In B.C. workplaces, inspections happen in two main ways. Employers carry out regular checks of their workplaces, equipment, and work processes. WorkSafeBC prevention officers also visit workplaces to review safety practices and support improvements. These inspections give employers a chance to ask questions and learn practical ways to improve safety.
“Inspections are meant to support employers,” says Tami Der, an industry and program specialist with WorkSafeBC. “Officers are there to help prevent health and safety issues that could harm workers.”
Inspections may also result in orders to address unsafe conditions or practices. These orders explain what must be fixed and ensure the work is done.
“Keeping workers safe is also good business,” Der adds.
Employers must carry out regular workplace inspections. These checks find hazards early and confirm that controls are working. Involving workers also supports a shared responsibility for safety.
At Congebec, a national multi-temperature logistics company, supervisors rotate between B.C. sites to support internal inspections. This approach promotes knowledge sharing and brings a fresh set of eyes to each location.
“It gives you a different perspective,” says Judina Arends, Vancouver operations manager. “When you see the same space every day, you can miss small issues. Rotating people around sites lets us catch more.”
Training is also essential. Warehouse supervisor Bobbie Jacques attends RackSafeBC sessions on racking inspections and maintenance in cold storage facilities.
“Every session is different,” she says. “Recently, I learned how to fix damaged racking instead of replacing everything.” She sees the meetings as practical and useful. “Seeing examples from other warehouses makes me want to improve our own.”
WorkSafeBC prevention officers can inspect any workplace, at any time, with or without notice. These visits are opportunities for WorkSafeBC officers to introduce themselves to the workplace.
They give employers and workers a better understanding of their responsibilities and let them see officers as a source of health and safety information and support.
Some inspections are based on risk, such as the type of work or known hazards. But any workplace may be inspected as part of prevention efforts.
“Inspections can feel a bit nerve-wracking at first,” says Reba Hiebert, a people and culture specialist with Congebec. “But as I got to know the officers, I saw how valuable they are. Officers are a great resource.”
“Congebec is a good example of a company that takes safety seriously,” says Jesse Parker, a WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer. “When I first visited, their supervisor greeted me and showed a strong understanding of workplace safety.”
A prevention officer leads the inspection. Employers, supervisors, and workers are encouraged to take part because each group plays a vital role in safety.
Senior leaders may attend or send a representative. Supervisors should always be involved, because they share safety information with workers and help follow up on changes. Joint health and safety committees or worker safety representatives should also take part whenever possible.
An inspection often begins with a review of basic workplace information. Officers may look at health and safety programs, first aid records, incident investigation reports, risk assessments, and work procedures. They may also speak with workers about how tasks are done.
Depending on the situation, an officer may walk through the whole workplace or focus on certain areas, such as equipment or maintenance work. They may take notes or photos to document what they see, and employers are also encouraged to write down what is discussed.
If issues are found, officers provide suggestions on ways to meet regulations. They may issue an order that outlines what must be done and when. Orders are a standard way to communicate requirements and support follow-up.
One common concern for employers is what happens when an order is issued.
Orders or compliance agreements issued during an inspection do not directly raise premiums in themselves. Instead, they address risks that can lead to injuries and higher costs over time. If an order is issued, the officer will explain what needs to be done and set a timeline. During a follow-up visit, the officer checks that the work is complete. Orders are legally binding and must be followed within the timeline set by the officer.
Inspections also consider risks that may not be immediately visible. Officers help identify hazards that can still cause serious harm, such as chemical exposures or repetitive strain.
Using a risk-based approach, they guide employers through the hierarchy of controls to reduce risks. The goal is to control the hazards that are most likely to cause injury.
Following the hierarchy of controls, employers should look at ways to:
“Start by removing the hazard if you can,” says occupational safety officer Devon Hainsworth. “If not, look at safer alternatives, equipment, or changes to work practices. Personal protective equipment is important, but it’s the last line of defense.”
During inspections, officers may ask why higher-level controls were not used. If there’s a hazardous chemical being used for cleaning, for example, Hainsworth will ask: “Is there an alternative solution that doesn’t contain this chemical that can be used instead?”
“The best advice I can give to employers is to ask questions,” says Parker. “We’re here to help.”
Reaching out early can prevent problems from becoming more complex or costly.
WorkSafeBC officers know safety requirements and regulations well. Reaching out early can save employers time and money later.
At RIMEX Supply Ltd., a manufacturer of wheels and rims, learning more about noise risks led to practical changes. The company installed decibel meters across its facilities to warn workers when noise levels are too high.
“RIMEX is a strong model of an employer that works closely with us,” says Leelond Wettstein, a WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer. “It shows in how they manage risk.”
