Knowledge Base Questions Archive - Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC

Regarding the guidance on isolation, and isolating for 14 days — does this mean that when a case is positive, our business closes for 14 days?

You would need to follow the direction of public health, and take their advice on whether a 2 week business shutdown is warranted. There is no clear answer, as it would be on a case by case determination, factoring in with whom that positive case worker interacted with in your business.

Why is there a 14-day isolation period instead of 10 days like other countries?

The isolation requirement for active cases is 10 days—the length of time someone with COVID-19 typically remains infectious. Contacts are required to isolate for 14 days. This longer isolation is required because of the length of the incubation period for COVID-19 (the length of time someone may become infected after exposure).

A few jurisdictions have chosen a shorter isolation period for contacts to balance hardship of isolation against the risk of transmission, but all recognize that there will be increased transmission with a shorter isolation period.

A number of questions from attendees in multiple regions asking about things they’ve heard about the March AstraZeneca workplace vaccinations. They are wondering now, how can a company can find out if they are “on the list” or radar of the health authority for any future phase of the essential worker vaccine rollout?

Things have been fast moving in the rollout of vaccines, with the supply that we have changing, having some disruptions at some points, being alert and nimble to all this has been challenging for both regional health authorities and for the general public/employers who are supporting employees getting vaccinated. In relation to AstraZeneca, this will vary from region to region. Each region has been given authority to deliver vaccinations to where its most necessary. For example Fraser Health & Island Health, the attention is to farms as a high risk site, and is less so the case for VCH. Meanwhile Northern Health may look at more industrial applications that aren't as common in the south. Suggestion is - writing to the Alliance with your expression of interest to add your names and contact info to our database, and when VCH can offer vaccinations to each sector, we'll be able to contact you. Register your interest.

A worker is off for minor injury and is a poor performer. Is there a length of time a worker must be back to work injury free before an employer can terminate employment because of poor performance?

Ale (KSW Lawyer): If an employer terminates an employee within six months due to the injury, they may be liable for breaching the Duty to Maintain Employment. The determining factor is whether the termination was related to that worker’s compensable injury. WorkSafeBC wants to dissuade employers from terminating injured workers due to their injury and associated disabilities. The employer must establish that the termination was unrelated to the injury, which can be difficult to prove without evidence of performance shortcomings.

A worker is off for more than two years; they cannot come back to their pre-injury role. The worker does not feel like they can come back in any capacity. Can you share what the employer can do in this circumstance?

Ale (KSW Lawyers): The Duty of Maintain Employment is not indefinite; it runs to the second anniversary of a worker’s date on injury. If a worker has been unable to return to work over two years from the date of injury, the obligation to maintain employment ends.

Do air purifiers in the lunchroom make things better or worse?

Air purifiers cannot increase the risk of transmission, and may be helpful. For specific advice, consult an HVAC engineer.

How reassuring is it for travellers if all passengers are tested at the airport before boarding?

This can’t be relied upon to protect travelers. Passengers incubating virus can test negative but become infectious in short time.

Another employer in another health region is asking for some insight into how contact tracing works. Through a few positive cases, they have not been contacted by the health region and have done their best on their own to identify which of their staff needed to be notified, or quarantine.

It's similar process. If a new case is diagnosed, they will be reached by public health and interviewed, and looked at the contacts. This could be their household members they live with, can be social contacts, and include looking at their work place. Looking for people who are close in staying in contact with the case. Typical time frame would be 15 minutes within that 2 meters distance. Sometimes we would be concerned with contact scenarios. If people are working in close proximity for a certain task, it could be considered close contacts. If it's over 2 meters and they are working in the same room, they could be asked to isolate. Public health will asses this and make these decisions on who in a workplace needs to isolate, who may need to be notified but doesn't have to isolate. Looking at thresholds who will get which intervention, and then notify the entire workplace if it's deemed necessary - for wide spread exposure. Many workplaces have taken on some of their own contact tracing, trying to isolate people who have been in close contact. Generally speaking we ask that you wait for public health to do that. You can work with us, contact tracers, and inform us if there has been close contact is part of the day to day in the workplace. We are always looking for more information. We have experience where entire shifts/workplaces have been put off for days, which may not have been needed. The proactive work from employers is great, but please do so in consultation with public health.

Are additional supplies just related to the type of workplace hazard or the staff health condition as well? For example, do we need to supply some medications for our staff with underlying diseases?

Any additional first aid supplies are based on the specific workplace and work processes; not the workers themselves and any confidential underlying medical issues they may have. If a worker voluntary discloses a medical condition requiring specific medications, it is the decision of that worker to disclose, and provide, the medication they may require. They should also explain the administration instructions to the first aid attendant. Medical information disclosed to the First Aid attendant is voluntary, and it must remain private and confidential.

Are any food production facilities considered critical and therefore exempt from the closure health order?

Food processing is not exempt from the public health order regarding potential closures for COVID-19 outbreaks.

Are disability awards calculated the same way as the temporary wage loss payments?

Dampening measures apply to disability award payments in much the same way as they apply to temporary wage loss payments. For more information on dampening measures, see our webinar on Managing Your WorkSafeBC Insurance Costs.

Are external auditors audited by the MSABC? For example, some external auditors may be lenient in their scoring.

Yes, we have several verification processes to ensure auditors provide the same level of scoring and accuracy, these include regular quality assurance reviews, on-site audit verification, and WorkSafeBC initiated verification audits.

Frequently Asked Questions