The BC Trucking Association (BCTA) has created a pamphlet to help truck drivers hired as Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) understand their rights, and what resources are available to them if they need help.

TFWs have the same rights as any other worker in Canada, and their employer must meet government standards related to hours of work; holidays; leave; dismissal and severance pay; wages and deductions; working conditions, etc.

A TFW must be offered the same job and the same or better wages and working conditions as those in the offer of employment. Their employer must also provide a workplace that is free from abuse. Workplaces should support worker safety and employers must provide proper training to employees when dealing with potentially dangerous conditions is part of the job. An employee also has the right to refuse unsafe work.

For more information:

• See BCTA’s Foreign Worker Rights pamphlet
  • BCTA’s pamphlet provides contact information for government agencies that deal with workplace complaints, and workplace health and safety issues
• Employment and Skills Development Canada document: Temporary foreign workers: Your rights are protected
• Foreign workers can report abuse with the online reporting tool or by calling the Service Canada Confidential Tips Line at 1-866-602-9448.

Background

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals to fill temporary labour or skill shortages when qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not available.

In order to hire TFWs, an employer must apply to ESDC for a labour market impact assessment (LMIA). If the employer successfully receives their LMIA confirmation letter from ESDC, they must provide a copy to the TFW, and advise them to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for a work permit. The employer is responsible for arranging the TFW’s compensation benefits, medical coverage, verifying that the employee has a SIN, and ensuring the conditions and time limits on the work permit are respected. The employer must also pay for round trip transportation to Canada and to their country of residence at the end of their work period.

Since the TFWP is designed to fill temporary shortages, TFWs are required a return to their country of residence after their work permit expires, or they can apply for permanent residence if they wish to remain in Canada. In BC this is possible through the Provincial Nominee Program, which accepts applicants working in long-haul trucking in its Skills Immigration – Entry Level and Semi-Skilled category.

 

ShiftintoWinter.ca provides free tips and resources on how to stay safe in different driving conditions

Richmond, B.C., September 30, 2019 – The chance of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash in British Columbia increases dramatically in winter. That’s why the Winter Driving Safety Alliance is reminding motorists and employers to plan ahead and drive safely in winter conditions.

On average, each year in B.C., the number of casualty crashes due to driving too fast for the
conditions increases to about 236 crashes in December from about 126 in October – an 87 per cent increase (Crashes reported by police 2014 – 2018). For those who drive for work, about a third of all work-related crashes resulting in injury and time-loss claims occur in November, December and
January.

To get the drive safely message out, the Alliance is launching its 11th annual Shift into Winter
campaign. The launch coincides with the law requiring passenger vehicles driving on designated
highways in B.C. to have four matched winter tires (three-peaked mountain and snowflake, or mud and snow) with at least 3.5 mm of tread depth starting on October 1, while commercial vehicles must be equipped with chains.

The Shift into Winter campaign includes a website – ShiftintoWinter.ca – that provides information for motorists and employers on how to stay safe on the road this winter, whether they are driving for work or pleasure. To promote the campaign and website resources, the Alliance is running a series of ads in newspapers and magazines, on transit buses and radio, and through social media.

Winter means different things in different parts of the province. From rain and fog in the south, to snow and ice in the north. Winter conditions – such as colder temperatures, rain, snow, black ice, reduced visibility and fewer daylight hours – can present serious hazards for all drivers, professional and
otherwise.

The Winter Driving Safety Alliance offers the following tips for motorists:

• Install a set of four matched winter tires.
• Give your vehicle a pre-season maintenance check-up.
• Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle.
• Conditions change, so be prepared and plan ahead:
  o Check current road and weather conditions on DriveBC.ca – If possible, postpone your
  plans and avoid driving when road and weather conditions are poor.
  o Plan your route ahead of time – Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect
  to arrive and avoid any roads that may become dangerous during bad weather
• Slow down – The posted speed limit is the maximum speed under ideal driving conditions. If
  inclement weather hits, slow down and drive with extra care.
• Maintain a safe following distance – Look ahead and keep at least four seconds of distance
  between you and the vehicle in front.
• Invest in winter driving training – Learn how to brake safely, get out of a skid, and how your car handles in winter weather.

More tips for motorists on how to prepare themselves and their vehicles can be found on
ShiftintoWinter.ca.

