A new occupational health and safety representative, Judy Village, has been appointed to WorkSafeBC’s board of directors for a two-year term.

Village brings a strong background in ergonomics research, policy and education to the role. She is a certified professional ergonomist and has 40 years of experience consulting, teaching and conducting research in occupational health and safety, with a focus on the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries.

Village founded her firm Judy Village & Associates in 1997. She has served as president of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists and as a board member of the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists. She has also been a member of numerous Canadian Standards Association committees that advanced occupational health and safety standards.

Village also worked for WorkSafeBC, BC Research and the Mines Accident Prevention Association of Ontario. She is a faculty member in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Village received her PhD in industrial engineering and human factors from Ryerson University and her M.Sc. and B.Sc. in kinesiology from Simon Fraser University and University of Waterloo, respectively.

Village replaces Brooks Patterson, who was appointed to WorkSafeBC’s board of directors as the occupational health and safety representative in 2015 and was reappointed in 2019. During his term, Patterson made valuable contributions to strengthening the board and the workers’ compensation system.

Village’s appointment went into effect on Oct. 1, 2021, and will expire in September 2023. Board members are subject to a maximum continuous term limit of six years, as prescribed by the Workers Compensation Act.

The WorkSafeBC board of directors serves as steward of WorkSafeBC and the workers’ compensation system and is responsible for approving WorkSafeBC’s compensation, rehabilitation and assessment policies and occupational health and safety regulations.

Information on WorkSafeBC’s board of directors can be found at: https://www.worksafebc.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/leadership/board-directors