Health and Safety

for Small Businesses:

A Guide to WorkSafeBC
 About WorkSafeBC

At WorkSafeBC, we’re dedicated to promoting safe and healthy workplaces across B.C.
We partner with workers and employers to save lives and prevent injury, disease, and disability.
When work-related injuries or diseases occur, we provide compensation and support injured
workers in their recovery, rehabilitation, and safe return to work. We also provide no-fault
insurance and work diligently to sustain our workers’ compensation system for today and
future generations. We’re honoured to serve the workers and employers in our province.

Prevention Information Line

We provide information and assistance with health and safety issues in the workplace.

Call the information line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to report unsafe working conditions, a
serious incident, or a major chemical release. Your call can be made anonymously. We can
provide assistance in almost any language.

If you have questions about workplace health and safety or the Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation, call during our office hours (8:05 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to speak to a WorkSafeBC officer.

If you’re in the Lower Mainland, call 604.276.3100. Elsewhere in Canada, call toll-free at
1.888.621.7233 (621.SAFE).

Acknowledgements

This publication would not have been possible without the generous assistance of various
organizations and individuals involved with small business in British Columbia.
Health and Safety
for Small Businesses:
A Guide to WorkSafeBC
 Health and safety resources

All employers — no matter how big or small — are responsible for the health and safety of
their workers. To help support the health and safety needs of small and micro businesses,
a wide range of information and resources are available on worksafebc.com, and through
our partnership with Small Business BC.

Many of our resources are available to order in hard copy from the WorkSafeBC Store
at worksafebcstore.com. In addition to books, you’ll find DVDs, posters, and brochures.
If you have any questions about placing an order online, please contact a customer service
representative at 604.232.9704, or toll-free at 1.866.319.9704.

You can find a web book of this manual online at worksafebc.com/smallbusiness.

Copyright

This resource is protected by Canadian and international intellectual property laws and treaties,
including copyright and trademark laws, and is owned by the Workers’ Compensation Board
(“WorkSafeBC”). We encourage you to use this resource for non-commercial, personal,
or educational purposes to help promote occupational health and safety, provided that you
do not modify any of the content and do not remove any copyright or other notices from it.
In addition, if you are a trainer and wish to use this and any other WorkSafeBC resources as
part of your training, you cannot, either directly or indirectly through a course or training fee,
charge participants for WorkSafeBC resources. To request copyright permission, please send
an email to [email protected]. You can find our full copyright terms at worksafebc.com.

Use of WorkSafeBC’s intellectual property does not constitute an endorsement, express or

implied, of any person, service provider, service, or product.

Use of WorkSafeBC publications and materials is at your own risk. WorkSafeBC does not warrant
the quality, accuracy, or completeness of any information contained in the publications and
materials, which are provided “as is” without warranty or condition of any kind.

ISSN 1712-6673
© 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019
Workers’ Compensation Board (WorkSafeBC). All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Employers’ Fairness and Service Code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Employer responsibilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Know the rights and responsibilities of your workers. . . . . . . . . 3
Registering for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage. . . . . . . . 4
Benefits of WorkSafeBC insurance coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Who does and doesn’t need coverage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
How to register. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How much will my coverage cost?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Calculating your premiums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How do I pay my premiums? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Annual remittance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Quarterly remittance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Report and pay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Payment options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
What happens if I don’t report and pay on time?. . . . . . . . . . . 14
How can I reduce my premiums?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Your experience rating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Improve your experience rating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Recovery at work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
How can I prevent injuries? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Health and safety program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Involve your workers in health and safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Bullying and harassment in the workplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
We’re here to help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
What do I do if there is a workplace incident?. . . . . . . . . 21
Reporting injuries and incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Reporting serious incidents and fatalities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Incident investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Submitting claims and investigation forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Determining eligibility for a claim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC iii

 How can I assist workers with their recovery?. . . . . . . . . 26
Benefits of recovery at work for employers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Recovery and work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Rehabilitation programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Critical Incident Response Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
WorkSafeBC terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
What do I do if I disagree with a decision?. . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Step 1: Request more information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Step 2: Review Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Step 3: Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal. . . . . . . . . . . 38
Fair Practices Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Employers’ Advisers Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Workers’ Advisers Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
More resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Health and safety resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Claims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

iv Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

Introduction

The contribution of small businesses to B.C.’s economy and our

local communities is invaluable. This guide is designed to help you
understand your health and safety and insurance responsibilities, and
review your health and safety processes and procedures. It covers
what’s required to meet your legal obligations, including registering
your business and applying for coverage, managing claims, and
meeting your responsibilities for health and safety.

Health and safety doesn’t need to be complicated if you know

the basics.

Employers’ Fairness and Service Code

As an employer, you are central to all workplace operations

and decision making for your business, and we recognize you
as both a customer of our services and a partner in fulfilling our
safety mandate.

The Fairness and Service Code is designed to:

•• Outline the standards and behaviour you can expect from our staff
•• Clarify our commitment to continuous improvement in the
services we provide

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 1

 •• Ensure that you are aware of your rights in your dealings with us
•• Strengthen our relationship with our stakeholders

You can find the Employers’ Fairness and Service Code on

worksafebc.com.

Employer responsibilities

Whether a business is large or small, the law requires that it be a

safe and healthy place to work. As an employer, you are responsible
for ensuring a healthy and safe workplace.

Your health and safety responsibilities

Reference
•• Establish a valid occupational health and safety program
“How can I prevent and comply with the Workers Compensation Act and the
injuries?” on pages 17–20 Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
•• Provide a safe workplace by training your employees to do their
work safely and providing proper supervision.
•• Give supervisors the necessary support and training to carry out
health and safety responsibilities.
•• Regularly inspect your workplace to make sure everything is
working properly.
References
•• Ensure adequate first aid equipment, supplies, and trained
•• “Who does and doesn’t attendants are on site to handle injuries.
need coverage?” on •• Fix problems reported by workers.
pages 5–7
•• “Assessable payroll” Your insurance responsibilities
on page 11 •• Register for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage, if required, before
•• “How do I pay my you hire workers or contract out work.
premiums?” on pages
•• Report your assessable payroll and pay your premiums when
12–14
they are due.
•• Notify us of any changes to your operations that might affect
References your industry classification or the status of your account.
•• “What do I do if there is Your claims responsibilities
a workplace incident?” •• If a worker is injured on the job and needs immediate medical
on pages 21–23
attention, transport the worker to the nearest medical facility for
•• “Incident investigations”
treatment and pay for the transportation.
on pages 23–24
•• “Submitting claims and •• Report injuries, diseases, and other incidents.
investigation forms” on •• Investigate incidents and submit investigation reports.
pages 24–25. •• Submit the necessary forms when a claim is started.

2 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Know the rights and responsibilities of your
workers

Educate yourself about the rights and responsibilities of your

workers, and provide them with information so that they know how
to work safely and deal with any incidents that occur.

Worker rights
•• The right to know about hazards in the workplace.
•• The right to participate in health and safety activities in the
workplace.
•• The right to refuse unsafe work without getting punished or fired.