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their employees who drive for work, regardless of whether they drive a company-owned or personal vehicle. ShiftIntoWinter.ca provides information and resources that can help reduce the risks employees face when driving during winter. For employers and supervisors, there is a winter driving safety online course, and an employer toolkit that includes policy and procedures templates and more. For drivers, there are resources on how to prepare your vehicle and yourself for winter driving and an online quiz to test your knowledge.

Quotes:
Hon. Harry Bains, Minister of Labour
“Winter conditions can be hazardous and challenging for everyone on B.C.’s roads, including those who drive for work. Employers and supervisors have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their employees at the workplace, which includes when they are behind the wheel. So please – shift into winter!”

•  Click here for a video message from the Minister.

Hon. Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
“Winter is on its way and I urge people to make sure they use good winter tires, slow down when driving in winter conditions, and plan ahead by checking DriveBC. Conditions can change quickly on B.C. highways, especially for drivers leaving the Lower Mainland for more mountainous terrain. We want everyone to drive safely and get home to their families this winter.”

• Click here for a video message from the Minister.

Lindsay Matthews, Vice-President of Public Affairs and Driver Licensing, ICBC
“We’re pleased to be part of the Winter Driving Safety Alliance and help drivers prepare for winter driving in B.C. When severe winter weather hits, consider alternatives if available where you live – take public transit or a taxi, carpool with a confident driver whose vehicle is equipped for the conditions, work from home, or at least wait until the road crews have cleared major roads. Sometimes the best option is to leave the car at home.”

Al Johnson, Vice-President, Prevention Services, WorkSafeBC
“The Shift into Winter campaign reminds all of us who travel on B.C. roads for work – whether they are paved highways or secondary forestry roads – to be prepared, and to adjust your driving to the conditions. You need to have a plan to anticipate snow, ice, rain or fog regardless of where you live and as conditions change, so should your speed. Employers need to ensure the health and safety of their workers when they drive for work.”

About the Winter Driving Safety Alliance
The Shift into Winter campaign is a joint, provincial initiative led by the Winter Driving Safety Alliance – a group of about 20 organizations committed to working together to improve safe winter driving behaviours and practices in BC. Members include Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. (CUPE 873), Automotive Retailers Association, BCAA, BC Forest Safety Council, BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, BC Trucking Association, City of Prince George, Concrete BC, Government of BC, Insurance Corporation of BC, Justice Institute of British Columbia, Kal Tire, Mainroad Group, RCMP, SafetyDriven, Tiger Calcium, Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, Wilson M Beck Insurance Group, and WorkSafeBC.

– 30 –

For more information:
Ralph Eastman
Sr. Manager Government & Media Relations
WorkSafeBC
Media Line: 604.276.5157
media@worksafebc.com

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Source: Trucknews.com

LANGLEY, B.C. — Attention hopeful female truck drivers in B.C., there is an opportunity that may be hard for you to pass up.

Valley Driving School is facilitating driver training for the YWCA’s Changing Gears program, which aims to get more women behind the wheel of a truck, and it’s free to all qualified applicants.

The program is a 23-week Class 1 driver training course for women who are on employment insurance or have received benefits within the past five years.

Joel Donnelly, operations at Valley Driving School, said training covers a variety of areas, including a combination of in-class, in-yard, and on-road instruction.

Students will learn about air brakes, the transportation of dangerous goods, the National Safety Code, and other topics in-class, while both city and mountain driving will be covered on the road, with 68 and 24 hours of instruction respectively.

The program has been offered for some time now, beginning in November of 2015.

“To date, there have been over 50 students who have successfully taken part in this amazing opportunity,” said Donnelly, “including a new intake.”

In addition to the employment insurance stipulation, there are several criteria women need to meet to take advantage of the Changing Gears program. They must possess a valid Class 5 B.C. driver’s license with a clean abstract, have no outstanding fines or bridge tolls, speak English, be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and be able to commit to the 23-weeks of full-time training.

Valley Driving School also requires a valid Class 1 learner’s license and the desire to become a safe, independent driver.

Valley Driving School does not limit itself to helping women get into the industry. It also partners with organizations like WorkSafeBC and Douglas College to entice both men and women into trucking.

The YWCA’s Changing Gears program is a project-based labour market training program.

It is funded through WorkBC to support projects that provide benefits to the community and to individuals with a combination of on- and off-the-job training delivered under a project-based training model to assist eligible individuals obtain the skills they need for employment.

