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

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

• Establish a valid occupational health and safety program and comply with the Workers Compensation Act and the 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.
• Ensure adequate first aid equipment, supplies, and trained attendants are on site to handle injuries.
• Fix problems reported by workers.

Your insurance responsibilities

• Register for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage, if required, before you hire workers or contract out work.
• Report your assessable payroll and pay your premiums when they are due.
• Notify us of any changes to your operations that might affect your industry classification or the status of your account.

Your claims responsibilities

• If a worker is injured on the job and needs immediate medical attention, transport the worker to the nearest medical facility for treatment and pay for the transportation.
• Report injuries, diseases, and other incidents.
• Investigate incidents and submit investigation reports. • Submit the necessary forms when a claim is started.