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The Province
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Province
When summer jobs go horribly wrong: This B.C. man has a warning for young workers
Darcy Kulai lost his right hand in a workplace accident nearly 30 years ago. He's now telling his story to help prevent young workers from getting hurt — or worse Darcy Kulai in a screengrab from a young worker safety video he participated in for WorkSafeBC. Photo by WorkSafeBC When Darcy Kulai was a 20-year-old university student and aspiring athlete, he made the fateful decision to take a summer job at the local sawmill in Ladysmith. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Working alone one night in the clatter and hum of the mill, he tried to clear sawdust building up beneath the chain driving the lumber conveyor belt — without first turning off the machine. The glove on his left hand caught in the chain and, when he tried to free it with his right hand, his predicament got worse. Now both hands were stuck and he was trapped in a Christ-like pose, badly injured and screaming for help with no response. When the shift ended an agonizing 15 or 20 minutes later, the machines went quiet and Kulai's co-workers finally came to his aid. The injuries were life-changing. His right hand was amputated that night and he endured months of surgeries that included rebuilding the thumb on his left hand using bone from his right. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Kulai slowly healed and tried to adapt, but everything was different now. Sports were 'kind of my life,' says Kulai now. 'You realize you can't do that stuff anymore. It messes with your self-image. ''Freak' is a strong word, but you definitely feel different from everybody else.' Understandably, Kulai has tried to forget about the accident and move on with his life in the nearly three decades since. Darcy Kulai with son Lucas, who is now 20 and a sports nut like his dad. Photo by Courtesy of Darcy Kulai But these days, Kulai has a college-age son of his own, and he's grown reflective about the moment that altered the course of his life. 'What would it be like if my son went through what I went through?' he found himself thinking. 'He's 20 now, the same age as when I got hurt.' Kulai — who now coaches basketball and golf at private Brentwood College and lives in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island — decided he would do whatever it takes to 'inspire kids to be safe at work.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. WorkSafeBC says summer jobs are especially risky for young adults. Nearly 7,000 young workers are injured on the job in B.C. every year, with serious injuries remaining steady at about 800 annually. 'Over the past five years, 34 young workers have tragically lost their lives due to workplace incidents,' says Angelique Prince, director of prevention programs and services at WorkSafeBC. While Kulai was hurt in an industrial setting, Prince says most injuries last year were in service-sector jobs, with 1,282 claims to WorkSafeBC, followed by construction (1,063 claims) and retail (492 claims). 'Young workers are highly vulnerable to workplace injuries,' says Prince. 'Inexperience, inadequate training and supervision, and unfamiliarity with workplace hazards can all increase the risk of injury — especially when workers don't feel empowered to ask questions or raise safety concerns.' 'If there's anything I can do to reduce the numbers of those injuries,' says Kulai, 'I'll do it.' Kulai recently decided to tell his story, with kids like his own top of mind, in a video for WorkSafeBC. 'It was an emotional ride, but I was happy with how it turned out, and have been getting good feedback,' he says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. His key message to young workers: 'There are guidelines and procedures in place to protect you, and if you don't follow them, bad things can happen.' The worst thing a young employee can do is try to look 'cool' for his bosses. 'If there's anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, bring it up with your supervisors.' Kulai knows it can be uncomfortable to raise safety concerns, and that questioning superiors is not always looked upon favourably. 'But there's no reason to ever compromise your safety — ever.' 'Every worker in B.C. has the right to refuse unsafe work,' says Prince. 'The first step of course is to talk to your supervisor and let them know a task feels unsafe or makes you uncomfortable.' Deadlines, quotas, trying to get the work done quickly to impress the boss? 'If you get hurt, none of that stuff matters,' says Kulai. More WorkSafeBC resources are available: Advice for new and young workers, how to ask questions about safety, and support for employers on their responsibilities and how to train new employees. jruttle@ Read More Vancouver Canucks BC Lions Local News Vancouver Canucks World
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- General
- Vancouver Sun
When summer jobs go horribly wrong: This B.C. man has a warning for young workers