Valley Driving School, which has been providing driver training since 1955, offers customized instruction to aspiring drivers of all ages.

“Our programs are designed to include one-on-one on-road training with a strong focus on road safety and accident prevention,” said Donnelly.

The school is also a supporter of the implementation of a mandatory entry-level training (MELT) program in B.C. for Class 1 drivers.

“MELT for commercial driver training, done with proper thought, consultation, and consideration,” said Donnelly, “would only serve to better prepare individuals and provide a stronger base for safe, independent driving within the commercial transportation industry.”

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Source: Truckinginfo.com

More than 1,600 commercial vehicles were placed out of service during an unannounced brake inspection blitz in May conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s law enforcement members.

On May 15, 2019, law enforcement personnel from 55 jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada conducted 10,358 commercial motor vehicle inspections, focused on brake system violations. Of those inspections, 16.1% of vehicles (1,667) were found to have brake-related critical vehicle inspection items.

Inspectors paid particular attention to violations involving brake hoses and tubing. The event found 996 units with chafed rubber hoses and 185 units with chafed thermoplastic hoses. All told, there were 1,125 violations of 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 393.45 and Canadian equivalent violations that included chafed rubber hoses and 124 violations of 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 393.45 and Canadian equivalent violations that included kinked thermoplastic hoses.

“Brake hoses and tubing must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks and appropriately flexible,” said Chief Jay Thompson with the Arkansas Highway Police, CVSA president. “Because they are such an important part of the braking system, the failure of hoses or tubing can cause problems for the entire braking system.”

In the U.S. 16.6% of commercial vehicles were placed out of service for brake violations compared to 14.5% in Canada.

According to FMCSA’s Analysis and Information Online 2019 calendar year data snapshot as of June 28, 2019, out of 1.8 million inspections, the top five brake-related violations were:

• Clamp or roto type brake out of adjustment (86,296)
• CMV manufactured after Oct. 19, 1994, has an automatic brake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear (45,594)
• Brake hose or tubing chafing and/or kinking (37,737)
• No or defective ABS malfunction indicator lamp for trailer manufactured after March 1, 1998 (37,343)
• Inoperative/defective brakes (32,125)CVSA conducts brake-focused enforcement events, such as Brake Safety Day, to identify and remove commercial motor vehicles with dangerous brake issues from our roadways to reduce the number of crashes caused by or made more severe by deficient braking system performance.

CVSA is holding another brake safety enforcement event this year, Brake Safety Week, which is scheduled for Sept.15-21, at participating jurisdictions throughout North America. The week is an annual outreach and enforcement campaign designed to improve commercial motor vehicle brake safety.

Brake Safety Day and Brake Safety Week are inspection, enforcement, education and awareness initiatives that are part of the Operation Airbrake Program sponsored by CVSA in partnership with FMCSA and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.

Source: Truckinginfo.com

More than 1,600 commercial vehicles were placed out of service during an unannounced brake inspection blitz in May conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s law enforcement members.

On May 15, 2019, law enforcement personnel from 55 jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada conducted 10,358 commercial motor vehicle inspections, focused on brake system violations. Of those inspections, 16.1% of vehicles (1,667) were found to have brake-related critical vehicle inspection items.

Inspectors paid particular attention to violations involving brake hoses and tubing. The event found 996 units with chafed rubber hoses and 185 units with chafed thermoplastic hoses. All told, there were 1,125 violations of 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 393.45 and Canadian equivalent violations that included chafed rubber hoses and 124 violations of 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 393.45 and Canadian equivalent violations that included kinked thermoplastic hoses.

“Brake hoses and tubing must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks and appropriately flexible,” said Chief Jay Thompson with the Arkansas Highway Police, CVSA president. “Because they are such an important part of the braking system, the failure of hoses or tubing can cause problems for the entire braking system.”

In the U.S. 16.6% of commercial vehicles were placed out of service for brake violations compared to 14.5% in Canada.

