The BCGEU offers a variety of health and safety courses for the following people:

• BCGEU members that serve as OHS representatives, and employer OHS representatives, at workplaces of
  • The BC Public Service (direct provincial government, including the BC Liquor Distribution Branch)

• • All other employers (Labour Code/non-direct provincial government)

• All BCGEU members

Important Note: Employer representatives are invited and encouraged to attend BCGEU OHS courses. Our courses are also open to OHS reps from other unions that sit on a JOHS committee with BCGEU members, and other workers from BCGEU worksites supported (i.e. approved and paid) by their employer to attend. Please email [email protected] if you have questions about whether you should register for a BCGEU OHS course.

BCGEU OHS courses are participatory and designed to deliver information in an effective and engaging format that appeals to all types of learners. Trained, experienced BCGEU members and staff facilitate our non-government (labour code) courses. Courses for OHS reps in the BC Public Service are delivered jointly by BCGEU members/staff and the BC Public Service Agency. 

About OHS Education

Occupational Health and Safety education helps to build stronger and more effective committees who are better equipped to understand their role in health and safety at their workplaces. Well-functioning, proactive committees are the key to the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. Joint committee members who are trained and able to identify workplace hazards will be able to recommend solutions.

Workers appointed to their joint committees by the BCGEU are required to take 8 hours of training within the first 6 months of being appointed, under section 3.27 of the OHS Regulation. Section 41 of the Workers Compensation Act, entitles all committee members to 8 hours of annual OHS education. This means OHS representatives in their first year of being appointed are entitled to at least 16 hours of education and training.

OHS committees are required at worksites with 20 or more workers. If you work at a smaller worksite (9-19 workers), a worker health and safety representative must be appointed. These representatives are also entitled to 8 hours of OHS education annually. In addition, under Section 3.27 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, newly appointed worker representatives must receive at least 4 hours of orientation training.