When Darcy Kulai was a 20-year-old university student and aspiring athlete, he made the fateful decision to take a summer job at the local sawmill in Ladysmith. Working alone one night in the clatter and hum of the mill, he tried to clear sawdust building up beneath the chain driving the lumber conveyor belt — without first turning off the machine. The glove on his left hand caught in the chain and, when he tried to free it with his right hand, his predicament got worse. Now both hands were stuck and he was trapped in a Christ-like pose, badly injured and screaming for help with no response. When the shift ended an agonizing 15 or 20 minutes later, the machines went quiet and Kulai's co-workers finally came to his aid. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The injuries were life-changing. His right hand was amputated that night and he endured months of surgeries that included rebuilding the thumb on his left hand using bone from his right. Kulai slowly healed and tried to adapt, but everything was different now. Sports were 'kind of my life,' says Kulai now. 'You realize you can't do that stuff anymore. It messes with your self-image. ''Freak' is a strong word, but you definitely feel different from everybody else.' Understandably, Kulai has tried to forget about the accident and move on with his life in the nearly three decades since. But these days, Kulai has a college-age son of his own, and he's grown reflective about the moment that altered the course of his life. 'What would it be like if my son went through what I went through?' he found himself thinking. 'He's 20 now, the same age as when I got hurt.' Kulai — who now coaches basketball and golf at private Brentwood College and lives in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island — decided he would do whatever it takes to 'inspire kids to be safe at work.' WorkSafeBC says summer jobs are especially risky for young adults. Nearly 7,000 young workers are injured on the job in B.C. every year, with serious injuries remaining steady at about 800 annually. 'Over the past five years, 34 young workers have tragically lost their lives due to workplace incidents,' says Angelique Prince, director of prevention programs and services at WorkSafeBC. While Kulai was hurt in an industrial setting, Prince says most injuries last year were in service-sector jobs, with 1,282 claims to WorkSafeBC, followed by construction (1,063 claims) and retail (492 claims). 'Young workers are highly vulnerable to workplace injuries,' says Prince. 'Inexperience, inadequate training and supervision, and unfamiliarity with workplace hazards can all increase the risk of injury — especially when workers don't feel empowered to ask questions or raise safety concerns.' 'If there's anything I can do to reduce the numbers of those injuries,' says Kulai, 'I'll do it.' Kulai recently decided to tell his story, with kids like his own top of mind, in a video for WorkSafeBC. 'It was an emotional ride, but I was happy with how it turned out, and have been getting good feedback,' he says. His key message to young workers: 'There are guidelines and procedures in place to protect you, and if you don't follow them, bad things can happen.' The worst thing a young employee can do is try to look 'cool' for his bosses. 'If there's anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, bring it up with your supervisors.' Kulai knows it can be uncomfortable to raise safety concerns, and that questioning superiors is not always looked upon favourably. 'But there's no reason to ever compromise your safety — ever.' 'Every worker in B.C. has the right to refuse unsafe work,' says Prince. 'The first step of course is to talk to your supervisor and let them know a task feels unsafe or makes you uncomfortable.' Deadlines, quotas, trying to get the work done quickly to impress the boss? 'If you get hurt, none of that stuff matters,' says Kulai. More WorkSafeBC resources are available: Advice for new and young workers , how to ask questions about safety, and support for employers on their responsibilities and how to train new employees. jruttle@
Global News
6 days ago
- Business
- Global News
WorkSafeBC should issue refunds due to $2 billion surplus, CFIB says
A B.C. business group is calling for WorkSafeBC's huge surplus to be refunded to the businesses who have paid into it. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says WorkSafeBC is sitting on a surplus of $2 billion, which is actually above its funding target. The federation wants WorkSafeBC to follow the lead of ICBC and BC Hydro and return some of that surplus to ratepayers. 'We know that other provinces, such as Ontario, Manitoba, have been able to keep rates stable and return funds back to the employers that paid into it,' Kailth Nanayakkara with the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses told Global News. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Manitoba just announced $122 million in rebates. Ontario's announced a combined $4 billion while keeping rates stable and lower than B.C.'s' 2:07 New WorkSafe tips, gratuities rules criticized by hospitality industry However, WorkSafeBC says the surplus allows it to keep rates low and stable. Story continues below advertisement 'The WorkSafe board has worked very, very hard to maintain predictability and stability in the WorkSafe premiums over the last number of years,' Jennifer Whiteside, minister of labour for B.C. said. 'And in fact, those premiums haven't changed since 2018 and they are lower now than they were in 2014.' In 2017, the B.C. Liberal government said it was planning to return those surplus funds to employers but that did not go through as the BC NDP won the provincial election.