Worker responsibilities
•• Be alert to hazards and unsafe acts and conditions, and report
them immediately.
•• Follow safe work procedures and act safely in the workplace at
all times.
•• Use the protective clothing, devices, and equipment provided and
as instructed, being sure to wear them properly.
•• Co-operate with joint health and safety committees, worker health
and safety representatives, WorkSafeBC prevention officers, and
anybody with health and safety duties.
•• Report injuries to a supervisor and the employer.
•• Get treatment quickly should an injury happen on the job, and tell
the health care provider that the injury is work related.
•• Follow the treatment advice of health care providers.
•• Participate in modified or transitional duties that are part of a
reasonable return-to-work program.
•• Never work under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any other
substance, or if overly tired.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 3

Registering for WorkSafeBC
insurance coverage

Registering for workplace insurance coverage has benefits and is in

many cases a requirement in B.C.

Generally, you require coverage if you:

•• Employ and pay workers on a regular, casual, or contract basis
•• As a homeowner, hire an individual to work in or around your
home for a certain period of time (e.g., child care, lawn services)
•• Come from another province or country to do work in B.C.
•• Work in the commercial fishing or trucking industries
•• Own an incorporated company that is actively engaged in business

If you are self-employed and do not hire any workers or

unregistered contractors, you do not need to register or pay
premiums. You may be eligible to purchase optional coverage to
cover lost salary and medical expenses if you are injured on the job
as a result of your work.

For more information about who needs coverage, visit

worksafebc.com/insurance.

4 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Benefits of WorkSafeBC insurance coverage

WorkSafeBC insurance coverage is a no-fault insurance system that

protects both the employers who pay for it and the workers who
receive benefits:

Employers
WorkSafeBC collects insurance premiums from employers and
registered firms. In return, the employer or registered firm receives
the following benefits:

No-fault protection
Your insurance protects you from lawsuits by workers who are
injured on the job. This means that workers give up the right to sue
you in the event of a workplace injury, in exchange for your covering
the cost of health care and rehabilitation services as well as wage-
loss benefits.

Tools and expert advice

We provide resources and consultation to help you with injury
prevention, workplace safety, and disability management and return-
to-work programs for injured workers.

Collective liability
Like other types of insurance, the costs of claims are shared by those
in your industry, so you never have to bear the full cost of a claim.

Workers
Every worker in B.C. is automatically covered for any work-related
injury, illness, or disease. When workers suffer work-related injuries,
illnesses, or diseases, we offer benefits and services that include
compensation and support for their recovery, rehabilitation, and safe
return to work.

WorkSafeBC insurance will protect a worker from a lawsuit by

another worker who is injured on the job.

Who does and doesn’t need coverage?

All employers are legally required to have WorkSafeBC coverage

unless the employer is exempt. An employer is a person or firm that
hires workers or unregistered subcontractors. An employer can be a
self-employed proprietor, partnership, corporation, society, or other
type of legal entity.

Whether you need coverage depends on the type of business you

operate and whether you hire and pay workers.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 5

 Workers versus independent contractors
A worker is employed on a full-time, part-time, casual, or contract
basis and is paid on an hourly, salaried, piecework, or profit-sharing
basis. Equipment is supplied, and the work schedule is set by the
employer.

Workers can also include the following:

•• Each child of a proprietor or partner who is paid by the firm
•• The spouse of a partner who is working for the partnership and is
paid
•• A spouse, child, or other family member of a firm owner for
whom earnings are reported for income tax purposes

An independent contractor performs work under a contract with

another person or contractor and exists as a business outside of that
contract. Independent contractors are paid for the entire job; supply
their own tools, equipment, and major supplies for the job; and
determine their work schedule by agreement.

Subcontractors
If you contract out any of your work, ask your subcontractors
whether they carry their own WorkSafeBC insurance coverage.
If they do, ask for their account numbers. If they don’t, you may
be required to provide coverage for them.

To determine whether or not a subcontractor is registered with

us and is in good standing, you can obtain a clearance letter by
visiting worksafebc.com/insurance or by calling the Employer
Service Centre at 604.244.6181 in the Lower Mainland or
1.888.922.2768 toll-free in Canada.

Who is not required to register?

Individuals are not required to register if they are:
•• Partners or proprietors if the business is unincorporated
(even if the operation includes the proprietor’s spouse) and
they don’t hire any workers or unregistered subcontractors
•• Independent operators who are neither employers nor workers

To find out if you need to register, visit worksafebc.com/insurance.

Personal Optional Protection (POP) coverage

Proprietors and partners in a partnership who operate an
independent business are not automatically covered under the
Workers Compensation Act. If eligible, proprietors and partners
can purchase Personal Optional Protection (POP) coverage, which
is optional workplace disability insurance. POP will pay health care,
wage-loss, and rehabilitation benefits if you are injured at work.

6 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 What if I don’t register when required?
It is against the law to avoid registering when you are required to do
so. If you are required to register and do not, and one of your workers
is injured, you could be fined and charged the total compensation
costs of the injury plus retroactive insurance premiums.

How to register

To register, visit worksafebc.com/insurance. The online registration

process should only take about 20–30 minutes. (See “Information
you will need to register” below.)

To avoid unnecessary delays, provide complete details of your

business on the application form. An assessments officer may
contact you if the information is not clear; however, an incomplete
or illegible application may be rejected.

OneStop Business Registry

The OneStop Business Registry is a service that allows you to register
with several public agencies in one step, using your business number
from the Canada Revenue Agency. This service includes the following:
•• WorkSafeBC — registration number
•• Canada Revenue Agency — goods and services tax (GST), payroll
deductions, import-export accounts
•• Ministry of Finance — provincial sales tax and hotel room tax
•• BC Registries and Online Services — registration for a sole
proprietorship or general partnership
•• Participating municipalities — municipal business licences

Visit onestop.gov.bc.ca to register your business.

Information you will need to register

Make sure you have the following information ready when you go to
register:
•• The complete legal name of your business or, if you are registering
under a partnership or proprietorship, the legal names of the
business owners
•• Your incorporation number, date, and jurisdiction if you operate a
limited company
•• Your business number from the Canada Revenue Agency, if you
have one
•• The makes and models of any major equipment you use to
generate revenue

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 7

 •• A detailed description of your business, including products
produced, services provided, materials and equipment used,
processes, and so on
•• An estimate of your payroll if you employ workers or pay
yourself for work performed
•• The start date of operations and start date of your first worker,
if applicable
•• Names, social insurance numbers, birth dates, and contact
information of the proprietor, all partners, or all active shareholders
•• An email address and contact information for your business

8 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

How much will my coverage cost?

Once registered, you will be charged annual or quarterly insurance

premiums for your workplace disability coverage based on your
assessable payroll and your firm’s net rate.

Insurance premiums are collected from registered firms to cover the

costs of work-related injuries, occupational diseases, and fatalities.
These include health care, wage-loss, rehabilitation, administration,
and all other related costs. As a registered firm, you are required to
pay these premiums just as you would pay premiums for any other
type of insurance.

To find out how much your coverage costs, visit

worksafebc.com/insurance.

Calculating your premiums

Your premiums are calculated using three variables: the base premium
rate for your classification unit, your experience rating adjustment,
and your assessable payroll. These terms are explained below.