Facilities manager for B.C. operations, Steve Bekessy, says his view of inspections has changed over time. He remembers feeling nervous during his first inspection years ago. He had just been hired by the firm as a millwright in 2012.
“WorkSafeBC has learned from many incidents over time,” he says. “They use that knowledge to make changes.” Now, Bekessy turns to prevention officers first when questions come up. “At the end of the day, do we want to redo work, or do it right the first time?”
Some inspections take place after an incident. These inspections focus first on making the workplace safe. They may also help employers to identify what contributed to the incident so it does not happen again.
At metal manufacturer Aggressive Tube Bending, office administrator Andrea Leger has seen firsthand how inspections can strengthen safety programs.
“WorkSafeBC officers have the authority, but we all want the same thing,” shares Leger, who also sits on the Manufacturers’ Safety Council. “We want everyone to get home safe.”
With support from prevention officers, the company has built a stronger safety culture and improved its safety systems.
“When we have questions, officers don’t just point to the law,” Leger says. “They share guidelines, standards, and useful resources. Officers help us make improvements faster than doing it alone.”
Safety efforts work best when they’re seen as a long-term commitment that evolves as workplaces, hazards, and expectations change. “Workplace safety never stands still,” says Hainsworth. “It’s an ongoing journey.”
Keep these key points in mind to get the most out of workplace inspections.
Employer-led inspections:
WorkSafeBC-led inspections:
Learn more about workplace inspections by visiting the following pages on worksafebc.com:
Employers are also encouraged to contact their health and safety associations for assistance in building safety programs, strengthening skills through training, and adapting to changing workplace risks.
Une bonne inspection peut prévenir les blessures, faire gagner du temps et réduire les mauvaises surprises coûteuses. Elle aide les milieux de travail à repérer les problèmes tôt et à renforcer les pratiques de sécurité.
Congebec est fier d’annoncer la nomination de Tim Ludwig au poste de chef des affaires commerciales.
Congebec, une entreprise québécoise spécialisée dans la logistique de la chaîne du froid, a annoncé son intention de développer un nouveau centre de distribution de stockage frigorifique à la fine pointe de la technologie dans le comté de Rocky View, juste à l’extérieur de Calgary.
Le CN (TSX : CNR) (NYSE : CNI) et Congebec ont annoncé aujourd’hui qu’ils collaboraient ensemble à la construction d’un entrepôt frigorifique de pointe au parc logistique du CN à Calgary en Alberta.
Richard Patenaude, president of Congebec (Transport) Inc. (Courtesy Congebec)
Congebec, a Quebec-based cold chain logistics company, has announced plans to develop a new state-of-the art cold storage distribution facility in Rocky View County just outside Calgary.
The project, which is still in the planning phase, will be located near CN’s Calgary Logistics Park, giving the company direct access to the intermodal rail yard, a key factor in the decision to build at the site.
“Working with CN on this new Calgary facility is a natural extension of our mission to provide reliable, sustainable cold chain solutions. By combining Congebec’s expertise in temperature-controlled logistics with CN’s expansive rail network, we’re giving customers the confidence to move their products anywhere they need to go, with efficiency and care,” said Richard Patenaude, president, Congebec (Transport) Inc.
The facility will serve multiple clients and will streamline container handling between the Port of Vancouver and Canadian markets, while supporting future exports abroad.
Congebec, which already operates a facility in southeast Calgary and has expanded westward through acquisitions since 2013, says this new location will serve a distinct market need. The company has 16 facilities totalling 70 million cubic feet across Canada, and says the Calgary expansion reflects growing demand for food distribution and supply chain solutions.
Congebec, which is based in Quebec City, has been in business for just over 50 years. It provides solutions in the multi temp supply chain – the cold chain – for storing and distributing food to Canadian markets.
“Our biggest growth has really been around the food and food distribution in Canada, with the mission to make sure that food is accessible as well as safe for the Canadian consumers,” Patenaude explained. “We work with manufacturers, retailers, producers, to really try and solution their cold chain requirements. »
Container shipping key feature for facility
That extends from warehousing and value-added services such as co-packing, repacking or product handling within the facility, to distribution through various modes of transportation. Patenaude said intermodal and rail is considered an area of potential future expansion for Congebec.
The new Calgary facility is still in the planning stage to evaluate the right size for the centre.
“It’s not like we’re just building another cold store next to the train. To us, it’s going to be a lot more tailored to the type of intermodal import-export requirements around containers . . . We’re actually in the process of just finalizing what that’s going to look like from dock sizes to number of rooms and temperature zones and things of that nature,” he added.
