Town of Osoyoos council appears to be fully supportive of introducing a more thorough and comprehensive incident reporting policy for town staff.

Gerald Davis, the town’s director of community services, made a presentation to council on Monday stating how staff would like to create a new incident reporting policy.

“Bill 9 was formally adopted as part of the Workers Compensation Acts and it relates to how employers conduct incident investigations,” said Davis. “Because of this new legislation, our occupational health and safety contractor, McMullen and Co., has created a draft policy and a draft incident report form.

“Staff would like to create a new incident reporting policy.”

Reporting incidents includes everything form serious injury to near misses, with the intention of being proactive to prevent future incidents and create a safer work environment, said Davis.

Once Bill 9 was formally adopted, McMullen started the process with the joint occupational health and safety committee of town employees, by conducting crew talks, he said.

“The crew talks were delivered to staff as general information and as a follow up to the crew talks,” he said. “McMullen developed draft documents … and created a policy statement and a number of report forms that cover all aspects of the new legislation.

“Staff has shared these draft documents with the management group and also with the joint occupational health and safety committee. As part of this report, I have attached an overview from Work Safe BC that outlines the steps to conduct an incident investigation, along with the draft policy statement and forms.”

The Town of Osoyoos recognizes the 2015 amendments to the Workers Compensation Act and has reviewed its incident reporting and investigation programs accordingly, said Davis.

The policy tasks all town employees with responsibility for immediately informing their supervisor if:

  • They observe any unsafe acts and/or unsafe conditions in the workplace (hazards).
  • They witness or experience a near-miss accident.
  • They require medical treatment for a work-related injury or illness.

Department directors are responsible to immediately initiate and conduct a preliminary and full incident investigation in accordance with requirements and procedures outlined in the town’s revised incident reporting and investigation program.

Department directors are also responsible to communicate this policy and all related information to workers via the town’s crew talk program.

The town’s joint occupational health and safety committee will participate in the process by reviewing investigation findings and recommendations and where applicable, providing input.

In the event of an incident requiring more extensive investigation, the committee may be called upon to actively participate in the investigation process.

All town employees will be made aware of the incident investigations reporting system and how to properly fill out the necessary forms and paperwork, Davis said.

Council voted unanimously in favour of adopting this new incident reporting system.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times