Classification units
Our classification system groups firms in similar industries with
similar levels of risk, so we’re able to charge you a fair rate that
reflects the rate of injury and illness in your industry.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 9

 Firms in the same industry share the same classification unit and
pay the same base premium rate for insurance. An industry’s base
premium rate reflects the risk of injury and historical claim costs.
The higher the risk and relative claim costs, the higher the industry’s
base premium rate will be.

Classification units help ensure that the overall claims costs in B.C.
are distributed fairly among the industries responsible for those
costs — industries with higher injury costs pay higher premiums.

There are approximately 540 classification units; the following are

three common ones for small businesses:
•• 761035 — Restaurant or Other Dining Establishment
•• 721027 — House, Other Wood Frame Construction, or
Renovation Work
•• 741013 — General Retail (not elsewhere specified)

To determine the classification unit that best describes your firm, we

consider several factors, including the following:
•• Type of products or services you provide, or how you generate
revenue
•• Processes, technology, or materials you use
•• Type of industry you compete in

Base premium rates

The base premium rate is the percentage of payroll that is charged
for your industry, ensuring that employers pay the costs of injuries,
diseases, and related prevention activities for their industry. Different
classification units have different base premium rates. To ensure
that base premium rates remain fair and equitable, we review the
classification system every year and modify rates to reflect changes
in industries and the economy.

Experience rating
Experience rating is the discount or surcharge that your firm earns
each year.

The discount or surcharge ensures that the costs of compensation

for people injured at work are distributed fairly. This is how we
determine it:
•• We determine your claim costs for the past three years.
•• We take into account the size of your firm, based on your payroll.
•• We compare your claim costs per dollar of payroll to the industry
average.

10 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 If your claims are lower than those of competitors of the same size,
you can earn discounts on your base premium rates — up to 50
percent over time.

If your claims are higher than those of competitors of the same size,
you may face surcharges of up to 100 percent over time. You can
estimate your experience rating using the experience rating calculator
on worksafebc.com or by calling the Employer Service Centre
(at 604.244.6181 in the Lower Mainland or 1.888.922.2768 toll-free in
Canada). Also see “How can I reduce my premiums?” on pages 15–16.

Assessable payroll
Your assessable payroll is the total amount of wages you pay to your
workers, including gross wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses,
holiday pay, and other remuneration before deductions. It excludes
non-cash taxable benefits. Most small businesses calculate and
submit this information using the Employer Payroll and Contract
Labour Report (form 1810). Your assessable payroll may also include
payments you made to contractors, or shareholder earnings, such
as dividends paid to an active shareholder in a closely held private
corporation.

Sample calculation of an annual premium

The following formula determines how much you pay:

[ premium
Industry base
rate
± Experience
rating ] × Assessable
payroll = Premium
For example, the 2019 base premium rate for a restaurant
(classification unit 761035) is 0.82% of assessable payroll.
This means that a firm in this classification unit with an annual
assessable payroll of $200,000 and an experience rating discount of
10% will pay an annual premium of $1,476 in 2019.

[0.82% – (0.82% × 10%)] × $200,000 = $1,476 premium

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 11

How do I pay my premiums?
As an employer, your responsibilities include reporting your payroll
and paying your premiums; even if you have zero payroll or owe
zero premiums, you must still report your payroll.

The process for reporting assessable payroll and paying a premium

is similar to filing a tax return. Toward the end of the year, you will
receive a letter by mail telling you the base premium rate for your
classification unit for the upcoming year. This is not a bill, and you
do not make a payment at this time.

Most small businesses will also receive an Employer Payroll and

Contract Labour Report (form 1810). Use this form to report your
annual assessable payroll and determine your premium for the
previous year. This payment is then due at the beginning of the
following year.

There are two categories of remittance: annual and quarterly.

Where your money goes

Claims $1.6 billion

Claims | 74% wage-loss, disability, and health
care benefits

Claims Administration $242 million

adjudication, payments, and
return-to-work programs

Prevention $93 million

education, consultation, and
enforcement

Appeals and advisers $41 million

WCAT (appeal tribunal), Review
Board, Workers’ Advisers, and
Employers’ Advisers

Investments $60 million

fund management
Claims Other | 6%
administration | 11% Other $127 million
Investments | 3%
Prevention | 4%
fraud detection, policy and
Appeals and advisors | 2% regulation, information services,
corporate services, governance,
research, and building maintenance

Note: All figures are taken from the WorkSafeBC 2018 Annual Report.

12 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Annual remittance

If you have a projected annual premium of less than $2,000, you

will generally report your payroll and pay your premium once a
year. Most small businesses remit annually.

Note Quarterly remittance

If you remit quarterly, If you have a projected annual premium of $2,000 or more, you will
you will also receive an generally remit on a quarterly basis. The quarterly remittance dates
Employer’s Remittance
are April 20, July 20, October 20, and January 20.
Form (form 1820) to
report your assessable
payroll, calculate your
Report and pay
premium, and make your
quarterly payment. Most small businesses will receive an Employer Payroll and Contract
Labour Report (form 1810). Use this form to report your annual
assessable payroll and determine your premium for the previous
year. If you remit quarterly, you will also receive an Employer’s
Remittance Form (form 1820) to report your assessable payroll,
calculate your premium, and make your quarterly payment.

Before you begin, review our dates and deadlines to get a sense
of when you need to report your payroll and pay premiums. You’ll
need the following information:
•• Your WorkSafeBC account number and payroll report ID. You’ll
find these on your payroll report.
•• Your payroll records for the previous year or quarter, including:
–– The total wages and salaries paid to workers, including
shareholders’ earnings.
–– The names of workers and active shareholders who have
earned more than the maximum assessable earnings for
the reporting year (the maximum is listed on your form).
See the “Assessable earning guide: Wage and salaries and
equivalent” on worksafebc.com for more details.
–– The total payments to contractors and unregistered
subcontractors in the previous year or quarter. In some
circumstances, an equipment allowance may be claimed
against unregistered subcontractors’ earnings.
•• A credit card or your bank account information, if you want to
make a payment or set up a payment method.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 13

 Payment options

You can pay your premiums using one of the following methods.
Online at worksafebc.com
Set up an online account at worksafebc.com to report your payroll
and pay your premium using your credit or debit card.
Through Fast File and Pay
Fast File and Pay enables you to report your payroll and pay your
premiums online without having to sign up for an online services
account. This may be an option for you if don’t want to access our
full range of online services. You can find Fast File and Pay
on worksafebc.com under “Report payroll & pay premiums.”
Through online banking
You can also set up WorkSafeBC as a bill payment on your online
banking website using the e-banking number on your statement as
your account number.

At a financial institution
Pay at your financial institution using the bottom part of form 1810
or 1820, as appropriate. Then mail or fax in the completed top part
of the form by following the instructions on the form, which includes
contact information.
At a WorkSafeBC office
Visit your nearest WorkSafeBC office with your completed form 1810
or form 1820 and pay by cheque or money order. Our Richmond
office also accepts payment by debit card, credit card, and cash.
Credit card and cash payments are limited to $10,000 or less.
By mail
Mail your completed form with a cheque or money order to the
address indicated on the form.

