63 11.5 Occupational Health and Safety in Tourism
So far we have primarily discussed risk management from a client/guest perspective. However, substantial effort in a tourism and hospitality operation must be put into managing worker safety as well. Responsibilities for worker safety are generally legislated by occupational health and safety laws, which clearly dictate safety standards. Employers who fail to adhere to these standards may be penalized or fined (WorkSafeBC, 2015a).
WorkSafeBC is the provincial organization for occupational health and safety in BC. It is an independent agency managed by a board of directors who are appointed by government. The mandate of WorkSafeBC is to:
- Promote the prevention of workplace injury, illness, and disease
- Rehabilitate those who are injured and provide timely return to work
- Provide fair compensation to replace workers’ loss of wages while recovering from injuries
- Ensure sound financial management for a viable workers’ compensation system (2015b)
There was an average of 4300 tourism and hospitality WorkSafeBC claims each year from 2014 to 2018, which is slightly below the average of all sectors within BC. (WorkSafeBC, 2020c). To reduce these claims and protect workers, WorkSafeBC has an extensive worker safety program with educational resources and training programs available. A partnership with go2HR — the tourism and hospitality human resources organization — has been developed to raise awareness in tourism and hospitality about worker safety, particularly for young, vulnerable workers (go2HR, 2015).
Spotlight On: Yukon Occupational Health and Safety
In the Yukon, a Certificate of Recognition (COR) is also strongly encouraged for businesses in all sectors with more than 10 employees and is required for all Yukon Government contracts. This Certificate of Recognition (COR) in this occupational health and safety program is offered in partnership with Northern Safety Network Yukon. For more information, please visit the following websites:
- Yukon Government (https://yukon.ca/en/certificate-recognition)
- Northern Safety Network Yukon (https://www.yukonsafety.com/cor)
The Yukon also has the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board which is governed by two pieces of legislation, the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. These acts were created to provide clear guidelines on how businesses establish their policies and procedures in order to exceed minimum legal requirements for safety in their workplaces. In 2019, the board started the process of working to consolidate both these acts into a more cohesive document similar to WorkSafeBC’s with a target completion date of 2025 which will result in some of the above links changing to reflect this consolidation.
The nature of tourism and hospitality often means operations need to employ a considerable number of employees; these are often entry-level positions, requiring little experience. Employers need to be cognizant of the requirements for worker safety under WorkSafeBC; failing to do so may result in fines for the operation, or far worse — workplace injuries to employees.
Spotlight On: WorkSafeBC BC Tourism and Hospitality Resources
WorkSafeBC has extensive resources for tourism and hospitality workers to avoid workplace injury. These include prevention tools for accommodation, adventure tourism, food and beverage, and events. WorkSafeBC also explains updates and changes to workers’ compensation in BC, and provides opportunities for courses and training in first aid and injury prevention. For more information, visit WorkSafeBC BC Tourism and Hospitality website.
In addition to concerns about safety, employers and employees must be aware of the Employment Standards Act. This act defines the legal requirements around employment such as minimum wage, breaks, meal times, vacation pay, statutory holidays, age of employment, and leave from work (British Columbia Ministry of Labour, 2015).
Take a Closer Look: Employment Standards Act FAQs
This list of frequently asked questions provides quick answers to inquiries about employment standards in BC, including whether employers are required to pay for sick leave, time in meetings, and coffee breaks. You can read more about them at the Employment Standards Act FAQs.
BC's occupational health and safety organization.
Defines legal requirements around employment such as minimum wage, breaks, meal times, vacation pay, statutory holidays, age of employment, and leave from work.
