At its May 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments pertaining to Emergency Planning in Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These amendments will come into effect on February 3, 2025. Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation sets out the requirements for emergency planning relating to hazardous substances. On February 3, 2025, amendments to these requirements will come into effect, to provide additional clarity and to further reduce risk to workers and other people posed by emergencies involving hazardous substances. This resource provides an overview of the changes to help affected employers prepare for the new requirements. OHS Guidelines are also being developed to provide additional support for employers; these guidelines will be available on February 3.

For the full text of the Regulation amendments, see the Board of Directors decision document. 

Backgrounder: Emergency procedures for hazardous substances