What happens if I don’t report and pay on time?

It’s important that you report your payroll accurately and pay your
premiums on time. If you don’t report your payroll by the due date,
we will estimate your annual payroll and you will be charged a
penalty according to the schedule below.

Penalty schedule Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4

Annual assessment $0-$5,999.99 $6,000-$19,999.99 $20,000-$199,999.99 $200,000+

Penalty amount $50 $150 $500 $1,000

14 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

How can I reduce my premiums?

As a small business owner, you care about your workers and your
bottom line. Workplace incidents can be very costly. Systems and
processes that identify and control hazards in your workplace will
prevent injuries, and can even reduce your premiums over time.

If you have fewer injuries and lower claims costs than other firms in
your rate group, you can receive a discount of up to 50 percent over
time.

Your experience rating

Every fall, we send you a letter that shows your base premium rate,
your experience rating adjustment, and your net premium rate for
the coming year. If you’ve had a claim, the letter will show how it
affected your experience rating. You can also view your premium
rate letter at worksafebc.com. See “How much will my coverage
cost?” on pages 9–11.

Improve your experience rating

You can reduce the amount you pay for insurance by improving
your experience rating. Here are some resources to help you reduce
the costs of claims by creating a safer and healthier workplace and
helping injured workers recover.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 15

 Prevent injuries
The best way to reduce your insurance costs is to prevent injuries.
A good first step is to develop a comprehensive workplace health
and safety program. For more information, see “How can I prevent
injuries?” on pages 17–20.

Get data to help plan your health and safety initiatives

Our easy-to-use online planning tools and calculators show how
changes you make at the workplace can impact injury rates, claim
costs, and insurance rates.
•• Employer Health and Safety Planning Tool Kit: This secure
application lets employers use their own data to plan targeted
safety improvements and reduce costs.
•• Industry health and safety data: These interactive tools provide
information on prevention activities, assessment data, injury rates,
and claim costs, by industry and classification unit, as well as by
specific health and safety topics.
•• Data at a glance: These interactive tools let you explore and
understand specific health and safety topics.
•• Calculators: These tools help you estimate premiums and
calculate the total costs of work-related injuries.

Find these tools at worksafebc.com/shared-data.

Recovery at work

Helping injured workers recover as soon and as safely as possible

will lower your injury costs and, over time, will have a positive
impact on your experience rating.

Recovering while at work is the healthiest option for most people

with work-related injuries. Working is good for physical and mental
health, and often helps speed healing. Making safe, sustainable
work arrangements for recovering workers takes teamwork.
Workers, employers, and health care providers all have important
contributions to make.

Our team will work with you, the worker, and the worker’s health
care team to help develop a return-to-work program that is safe
for the worker and suited to your business. See “How can I assist
workers with their recovery?” on pages 26–29 for more information.

16 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

How can I prevent injuries?

By taking steps to improve health and safety in your workplace,

you can help prevent the human and financial costs that result from
work-related injuries and diseases.

Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Workers

Compensation Act set out health and safety requirements that must
be followed by all workplaces covered under Part 3 of the Act,
which includes most small businesses. Many sections of the Act and
the Regulation also have associated guidelines and policies that will
help clarify your requirements.

You can search the Act, Regulation, guidelines, and policies at

worksafebc.com/searchable-regulation. For example, to get
information about smoking at work, you can enter the search term
smoking and then select the relevant sections that mention smoking.

You can also use the OHS Regulation mobile app, available for iOS
and Android devices. The app allows you to search and browse the
Act, Regulation, policies, guidelines, and WCB Standards on your
mobile device.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 17

 Health and safety program

All workplaces, including small businesses, are required to have an

occupational health and safety program to prevent work-related
injuries and diseases.

Whether you need an informal or formal program will depend on

the size and risk level of your workplace. A formal health and safety
program should include the following:
•• A process for identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards
•• Written safe work procedures and emergency response procedures
•• Orientation, education, training, and supervision for workers
•• Regular inspection of your workplace, tools, equipment, and
work practices and procedures to prevent the development of
unsafe working conditions
•• Incident investigations to identify causes and prevent recurrences
•• Regular health and safety meetings that include workers
•• Up-to-date records and statistics, if applicable (for example,
documentation of training activities, first aid treatments, safety
discussions, safety inspections, and incident investigations)
•• A joint health and safety committee or a worker health and safety
representative, as applicable

See sections 3.1 to 3.3 of the Regulation to find out what’s required
for your workplace.

First aid requirements

Employers are required to determine the level of first aid supplies,
attendants, and services appropriate for their workplaces by
conducting a first aid assessment. See Schedule 3-A (Minimum
Levels of First Aid) in the Regulation to determine the specifics for
your workplace.

Involve your workers in health and safety

Encourage your workers to ask questions if they do not understand

something, especially if they are young or new to the job. A few
minutes spent explaining or re-explaining something could prevent a
costly incident. Make sure your workers know the following:
•• Their rights and responsibilities, including the right to refuse
unsafe work

18 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 •• How to perform tasks safely
•• Who to ask if they have questions or need more training
•• Where to get first aid if they are injured

Depending on the size of your business, you may be required to

develop and implement written safe work procedures. This is a good
practice even if you are a smaller business since it gives workers
something to refer to if they are unsure of what to do. Take the time
to ask your workers how they would improve productivity and safety.
Encourage workers to participate in and take ownership of initiatives.

Address worker concerns quickly

As a small business, you have the advantage of being able to hear
concerns directly from your customers and your workers. You can
also deal with concerns more quickly and resolve many issues
immediately. Listen to your workers’ concerns about health and
safety, and provide them with feedback on their safety performance.
Deal with health and safety issues, such as broken equipment, as
quickly as possible.

Bullying and harassment in the workplace

Bullying and harassment in the workplace can take many forms,

including verbal aggression, personal attacks, and other intimidating
or humiliating behaviours. If workplace bullying and harassment is not
addressed, it can lead to lost productivity, anxiety, and depression.

As an employer, you must develop and implement procedures

for responding to reports or incidents of workplace bullying and
harassment. These procedures must include the following:
•• How and when investigations will be conducted
•• What will be included in the investigation
•• The roles and responsibilities of employers, supervisors,
workers, and others (such as investigators, witnesses, or union
representatives)
•• Follow-up to the investigation (description of corrective actions,
time frame, dealing with adverse symptoms, etc.)
•• Record-keeping requirements

For more information on how to meet your occupational health

and safety duties related to bullying and harassment, visit
worksafebc.com/preventbullying.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 19

 We’re here to help

Most likely there are other businesses similar to yours. Contact us to

find out if there is an industry association for your type of business,
or to learn more about common injuries in your industry and how to
prevent them.

You can also access industry-specific health and safety resources

on worksafebc.com.

Get information and assistance with health and safety issues in the
workplace
Our Prevention Information Line is a phone service dedicated to
health and safety in B.C. workplaces. You can connect for a one-on-
one consultation with a prevention officer and get answers to your
occupational health and safety questions.

20 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

What do I do if there is a workplace
incident?

