has a number of helpful services and resources to assist you.

If you have any questions about this initiative, please call our Prevention Information Line at 604.276.3100 or toll-free at 1.888.621.7233 and you will be directed to the appropriate manager.

You can also get in touch with Mark von Schellwitz, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Western Canada, at mark@restaurantscanada.org.

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