Ensuring safety for all employees in the office and out in the community.
That's the goal behind Coquitlam's mandate for its workers' occupational health and safety, and it appears to have been accomplished for a fourth time in as many years.
The city has won a provincial honour for its commitment to maintaining a safe environment for workers, courtesy of the BC Municipal Safety Association (BCMSA)
The 2022 organizational safety award (OSA) is said to recognize local governments that post a positive track record of reducing the number of workplace injuries, illnesses, diseases and fatalities.
According to a news release, cities bestowed the honour are said to demonstrate "leadership, dedication and hard work" to creating a safer space for employees and helping injured workers with their recovery and return.
"Coquitlam’s work in this area includes a modified/light-duty program that allows injured employees to continue to safely work as they heal," said city spokesperson Renzo Del Negro.
As well, the city has now received more than $1.99 million in the last 10 years from WorkSafeBC incentives based on encouraging safety audits through the BCMSA's programs.
"The OSA is based on WorkSafeBC (WSBC) experience ratings, which assign employers either discounts or surcharges on their premiums based on an industry comparison of claim costs, taking into account organization sizes," Del Negro added.
"OSA winners have either achieved a consistent experience rating discount of 20 per cent or more over the past three years — as is the case for Coquitlam — or reduced their experience rating by 20 per cent over four years to achieve a discount by the end of three years.
"Having maintained a WSBC experience rating discount of 20 per cent or more for 20 years, Coquitlam is considered a leader in local government occupational health and safety in B.C."
It's the fourth time the city has won in the category since 2019, when the BCMSA inaugurated the award.