Knowing exactly what to do if an accident or other incident occurs

in your workplace can relieve a lot of the stress and worry. First,
you must ensure that any injured workers receive first aid and, if
necessary, immediate medical treatment.

Please call Teleclaim at 1.888.WORKERS (1.888.967.5377) as soon as

possible if a worker:
•• Is taken from or leaves the jobsite for treatment at a medical facility
•• Misses time from work after the day of the injury
•• Loses consciousness
•• Is diagnosed with a work-related disease
•• Develops symptoms of a mental health disorder related to work
or the work environment
•• Suffers broken eyeglasses, dentures, a hearing aid, or an artificial
limb due to a work-related incident

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 21

 You must also immediately report serious incidents and fatalities
to us by calling the Prevention Information Line. This is in addition to
reporting any injury related to a claim.

Prevention Information Line

Phone: 604.276.3100 (Lower Mainland)
Toll-free: 1.888.621.7233 (1.888.621.SAFE) (Canada)

For all other injuries and illnesses, you must report to Teleclaim
within three business days of the injury occurring, or within three
business days of when you become aware of the injury.

Reporting injuries and incidents

Incident in which a worker is injured

•• Provide first aid and transportation to the nearest medical facility,
as required.
•• Report the incident to us within three days of the worker
reporting the incident to you, or the day you become aware of
the incident, whichever is earlier.
•• Submit the Employer’s Report of Injury or Occupational Disease
(form 7) within three days.
•• Investigate the causes and contributing factors of the incident, and
determine procedures or modifications to prevent similar incidents
in the future (see “Incident investigations” on pages 23–24).

See “Critical Incident Response Program” on page 29 for

information on assistance and support for you and your workers
following a traumatic incident.

Reporting serious incidents and fatalities

Employers must immediately report the following serious incidents:

•• A fatality or serious injury
•• A major release of a hazardous substance
•• A major structural failure or collapse of a building, bridge, tower,
crane, hoist, temporary construction support system, or excavation
•• A blasting accident that causes personal injury, or any other
dangerous incident involving explosives, whether or not there
is an injury
•• A diving incident, as defined by section 24.34 of the Regulation
•• A dangerous incident involving a fire or explosion that had
potential for causing serious injury to a worker

22 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Serious incident in which no worker is injured
Any serious incident, even one where no one gets hurt, must also
be reported and investigated.
•• Report the incident immediately through our Prevention
Information Line.
•• Investigate the causes and contributing factors of the incident,
and determine procedures or modifications to prevent similar
incidents in the future.

Reporting to the Prevention Information Line

To report a serious workplace incident, call the Prevention Information
Line at 604.276.3100 in the Lower Mainland or 1.888.621.7233
(621.SAFE) toll-free in Canada.

For fatalities and serious injuries, call the numbers above 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week.

Incident investigations

Employers are responsible for investigating certain incidents or near

misses that take place in the workplace and submitting an investigation
report to WorkSafeBC. An incident investigation is a separate process
from reporting the incident. These investigations help employers and
WorkSafeBC determine why an incident happened and what can be
done to prevent similar situations in the future.

Employers are responsible for immediately conducting an

investigation into any incident that involves:
•• Serious injury to a worker or a worker’s death
•• Injury requiring medical treatment
•• Minor injury, or no injury, but had the potential for causing
serious injury
•• Major structural failure or collapse
•• Major release of hazardous substances
•• A diving incident, as defined by section 24.34 of the Regulation
•• A dangerous incident involving explosive materials
•• A blasting incident causing personal injury

Section 173 of the Act provides more details about what incidents
employers must investigate.

You must complete a preliminary investigation and accompanying

report within 48 hours of an incident.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 23

 Goals of an investigation
As much as possible, an investigation must do the following:
•• Determine the causes of the incident.
•• Identify any unsafe conditions, acts, or procedures that
contributed to the incident.
•• Recommend corrective actions to prevent similar incidents.

Investigation report
After completing an investigation, you must submit the full
investigation report to WorkSafeBC within 30 days of the incident.
You will also need to provide a copy to your joint health and safety
committee or worker representative, as applicable.

WorkSafeBC investigations
In addition to employer investigations, we may investigate workplace
incidents that resulted in a death or an injury, or had the potential
to cause serious injury. Investigations help us determine why an
incident happened, gather information about industry trends, and
provide recommendations to prevent future incidents.

Submitting claims and investigation forms

Once you are aware of a work-related injury, you must submit the
Note
following forms to WorkSafeBC:
Injured workers can •• Employer’s Report of Injury or Occupational Disease (form 7)
file a claim by calling •• Employer Incident Investigation Report (form 52E40)
WorkSafeBC Teleclaim
at 1.888.WORKERS Online
(967.5377). Using our online tool is the fastest way to report a workplace injury
and submit the relevant claims and investigation forms. On the
worksafebc.com home page, under “Popular links,” click “Report a
workplace injury.”

By fax or mail
•• Fax form 52E40 to 604.276.3247 in the Lower Mainland or
1.866.240.1434 toll-free.
•• Fax form 7 to 604.233.9777 in the Lower Mainland or
1.888.922.8807 toll-free.
•• Mail to WorkSafeBC, PO Box 5350 Stn Terminal, Vancouver, BC
V6B 5L5.

24 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Once the necessary forms have been filed by the employer, worker,
and health care provider, we will begin processing the claim and
provide a claim number. You can use the claim number to check
the status of a claim on worksafebc.com/claims or by calling the
Claims Call Centre at 604.231.8888 in the Lower Mainland or
1.888.967.5377 toll-free in Canada.

Determining eligibility for a claim

Once we receive a report of a work-related injury or illness, we

gather information from the worker, the employer, and the health
care provider. Once all parties have submitted their reports, we can
then determine eligibility for benefits.

Two types of benefits can result from a claim:

•• Wage-loss includes decisions such as the wage rate and
duration of the disability.
•• Health care benefits include treatments such a physiotherapy,
surgeries, medical assessments, and medications.

There are two types of benefits that can result during the later stages
of a claim:
•• Vocational rehabilitation may be available when a work-related
injury or illness affects a worker’s ability to return to a previous
job. For more information, see “Vocational rehabilitation services”
on pages 28–29.

•• Permanent disability benefits may be available when a work-

related injury or illness results in a permanent disability. If a
worker’s functional abilities are permanently affected, the worker
may be eligible for a permanent disability award. The amount of
the award depends on the circumstances of the claim.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 25

How can I assist workers with their
recovery?

Supporting people in their recovery at work is good for them and

good for your business. Having workers perform some duties while
they recover keeps them connected with you and can prevent
long-lasting disability. Recovery at work requires teamwork between
you, the worker, and the worker’s health care providers.

Benefits of recovery at work for employers

Helping workers stay on the job as they recover may have a number
of benefits for your business:
•• Retention of a skilled and experienced worker, which reduces
recruitment and retraining costs.
•• Enhanced worker and employer relationships. Keeping the injured
worker connected demonstrates that you value your workers.
•• Reduced burden on co-workers.
•• Reduced productivity losses and workflow interruptions.
•• Reduced WorkSafeBC premiums.

26 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Recovery and work

Many people believe that being away from work after an injury
decreases stress and allows healing. But medical evidence proves
that recovering at work is better for most workers.

