VICTORIA - B.C.'s labour laws and workplace safety standards apply to all workers regardless of their nationality or immigration status.

How the Employment Standards Branch protects farm workers:

• British Columbia's employment standards provide the minimum standards of wages and working conditions in most non-unionized B.C. workplaces.

• The Employment Standards Branch Agriculture Compliance Team visits farms to ensure farm owners, producers and Farm Labour Contractors (FLCs) are complying with provincial employment standards legislation.

• During these visits, which take place over the course of the harvesting season, workers are interviewed and given information about employment standards. In 2012 alone, Employment Standards representatives spoke directly with 3,157 agricultural workers while performing 101 site visits.

• If employers are found in contravention of the act, mandatory escalating penalties apply.

• In addition to the farm visits, the branch reaches out to workers in the agricultural sector and other sectors by conducting education seminars and presentations to schools, groups of workers and employer associations. Branch staff also network with community agencies and immigrant settlement groups.

How WorkSafeBC keeps farm workers safe:

• An inter-agency team, including WorkSafeBC and Employment Standards Branch representatives, conducts random roadside inspections of farm vehicles.

• In 2012, approximately 3,000 workers participated in a safety and health education program designed for people coming to work in B.C. through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.

• Six full-time WorkSafeBC officers are assigned to the agriculture sector and recruitment is currently underway for six additional officers.

• WorkSafeBC farm inspection reports have nearly tripled in the last decade - from 370 reports in 2000 to 1,002 reports in 2012.

• WorkSafeBC has provided nearly $12 million since 1994 to the Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association (FARSHA).

• WorkSafeBC also offers a number of health and safety publications in a wide variety of languages. In addition, its call centre offers translation services in 170 languages.

Response to the 2007 van crash in Abbotsford:

• In 2007, the B.C. government created the Inter-Agency Agriculture Compliance Committee to ensure an integrated approach to farm worker safety. Find out more at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/farmworkers/

• In 2008, tougher provisions were enacted under the Employment Standards Act to help ensure farm worker safety. This legislation:

• Prohibits growers from using unlicensed farm labour contractors.

• Allows for the cancellation or suspension of a farm labour contractor's licence if relevant WorkSafeBC and/or motor vehicle laws and regulations are violated.

• Makes farm labour contractors liable for the costs paid by government to provide safe alternative transportation for stranded workers when an unsafe vehicle is taken out of service during roadside inspections.

• There were 17 recommendations directed at government as a result of the coroners' inquest into the 2007 van crash:

• Eleven recommendations are complete.

• Alternative action was taken on three recommendations.

• Work is ongoing on three more.

• A chart outlining these responses can be read at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/farmworkers/attachments/jury_recommendations.pdf

Response to 2008 mushroom farm incident in Langley

• Immediately following the 2008 mushroom farm tragedy, WorkSafeBC inspected every mushroom farm in the province to make sure they were operating safely.

• Following a coroner's inquest in May 2012, WorkSafeBC and the Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Association (FARSHA) began working together to implement the jury's recommendations.

• A chart of responses to the coroner's recommendations is located at: http://www.worksafebc.com/news_room/features/2012/assets/pdf/InquestRecommendations.pdf

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