News and Updates

COVID-19 virus magnified

COVID-19 update from WorkSafeBC

Expedited workplace closures – what employers can expect On April 11, 2021, an order of the provincial health officer (PHO) delegated specific powers to WorkSafeBC prevention

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COVID-19 vaccine news for BC food processors and manufacturers

Since mid-March, more than 20,000 essential workers at Alliance member companies have received their first immunizations. That initial priority campaign ended in late March. The health regions are waiting for direction from the province to determine whether, when, and how they may be able to resume priority immunization of production workers. We will continue to update you here as we learn more.

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Certification is Only the BeginningOn the Path to Continuous Improvement Tofino-based Creative Salmon raises organic, indigenous Chinook salmon in the waters of Clayoquot Sound. Their team first heard of the value of COR certification through an industry association meeting. To keep up with other fisheries in the region who were pursuing certification, Creative Salmon started looking into what they […]
Leadership Visibility: A Simple but Powerful Mental Health StrategyYears ago, I worked at a national company headquartered in Vancouver. I didn’t report to the president directly, but I watched him do something simple and powerful: every morning, he’d walk through the office and check in with people, everyone from the custodian to the temp admin to the VPs. He’d remember small details, ask […]
Training for tomorrowCreating a safe work environment cannot occur without training our teams—which is the reason safety education is the cornerstone of our service to our manufacturing members. In this issue, we look at orientation and job training best practices for the employees among the most at risk in your organization: new employees and workers learning a […]
People Leader SupportLeadership Training and Coaching Management training, coaching, and advice for people leaders at all levels: Supervisors and managers Business owners, and executives People leaders play a crucial role in promoting employee mental health and well-being by fostering respectful workplaces where everyone feels safe and supported in their work. Leaders have a responsibility to identify and respond […]
Membership BenefitsWhy join the Alliance? More than 3,000 BC businesses choose Alliance training and services. We can help you too. Safety is responsible business Health and safety is a key factor in long term business sustainability. Yet more than 400 preventable injuries still happen on the job every day in BC. In today’s competitive business environment, […]
Open Learning ClassesPublic Safety Training Classes Book a seat (or seats) in an Open Learning class Getting employees out of the workplace reduces distractions and can lead to out of the box thinking—and with Open Learning, you can purchase training by the seat for any number of participants. In sessions with students from multiple companies, employees also […]
Finding a passion for injury preventionBill Bowman was only 19 years old when his life changed forever. He had just found a summer job at a rail car manufacturing plant in Hamilton that paid three times what he had previously made as a maintenance man. On that fateful day he was tasked to work with a small brake press, adjusting […]
Making the case for safety: Safety programs lead to cost savings​Three years ago, when Laura Spiers was first hired as the safety specialist for West Coast Reduction Limited (WCRL), the company had already made the decision to pursue COR certification to the Occupational Safety Standard of Excellence (OSSE). In addition to helping build up the company’s safety management system, Spiers was tasked to make a […]
De-energization and LockoutFor workers and supervisors: understand what hazardous energy is and identify it in your workplace. Learn to apply the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OHSR) requirements for lockout and de-energization to prevent the release of hazardous energy to prevent injuries and property damage.
Annual ReportsAnnual Reports Take a look back at the performance of the Alliance by reading our Annual Reports.   2024 Annual Report 6.03 MB 1 file(s) 2023 Annual Report 7.28 MB 1 file(s) 2022 Annual Report 1.85 MB 1 file(s) 2021 Annual Report 4.71 MB 1 file(s)
OSSE/COR Reference MaterialsOSSE/COR Reference Materials Below you will find links to our policies and procedures, standards and guidelines, the policies surrounding the use of the OSSE Seal, WorkSafeBC COR program standards and guidelines, and the WorkSafeBC Assessment Manual. OSSE Program QA Procedures V2.0 March 2025DOWNLOAD »
Business PlanBusiness Plan The Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC (formerly FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC and hereafter known as the Alliance) is a not-for-profit industry organization established to address occupational health and safety challenges and opportunities specific to the manufacturing and food and beverage processing industries. The Alliance today represents more than 3,000 BC manufacturers and […]