Many injured workers can safely perform productive work during

the process of recovering. Recovering at work is viewed as part of
therapy and recovery for the injured worker.

This is especially true for those with physical injuries such as strains
and sprains. Recovering at work also helps a person’s mental health
and well-being.

The overall goal is to prevent workplace injuries from becoming

disabilities that require unnecessary time away from work.

Focus on what someone can do

For many people, recovering at work means doing different tasks
or working a different schedule. Focusing on what someone can
do, rather than what they can’t do, makes it easier to decide on
alternative duties. For example, someone with an injured
shoulder can still perform useful and safe work in the office
by answering phones.

Involve the worker in the planning. Use a collaborative and

participatory approach. Have early, respectful, and considerate
conversations, and ask the following:
•• “How are you?”
•• “What do you think you can do?”

Recovery on the job

People who stay on the job, doing modified work, have faster
recoveries. They also avoid unnecessary consequences of being
away from work. Studies show that the longer people are off work,
the less likely they are to return in any capacity.

Of course, some people do need a brief period of recovery away

from work. They may have serious injuries requiring hospitalization
or frequent medical treatments. Even in these cases, returning to
some work as soon as appropriate helps with recovery and the
person’s overall health.

Should injured workers need a short time away from work for
recovery, keep in contact with them, and show them they are
a valued part of your team.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 27

 A team approach to recovery
Recovery at work is a collaborative process between people who
have been injured at work, employers, and health care providers.
Following a “work as therapy” approach helps people recover faster
and return to work and normal life sooner.

Using this approach, you and the worker can develop the
recover-at-work plan while health care providers offer advice on
the worker’s medical condition. Our staff can also help by sharing
what has been successful in other work settings.

Visit worksafebc.com/claims to access tools and information to help

you develop modified work offers.

Rehabilitation programs

Activity-related soft tissue disorder services

When people have a soft tissue injury related to overuse at work, we
may refer them to our network of activity-related soft tissue disorder
service providers.

The programs are available for workers who sustain soft tissue
injuries that keep them off work for more than three weeks. A
collaborative effort between employers, workers, WorkSafeBC,
physicians, and other health care providers, they include work
conditioning, occupational rehabilitation, interdisciplinary pain
management, and medical rehabilitation programs.

Vocational rehabilitation services

Sometimes an injury or occupational disease can affect a worker’s
ability to return to the job. That’s where vocational rehabilitation
comes in. It’s a collaborative process that helps workers safely
transition back to the job they were doing, or to other suitable
employment.

If you are unable to develop a return-to-work program for an injured

worker, we may refer you to a vocational rehabilitation consultant
for help.

First, the vocational rehabilitation consultant will work with you to

reintegrate the worker into your business, either in the same job or in
another capacity. If there are no viable options within your business,
the vocational rehabilitation consultant will try to place the worker
in another business or, if this is not possible, suggest appropriate
education or training that will help the worker find new work.

28 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 can also register to hire returning workers through the Hire a Worker
Program. This program offers cost incentives that are customized for
each worker and the employer’s needs.

For more information on return-to-work programs, rehabilitation

programs, and vocational rehabilitation services call 604.276.5150
in the Lower Mainland or 1.866.266.9404 toll-free in B.C., or email
[email protected].

Critical Incident Response Program

The Critical Incident Response Program is a confidential,

province-wide early intervention program for workers and
employers who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic
event in the workplace. A critical incident may include a serious
work-related injury, a fatality, a near miss, a threat, or a crime.

The Critical Incident Response Program offers post-incident

interventions to help workers and employers cope with traumatic
events. Interventions are led by a contracted mental health
professional who has specific training in critical incident stress.
In some cases, the program may also provide limited follow-up
counselling. The initial intervention is available within three weeks
from the date of the incident. You do not need to file a claim to
access the program.

For more information about this program, call the answering service
at 1.888.922.3700 (toll-free in B.C. and Alberta). Calls are returned
seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 29

WorkSafeBC terms
assessable payroll (assessable earnings)
The total wages an employer pays to workers, including gross
wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, holiday pay, and other
remuneration before deductions, except non-cash taxable benefits.
Assessable payroll is one variable WorkSafeBC uses to determine an
employer’s premium. It also includes shareholder earnings and may
include payments to subcontractors.

assessment
See premium.

base premium rate

The rate, before any applicable discounts or surcharges, that is applied
to an employer’s assessable payroll to determine the employer’s
premium. The base premium rate is expressed as a percentage of
assessable payroll — for example, 1.35% of payroll. The same base
premium rate applies to all employers in a classification unit.

classification unit (CU)

A category for employers whose businesses have similar work
activities and types of equipment, and who are considered to be
peers or competitors in an industry.

clearance letter
A clearance letter confirms a business is registered with us and
paying its premiums. In order to be absolved of any potential
liability related to your subcontractor’s unpaid premiums, you must
have a clearance letter from us, addressed to you, confirming that
your subcontractor was “active and in good standing” for the entire
period of your contract.

contractor
As defined by WorkSafeBC, there are distinct types of contractors:
independent contractors, prime contractors, and subcontractors.

WorkSafeBC divides contractors into the following categories:

independent contractor
An independent business that performs work under a contract
with another person or contractor and exists as a business
outside of that contract. Depending on the nature of the contract
and the relationship with the other contractor, an independent
contractor may be required to register. If an independent
contractor hires a worker, it must register as an employer.

30 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 prime contractor
Also referred to as the principal contractor. A person or group
of persons who, through a contract, an agreement, or ownership,
directs the activities of one or more persons engaged in work
at a worksite. On a worksite where workers of two or more
employers are working, the prime contractor is responsible
for coordinating health and safety activities and establishing a
system that will help ensure workers comply with the Regulation.

subcontractor
A person operating an independent business who undertakes
work or provides services for a contractor in exchange for some
form of predetermined remuneration. The person may be an
independent contractor, an independent operator, or a labour
contractor.

employer
A person or firm who employs one or more workers — including
contractors, apprentices, and trainees — on a full-time, part-time,
or casual basis. An employer may be a sole proprietor, partnership,
corporation, or other legal entity. Sole proprietors who employ their
spouses are not considered employers.

employer incident investigation report (EIIR) upload portal

An online reporting system that allows employers to submit
investigation reports to WorkSafeBC.

Employer Payroll and Contract Labour Report

See form 1810.

Employers’ Advisers Office

See “Employers’ Advisers Office,” page 40.