Patenaude said the site appealed to Congebec because of its connection to the CN logistics park. Items can be shipped to the park and unloaded in the facility, thus freeing up the container to be reloaded or shipped elsewhere.
“We’re trying to reimagine a little bit cold chain as it relates to rail and total distribution,” he said.
He said the facility will be designed to accelerate the conversion of temperature-sensitive goods between rail and warehouse.
To be developed with CN’s construction partner Matthews Tribal, it will integrate cold storage, cross-docking, transloading and first- and last-mile services with CN’s established refrigerated programs. The proximity to rail will streamline transfers, reduce dwell times, and ensure temperature-sensitive goods move more efficiently, said the company.
“This initiative with Congebec reflects CN’s commitment to building smarter, more sustainable supply chains. This new hub will give our customers new options to move their temperature-sensitive products with greater efficiency, reliability, and reach, helping them compete in markets across North America and globally,” said Dan Bresolin, vice-president, intermodal, in a statement.
Congebec’s western Canada presence
Congebec also has a facility on 72nd Avenue S.E. in Calgary, acquired when it bought Westco in 2013. In 2018, it added more than 70,000 square feet to that facility, bringing it to just over 200,000 square feet.
The acquisition of Westco enabled Congebec to expand west into Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Calgary and Carberry, Man.
“We’re always open to new things, but right now we’re going to focus on this CLP project, and then we’ll see what’s next. We don’t want to oversaturate the market either, » Patenaude said. « We’re always very careful of how we enter markets and so we always take that in consideration. So if we ever felt there was a need, we would certainly look at what that could do, for sure. But right now, no plans.”
The acquisition of Westco enabled Congebec to expand West into Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Calgary and Carberry, Manitoba.
Earlier this year, Congebec’s acquisition of B.C.-based Bradner Cold Storage added Vancouver to the company’s market reach.
“We’re obviously looking to leverage what we’re doing here with the CLP in Calgary, and to look at how that could extend into further parts of North America as well. We’ve been historically known as a cold storage company and really moving more into what we call a cold chain company, which is involving a lot more than just the warehouse piece, looking to build complex solutions for our customers that involve the transportation as well as the warehousing and all of the stuff that goes on within the facilities,” Patenaude explained.
“We really see that’s our area of growth, expanding on our total cold chain expertise and overview, as opposed to focusing strictly on cold storage as the main item.”
Une bonne inspection peut prévenir les blessures, faire gagner du temps et réduire les mauvaises surprises coûteuses. Elle aide les milieux de travail à repérer les problèmes tôt et à renforcer les pratiques de sécurité.
Congebec est fier d’annoncer la nomination de Tim Ludwig au poste de chef des affaires commerciales.
Congebec, une entreprise québécoise spécialisée dans la logistique de la chaîne du froid, a annoncé son intention de développer un nouveau centre de distribution de stockage frigorifique à la fine pointe de la technologie dans le comté de Rocky View, juste à l’extérieur de Calgary.
Le CN (TSX : CNR) (NYSE : CNI) et Congebec ont annoncé aujourd’hui qu’ils collaboraient ensemble à la construction d’un entrepôt frigorifique de pointe au parc logistique du CN à Calgary en Alberta.
L’université Congebec est un programme de formation interne d’une durée de 3 ans offert à des employés de Congebec qui en manifestent l’intérêt et dont la candidature est retenue.
La formation, axée sur des outils de développement personnel et professionnel, permet aux participants de développer des habiletés qui les aideront à progresser.
La 2e cohorte, qui a gradué en septembre 2024, était composée de 7 personnes issues de 4 provinces différentes. La cérémonie de graduation s’est tenue dans le magnifique édifice historique du Collège Saint-Sacrement à Terrebonne.
Nos félicitations à tous les gradués pour leur engagement à parfaire leurs connaissances au cours de ces trois dernières années !
Une bonne inspection peut prévenir les blessures, faire gagner du temps et réduire les mauvaises surprises coûteuses. Elle aide les milieux de travail à repérer les problèmes tôt et à renforcer les pratiques de sécurité.
Congebec est fier d’annoncer la nomination de Tim Ludwig au poste de chef des affaires commerciales.
Congebec, une entreprise québécoise spécialisée dans la logistique de la chaîne du froid, a annoncé son intention de développer un nouveau centre de distribution de stockage frigorifique à la fine pointe de la technologie dans le comté de Rocky View, juste à l’extérieur de Calgary.
Le CN (TSX : CNR) (NYSE : CNI) et Congebec ont annoncé aujourd’hui qu’ils collaboraient ensemble à la construction d’un entrepôt frigorifique de pointe au parc logistique du CN à Calgary en Alberta.