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
B.C. nurses rally against workplace violence
Janice McCaffrey has been a nurse for 40 years, most of which she spent working in critical care. But about a year ago, she was the one in need of emergency care after she was attacked by a patient while at work. McCaffrey said she was helping the patient on June 6, 2024, who needed to be cleaned up after he had been sick to his stomach. As they walked down the hall, "He didn't say a word to me," she said. McCaffrey wasn't able to actually do anything for the patient before he attacked her. "He punched me over and over and over again." McCaffrey said the assault left her with bleeding in the brain and a serious concussion that led to cognitive issues and trouble with balance and seizures. McCaffrey is one of many nurses who showed up on Wednesday afternoon at a rally to draw attention to workplace violence in health-care settings. According to WorkSafeBC, in 2024, there were 1,102 allowed claims from nurses, nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates where the accident type was an act of violence or force, compared to 988 in 2020. "The potential for violence exists whenever there is direct interaction between workers and non-workers," a WorkSafeBC spokesperson said. "All employers in B.C. are legally obligated to protect the health and safety of their workers — and this includes protecting workers from acts of violence. WorkSafeBC regulations require that employers conduct a risk assessment, have policies and procedures in place to protect workers from the risk of violence, and provide instruction to workers." The B.C. Nurses Union said WorkSafeBC data shows shows time-loss claims related to workplace violence among nurses are increasing: there were an average of 25 claims per month in 2014, and in 2023, there were 46. "Anecdotally, we know violence is on the rise," BCNU President Adriane Gear said. "Now we have the data to back that up." The union is calling for the province to make changes to policies and legislation to better protect health-care workers in the workplace. "It is a requirement of employers to keep their workers safe. We would just like health authorities to do their job." She said they'd also like to see some sort of alert system implemented that flagged patients who have a known history of violence with health-care workers and more security. McCaffrey said patients come into hospitals with weapons and actively use drugs, making the workplace that much more dangerous. "We need to have safety for the nurses, and we also need a working environment that promotes safety. The environment that we have right now does not." CBC News has contacted the Ministry of Health for comment. Wednesday's rally comes a few months after a similar event, organized by the BCNU, was held in Vancouver calling for better working conditions, increased staffing and better safety in healthcare-related workplaces. The February rally was held as negotiations for a new contract with employers were set to begin. As of Wednesday, the union said bargaining hadn't started yet. A spokesperson said they expect negotiations to begin in the fall.
Canada Standard
27-05-2025
- Health
- Canada Standard
B.C. Workers Still Waiting for Heat Protection After Deadly 2021 Heat Dome
In 2021, the heat dome over British Columbia killed 619 people, marking the deadliest climate disaster in Canadian history. As the province baked-temperatures surpassed 35C-many workers in restaurants, farms, and other high-exposure jobs still had to clock in. Four years later, workers are still pushing for legal protections from extreme heat. On May 23, the Worker Solidarity Network (WSN) rallied outside Premier David Eby's Kitsilano office in Vancouver. WSN is a coalition of non-unionized and precarious workers-including farmhands and restaurant staff in low-wage, unstable, or temporary jobs with few protections-advocating for climate protections in the workplace. Their demands include a maximum working temperature, paid climate leave, and audits that ensure employers are adhering to existing safety regulations. Over the past year, more than 1,000 people sent letters demanding audits and greater heat protection for vulnerable groups to Eby and B.C.'s health and labour ministries, through WSN's "too hot to work!" campaign. On Friday, the coalition unveiled a banner with the names of the 1,000 signatories. WorkSafeBC, the provincial agency that regulates occupational health and safety, says workers have the right to refuse work in unsafe conditions. But WSN writes in a report that many workers can't afford to forego wages by refusing work, nor can they speak up against employers' demands. Yet, 80% of food service workers in a WSN focus group said extreme weather affected their job, including changes like reduced hours, overtime work, or being asked to take on duties beyond their role. For many precarious workers, speaking up, but then missing a paycheque, isn't an option. "Staying home doesn't pay the rent," said WSN organizer Ismail Askin, who passed out from heatstroke in a kitchen during the summer of 2021, after walking an hour to work and being unable to take a break. That experience, he said, pushed him to advocate for climate protections in the workplace. Four years later, little has changed. After the heat dome, Worksafe BC reminded employers that they are required to conduct heat stress assessments and develop exposure control plans in consultation with workers. It has also updated its resources for employers and workers, and recommended that employers increase staffing to reduce exposure. But it has not made legislative changes nor increased audits to enforce worker protections. Workplace claims related to heat stress for indoor workers rose 180% in 2021. Still, many job sites remain without air conditioning or other cooling infrastructure. According to WorkSafeBC, 52% of serious heat stress claims in 2021 came from indoor workplaces without sufficient ventilation. A new report finds that workplace injuries may also be severely underreported to the agency, due to a system that financially rewards employers with fewer reported claims. Amid rising risks to workers, WSN Communications Coordinator Jiyoon Ha points to countries like Spain, where workers gained four days of paid climate leave after deadly floods in 2021. Nothing similar exists in Canada. Migrant workers face even greater precarity than others, Ingrid Mendez, executive director of the Migrant Justice Centre, said in a speech at the rally. Mendez said Canada's temporary foreign worker programs leave migrant workers with few protections from employer exploitation and unsafe environmental conditions. "They are threatened that if they complain they will be sent back to their country," Mendez said. The programs use closed work permits, which tie workers to a single employer. If employers place workers in unsafe conditions, they do not have the option to quit and find work elsewhere. Since the report's publication in 2023, Ha said little has changed in the legal system for B.C. workers. "The government has turned a blind eye," she said. In the meantime, the WSN has expanded workers' rights trainings across the interior parts of the province to help workers advocate for themselves. "Workers deserve climate crisis protections, workers deserve heat protections, and workers deserve rights," Askin said. As of publication, the Ministry of Labour had not responded to a request for comment. We'll update this story if we hear back. Source: The Energy Mix