Employer’s Remittance Form

See form 1820.

experience rating
A discount or surcharge that is applied to an employer’s base
premium rate. Employers with lower claims costs than other
businesses of similar size in their rate group will have discounts
applied to their base premium rates. Employers with higher claims
costs will have surcharges that will increase their premiums.

form 7
Employer’s Report of Injury or Occupational Disease. Employers are
required to report workplace injuries using this form.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 31

 form 1810
Employer Payroll and Contract Labour Report. Firms are sent this
form at the end of each year to report their annual assessable
payroll. Employers who remit annually use this form to calculate
their premium for the current year and need to return the form with
their payment. Employers who remit quarterly also receive this form
annually to reconcile their account.

form 1820
Employer’s Remittance Form. Used by employers who make
payments on a quarterly basis.

hazard
A thing or condition that may expose a person to a risk of injury
or occupational disease.

incident
An accident or other occurrence that resulted in or had the potential
for causing a death, injury, occupational disease, or damage to
equipment or property. Incidents include the following:
•• Accidents in which a worker is injured or killed
•• Accidents in which no one is hurt but equipment or property
is damaged
•• Near misses (see near miss)

The terms incident and accident are often used interchangeably,

but the preferred term is incident because it includes near misses as
well as accidents.

incident investigation
A formal process that helps determine the contributing factors
that led to an incident. Investigators examine the findings of the
investigation and make recommendations to help ensure that similar
incidents do not occur in the future.

independent contractor
One of the types of contractors as defined by WorkSafeBC.
See page 30.

independent operator
A proprietor or a partner in a partnership who has an independent
business existence but does not employ a worker, and is not
employed by another person or entity. Generally, independent
operators are not required to register as employers but can get
voluntary Personal Optional Protection insurance.

32 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 injury or disease report portal
An online reporting system that provides a fast, convenient way to
file all the necessary forms for a work-related incident. The system
allows for electronic filing of form 7 at worksafebc.com/en/claims/
report-workplace-injury-illness.

joint health and safety committee

A committee that supports the employer’s duty to ensure a
healthy and safe workplace. The joint committee brings together
representatives of the employer and the workers to identify and help
resolve health and safety issues in the workplace. All workplaces that
regularly employ 20 or more workers must establish and maintain a
joint health and safety committee.

near miss
An incident in which there is no injury or damage but that could
have resulted in an injury, death, or damage to equipment or
property. Near misses should be treated seriously because they may
indicate hazardous conditions or acts that need to be corrected. See
incident.

Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

The document that describes the work-related legal requirements
that must be met by owners, employers, workers, supervisors,
managers, and suppliers. The requirements of the Regulation are
adopted under the authority of the Workers Compensation Act.

payroll report
See form 1810.

Personal Optional Protection (POP)

Optional workplace disability insurance for individuals who are not
automatically covered under the Act, such as proprietors or partners
of an unincorporated business. POP insurance benefits may include
vocational rehabilitation assistance as well as wage-loss or health
care benefits.

premium
The amount of money an employer pays for workplace disability
insurance coverage. Also referred to as an assessment.

prime contractor
Also referred to as the principal contractor. One of the types of
contractors as defined by WorkSafeBC. See page 31.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 33

 rate information letter
A letter that is mailed out toward the end of each year that tells
employers what their base premium rate will be for the coming year
and provides details of their experience rating discount or surcharge.
It also includes claims costs paid for that business for the years used
to calculate the experience rating, if applicable.

reporting and remitting

The process of reporting assessable payroll and paying WorkSafeBC
premiums. See also form 1810 and form 1820.

recovery at work
A process for helping an injured worker get back to a productive role
in the workplace as quickly and safely as possible.
Return-to-work programs usually involve reduced hours, job
modifications, or different jobs to accommodate an injury.

risk
A chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience
an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard.

safe work practice (procedure)

A system or set of procedures that describes how to perform a
task safely and efficiently. Written safe work practices help identify
hazards and explain what must be done to eliminate or minimize them.

sector
The broadest category in the WorkSafeBC classification structure
for industries. There are seven industry sectors in the WorkSafeBC
system: primary resources, manufacturing, construction,
transportation and warehousing, trade, public sector, and service
sector. Each industry sector is composed of a group of subsectors.

subcontractor
One of the types of contractors as defined by WorkSafeBC.
See page 31.

subsector
A more specific category that falls under one of the seven industry
sectors in the WorkSafeBC classification structure. For example, the
construction sector includes three subsectors: general construction,
heavy construction, and road construction or maintenance. Each
subsector is composed of a group of classification units. See also
classification unit.

supervisor
A person who instructs, directs, and controls workers in the
performance of their duties.

34 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 worker
An employee, including an apprentice or trainee, who is employed
on a full-time, part-time, casual, or contract basis.

worker health and safety representative

Workplaces that regularly employ more than 9 and fewer than 20
workers are required to have at least one worker health and safety
representative rather than a joint health and safety committee. See
also joint health and safety committee.

Workers’ Advisers Office

See “Workers’ Advisers Office,” page 41.

Workers Compensation Act

The legal document that describes the jurisdiction of WorkSafeBC
and its authority to make regulations, inspect workplaces, issue
orders, and impose penalties. The Act also explains the rights and
responsibilities of employers and workers regarding health and
safety.

Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT)

The Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal is an independent
body external to WorkSafeBC that serves as the final level of appeal
for most WorkSafeBC matters.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 35

What do I do if I disagree with
a decision?
If you disagree with a decision about a matter such as a claim,
assessment, or health and safety inspection, take these steps:
1. Request more information so you can be sure you understand
why the decision was made.
1. If you still disagree with a decision, request a review by the
impartial Review Division.
2. If you disagree with the Review Division’s decision, you can
appeal to the external independent Workers’ Compensation
Appeal Tribunal.

Both the Employers’ Advisers Office and the Workers’ Advisers

Office are available to provide advice and assistance throughout the
review and appeal processes (see pages 40–41).

Step 1: Request more information

Regardless of the type of decision, you must first receive a written

decision before you can make a formal request for review or appeal.
If you want the decision to be reconsidered and have additional
information, you must submit your information within 75 days of
the date of the decision.

Keep records of all letters and phone calls to WorkSafeBC. When

you communicate with us, always use your employer account
number and, if you have one, the worker’s claim number.

Claims decisions
If you do not understand a claim decision, ask the officer responsible
for the decision to explain it to you. If you still disagree with or do not
understand the decision, and you have not received a decision letter,
you can request a written decision. For more information, search
“Claims review and appeal guide for employers” on worksafebc.com.

Assessment decisions
Our assessment department makes various decisions, including the
following:
•• Whether an applicant is required to register for WorkSafeBC
insurance coverage
•• What the appropriate classification unit is for an employer

36 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 •• Whether or not to apply penalties for late payments or payroll
reports
•• Estimates of employer payroll, when reports have not been
submitted
•• The disposition of any surpluses in an employer’s account
•• The determination of coverage periods for customers with
Personal Optional Protection

If you disagree with or have any questions about an assessment

decision related to your business, you can phone the Employer
Service Centre for more information at 604.244.6181 in the Lower
Mainland or 1.888.922.2768 toll-free in Canada. The Employers’
Advisers Office (see page 40) can also provide advice and assistance
in assessment matters.

Health and safety inspections

As the employer, you may wish to get more information from one
of our prevention officers about a health and safety inspection. You
can request information in writing, by telephone, or by visiting the
nearest WorkSafeBC office. If you plan to visit an office, make an
appointment to ensure that the appropriate person will be available.
If you still don’t understand or if you disagree with an officer’s
findings and you have not received a written inspection report, you
may request one. Once you have the report, you may request a
reconsideration or seek a review by the Review Division.