According to FMCSA’s Analysis and Information Online 2019 calendar year data snapshot as of June 28, 2019, out of 1.8 million inspections, the top five brake-related violations were:

• Clamp or roto type brake out of adjustment (86,296)
• CMV manufactured after Oct. 19, 1994, has an automatic brake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear (45,594)
• Brake hose or tubing chafing and/or kinking (37,737)
• No or defective ABS malfunction indicator lamp for trailer manufactured after March 1, 1998 (37,343)
• Inoperative/defective brakes (32,125)CVSA conducts brake-focused enforcement events, such as Brake Safety Day, to identify and remove commercial motor vehicles with dangerous brake issues from our roadways to reduce the number of crashes caused by or made more severe by deficient braking system performance.

CVSA is holding another brake safety enforcement event this year, Brake Safety Week, which is scheduled for Sept.15-21, at participating jurisdictions throughout North America. The week is an annual outreach and enforcement campaign designed to improve commercial motor vehicle brake safety.

Brake Safety Day and Brake Safety Week are inspections, enforcement, education and awareness initiatives that are part of the Operation Airbrake Program sponsored by CVSA in partnership with FMCSA and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.

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As soon as a subject like health and safety becomes boring or begins to sound like work, you’ve lost your audience. It is one of the toughest challenges for industry professionals, Safety Advisors and health and safety organizations around the world.

It’s one of the reasons organizations like NAOSH (North American Occupational Safety and Health Week) and SafetyDriven – TSCBC work so hard at finding new ways to help you engage your employees and spread the word about the importance of Health and Safety in new and exciting ways.

SafetyDriven – TSCBC and Kool Pak Canada worked together to engage employees, drive home important lessons about health and safety and have a little fun along the way.

NAOSH Week was held from May 6-12 across North America. Kool Pak Canada (A.K.A. Polar Express Transportation) celebrated NAOSH week with great enthusiasm. All of the company’s employees took part in the celebrations.

The company started off the week by handing out stars to employees using proper safety measures. Before long, the warehouse staff started paying more attention to visitors by making sure that they were wearing steel toe shoes and a vest when on the premises.

The main office staff began pointing out to the drivers coming through the warehouse the need to put on their safety equipment.

A member of the Safety Committee demonstrated how to use 3-point contact. The forklift operators demonstrated how they use their horns, look back while backing up and give each other extra space when there are two forklifts running together.

One of the warehouse personnel demonstrated how he uses his legs … and not his back … to lift a box from the floor. A barbeque/training day helped to make sure everyone had a chance to enjoy themselves as well.

The event even turned into a bit of a teachable moment about food and health. During the barbeque, everybody decided to eat burgers in a healthy way. Buns and pasta salad were eliminated and by using greens alongside the burger, everybody was able to enjoy a healthier tasty meal.

At the end of the week, winners were picked and awarded prizes for being extra safe and healthy.

Jimmy Sandhu, Safety Advisor who worked with Kool Pak says “The idea of carrying out fun health and safety activities during NAOSH Week was something the company got very excited about. They planned all the activities with the intention to making safety and wellness fun for all the employees. It looks like they had a lot of fun promoting safety. I can’t wait to see what they do next year! “

SafetyDriven – TSCBC would like to thank the management and staff from Kool Pak Canada (A.K.A. Polar Express Transportation) of Langley, BC, for sharing the fantastic ways in which they were able to teach, learn, share and have fun while demonstrating and embracing health and safety as core values of the company.

If you have a health and safety story you would like to share, please send it along to us so we can share it with our members.

Toll Free:1-877-414-8001
Or email info@safetydriven.ca

SHOWING COMMITMENT TO SAFETY IN BC’s TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES

SafetyDriven – Trucking Safety Council of BC (TSCBC) is honouring eight companies for their commitment to keeping their workers and workplaces safe from injury, illness, and disease.

Six companies earned their initial Certificate of Recognition (COR), a designation awarded to employers with a health and safety management system that exceeds regulatory requirements. These companies are being recognized with the COR Award of Excellence for receiving top marks on their certification audits.

COR Award of Excellence recipients for 2018 are:

• Heritage Office Furnishings
• RR Plett Trucking Ltd.
• CHEP Canda
• Wescan Disposal Ltd.
• T&P Trucking Ltd.
• Incarta Delivery Inc.

“These eight companies are safety leaders,” says Mark Donnelly, Executive Director of SafetyDriven – TSCBC.  “They have demonstrated—and are being recognized for–a high level of commitment to improving safety in their workplaces.  They are also contributing to safer work cultures throughout the province and beyond.” In addition, three companies, T&P Trucking, Phoenix Truck and Crane and Quality Move Management, won SafetyDriven’s Health and Safety Innovation Award for their leadership and innovative methods in maintaining a vibrant workplace and industry safety culture.  Heritage Office Furnishings was also recognized as achieving the Best Overall Large Employer COR.

