WorkSafeBC wants new safety rules for shotcrete — the high-pressure, high-consequence work our members do every day shoring up excavations, lining tunnels, building retaining walls and pools. They've created a draft, and asked for feedback. ICBA's submission, filed this week on behalf of the 6,000 companies we represent, says plainly: great start, but it needs a little more work.
WorkSafeBC set its own principle for this file — the same engineering requirements apply regardless of whether a site uses cast-in-place concrete or shotcrete. We agree with that, completely. The problem is that on the two requirements that cost contractors the most, the draft doesn't deliver it.
It's not hard to fix, and our eight recommendations spell out some ideas.