Overview

• What: Proposed changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and policy related to workplace conduct, violence, and bullying and harassment in the workplace.
• Who: Workers and employers throughout B.C.
• Why: To get feedback on proposed changes to workplace conduct and violence regulations and bullying and harassment policies.
• Key topics: Workplace conduct, Violence, Bullying and harassment

A growing number of workers are reporting physical or psychological threats or actions. Starting in 2019, we’ve gathered feedback on the following proposed changes through a series of stakeholder consultations, including one public consultation. It is anticipated that a public hearing will be held later this year.

What are the proposed changes?

We’re proposing changes to the workplace behaviour requirements to create a single comprehensive framework in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, including:

• A single definition for behavioural hazards, called harassment and violence
• This includes behaviour that harmfully targets an individual’s personal characteristics such as gender or race
• Incident resolution and investigation requirements

How will this affect you?

These changes will require an employer to have a harassment and violence prevention program, created with consultation from workers, that includes:

• A risk assessment
• Effective measures to eliminate or minimize identified risks
• Written policies and procedures
• Training for supervisors and workers

How your contributions make a difference

All feedback is reviewed and shared with our Board of Directors and considered in shaping our regulatory approach to harassment and violence in the workplace. The updated regulation will have a direct impact on B.C. workplaces, helping to address the evolving needs of workers and employers to create a safer work environment for all.

Learn more

• Read the proposed changes consulted on in 2023. Note that the final regulation will vary from the proposed amendments described here: Part 4, General Conditions, sections 4.24 to 4.31.2 — Harassment and Violence
• A public hearing is anticipated to be scheduled later this year: Check the public hearing schedule