Over 1,600 complaints of public safety violations linked to COVID-19 filed to WorkSafeBC

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Public safety violations are top of mind as WorkSafeBC logs more than 1,600 complaints linked to COVID-19.

Michelle Plant is a Vancouver mom who believes many people have become too complacent because numbers in B.C. are better than in the U.S. and other parts of Canada.

“Letting us maybe ease up a little too much? It still gets very crowded at the entrance, at the exit and in line. I always wear a mask in any of those kinds of big places,” she says.

People have become lazy according to Plant and she adds, says she’s starting to worry.

“You know it just takes one small outbreak to put us back again. Until we have multiple days of zero new cases, we should just be in the same mindset.”

WorkSafeBC has already issued 62 orders in the trade sector which includes big-box retailers and Plant says she is grateful for it.

“That’s what it’s all about — somebody else going into these businesses and making sure they’re complying. Where, if we see a business not complying, we have somewhere to call.”

Joe Keithley, a city councillor in Burnaby, says he’s also worried about people letting down their guard, but he hasn’t received a lot of complaints.

“We have more talked about, as a council, we have to keep letting people know, yeah, come on, keep doing the right thing. Don’t stop now,” he says.

Keithley says he’s been a bit “dismayed” as people in the province don’t take follow the advice from the health officials.

“People think COVID is over. We’re not in the clear.”

He adds it’s important everyone understands the virus is still highly active especially in the Lower Mainland.

“We want people working and the economy going, but at the same time, we have to be really cautious of the effects of COVID.”

Province-wide, WorkSafeBC has already carried out more than 1,200 inspections and issued 320 pandemic-related compliance orders as of June 26.