Retailers in British Columbia may be impacted by proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation being pursued by WorkSafeBC in regard to “storage racks.”
The proposed amendments would force warehouses and retailers to ensure worker safety through the inclusion of new requirements covering the design, construction, installation, maintenance and modifications of steel shelving. The amendments detail that regular inspections should also occur and that “the employer must ensure that a qualified person, in accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer or a professional engineer, regularly inspects the storage rack for wear, corrosion, damage, missing or incompatible parts, or signs of fatigue at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions.”
The amendments are designed to ensure employee safety yet some retailers may find these new regulations extraneous and costly. The Retail Council of Canada is responding to the proposal on behalf of retailers as it identifies a few key areas that are unclear, such as who is qualified for these inspections and how much this affects existing fixtures already supplied to retailers.