“SafetyDriven – TSCBC is a not-for-profit organization and certifying partner for COR. SafetyDriven works with management, employees and owner/operators in B.C. trucking and related industries to strengthen safety performance and reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities.”

Source: www.fleetowner.com

Every year the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) stages an all-out 72-hour inspection effort, called International Roadcheck. This June 4-6 will be no different, as U.S. federal and state inspectors, plus their Canadian and Mexican counterparts, will conduct Level 1 inspections of drivers and vehicles at 1,500 locations. Nearly 15 trucks or buses will be inspected, on average, every minute across North America.

Level 1 inspections are comprehensive, covering every major vehicle system. For drivers, the Level 1 inspection will look at commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), medical certificates, hours-of-service (HOS) records, and recent vehicle inspection reports. Additionally, inspectors will check drivers for seat belt use, illness, fatigue and any indication of drugs or alcohol. For more about Level 1 inspections, see CVSA’s “North American Standard Roadside Inspection Vehicle Cheat Sheet.”

Related: International Roadcheck 2019 puts emphasis on steering and suspension

Each year Roadcheck brings a special focus on one area of the Level 1 inspection. For 2019, it will be on steering and suspension systems. Steering and suspension are critical safety systems, affecting vehicle control, stability, acceleration, braking and tire wear.

There is still time to have your mechanic look over your commercial vehicle in preparation for Roadcheck. A clean inspection, after all, benefits your safety score and helps you qualify or remain qualified for electronic bypass programs, like PrePass, among many other reasons.

Related: Steering into Roadcheck safety

But you want those inspections to be “clean.” Warning signs that something may be amiss with your steering and suspension include:

• • Uneven tire wear
  • Swaying or shaking while driving
  • Problems handling bumps at low speeds
  • Lurching or straying one direction or the other
  • Not sitting level when parked
  • Knocking or squealing sounds during turns

Have your vehicle ready for International Roadcheck, because it is likely you and your truck will be inspected. During Roadcheck most states and provinces will adjust their “pull-in” rate at weigh stations to check as many commercial vehicles as enforcement staffing allows – including those which would normally bypass inspection sites.

If you are going to get inspected anyway, make it count in your favour.

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The annual Cone Zone campaign reminds drivers to slow down, pay attention. This year’s campaign kicks off in May and will run until the end of the summer.

The Cone Zone is a workplace for thousands of B.C. workers. These workers include traffic control persons, road maintenance workers, utility workers, emergency crews, law enforcement personnel, landscapers, and more.

Roadside work is hazardous. Between 2008 and 2017, 12 roadside workers died and 218 were injured as a result of being hit by a motor vehicle.

Every year since 2011, the Work Zone Safety Alliance has reminded drivers to slow down and pay attention in its annual Cone Zone campaign. As part of the 2019 campaign, police officers will be going undercover as roadside workers in active Cone Zones. Throughout the summer, this close-up vantage point will give officers a better chance to spot drivers speeding, breaking distracted driving laws, or not paying attention to signs or traffic control persons.

The campaign also includes an advertising and social media component that will run until the end of August.

Slow down and pay attention
“When we say ‘slow down,’ it doesn’t just mean slow down the vehicle. It also means slow down what you’re thinking about and pay attention to the road,” says Jacqueline Morrison, an industry specialist for Transportation & Occupational Road Safety at WorkSafeBC.

“Instead of thinking about your next stop, dinner that night, or the 12 errands you’ve got to run, focus your attention on that work zone. Is somebody directing you and giving instructions on what to do? If so, follow those instructions. If there isn’t a person, slow down and obey the signs.”

Jacqueline and the rest of the Road Safety team are also reminding drivers about the “slow down, move over” law. When drivers see red, blue, or amber lights flashing on the highway, it means that if the speed limit is 80 km/h or more, you must drop your speed to 70 km/h or slower. If the speed limit is less than 80 km/h, you must drop to 40 km/h or slower. (For more information on this B.C. law in place since 2015, see my post New laws to protect roadside workers). Also see Working in and around traffic for more resources from WorkSafeBC.