Richmond – Avalanches are not just for the recreational back country hiker to be aware of.
Recent warnings from Avalanche Canada about elevated avalanche danger in parts of the province highlight a significant hazard for workers.
When workers are required to enter or work near avalanche terrain — whether for guiding, resource work, maintenance, or other purposes — employers have a responsibility to assess those risks and take all necessary steps to protect workers.
This includes ensuring a qualified person conducts an avalanche risk assessment, and that an avalanche safety plan is developed and implemented where required. Employers must also ensure conditions are continuously monitored, workers are properly trained, supervised, and informed, and that work is postponed or stopped when conditions are unsafe.
Under WorkSafeBC’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, employers must ensure workplaces are safe and that workers are not exposed to avalanche hazards. Where a risk is identified, an appropriate avalanche safety plan must be in place before work begins.
WorkSafeBC reminds employers to use reliable, up‑to‑date avalanche information — including forecasts and warnings from Avalanche Canada — when planning work. Avalanche conditions can change rapidly, and decisions must be reassessed throughout the day.
Between 2014 and 2024, WorkSafeBC accepted 23 claims for injuries related to avalanches,including 11 serious injuries and one fatality.
Additional information, including current avalanche forecasts, is available on Avalanche Canada’s website www.avalanche.ca.
