Your right to refuse unsafe work
You have the right to refuse unsafe work, but you must follow the proper steps to resolve the situation. Follow this simple guide to report and resolve unsafe work.
Step 1
Tell your supervisor immediately about the unsafe work, and explain why you believe it to be unsafe. Tell them you are exercising your right to refuse unsafe work under Section 3.12 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Your supervisor may assign you to other work.
Step 2
Your supervisor must investigate the situation immediately. If they agree that the work is unsafe they must fix the problem.
Step 3
If your supervisor disagrees that the work is unsafe then the supervisor, a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) worker, and you will investigate the problem together.
Step 4
Next, if the JOHSC agrees that the work is unsafe, your supervisor must deal with it as quickly as possible.
Step 5
Finally, if there is no agreement that the work is unsafe, and you still believe it is, then both you and the supervisor must notify an officer from WorkSafeBC. The officer must investigate the matter without undue delay and issue orders if necessary.
Next Steps
As part of a union you can bargain for specific health and safety measures as part of your collective agreement – and report violations to your union rep. For more information on joining a union, and to speak to one of our experienced organizers in confidence, visit our join page now.