Health and safety enforcement decisions

Health and safety enforcement includes occupational health
and safety orders, administrative penalties, and cancellations of
certificates. If you disagree with an enforcement decision, you can
ask the officer to explain or reconsider it. You can also contact the
officer’s regional manager to discuss the decision and ask for a
reconsideration of the matter.

Step 2: Review Division

If you disagree with the written decision from Step 1, under the
Act you can request an impartial review by the Review Division of
certain WorkSafeBC decisions. To do so, you must mail or fax a
Request for Review – Review Division (form 63M1), available at
worksafebc.com/forms-resources or from any WorkSafeBC office,
to the Review Division. You can also submit this form online.
Log in to your account on worksafebc.com and select “Request
& manage reviews.”

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 37

 You must submit the form to the Review Division within 45 days of
a health and safety enforcement decision or within 90 days of any
other original decision. The Review Division will normally provide a
decision within 150 days.

Claims reviews can only be requested by an employer, a worker,

or a deceased worker’s dependant. Reviews of health and safety
enforcement decisions may be requested by a worker, an employer,
an owner, a supplier, a union, or a member of a deceased worker’s
family.

Questions about the review and appeal process

The review and appeal process is complex and may vary with each
situation. If you have questions or need further information about a
review or the review process, you can contact the Review Division
directly at 604.241.5411 or 1.888.922.8804 toll-free. Employers can
also obtain assistance and advice about how to appeal a WorkSafeBC
decision by contacting the Employers’ Advisers Office (see page 40).

Step 3: Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal

If you disagree with the decision of the Review Division, in most

cases you have the right to file an appeal with the Workers’
Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT). WCAT is an independent
body external to WorkSafeBC that serves as the final level of appeal.
For most issues, you cannot appeal to WCAT unless you have
received a Review Division decision.

To file an appeal, contact WCAT (www.cat.bc.ca) for more

information. You must file your appeal within 30 days of the date of
the Review Division decision. WCAT will normally provide a decision
within 180 days.

Fair Practices Office

The Fair Practices Office provides impartial assistance to any person

or organization that has an issue or complaint with WorkSafeBC.
The Fair Practices Office’s mandate is to ensure that the Act, the
Regulation, and WorkSafeBC policies, practices, and procedures are
applied fairly.

The Fair Practices Office can provide confidential assistance

regarding claims, assessments, or inspections when there is a
complaint of alleged unfairness in the application of compensation
law, policy, practice, or procedure.

38 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 You can submit a complaint in the following ways:
•• Submit complaints by completing the Complaints to the
WorkSafeBC Fair Practices office form (form 15b3) or write
the details of your complaint in a letter, and mail or fax it to
the Fair Practices Office.
•• Call the Fair Practices Office with your complaint.

Once you submit your complaint, the Fair Practices Office will
acknowledge a written complaint or inquiry within one working day.

Important: The Fair Practices Office is not another level of review

or appeal — it is not meant to replace worker or employer access to
the review and appeal process.

Contact the Fair Practices Office

Phone: 604.276.3053 (Lower Mainland)
Toll-free: 1.800.335.9330 (B.C. and Alberta)

Fax: 604.276.3103

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Online: search for “Fair practices office” on worksafebc.com

Mail: WorkSafeBC Fair Practices Office, PO Box 5350 Stn Terminal,

Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5L5

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 39

Employers’ Advisers Office
The Employers’ Advisers Office is a branch of the B.C. Ministry of
Labour, independent of WorkSafeBC. Employers’ advisers are funded
by the WorkSafeBC premiums collected from employers, and they
have a right to access WorkSafeBC information on your behalf.

At no additional cost, employers’ advisers provide impartial

advice and assistance regarding workers’ compensation
claims, assessments, and prevention issues. They also provide
representation services for reconsideration requests, reviews, and
appeals of WorkSafeBC decisions. They make recommendations to
WorkSafeBC’s senior executive committee and Board of Directors
on policy and practice issues.

In addition, employers’ advisers conduct educational seminars

for employers on topics such as occupational health and safety
requirements, claims management, disability management, and
assessments.

You can visit the Employers’ Advisers Office website at gov.bc.ca/

employersadvisers or contact a regional office for help. You can
reach all the regional offices using the following numbers:
•• Phone: 604.713.0303 in the Lower Mainland
•• Toll-free: 1.800.925.2233 in Canada

40 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

Workers’ Advisers Office
The Workers’ Advisers Office is a branch of the B.C. Ministry of
Labour, independent of WorkSafeBC. Workers’ advisers provide
workers with advice and assistance on WorkSafeBC benefits,
policies, and the interpretation of the Act. They can provide workers
with direct assistance involving claim problems with WorkSafeBC
and provide representation in cases involving complex legal, medical,
or policy issues. Advisers meet with senior WorkSafeBC officials
to resolve claims issues and avoid unnecessary appeals. They
also make recommendations to WorkSafeBC’s senior executive
committee and Board of Directors on policy and practice issues.

You can visit the Workers’ Advisers Office website at gov.bc.ca/

workersadvisers or contact one of the following regional offices
for help.

Campbell River
Phone: 250.830.6526
Toll-free: 1.800.661.4066

Kamloops
Phone: 250.371.3860
Toll-free: 1.800.663.6695

Kelowna
Phone: 250.717.2096
Toll-free: 1.800.663.6695

Kootenays
Toll-free: 1.800.663.4261

Nanaimo
Phone: 250.741.5504
Toll-free: 1.800.661.4066

Prince George
Phone: 250.645.4021
Toll-free: 1.800.663.6695

Vancouver/Lower Mainland
Phone: 604.713.0360
Toll-free: 1.800.663.4261

Victoria
Phone: 250.952.4393
Toll-free: 1.800.661.4066

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 41

More resources

This section lists some of the resources available to you to learn

more about the topics in this book.

Getting started

Apply for coverage — this webpage outlines the application

process, and includes information about how to apply online,
by mail, or by fax. Visit worksafebc.com/insurance and click on
“Apply for coverage.”

Create & manage a healthy & safe workplace — visit

worksafebc.com/health-safety, then click on “Create & mange
a health & safe workplace.” Here you’ll find more information
and resources on topics such as:
•• Roles, rights & responsibilities
•• First aid requirements
•• Health & safety programs
•• Incident investigations
•• Training & orienting workers
•• Joint health & safety committees

Small Business Health & Safety Log Book — this resource

includes easy-to-use checklists and templates that will walk you
through the process of establishing a health and safety program.
Search for this resource on worksafebc.com or find it linked at
worksafebc.com/smallbusiness.

42 Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC

 Health and safety resources

WorkSafeBC has hundreds of print, video, and multimedia

resources on a wide range of health and safety topics. Visit
worksafebc.com/resources-health-safety to find resources for
your business. You can then refine your search by topic, industry,
resource type, and/or language.

Resources specific to small businesses can be found at

worksafebc.com/smallbusiness.

Claims

Visit worksafebc.com/claims to report a workplace injury or disease.

You will find all the information and forms you need here to file a
claim online, by phone, or by mail or fax.

This section of the website also contains information about benefits

and services, managing a claim, and recovery and work.

Health and Safety for Small Businesses: A Guide to WorkSafeBC 43

Notes
BK88 Printed in Canada 10/19